Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published January 23, 2006 Click here for the current edition The Crab Dinner Returns A couple of years ago GW Fins ran a special for a few weeks in which crabs from all over the world were united in a single, outrageously opulent platter. It was a fascinating dinner, offering the opportunity to taste the local crabmeat against other first-class crabs. (Our blue crab comes out very well in taste-offs.) It has returned to the tables of the seafood specialist. Through the end of February, Chef Tenney Flynn has a four-way assortment of chilled crab for $31.50. I'd suggest splitting one of these for an appetizer and then moving on to the grilled pompano or something. The highlight this time is an Australian job called a spanner crab (for its claw's resemblance to the business end of a wrench). It's a little bigger than our crabs and has a pinkish-orange cast to its shell. The meat is very white and has a luscious taste that suggests sweetness, somehow. The other two crabs are fresh Alaska king crab (it's rare to get this any way but frozen) and Dungeness crab. All of these will be served au naturel, with the local blue crab lumps incorporated into a slaw. Get a big Chardonnay to go with it all and you'll have quite a dinner. GW Fins is open Tuesdays through Saturdays for dinner only They have begun validating parking in the garage next door to the Acme, on Iberville between Bourbon and Royal. That's a block from the restaurant, which is at 808 Bienville, across from Arnaud's I'd get a reservation; the number is 581-3467. © 2006 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com