Win A Stay & Play Package! Last Chance To Enter!

Don’t miss your chance to win a romantic getaway! Last day to enter our Valentine’s Day Giveaway is Monday, February 8. To enter, visit 13moons and input your valid email address and Player’s Club number at the tablet by the host station. The winner will be announced via email on February 9. For more details, visit our events page.

In-Season, Dungeness Crab

Crab a friend — oops, “grab” — and join us at 13moons for mouthwatering fresh Dungeness crab dishes. With crab in season right now, it’s the most delicious time to taste our Crab Cocktail, Crab Quesadilla, Crab Cakes or our signature Crab Louie salad.

The Chow Down: Dungeness Crab

Underneath every Dungeness crab’s tough shell is its succulent, sweet and flaky white meat that seafood lovers painstakingly work to reach. But, show any seafood lover a soft-shelled Dungeness and a hard-shelled Dungeness crab — they’ll happily take the hard-shelled.

There’s a reason crab lovers must rigorously break through a tough Dungeness shell versus their soft-shelled relatives.

Dungeness crab, named after their shallow, sandy bay habitat in the Dungeness Spit, molt throughout their lives, shedding their hard shell to reveal a fresh, fragile soft shell.

After leaving behind its strong, protective layer, it’s more susceptible to damage. There’s also less, and less tasty, meat inside.

In fact, a soft-shelled crab holds less than 20 percent of its weight in meat, according to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW). Hard-shelled crab, on the other hand, holds around 25 percent of its weight in meat.

People describe a Dungeness soft-shelled crab’s meat as mushy, watery and jelly-like, according to the WDFW.

Once the crab begins actively feeding on worms, clams and other small organisms, it builds hearty muscle tissue within its expanded shell. More muscle means more meat. For that reason, Washington State requires fisherman to release all soft-shelled crab to avoid waste.

Catch a taste of hearty Dungeness crab at 13moons by trying any of our featured crab dishes. For a complete menu, please visit our restaurant page.

Check out this YouTube video showing a crab molting its shell before being attacked by a predator!

References:

Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife

AlaskaSeafood.org

Alaska Department of Fish & Game

Special menu

Available February 12 through February 14

Filet Mignon with Wild Mushroom Crème $46

Herb-Crusted Halibut with Warm Tomato Salsa $40

To view a complete menu, please visit our restaurant page.

Extended hours

Friday, February 12:                3pm-11pm

Saturday, February 13:           3pm-11pm

Sunday, February 14:              3pm-10pm