Now that the commercial crab season is in full force, we’re getting a little crab crazy here at Princeton Seafood Company and are offering the delectable crustacean in many forms. From Sundays through Thursdays after 4 p.m. we’re running a special on a crab entrée for two at $29.99. This includes San Francisco sourdough bread, garden salads, corn on the cob, red potatoes our award-winning clam chowder and your choice of the crab served hot with drawn butter or cold with cocktail sauce.

We also have crab cakes and crab cocktail appetizers, a Crab Louie salad on mixed greens with Thousand Island dressing, a delightful crab sandwich on a ciabatta roll and the traditional crab platter and cioppino entrees. 
You can also purchase crab straight from the fish market, have your own crab cooked, cracked and cleaned in the market for a small fee or ship live crab to your friends and family across the United States.

Come get crab crazy with us!

Come celebrate the cozy holiday season with us at the 24th annual Boat Decorating

Contest on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Everyone is invited to walk the docks to see the lights and other decorations the berthers use to grace their boats. Just outside of Princeton Seafood Co. we will be serving hot apple cider and passing out stuffed animals in continuance of the tradition set by the late Rod Schoenlank.

Also get your voices ready for caroling! Just like last year, we will be singing all the old favorites at the side of the building near the fish market.

Looking for a unique gift idea?

Here at Princeton Seafood Co. we can pack and ship crabs to your loved ones all over the country! Just call Marty at (650) 868-0330 for quoting and shipping information.

Want to get the latest updates on restaurant and harbor events?

Friend Magnus Johnson on Facebook and “like” Princeton Seafood Company.

Hope to see you at the event!

–Magnus Johnson, Restaurant Watchman & Storyteller

For more than 20 years Tom has made a career in fishing, but it didn’t always look like he was headed that way.

At the age of four, while on his first fishing trip with family and friends, Tom became concerned about the well being of the crew’s catch.

“I was so upset and worried about the fish, I hid it in my pocket,” Tom recalled.

Two weeks later, his parents discovered the fish in a dresser drawer in young Tom’s bedroom. “When they found out where the stench was coming from!” he added with a grimace.

Since the sport fishing season has opened, the big buzz around the harbor is all about crab and I caught our trusty captain just as he was loading up the crab pots aboard his boat.

On the three-hour crab tours, Tom keeps his passengers busy with jobs like cleaning the bait jars, baiting and counting the crabs. They’re permitted to collect 6 crabs per passenger at least six inches apiece.

“We’re expecting a really good year,” Tom said between stacking up the pots. “We’re expecting to keep Randy real busy.”

Randy is our fish market manager and, with his crew, he can cook, crack and clean crab for a small fee in the market.

For more information on Tom Mattusch and his chartered trips aboard the Huli Cat check out his website at www.hulicat.com.

Extra crumbs & bites… Thanks to everyone who voted! Princeton Seafood recently won the red tricycle award for most kid-friendly restaurant!!! Also, Princeton Seafood Company is now accepting new and lightly-used stuffed animals to pass out at the annual Boat Decorating Contest on Saturday, Dec. 10. If you bring in a toy (or whole bag of them) you’ll get 10 percent off in the restaurant.

Clam Chowder: Co-owner Marty Botham’s mom created this award-winning recipe just as the business was getting started and it is by far our bestseller. Tender clams and hearty potato chunks mingle in a creamy medley of clam juice, milk and butter. It’s terrific comfort food for a chilly day, or any day for that matter.

Artichoke Soup: This vegetarian soup features artichoke hearts, potatoes, zucchini, garlic and fresh herbs. It’s light yet satisfying — an easy way to feel good about upping your vegetable consumption. The soup also comes with two slices of crisp crostini bread sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Captain Rick’s Combo: Although an airline captain not a sea captain, Marty dedicated this sea-sourced assortment to a man who helped the Princeton Seafood business take flight. Red snapper, prawns, bay scallops and calamari are simmered into the tomato, red wine and garlic broth. The soup also comes with a generous portion of sourdough bread on the side for unlimited dipping.

Manuel’s Fish Stew: The late Manuel Silva worked at Princeton Seafood for more than 15 years as kitchen manager and chef. He created this traditional Portuguese recipe several years ago and added in a touch of cilantro, which we still use in the recipe to this day. The stew might taste a little different each time you have it because it’s made with that day’s best catch.

–Magnus Johnson, Restaurant Watchman & Storyteller

P.S. Be sure to check out our calendar for events, including more great excuses to enjoy the beautiful sunsets here. calendar for upcoming events like our cooking classes with Amy Fothergill and Cool Harbor Nights Car Show!

Luckily, Chris Manchester, co-owner of the Half Moon Bay Kayak Co. came by the restaurant recently and told me a little about what it’s like.

