Living in Saigon, I’m constantly adding new Vietnamese words to my vocabulary. It’s fascinating how some terms stick straightaway, while others, regardless of how many times I run into them, refuse to integrate into my lexicon. For instance, I can’t seem to remember the words for menu, even though I ask to see one practically every day. However, just one tasty encounter with soft-shell crabs was all it took for the words cua lot to be forever seared into my mind. I guess the part of my brain that processes new information is directly connected to my taste buds. I visited Quán 94, a restaurant specializing in crabs, a few weeks back with a travel journalist named Peter. I...
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I spent last week at the Jersey Shore, mostly in the Wildwoods, but with a quick trip down to Cape May for half a day or so. As suggested by Serious Eater Mydree here, I tried The Lobster House for lunch. And, as Serious Eater GoodbyeOhio suggested, I did the take-out window and ate on the dock instead of doing sit-down service inside the restaurant. I'd never had a fried soft-shell crab sandwich before, but this one hit the spot. It was light-seeming despite the frying and just meaty enough. Served on a squishy white hamburger bun with a cool lettuce leaf and a couple thinly sliced tomatoes, it was worth the cab ride from the bus station. And...
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