Hard-shell heaven lies due south

Rule No. 2: Don't panic! When in crab country, there's usually another steamer pot within sniffing distance, and thanks to a tip from Sambo's, we found one in the nearby boondocks. Literally. The Boondocks restaurant is aptly named, because this sprawling cinder-block hall is near Smyrna off a side road in the middle of a cornfield. Little surprise that it used to be a lodge for goose hunts.

It was my crustacean chase, though, that found its answer here, in the laid-back confines of these vast rooms, where huge groups at picnic tables slurped lime-green Swamp Water cocktails from tall Mason jars, and the happy sound of family shell-cracking filled the air. ("Just hold the mallet a little lower on the handle and whack it!" said the tattooed biker beside me, tenderly instructing his young daughter on crab-country life skills.)

I loved the creamy version of Boondock's crab chowder, with its sweet-corn-and-chile kick. The steamed shrimp were also worthy. Otherwise, this kitchen showed a bit less finesse on the menu extras than some of the others we visited, with a fryer working overtime on everything from bland green beans to an odd crab-cake-filled pastry called the "Krusty Krab" that was fried to a scary black.

But when it came to the steamed crabs themselves, these guys were as good as any, slightly small, but with a sweetness to the meat that defied any Maryland stereotypes against Delaware crabs. An additional dip of spicy vinegar added an extra dimension of tang to the usual garnishes of butter and extra Old Bay.

After downing my own half dozen, though, the most surprising part of the meal arrived at dessert: a genuine apple dumpling. This ball of caramelized cinnamon orchard fruit arrived inside a warm dome of fresh and flaky pastry beside two scoops of vanilla ice cream, and its homemade goodness made up for all the kitchen's earlier deep-fried sins. It was also a sweet finale to a journey that, despite some unexpected twists, was well worth the effort.

Next Sunday, Craig LaBan reviews Noble American Cookery. Contact him at 215-854-2682

or claban@phillynews.com.