On Sunday two Beat staff members undertook a culinary enlightenment when they were lucky enough to sample Miss Katie’s Crab Shack that operates seven days a week out of the pokey little kitchen at North Melbourne’s The Public Bar.
Miss Katie – or Katie Marron to the office of births, deaths and marriages – is an unassuming twenty something chef, who after helping some friends run a taco truck, was given the opportunity to turn The Public Bar’s kitchen into a place of pure magic.
The ridgy didge Americana menu was inspired by the recipes of Katie’s mother (Suzi) and grandma (Mary Ellen). But don’t think by any means Marron is just a home schooled chef – she has spent the last 10 years working at some of Melbourne’s best restaurants including the chef’s hat adorned Movida.
Mary Ellen was from Virginia so her southern influence is reflected in the menu via Katie’s Fried Chicken ($16) that for an additional $5 comes with Belgian waffles and real Canadian Maple Syrup. This meal is so more-ish that even the Beat staff member who has recently had a heart attack couldn’t stop eating it.
“Most of this menu comes from my grandma’s recipe books,” enthuses the radiant Marron as she stands in front of her small kitchen with two time-worn handwritten books in hand.
The execution of the food that comes from Marron’s kitchen is flawless; the pattie that comes in the Chesapeake Crab Burger is essentially an enlarged crab cake that is made up of 100 grams of Blue Swimmer Crab. Marron explains that The Public Bar’s proximity to the Queen Victoria Markets has supreme advantages to the preparation and specialisation of her food.
“I buy all the ingredients daily from the market and on the day it’s closed the guys from the fish market drop it off to me.”
The one dish where the fact the ingredients are handpicked fresh from the market is Katie’s Low Country Boil ($24). This dish was handed down from Katie’s mum who is from Gibson Island, Maryland, the spiritual home of crab shacks. Consisting of blue swimmer crab, corn cob, smoked kranski, Old Bay and garlic butter it comes as no surprise that prior to the dish arriving diners receive a bib and mallet to make the dishes’ consumption as smooth as possible! And a hot-tip for diners: order the House Baked Cornbread ($2) to help mop up the juices.
Adding to the experience is the overall atmosphere of Marron’s design for her side of The Public Bar, with fishing nets and other maritime fixtures are playing about the roof and sitting prime position in front of the kitchen is ‘Colin’, a three foot cartoon replica prawn; say ‘hi’ to him on your next visit just don’t call him ‘Homer Shrimpson’!
