#TerrificTakeout #TheBoilery #CRABLEGS #InauguralReview by #AlexanderLee #BoilerySeafoodandGrill #UpperWestSide
The most exciting event in seafood in years hit Manhattan when The Boilery Seafood and Grill opened Monday, April 29, 2019 and we hope we are the first to tell you.
We are honored to be the first to review it.
Time to Keep Calm and Crab On.
It's not who you know, and it never has been.
It's WHOM YOU KNOW, and it is possible that we met Managing Partner Alexander Lee at The French Culinary Institute when Peachy took classes there in 2009. We can't remember. We did interview Lee Ann Wong then when taking classes:
Alexander is a 2009 graduate so we believe we just missed him when we reviewed L'Ecole in 2010:
Managing Partner Alexander Lee and Peachy Deegan
We were delighted to meet Alexander and even more delighted to work with him and totally thrilled to eat the SNOW CRAB LEGS, which are among Peachy's most favorite things on the planet. They were THE BEST CRAB LEGS PEACHY HAS EVER HAD IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK!
When you arrive, you will note that the tables are set with crackers and appropriate forks in style. Right now there is one salad on the menu, and we are hot on salads as you know, especially with bathing suit season on its way.
The Iceberg Wedge Salad was terrifically fresh and gorgeously presented. It's cut to make a lovely wedge of course and is joined by spectacular bacon, egg, tomato and drum roll please, chive. Peachy is pro-chive because she has watched the Jacques Pepin video on how to make an omelette umpteen million times and she cannot eat an omelette without chives because Jacques Pepin said so. Ms. Pretty Picky even liked the ranch dressing. She does not like most salad dressings.
Oooh look at that they are using chives again!!!!!
Oooh la la pinkies out mes amies these New Yorkers know how to do a Lobster Roll well. Many New Yorkers cannot do them as well as people from Connecticut (like Peachy) and all of New England but we were uber-impressed. Of course this is our first visit here, and it has only been open for three days. The Maine Lobster roll is incredible and boasts 3/4 of an entire lobster including claws and tail tossed beautifully in Mayo perched upon Bibb Boston lettuce and smashing with the perfect crunch of celery to boot. Note you can dip the french fries in the mayo and it is Kewpie (brand name) mayo, which is sweeter and buttery and happens to be Japanese. You can also dip them in Ketchup and we like both. You can have it all at The Boilery.
It does look this delicious and tastes equally splendid.
We never edit pictures.
The french fries are outstanding and are crafted fresh from Russet Potatoes, twice fried.
You will not be able to stop eating them. To that end, we also ordered some great green veggies to up the nutrition factor!
Broccoli Glamour Shots
You cannot go wrong with either the Garlic Broccoli or the Sauteed String Beans; both were perfect and exactly what we wanted. Peachy is a garlic monster and they were flavored with pizzazz and style. We loved it and if you don't like your vegetables, you will like these.
The last several times we have eaten proper crab legs have involved a trip on a plane.
These are the best crab legs we have ever had in New York.
Ever.
Peachy is used to eating crab legs in a beachy environment, which is impossible to have in Manhattan as obviously we are hard up for a beach.
We were entirely perplexed by all the plastic but now that we have experienced it, it all makes sense. The Snow Crab Legs arrive just like this in a bag. Under CATCH OF THE DAY, you pick your catch, then you pick a sauce and spice level. We picked Garlic and Butter and Mild. Their seafood is boiled in their Cajun Style seasoning and tossed with signature sauces along with Corn, Potato and Sausage. There is also a South Korean Rice cake you will discover.
Opening up your dinner is better than a Pirate discovering Treasure because you are the hungry Pirate and you get to eat it.
We will let the pictures speak for themselves.
The Snow Crab Legs were super fresh and the shells cracked perfectly.
You are dressed in gloves and a bib. If you miss and make a mess on your outfit,you know to send it to Hallak. Peachy has been eating crab legs since age 10 where she started at the fabulous Sweetwater's in Port Orange, Florida on the Inlet Waterway which has sadly since closed. Actually one of the waiters at Primola once worked at Sweetwater's and also Julian's which we also loved in Florida before it closed.
Look at how with a simple crack it opened up fantastically, evidencing the total freshness.
And it lived happily ever after in Peachy's stomach!
Note that is a real smile. Happiness is eating crab legs that Alexander made at The Boilery. No one else makes them nearly as well in New York.
We almost never put our picture in the first review but look at how happy Peachy is eating crab! Maybe the first time with gloves too.
As if we were not thrilled enough we need to further brag to you about the extraordinary level of Fish and Chips, rarely achieved in America and almost never by an American.
Alison Blythe is killing it in Delaware:
She's British and from London.
Alexander is American and his Crispy Cod Basket Fish and Chips are the best we've had in New York. Ever. If you are a daft American as Peachy once was before she lived in the UK and Ireland you should know that Chips are REALLY FRENCH FRIES. Hence, fish and chips:
They are battered just right and all the fish here is super fresh as a staff member goes to the market at Hunts Point personally every day. You can tell in every bite.
Also the Tartar sauce is superlative, which is key.
It has been years since we have been this excited about a new seafood place in Manhattan!
We absolutely cannot wait to see what they do next.
In the meantime, Keep Calm and Crab On!
