Lobster truck reborn in Townsend; Newark hotel has excellent crab cakes

This week, we begin a new feature called "Eat In/Dine Out."

Just want to stay in and nosh on some good food and drinks? We'll tell you where you can pick up dinner or dessert for take-out or we'll share a new cookbook offering great recipes to make at home.

Looking to hit the town? We'll share some recent great dishes and meals we've had at area restaurants.  

EAT IN:

If you think summer is the only time to eat steamed crabs, you're sadly mistaken. The fall is actually the best time to get fat, heavy crabs at much lower prices. In Delaware, the blue crab season runs from March 1 to Nov. 30.

The Little Red Crab Wagon is a new food truck owned and operated by Crab 73 at Taylor's Bridge, a family-owned, cash-only seafood store at 1091 Taylors Bridge Road in Townsend that sells live crabs and more that are caught by Delaware Bay watermen.

The shiny, fire engine red food trailer had formerly been the Fishkiller's Lobster Shack near Dagsboro.

Fishkiller's, a charming, seasonal Sussex County food business, was opened in 2008 by Delaware waterman Capt. Chet Townsend and his family. They sold lobster sandwiches and fish tacos made with their locally caught seafood and casual foods like burgers and sandwiches. It operated from Memorial Day to Labor Day on a plot of land about six miles west of Bethany Beach.

In 2017, owners announced they would not be reopening the site due to changing priorities, the death of family members and some health issues.

This past July, Ned Evans, whose family has operated Crab 73 in Townsend for more than 35 years, purchased the custom-made 18-foot-by-8 1/2-foot concession trailer.

He renamed the food truck The Little Red Crab Wagon and began operating it in early September.

Evans said the truck sells cooked crabs, crab cakes, soft-shell crab sandwiches, breaded shrimp, homemade fries and more. The truck is used for private events, but Evans said it will be making visits to public events as well.

He said the truck will be at the Smyrna Fire Hall in early November. 

For more information about the truck, visit the CRAB 73 at Taylor's Bridge Facebook page or call (302) 378-8373.

DINE OUT:

Back in June, we began a hunt for the best places in Delaware to get a crab cake.

It wasn't a new quest, but it had been almost 10 years since our last Great Crab Cake search. We asked readers to share their favorite places in the state to get crab cakes.

Delaware Park's crab cakes in the winner's circle

Emails and voicemails poured in with hundreds of suggestions. We checked out the top recommendations and shared results along the way.

The conclusion? We agree with an email from William A Sullivan, managing director of Courtyard by Marriott – Newark at the University of Delaware, 400 David Hollowell Drive in Newark.

"At the end of the day, the best crab cake is often the last one I ate!" he said.

And, we saved the best for last because the crab cakes made by Courtyard by Marriott Chef Mark Chopko easily deserve the numerous awards they have received. This was, by far, my favorite crab cake.

The $26 crab cake dinner (two cakes and two sides) is available at the hotel's bistro at the hotel off Del. 896. The bistro serves breakfast and dinner, no lunch.

These gluten-free cakes, bigger than your palm, are made with all lump crab meat and a secret all natural binding ingredient. You can eat them at the hotel bistro – and they do have a nice outdoor area with a firepit – but, when all is said and done, it is a hotel bistro. But you also can get dinners to go.

Woody's in Dewey tops in Delaware Crab Cake Search

I'll be back. The crab cakes are that good. I'm sorry I waited so long.

My second favorite spot is Woody's Dewey Beach Bar & Grill. The crab cakes served at Racing Legends restaurant at Delaware Park in Stanton are a close third.

Other top contenders:  Big Fish Grill Wilmington Riverfront, Sambo's Tavern in Leipsic and Gilligan's Waterfront Restaurant & Bar in Lewes. 

The summer ran out before we got a chance to get to these places, but a number of readers also suggested crab cakes from The Surfing Crab in Lewes, The University & Whist Club in Wilmington, Kelly's Tavern in Port Penn, Valle Cucina Italiana in Pike Creek and Old Mill Crab House in Delmar. 

Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico