By Cathy Kiley

The Stoned Crab opened more than 30 years ago in its current Macungie location. Since then, this building has gone through many lives including Le Due and Le Due Sorelle, reverting back to The Stoned Crab in 2005. Present owners Ron and Claire Pickering have completely refurbished and redecorated this eatery over the past seven years and offer a substantial eclectic menu featuring tasty appetizers, soups, salads, seafood, steaks
and burgers.

We usually begin with a visit to the bar before being seated for dinner. However, the bar was really packed for a Tuesday night so we were immediately shown to our table in an adjacent dining area by General Manager Karen Mathis. With its high-backed booths, lacquered wooden tables, soft greens and burgundies accenting polished woodwork, cute window dressings, nautical prints and high density lighting, I would consider this room very cozy and intimate. However, the intimacy struggled a bit on this evening due to the noise overflowing from the revelers at the bar taking advantage of the daily Happy Hour with $5.00 martini, wine and appetizer selections as well as $2.00 draft beer specials. But that’s okay – it didn’t bother us and we were glad to see the place doing so well
on a weeknight.

We were greeted by Nicole, our delightful server, who was happy to bring us excellent drinks prepared by bartender-du-jour Michele. I sipped an icy Martini and Tom a Manhattan while we checked out the menu and nibbled on rolls dipped in good-quality olive oil infused with herbs
and spices.

As an appetizer, I chose the Snow Crab Bisque. I enjoyed the consistency of this bisque. It was rich, but not overly thickened. The generous pieces of sweet crab enhanced a very tasty broth with a creamy hint of vegetables and zesty spices. I enjoyed it very much. Tom ordered Oysters on the Half Shell. The five very fresh, succulent oysters were tender and of excellent quality served with a Chipotle cocktail sauce. Other appetizers include Escargot with garlic butter, parsley and crostini; Mushrooms stuffed with crabmeat; Shrimp or Colossal Crab Cocktails and seared Lamp Lollipops to name a few, as well as French Onion Soup in addition to the bisque.

Next, I enjoyed a chilled garden salad of fresh spring mix, tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers with balsamic vinaigrette. Tom ordered the Wedge of Iceberg Lettuce with veggies. He asked that they hold the creamy blue cheese dressing and instead requested olive oil and crumbled blue cheese. They were happy to accommodate him and were also very generous with the crumbled blue cheese. Both salads were fresh and delicious.

The main course menu offers many seafood choices including a Broiled Seafood Combination and Broiled Stuffed Flounder as well as Stoned Crab Scampi, Fresh Atlantic Salmon and Twin Lobster Tails. There are various steaks on the menu including Stoned Crab Chesapeake Filet Mignon with a crab cake and a smoked pepper butter sauce and well as New York Strip and Delmonico Steaks all prepared to your liking.

In the mood for a burger? Choose from a Filet Burger Benedict; a Mushroom Swiss Steak Burger; an American Fried Onion Steak Burger; a Bacon Blue Steak Burger or California Steak Burger – all cooked to order and served with steak fries.

For lighter fare, The Stoned Crab offers four dinner salads including a New York Strip Steak Salad, a Cobb Salad and Chicken Caesar. Also on the menu is a Tuna Nicoise – sushi grade sesame crusted tuna, fresh greens, Kalamata olives, capers, artichokes, potato and egg with a Lemon yogurt vinaigrette. I did not try this salad here but when a Tuna Nicoise is properly prepared, it is a little bit of heaven and my very
favorite salad.

Our main courses arrived. I ordered The Stoned Crab’s Signature Crab Cake, pan seared with Chipotle Tartar Sauce. The crab cake was substantial, chock-a-block with crab and very little fillers. I prefer my crab cakes broiled as a rule but this was quite satisfying, with the tartar sauce adding just the right zip. I chose scalloped potatoes as a side and they were creamy and delicious.

Tom ordered the Sesame Crusted Tuna served with soy and wasabi. The tuna arrived rare as ordered and was nicely presented. However, Tom said that he should have ordered the fish blackened as the tuna was a little too heavy on the sesame seeds for his taste. I sampled the tuna and agreed that the seeds overpowered the fish. But, that is our preference and others may feel differently. Both meals were accompanied by a steamed fresh vegetable medley of carrots, broccoli, green and wax beans. Although we did not order wine, The Stoned Crab has a limited list of moderately priced wine selections for your enjoyment.

All desserts at The Stoned Crab are made on the premises and include a Dark Belgian Chocolate Torte, Crème Brulee, Peanut Butter Pie and Cheesecake. These were in addition to our shared selection of Bourbon Pecan Pie served with Vanilla Ice Cream. This rich desert was deliciously sweet with a flaky pie crust. We enjoyed it very much with cups of freshly brewed coffee.

Head Chef Joel Middlecamp is in charge of Stoned Crab’s kitchen staff. He is classically trained in French cuisine which is obvious in his presentation. Locally, he worked at Bowers Hotel in Bowers, PA and Kutztown’s Seasons Grille prior to coming here four
years ago.

Our server Nicole has been at The Stoned Crab for years. She was very professional yet extraordinarily friendly. All in all, we had a very nice evening.

The Stoned Bar is obviously a favorite meeting for locals. It has a warm, comfortable atmosphere for dining and an upscale feel at the lively bar which, I’ve already said, was packed the night we visited. Before leaving, Nancy Mathis showed us the upstairs dining room. This more refined dining area is open on weekends and always available for larger groups, company meetings and private parties. Located at 1905 Brookside Road in Macungie, The Stone Crab is easily accessible from Routes 78 and 222. They are open for lunch Monday thru Friday 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and dinner seven days a week from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. with the bar remaining open later. Stop in anytime, any day and The Stoned Crab will be glad to satisfy your hunger pangs and wet your whistle! Telephone 610.398.8060 or log onto: www.stonedcrab.net for reservations, directions, menus and other information.