THE
WASHINGTON
POST
.
FRIDAY,APRIL
1, 2022
EZ
8
Casual DiningPHOTOS BY DEB LINDSEY FOR THE WASHINGTON POST
BY TIM CARMAN
Three whole wings sit un-
adorned in a clamshell contain-
er. They’re not the meatiest spec-
imens I’ve ever seen, especially
on the drumette end of these
chicken sticks. But the Z-shaped
wings crackle under tooth, re-
leasing their juices, oil and sea-
soning in one gratifying rush.
Once I pierce the fried armor of
the Ravens wings from This is
Seafood, I follow my usual proto-
col: I peel off morsels to dunk in
the accompanying container of
mumbo sauce.
Peel, dunk, devour. Peel, dunk,
devour. The routine is so famil-
iar, and so is the sauce, providing
a sweet, smoky, slightly spicycounterpoint to the crispy chick-
en. I’m sitting in my car, alone, in
the vast parking lot of a strip
center in Clinton, Md. Should I
look up from my container, I’d be
staring straight into the entrance
of a tattoo parlor. I couldn’t be
happier. Something about these
flavors softens my mood and
tears down the walls that I erect
to get through the day. Wings
and mumbo sauce, I’ve come to
understand, are my weighted
blanket.
Like many street-corner carry-
outs that specialize in the fa-
mous D.C. combo, This is Sea-
food is owned and operated by
Chinese Americans. Unlike at
many street-corner carryouts,
SEE CASUAL DINING ON 9Takeout channels lifetime of experience
This is Seafood in Clinton, Md., specializes in
fried fish, wings and Lowcountry boilsIf You Go
THIS IS SEAFOOD
8929 Woodyard Rd., Clinton, Md.;
240-244-1561; thisisseafood.com.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday
through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11
p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon to
9 p.m. Sunday.
Prices: $1.89 to $62.99 for all
items on the menu.TOP: The crab and shrimp tray at This is Seafood includes snow
crab legs, shrimp, sausage, egg and potatoes. ABOVE: Kamille
Buckner shows customer Eugene James his order to make sure it’s
correct. Employees open every container for patrons to inspect.