Tucked away in an old strip center next to Alessi Bakeries on Cypress Avenue in West Tampa, former NFL Linebacker, and Tampa native, K.D. Williams opened K & D Crustaceans, a tasty place for carry-out lunch in Tampa. But, like a linebacker, you need to be on your toes to catch one of K.D.'s crustacean creations!
Lunch is available Wednesday to Friday between 11 am and 2 pm only, Dinner is available Wednesday to Saturday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Opened in October 2016 there are no tables, though K.D. is looking for a second store with table service. Be prepared to take out; there is a cooler for drinks.
Lobster buoys, nets, clam rakes and driftwood adorn the walls above three huge tanks circulating water over the K & D's 'catch'. K.D. Williams, though once a 'Raider' and a 'Packer' is now a lobsterman in Frenchboro Island, Maine where he traps lobsters nearly 1400 miles away so we can enjoy the taste of Homarus Americanus, also known as True Lobster, or Atlantic Lobster. Totally different from the Florida lobster we are accustomed to, the meat is soft, tender, slightly salty and succulent. Not to mention, Maine lobsters have claws, the best part of the lobster.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
On the lunch menu, you'll find all sorts of seafood delicacies. The crab and shrimp platter is $15.99; it comes with (1) cluster, (6) shrimp, corn, potato and egg as sides. You can pick up a fried lobster tail or fried snow crab; a seafood burger made with shrimp, crab, and lobster, Grouper, a lobster roll or Shrimp Po-boy with fries. Or, build your platter with choices like Dungeness crab, lobster mac, a whole Maine lobster, mussels and more.
From the dinner menu, the K & D House Special consists of (3) clusters of crab with shrimp and the fixins for $24.00. You also find Mussels and Shrimp Pasta, Crab Shala (Saturday's Only), Jumbo Shrimp with fries and more. Sides include fries, hush puppies, and coleslaw. Oh, and the crab shala - K.D. prepares it the traditional way with local blue crab, AND he makes a Dungeness version too for $18.49 per dinner.
On our first visit to this unassuming seafood restaurant in West Tampa, we met a couple trying K & D for the first time. K.D.'s wife Erika greeted them, introducing them to K.D., who prepared everything to order. Before disappearing into the back to work his magic K.D. carefully went over the menu, helping them decide what to order from his extensive menu. When he returned, K.D. carried bags laden with to-go containers smelling of garlic, butter, and spices to their car graciously thanking them for stopping by.
K.D. and Erika make frequent trips to their fishing operation in Maine, transporting fresh seafood back to Tampa. Erika explained, the lobsters they bring in weigh between 1 1/4 pounds to 4 pounds. The difficulty they are experiencing here in Tampa is a good one, local restaurants have caught wind of their fresh catch and are buying K & D's crustaceans to serve to their guests!
So, cut out the middle man and go straight to the source next time you are craving an amazing seafood meal, head to K & D Crustaceans at 2917 W Cypress Street in Tampa for a tasty treat!
