Well, if the name hasn’t already given you a clue as to where we visited and what we ate this week, then let me help you out. On Tuesday night we dined out at ‘Fancy Crab’, a Seafood restaurant, which offers every edible inch of a red king crab in a variety of dishes. Located in the center of London’s shopping district, and just a 5-minute walk away from Bond Street tube station, or a 15-minute stroll from Oxford Circus station, Fancy Crab is the perfect dining spot for hungry shoppers and seafood addicts alike.

The relatively new establishment opened earlier this year in May, and has had plenty of competition to contend with. Focusing on one main dish or food to promote a restaurant’s concept has become a popular marketing tactic amongst London restaurants lately. Favourites amongst Londoners include Flat Iron (steak) and Burger & Lobster (you most probably can guess what the main menu consists of), and it seems to be incredibly successful!

Credit: Fancy Crab

Prices

The price for an entire red king crab to share is £89/kilo, which may sound pricey, but when compared to other restaurants that serve the same portion for over £100, Fancy Crab offers you a fair price for your food. The prices for the red king crab start from around £18.00 for the ‘Merus’ (the largest part of the crab leg), so the overall cost for a three-course meal including drinks for two people isn’t astronomical, however crab is never cheap.

Fancy Crab has been able to set reasonable prices for its main dish because it imports red king crabs that have been cooked and frozen on the factory ship. Ordinarily, if we hear about a restaurant serving frozen food rather than a fresh alternative, we would probably steer clear. However, freezing a king crab does nothing to its texture, taste or overall deliciousness so we thought we’d give it a try!

Credit: Fancy Crab

Food

Although the name gives the game away a little (Fancy “CRAB”), all is not what it seems. We thought that the menu would be dominated by the seafood king, but were pleasantly surprised when we found out that friends who may not have as much of an appetite for seafood can also join, because Fancy Crab offers a range of meat dishes like steak, beef burger and grilled chicken too.

So, lets move on to the best part shall we? Although we took some time to take in the menu, we knew that we couldn’t eat at a restaurant called the ‘Fancy Crab’… and not eat crab! So we choose the ‘Merus’ dish and we were not disappointed. You can order the crab to arrive cold on ice or grilled; we choose the latter. The dish was served with a lick of butter and some sauce on the side. Although I’m no expert in how crab should taste, it was by far one of the nicest crabs I’ve ever had; sweet, meaty and very satisfying!

I have to credit Fancy crab for their deliciously seasoned chunky chips, which were cooked to ensure that the perfect balance of a fluffy inside and crispy skin outside was achieved!

Credit: Time Journal

Drinks and Atmosphere

As with many of the city’s restaurants, Fancy Crab is fully equipped with all the liquors, spirits and fruit syrups you need to drink and enjoy a refreshingly cold fruity cocktail. The establishment has even got a ‘basement bar’ visitors can retire to, to enjoy a selection of alcoholic beverages in a dimly lit room full of character and decorated with historic royal portraits.

Credit: Fancy Crab

Our verdict? Fancy Crab isn’t the cheapest meal in London, and yet it isn’t stupidly priced either. The food was cooked perfectly and the cocktails and service were faultless. Although I didn’t try the steak, I could smell it from the table next to me, and it smelt divine. So whether you’re a seafood lover or a meat eater, Fancy Crab caters for all.

Have the ‘instagram worthy’ pictures and detailed descriptions of the delicious food on offer made your taste buds tingle? Then book yourself a table at Fancy Crab by clicking here, and get browsing the menu here in preparation for your visit!