after only a short delay, and much anticipation, the Crab Station – The Colony restaurant located in the Cascades at The Colony has officially opened. Keep in mind that this is a ‘soft-opening’, which means-don’t be too judgemental or critical of their service or menu just yet. They’re still working things out, training new employees, hanging up signage and putting a few fixtures in place, but all in all, they are open for business!
But what it does mean, is that some of their menu items will be discounted and that was good enough reason for us to drive 5 minutes to the east side of town to start the ‘sampling’ process.
Owners Martin Đoàn and Ben Phan decided on The Colony, because of the growth potential and market for this type of venue. Đoàn said, “The Colony is a hot spot for activity and growth, we’re glad that we were able to get in when we did”. The location that he purchased was the last one available for a restaurant and shares a large outdoor patio pavilion with three other restaurants: The Latin Pig, Growler USA and Arno Italia, which should be opening soon. Future plans include having bands playing on the patio on Fridays and Saturdays. Check their respective Facebook pages for the latest updates.
the soft opening will continue through the first week of November, and then they will have their Grand Opening on Saturday, Nov.3, 2018. There will be live music, an exotic car show from 2-6:00PM, various door prizes and prize raffles. Oh yeah, we’ll be there. There are currently 7 restaurant locations throughout the metroplex with plans for at least 9 more throughout Texas, Nevada and California. Đoàn attributes their success to attention to detail with their recipe’s. “Everything’s made from scratch, never frozen. We maintain strict control over the fresh seafood that we purchase, to make sure it meets our standards, and that even the smallest detail is adhered to when it comes to our recipes”.
Everything’s made fresh from scratch, never frozen.
Đoàn said, “In 2012, my wife and I started a small cafe in Southeast Arlington. While running the business, my wife was pregnant and always had a craving for craw-fish and crab legs. That’s when the different seafood concoctions began. I never had the intention of starting a seafood restaurant, but I started to find that friends and family grew addicted to the flavors they were experiencing. I then added it to our menu at our small cafe”. This is when his passion for food started to develop and began to explore different flavors and ingredients.
“A seafood lover and long patron of the cafe had visions of developing a restaurant and approached me with his ideas”, said Doan. The Crab Station was then born to share the great food and dining experience with the world.
On our first visit there, we tried the Boudin balls to begin with, and being somewhat of an expert on Cajun cuisine, (Born and raised in south Louisiana, being taught by my mother to cook authentic creole cuisine), let me just tell you one thing, you’re gonna want more of these balls in your mouth. That didn’t come out quite right, but you get the picture. PLUS, they were 50% off the menu price. Đoàn said that he does this because he wants people to sample the item, whereas they probably wouldn’t be enticed to try something different if not for a little incentive. Well, that’s one incentive I took advantage of right off.
Even the smallest detail is adhered to when it comes to our recipes. We maintain strict control.
We also tried the Station Platter from the N’awlins Corner menu. Fried catfish, shrimp, oysters and chicken planks. It came with sides of hush-puppies, dirty rice and fries. Their fries are quite unique as they are wide and thinly sliced. I’ve never seen any other restaurants in the area that serve them this way. Very unique and tasty with just a hint of Cajun seasoning, but not overwhelming. And if you prefer to omit the seasoning, simply ask your server when you place your order. You’ll enjoy them just the same.
on our next trip we’ll have to try out their famous ‘Gumbo Bar’. This is extraordinary in it’s own right, as they basically don’t make the gumbo until you order it. It’s quite a unique set-up. You should definitely watch them as they prepare your food. There’s seating directly in front of the prep area so you can literally watch your food being prepared.
They also have the familiar traditional dishes you’d come to expect from a Cajun eatery such as, Pan Roasts, Jambalaya, Etouffee’s, Calamari, Crab Claws, Oysters and much more. Also, you can add as much ‘heat’ to any dish as you’d like, from their ‘Weak Sauce’ which is the least amount, Original, Extra Shazam, Flame Thrower and the hottest-T.K.O. You’re gonna want at least a few ice cold brews to wash that down.
It will be nice to have another restaurant in town so we can keep our tax dollars here at home and help our small community grow. Variety is the key to a happy life. And we can always use more variety, especially when it comes to eateries. Besides, who wants to fight the traffic during rush hour anyway…not us. Nous reviendrons!
The Crab Station
6500 Cascades Ct. # 200
The Colony, Texas 75056
(214)281-8887
