Dining pick of the week: The Boiling Crab

PICK OF THE WEEK:

THE BOILING CRAB

4025 S. Decatur Blvd. at West Flamingo Road, 386-0808

Southern Nevadans aren't used to backyard crab fests where family and friends gather to boil crawfish and crabs, shuck raw oysters, or grill/fry fresh fish. Get used to it now, as this large and open family restaurant offers up blue crab, oysters, Dungeness crab, king crab legs, lobster, crawfish, shrimp and clams. Most of these shellfish are on the menu, although some are strictly seasonal, such as Dungeness, blue, crawfish and lobster. Order a seasoning to go with your seafood, including Rajun Cajun, lemon pepper or garlic spread, and then select a spice level: nonspicy, mild, medium or XXX, which means "I can't feel my mouth." There are Cajun wings, fried oysters and calamari, and fried shrimp and catfish baskets that come with Cajun fries. Featured extras are gumbo (with or without rice), corn on the cob, potatoes, sausage, sweet potato fries and steamed rice. As they say down in the Delta, "Laissez les bon temps roulez," or "Let the good times roll!" Shrimp and clams start at $9.99 a pound, and other shellfish are market price depending on the season. The Boiling Crab is open from 3 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. -- Jack Bulavsky