Where Italian Training Meets Alaskan King Crab
“I said it once and I’ll say it again, you got to slow down and take a look around,” Guy Fieri declared as he stood in Juneau, Alaska, watching thousands of cruise ship passengers walk right past a funky little joint that was about to blow his mind. That joint is In Bocca al Lupo, where Chef Beau Schooler has created something special: Alaskan food with an Italian influence, and scratch-made everything.
The restaurant’s name translates to “into the wolf’s mouth” — which actually means good luck in Italian. And luck has nothing to do with what Schooler brought back from his culinary training in Italy. This chef has worked through the ranks and studied abroad, and it shows in every dish that comes out of his kitchen.
The King Crab Pappardelle: Heaven on Earth
At just $25, the King Crab Pappardelle might be one of the most impressive seafood pasta dishes Guy has encountered. His verdict? “It’s hard to stop eating that’s for sure.” He described it as chunks of big, meaty, juicy Alaskan wild king crab over perfectly al dente pasta. “Every time you have it, it’s heaven on earth.”
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Unlike some dishes that rely on one standout element, this one earned praise for its balance. “The bisque is really nice and light and refreshing,” Guy noted. “The crab is not tough. The pasta is the heart of the dish — it is super tender.” His final assessment: “Two of my favorite things: crab bisque and a pasta dish.”
How They Build This Dish From Scratch
Everything at In Bocca al Lupo is made in-house — the pasta, the pizza dough, even their own charcuterie. For the pappardelle, Schooler starts with low gluten flour, egg yolks, olive oil, and sea salt. After kneading until smooth and letting it rest, he rolls it through a sheeter, sprinkles semolina, and cuts each noodle by hand.
But the real magic happens in the sauce — a seafood bisque built like nothing Guy had seen before. The spice blend alone is a journey: clove, green peppercorns, bay leaf, sweet paprika, ginger, cinnamon, sweet Calabrian chili powder, star anise, allspice, cardamom, and mustard. When Guy tasted the blend, something got his tongue — likely the green peppercorn or cinnamon.
The sauce base starts with olive oil and broken-down king crab legs and shells, then garlic, carrots, onion, leeks, fennel, celery, ginger, and thyme. After cooking down, in goes tomato paste, white wine for glazing, lemon juice, and fish sauce. Then comes the technique that made Guy pause: Schooler covers it all with crushed ice.
“You got to explain this ice cream to me,” Guy said. Schooler explained that the ice allows the broth to build up slowly and gently — by the time it melts, it simmers for about 30 minutes, extracting maximum flavor. “I’ve never seen it,” Guy admitted. “Well, there you go,” Schooler replied. “Come to Alaska — we do things cold.”
After blending and straining, the bisque gets tossed with the fresh pappardelle, generous chunks of crab, lemon, crème fraîche, and finished with sorrel grown by local buddies. Guy pointed out that the crème fraîche is the key to the whole dish.
Tips From the Kitchen
Use ice to build your broth: Covering your seafood stock with crushed ice allows flavors to develop slowly and gently before simmering.
Don’t waste the shells: King crab shells go directly into the sauce, building that bisque foundation alongside aromatics.
Cut pasta by hand: After rolling through a sheeter, Schooler hand-cuts each pappardelle noodle with a sprinkle of semolina to prevent sticking.
If you love seeing Guy discover unexpected gems like this — or dishes like Pepita Crusted Halibut with Cilantro Ser or Indonesian Semur Daging — In Bocca al Lupo proves that some of the best Triple D spots are the ones tourists walk right past.
Find In Bocca al Lupo and other Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives locations in our restaurant directory.