A steaming pile of hot seafood dumped straight into a massive bowl over the table, seasoned skillfully with Cajun spices that your mouth starts to water before you ever even get a taste. Gloves on, crab boil bib secured, grabbing a bit of everything: crab legs, corn, potatoes, boiled eggs and shrimp.
This week, I visited J&C Crab Seafood Restaurant, a local Fort Myers boil joint that brings the bold, spicy spirit of the Gulf Coast seafood right to our vicinity, with a mix of flavors that nod to Louisiana tradition while putting their own careful twist on the boil game.
Walking through the front doors, a glowing red sign welcomes customers, accompanied by warm ambient lantern lights over the seating area and the sound of sports games playing on the TVs. A giant decorative ship takes anchor in the middle of the restaurant, above the bar, a massive lobster hovering and oversized crabs lurking on the walls. The air feels light, almost like a cooled summer night.
Some of the different seasonings you can get with a boil are: Cajun, Lemon Pepper, and Garlic Butter Juicy Special. You can also create your own combo with as many sides as you’d like.
The boil arrived in a slick, steaming heap: half a pound of crab legs curled like question marks, and a pound of glistening large shrimp. Alongside boiled potatoes, corn on the cob and boiled eggs, all tangled together in a Cajun-flavored butter and spice. On the side, a small bowl of white rice pulls everything together, topped with a drizzle of salty, seasoned butter. The crab legs cracked open with a satisfying snap, and the shrimp was plump, not rubbery, with a heavy coating of the seasoning. The potatoes were quite tender while also being soaked in the butter and the corn had a nice crunch.
As for someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy eating with their hands, there is this sort of intimacy. It’s a full circle moment, being able to feel the texture, temperature and shape of the food, it adds another layer to the experience beyond the taste and delectable smell of spices. It’s messy beyond belief, but it is intentional. No one is judging. Everyone is doing the same thing around you for a celebration of appetite.
The price, around $52 for a meal for two, felt generous, especially for a seafood boil. With enough shrimp and crab legs to still have leftovers, it was a clear step above late-night takeout. J&C is a place to go when your group chat finally agrees on dinner plans, or when your parents visit and offer to foot the bill. It’s not every day meal prep, but when the craving hits, there’s nothing else like it this close to campus.
