Paul Bass Photos
The latest restaurateurs to try their luck in the cursed concrete canyon below the Temple Street Garage may have a secret weapon: rum-bloated-candy drinks.
City officials joined with the restaurateurs Monday to cut the ribbon on Mr. Crab Seafood & Bar, which features spicy seafood and signature cocktails across Temple Street from Criterion Cinemas.
“I can’t wait to have cajun crab,” effused Mayor Toni Harp, who indeed got the chance after wielding the scissors for the ceremonial cut. “I am so excited that you’re here. It’ll be a little bit of New Orleans on Temple Street.”
Mr. Crab — the owners’ second version of a restaurant they opened in Bridgeport’s Black Rock section — sits on a garage-buried block where eateries seem to open and close faster than the jaws of a dracula ant.
Its 25 Temple St. storefront alone has since 2012 hosted the deluxe-donut Orangeside Luncheonette, the beloved (at least by this reporter) vegan Red Lentil, and the Greek diner Kalimera.
City deputy economic development chief Steve Fontana (pictured) noted the challenge of making a restaurant work inside a dark grey concrete block at the edge of downtown without much foot traffic. The garage “looms hover Temple Street,” he noted. “We have to come up with a way to make it more encouraging and inviting.” He said the city is looking at adding more lighting and landscaping to enliven the block.
Mr. Crab co-owner Roy Poon (pictured) endorsed that idea. He said he hopes to unite with other restaurateurs on the block to pursue other ideas.
Co-owner Munik Bringel (at right in photo) server Nichol Phelan are also hoping the Cajun shrimp and chips and cocktails make Mr. Crab a destination.
Bringel demonstrated what goes into the “Drunken Gummy Bear.” She mixed peach schnapps, mango-flavored Stoli, grenadine for color — and gummy bears bloated from days of soaking in rum. It was a tad too early in the day to sample …
… but it looked exquisite.
Red Lentil was amazing. If they couldn't make it...