How Emeril Lagasse Celebrates Soft Shell Crab Season in Las Vegas

It’s soft shell crab season, and none other than Emeril Lagasse celebrates the sweet dish at three of his restaurants in Las Vegas. The full moon on May 4 marks the first of the month and signals the traditional beginning of soft shell crab season.

Delmonico Steakhouse at the Venetian, Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House at the MGM Grand and Table 10 at the Grand Canal Shoppes have specials May 4-9.

Note: soft shell crabs are blue crabs that have shed their shells. Known for their sweet and tender texture with a mild, tangy flavor, soft shells are in freshest supply May through September.

Chef de cuisine Ronnie Rainwater of Delmonico Steakhouse has a fried soft shell crab sandwich with citrus aioli, heirloom tomato and Bibb lettuce on brioche toast for lunch. At dinner, find a garam masala fried soft shell crab appetizer with green harissa and petite greens; a soft shell crab BLT salad with grilled soft shell crab, Bibb lettuce, teardrop tomatoes, apple bacon and creamy garlic dressing; and sautéed soft shell crab entree with fava beans, spring onions and tomato confit vinaigrette.

Chef de cuisine Heath Cicerelli of Emeril's New Orleans Fish House is serving up macadamia nut crusted soft shell crabs and pad Thai salad made with zucchini, squash and snow peas tossed in a spicy peanut vinaigrette and grilled soft shell crab open-faced sliders with Crab Louis-dressed coleslaw, lettuce, pickle, tomato and old bay seasoned chips for lunch. At dinner, find pan-seared soft shell crabs and campanelle pasta with fennel and garlic sausage, new potatoes and broccolini, tossed in pan roasted tomato sauce with burrata mozzarella as well as a grilled petite cut beef ribeye and beer battered soft shell crab with sweet corn and jalapeño spoon bread, avocado mousse and Emeril's homemade Worcestershire.

Finally, chef de cuisine Tim Doolittle of Table 10 dishes out a soft shell crab sandwich on grilled New Orleans French bread, topped with Creole mayonnaise, cabbage and sweet onion slaw and served with fresh cut fries for lunch. At dinner, land crispy soft shell crab made with Emeril's essence emulsion with a sweet onion slaw and sautéed soft shell crabs with fava beans, wild mushrooms and spring pepper sauce.