Good Taste: Soft-shell ode to spring

The sudden appearance of soft-shell crabs is one of the true joys of spring dining, and I lucked out with my first of the year, a home run of a crab on the tasting menu at Lacroix at the Rittenhouse.

Chef Jon Cichon, thankfully resisting his Baltimorean urge to pan-sauté that soft-shell (too leathery), instead dipped his crab into the lightest of tempura batters for a delicately fried, shattering crisp.

But it was the garnish that lifted this crustacean to next-level status, a vivid spring cream brightened with green garlic, pureed with lettuce and wine, and then topped with a surprising blast of tabbouleh salad.

The earthy bulgur wheat, juicy with diced tomatoes and a bracingly tart dressing amped with lemon, mint, and grilled ramps, cut right through the richness of the sweet crab meat, cream sauce, and golden crust.

If you haven't done Lacroix's $85 tasting menu in a while, it's worth a revisit for a special occasion. If you're in the mood for just crabs, this seasonal beauty is available a la carte at lunch or on the bar menu.

– Craig LaBan
Soft-shell crab with spring garlic cream and tabbouleh, $24 a la carte, Lacroix at the Rittenhouse, Rittenhouse Hotel, 210 W. Rittenhouse Sq.; 215-790-2533; lacroixrestaurant.com