The Metropolitan Magazine

Having been raised in New York, where lobster reigns as king of the seafood chain, I found myself lacking a certain sense of urgency when it came to experiencing the legend that is Maryland crab.
Finally, after five years of urging, goading, taunting and even humiliation, I knuckled under and pointed myself in the direction of what by reputation is the premier establishment of its kind for the Maryland crab adventure, Old Mill Crab House. Well, all I can say in retrospect is, boy, what a classic big-city doofus I’ve been for having waited so long.
I’ve had many a great meal in my life (as my waistline attests), but never have I ridden such a foamy crest of oceanic bliss as I did at Don and Hilary Prouse’s Old Mill. It was good, so good it was painful. The kind of good that has otherwise dignified bipeds (such as myself, of course) making the kinds of scrunch faces and unseemly noises that are normally reserved for much more private settings.
But not this night.
The first (crab) leg of my journey for seafaring fare docked at Old Mill’s year-old Ocean City location. Bright, airy and shiny-new, the 125th Street crab house sports a decided beachy theme, à la Jimmy Buffett, whereas the original location, in Delmar, Del., retains a more rustic, heartland-America ambiance. Put it this way: If the Delmar site is where the family grew up, the Ocean City offshoot is where it goes on vacation.
That enduring family theme is no coincidence, though. It is, in fact, very much at the heart of what the Prouses set out to create and perpetuate. They are known for its long-running wait staff (for which there is basically a waiting list, since there is virtually no turnover), which includes among its bevy of pretty faces a 16-year veteran of the establishment (who also has a thriving career in health care), as well as employees who represent multiple generations of the same family.
But perhaps no face at either Old Mill location is prettier than that of Hilary Prouse herself, who with some ambivalence suspended her daily duties at the restaurant in order to raise her and Don’s 21-month-old son, Wyatt.
“It’s certainly true that except for being with Wyatt, there is no place I’d rather be than at the restaurants,” offered Hilary, whose blue eyes sparkle like the sea on a breezy summer day. “Working with that amazing staff of ours and visiting with our cherished customers… it’s really such a great environment; no one ever wants to leave. To have the children we have, the staff we have and the customers we have is truly a blessing for Don and me, and we feel so grateful every single day.”
There are several tangible ways in which the Prouses — along with John Snarsky, their indispensible director of operations — have chosen to express that gratitude. It begins with things like their $5 kids menu, which includes all the requisite junior dinner goodies (e.g., hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken tenders, mac & cheese, etc.) but throws in two kinds of crab and steamed shrimp as an option for those youngsters who have already found their sea legs. There is even a full-fledged alien-invasion-themed mini-golf course attached to the O.C. location that is owned by Old Mill and at the disposal of its customers. (Insider tip, but please don’t tell anybody: When families come to eat at the O.C. location, the managers often let the kids play a round of mini-golf on the house.)
Brand-new for 2010, meanwhile, is Old Mill’s “bottomless refills” policy on all non-alcoholic beverages, which Don and Hilary instated this year as a further gesture of thanks to their loyal and beloved customers.
But perhaps the best gesture of all is that not only has Old Mill refused to raise its prices even one cent in over two years, Don and Hilary Prouse have vowed to continue that policy during the current economic malaise, which has seen Old Mill’s competitors raise prices, especially on crab, in the wake of the recent BP oil-spill disaster in the Gulf, which has wreaked such havoc on the seafood trade and its prices.
“I know that refusing to raise our prices is going to hurt our profit margin for the time being,” confessed Don, who, at 45, still enjoys boyish good looks despite a 27-year career in food service. “But I feel the best way to trudge through an economy like this is to do it together, as a community, rather than just passing on our financial hardship to others, who probably have their own problems to deal with. We will all get through this thing, and by doing it together, we’ll all emerge better for it in the end. In the meantime, I just want everybody to come here and have a great time.”
Speaking of having a great time...

I was most assuredly having a great time when the first round of food was set before what was by then my very vocal stomach. Appetizers and other pre-entrée goodies abounded — each with its own unique, complimentary character. They were all very yummy, but for some really special palate piquers, try the crab toast, the Old Mill sweet potato fries drizzled with their signature syrup or their (OMG!) blackened tuna bites, which is tuna like you’ve never had it before and will never forget after. The diabolically intoxicating seasonings — which produce completely differentiated during and aftertastes — will have the same effect on your taste buds that defibrillator paddles have on a catnapper. They are truly amazing.
On the entrée side, you can never go wrong with Old Mill’s meaty snow crab, special-recipe crab cakes or their Gulf shrimp stuffed with Jumbo Lump Crab Imperial. Incidentally, it’s Old Mill’s policy to use only lump meat for its crab cakes, whereas many seafood restaurants opt for the lower quality backfin meat because it’s less expensive.
But the unequivocal star of the show for me turned out to be the blue crab — a brand-new discovery that seduced me faster than Megan Fox in a mermaid costume. Sure, the little pincer-packers make you work a bit for their sub-exoskeletal treasures, but Don Prouse was kind enough to show me what is essentially the anatomical pop-top they have on their ventral side, which makes getting to the goodies a whole lot easier, especially with some practice (something I intend to do on a very regular basis). The flavor of the meat — which Prouse said they coax along in the kitchen with some proprietary strategies during the steaming process — is so incredibly succulent and delicious, I found myself, for the first time in my life, not reaching reflexively for the drawn butter, as it was simply redundant.
Equally amazing, however, is that you don’t even need to like seafood to want to dine at either of the Old Mills. You like chicken? Try what they call their “DelMarValous” fried chicken, which boasts a delightfully seasoned crispy skin over white-meat chicken more moist than you’re likely to find anywhere. Red meat lovers, meanwhile, have a real treat in store: Old Mill’s one-pound king-cut Delmonico steak — a melt-in-your-mouth Certified Angus so irresistible, it would tempt even a vegan to fall off the tofu wagon. (In fact, I think I’ve decided that my death-row last meal is gonna consist of the Old Mill Delmonico steak and blue crab… served by Megan Fox… in a mermaid costume. Anyway…) And if you’ve somehow left room for dessert, I recommend the Old Mill Funnel Cake Sundae, which is funnel cake covered in powdered sugar, a scoop of vanilla-bean ice cream and chocolate syrup, topped with whipped cream and a cherry. Try to convince yourself that you need it to aid your digestive process.
Ultimately, even with all the rapture I experienced at both Old Mills from top to bottom and beginning to end, I’m not prepared to say that I don’t love lobster anymore (which turns out well for me, since Old Mill serves great lobster, too). What I will say, however, is that now the king of my seafood castle reigns benevolently from the glistening shores of Maryland — at the Old Mill Crab House.

8829 Waller Rd., (Rt. 54), Delmar, Del., 302-846-2808; 12407 Coastal Hwy., (125th St. Bayside), Ocean City, Md., 410-250-CRAB (2722), www.oldmillcrabhouse.com

Written By: Nick Brandi