Seafood Restaurant Chain Mysteriously Eyeing West Hartford

MANCHESTER, CT — A seafood restaurant with a Cajun flair seems to have set its sights on West Hartford, but the declaration on its website seems shrouded in mystery, one local official said.

The Pennsylvania-based Crab Du Jour chain was already including a West Hartford location at 1500 New Britain Ave. on its list of "coming soon" restaurants, which also included an eatery in Manchester's Buckland Hills commercial district.

A representative answering the phone at Crab du Jour's corporate office Tuesday said it typically takes "three to four months" for a new franchise location to open.

When asked what that might mean in terms of a possible opening date, West Hartford Economic Develpment Specialist Kristen Gorski said the only plausible location would be the former Ruby Tuesday location at Westfarms mall, but added no leases have been signed, nor have any applications been sumbitted to planning and zoning officials for that space.

Any speculation about filling that vacancy would be "premature," she said.

The Crab Du Jour menu features crab, crawfish, calamari, and lobster Cajun dishes and fried seafood baskets. Cajun rice and chicken tenders are also featured offerings.

The most touted item on the menu is the signature "Cajun Styleow country boil," dubbed as "a feast for seafood lovers and perfect for casual dinner."

Banners were already up at the Manchester location on Tuesday.