California Style Crab

Off on my birthday adventure, which had been postponed due to My Beloved's sore throat, we stopped at the Sea Breeze Market and Deli in Berkeley for a quick lunch on our way to Carmel Valley.

The Sea Breeze is a great place to enjoy on a pretty day; it's one of the first places My Beloved took me when I moved to California, and it's one of the reasons why I wanted to stay. Not only do they have good food, the extremely casual style typifies to me what is best about California, the laid-back, laissez faire vibe.

At the Sea Breeze, it's okay to bring your dog, to dress casually, to lean back in the sunshine and just chill for a few minutes. All ages are represented from grandmothers strolling their grandchildren to punk rockers with dangling chains and shiny zippers to workmen on a break - and everyone is having a good time, enjoying the sunshine and their favorite foods.

I usually order the fried oysters when I go to the Sea Breeze - they are always plump, juicy and fresh - but this time I spied on the menu board something called "Garlic Crab." Okay, so, garlic and crab being two of the highest deities in my personal hierarchy, I asked for half a crab.

I should have ordered a whole crab.

When I unwrapped the silver foil, I found steamed, cracked, fresh Dungeness crab with garlic butter poured over it, pooling in the bottom, and lemon wedges at the ready. OMG. It was simply a wonderful way to present the crab. MB and I shared like good little children but it wasn't easy. Our fingers were smeared with lemony, buttery, crabby goodness and we both had serious garlic breath by the time we finished. MB discovered that he could dip the leftover bread from his meal in the garlic butter to prolong the feast. I dipped, too.

For sheer California bliss, I can't imagine anything that could top a pretty day, garlic crab at the Sea Breeze, and an adventure with My Beloved in the offing.