“There’s awesome wildlife here,” he said. “I think it’s one of the most dynamic spots on the planet.”

I would agree. Especially when they let wooden fisherman statues like myself do interviews and write newsletters.

Anyway, Chris started up the business about nine years ago with Doug Connor. The pair has more than 30 years combined experience with the sport. The Pillar Point Harbor takes up about three nautical miles and takes about an hour and a half to explore, Chris explained. He and Doug Connor offer instructions before heading out and, on especially clear days, open up the area of exploration to beyond the harbor. I imagine all that paddling might make one pretty hungry so, if you go on a trip, make sure to stop in afterward for a great lunch or dinner. Chris says his favorite is the fish and chips where even the petite size is pretty generously portioned.

Hope to see you soon!

–Magnus Johnson, Restaurant Watchman and Storyteller

Be sure to check out our calendar for upcoming events like our cooking classes with Amy Fothergill and Cool Harbor Nights Car Show!

“>

Like me, Irene is born from wood — a classic fishing vessel from the 1920s. Her current owners Leland and Cecily Parsons purchased her for $1 back in 2006. With plenty of elbow grease and generous support from the community, the couple was able to restore her to her current state with all the modern electronics, yet leaving her old fashioned charm.

And maybe more impressive yet,
Irene rides in the name of education. Her passengers will learn about the harbor’s history on her tours and the money raised from these one-hour journeys will go toward educational grants that will benefit the local fishermen’s families.

Stroll down the “D” Dock just off Johnson Pier
and you’ll see Irene at the very end. Starting this Saturday, tours are expected to leave four times each day on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The ticket price is $17 for adults and $7 for kids between 6 and 13. Children under 6 are free. For more information, contact Chase Montara, director of maritime activities, at 650-533-4385. Just don’t forget to stop by and say “hi” to me too.

I’m talking about Princeton Seafood’s new shrimp stuffed artichoke and let me tell you, it is a real treat.

The artichoke leaves grow increasingly tender as you work your way down toward the meaty heart, while baby shrimp –smothered in a creamy thousand island dressing– rest on top. It’s a little messy to eat, but then again, some of the tastiest food is!

–Magnus Johnson, Restaurant Watchman and Storyteller

Where can a restaurant go to get great tasting, organic coffee?

For us, the answer is obvious: We get it from our Princeton neighbor Dan Handler.

All the good coffee grows along the earth’s equator says Handler, the self-proclaimed “bean counter” and owner of Outland Java Company.

Organic, of the rarer Arabica species and fair trade whenever possible, Handler culls his rich selection from Central America, South America, Africa and Indonesia.

The coffee enthusiast operates his business inside a small warehouse tucked
within Princeton. The Arabica beans he provides thrive in shaded areas where birds like to inhabit and consume the pests that would ordinarily plague the coffee plants.

“Birds eat the bugs so you don’t need pesticides,” Handler explained.

To roast the beans, Handler pours them in a contraption he likens to the air poppers used to make popcorn. This essentially caramelizes the beans, lending them an even, roasted flavor his customers have come to expect.

From the beans’ protective casing, the roaster produces a soft almost silky by-product known as chaff. Handler stuffs the chaff into burlap bags and gives them away to gardeners for their compost. He also passes on the burlap sacks to artists looking
to incorporate them in their designs.

In the restaurant, we serve up Handler’s Italian Blend & Natural Water Decaf.
The Italian blend is comprised of a full-bodied mix of African, South and Central America beans and the Natural Water Decaf offers a smooth, rich taste from
a chemical-free process. In the restaurant, we grind the beans fresh for each pot of coffee and now offer a variety of Handler’s other selections for customers to take home and prepare for themselves.

And you thought we only knew seafood…

For information about Outland Java check out Handler’s website at www.outlandjava.com

I was born four years ago from redwood. With a chainsaw, a sander and a few other tools my father gave me a personality, a trade and one of the biggest salmon you’ve ever seen!

Magnus owns Firewood Farms, a wood-selling business located just off of Highway 92 where many of my brothers and sisters sit for sale beside the firewood. Several more are scattered throughout Half Moon Bay and far, far, beyond. We’re an eclectic family: some of my siblings are bears and eagles; others take the form of chairs and tabletops.

When Princeton Seafood Co. owners, Mary and Marty, saw me on their trips over the hill they thought I would feel at home in front of their restaurant. One day, not too long after my birth, they talked to my father and made a deal.

Today, I greet our customers and pose for many pictures (just check out my Facebook page!) It’s nice to have a place so close to home I can call my own.

Hope to see you all around soon…

Sincerely,

Magnus Johnson

Restaurant Watchman & Storyteller