Barking Crab Closed: Did politics play a role?

Popular seafood restaurant The Barking Crab got an unexpected visit from the Boston Inspectional Services Department yesterday. They cited The Crab for moldy draft beer lines among other violations. City spokesperson Lisa M. Timberlake told the Globe that the inspectors' visit was prompted by a letter of complaint about smoke from the the restaurant's wood stove.

The Crab's ownership had a different idea as to the cause. "At some point, there will be a very interesting story why it was closed down today," co-owner Lee Kennedy told the Globe.

Kennedy's conspiracy-ish quote isn't surprising given the timing of the city's visit. On Tuesday, developer John B. Hynes III unveiled his plans for a $3 billion, 6.5-million-square-foot development in South Boston's Seaport District. A notable part the plan proposed moving The Crab from its current harborfront spot. Hynes told the Globe he'd spoken to one of The Crab's partners about the plan. But Crab spokesman George Regan gave the Herald a different story. “We are more steamed than one of our lobsters," he said, claiming Hynes had not contacted the restaurant's owners.

This isn't the first time the health department has shut down The Barking Crab. In August of 2000, the restaurant was forced to close for repairs when inspectors found that sewage from the restaurant's restrooms was leaking into Boston Harbor--the same harbor water that the eatery used to fill its live lobster tanks. The restaurant successfully moved past the incident, winning Boston Magazine's Best of Boston for lobster in 2007. The owners hope to have The Barking Crab reinspected and open for dinner today.

Photo of The Barking Crab's roof by antydiluvian from photos tagged Bostonist on Flickr