I’m on a seafood diet. I see food, and I eat it.
Out of all the proteins, I love seafood the most. I could literally go months without chicken, beef, and pork, but when it comes to seafood, maybe a week tops. My favourite food in the world next to potatoes is actually seafood and sushi. I just don’t eat it enough cause of the price 😦
Disclaimer: I was invited to try The Captain’s Boil. My meal was compensated but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I came here on a busy busy Saturday evening during their pre-opening hours. Luckily, I was able to snag a reservation in advance. Apparently their wait times are 1-2 hours now!
interior
Their interior design is captivating with a pirate ship theme.
Gloves and bibs are provided to give you a “hands-on” experience by eating without any cutlery. It’s believed that by removing the table settings and cutlery, the food will be ready to eat directly from the sea to table. Heads up: it can get quite messy (especially if you’re a messy eater like me.) I’m not even kidding — half my food got on my face, hair, dress, and arms. I even got some sauce on the seats and walls. I hope the owners aren’t reading this cause oopsie! It was certainly fun to eat, and definitely a first date material kinda place if you ask me 😉
For all of my catches, I chose the Captain’s Boil spice which is a blend of cajun, lemon pepper, and garlic sauce. You can choose only cajun, lemon pepper, or garlic sauce instead.
The seasonal pricing changes per season so there isn’t a flat rate yet.
crawfish (seasonal pricing)
Crawfish: mini lobster lookalike. Not going to lie, there’s barely any meat in this. It’s approximately half the size of your pinky finger, maybe even less; however, this is actually my favourite catch. It’s easy to eat and tastes similar to lobster with texture that is slightly chewier than shrimp. Remember to suck the heads for the full experience! I’m craving crawfish pretty badly now ugh.
I just LOVEEE it.
Lobster — $57 seasonal pricing when I went: though being expensive, this was delicious and hearty. I’m also quite biased when it comes to lobsters — it’s always my top choice. You can say my palate is a little spoiled.
King crab legs: if you want bang for your buck, get this one. Spiky and hard on the outside, soft and tender on the inside. It was also the meatiest seafood we had! Be sure to dip the meat back into the bag for some extra flavour!
Snow crab legs: while the King crab has a more delicate flesh, the snow crab is more chewy and naturally saltier than the King crab. I probably wouldn’t order this again as there was less meat. Just bite the bullet and go for the King.
Captain’s Boil seafood claims to be shipped directly from the sea with special measures, which it is then cooked and served right away to retain its freshness. This explains how every item we got was insanely fresh!
clams
mussels
Easy shareable bags: shrimp, clams, and mussels.
oysters
I frickin’ love oysters. These were fresh, non-fishy, and delicate. We ordered a dozen to share and agreed we could eat 12 to ourselves. Serving it with just a squirt of lemon is my fave way to eat it.
fried shrimp basket
calamari
cajun fried rice — fan favourites. high recommend!
We also shared the calamari, fried shrimp basket with cajun fries, and cajun seafood fried rice. Another way of getting full from here is by eating carbs. The cajun fried rice is great if you want to get fuller, or save it for leftovers. I would’ve preferred a little more seasoning in the rice and more crispiness in the shrimp.
Overall, this dining experience was one of the best I’ve had. I normally don’t judge a place by their service unless it’s in higher end restaurants; nonetheless, the service was commendable.
I can see where the controversy comes from. This place is expensive. It’s not a #cheapeats joint or somewhere you could really cheap out on (expect $50+ per person). Might still not be 100% full depending on how much you could eat. There’s not much negatives to say about this place except for the high pricing. Keep in mind of what you’re actually getting out of it — seafood is not usually cheap anywhere, and especially not in Edmonton. We’re limited on what we can get around here, and for this high quality seafood, I’m mindful of what I’m paying for. I enjoyed my meal here and we left feeling completely stuffed and satisfied. This is now my go-to place when I’m craving seafood, and not so much sushi/sashimi. Wishing them the best of luck! I truly hope for The Captain Boil’s success in the future.
The Captain’s Boil
South Edmonton Common, 2051 98 St NW, Edmonton, AB T6N 1K2
YEG CRAVINGS 