Coastal Living's report on Baltimore's Crab Cakes

Just in time for those who has never tasted crab cakes , Coastal Living has an article on "Taking the Cake" The best crab cakes in Baltimore and where to get them.
They explain the difference between "fried" and "broiled" and basicly state it's about the same, fried is a tad crisper and broiled is a tad greasier. but it's truely a matter of taste.
They explain the difference between "jumbo-lump" (considered here as the best) and "all-lump" or "back-fin" which is smaller lumps of meat or a mixture of both. Hence back-fin cakes are cheaper. Some restaraunts price the cakes according to current market prices. Some are set prices.

Now to the "TOP 5" for crab cakes.

Rated BEST! - Faidley's, 201 North Paca ST. (downtown at Lexington Market)est. 1886
($11.95 lump/$7.95 backfin)known for their rotund size (5-8 oz.) and creamy combitation of sweet and mild seasonings that remain secret.

Next 4 in no particular order...

*****Angelina's 7135 Harford Rd.(25 min. ride from downtown) Prices vary with market.

*****Phillips, 301 Light St. (at Balt. Harbor) 4oz crab cake sandwich, coleslaw,& fries($12.99) Premium platter with 2 fullsize cakes ($24.99) Check your last letter from HL office for $5.00 off coupons from Phillip's.

*****Gertrude's, 10 Art Museum Dr. a comtemporary dining retreat with an unorthodox take on the cakes.... "Black n' Blue" which is blackened and served with lemon-cayenne butter, priced with market.

*****Obrycki's 1727 E Pratt St. prepared simply and old fashioned... with asqueeze of lemon. priced with market.


Well.. I hope this wets the appitite of everyone. I know I'm getting anxious.
Got my plane tickets yesterday. Got the extra memory cards from Ebay this week for the digital camera.
I can't wait!!!!

For any of you who will be in Havre de Grace eyeing Concord Point over the reunion pre and post times, there is a GREAT seafood restaurant, full of local flavor, Price's Seafood...They have absolutely the best food...That includes shirmp, crabs, crabcakes and anything else.......Reasonable prices and as I said....lots of local color.
Derith

Thanks for that info, Medicman and Derith. I'm getting hungry already!

Bob

Something tells me finding good seafood should be no problem on this trip. The trick will be to find a good place to get seafood and a steak, for a wife that doesn't like seafood. (I know, and I married her anyway!)

Mike

That's okay Mike... maybe there is still some hope. When Jackie and I married, her version of seafood was from a fishcamp she frequented in Rockingham, NC where everything is fried and tastes the same.

I took her to a crab house on the Chesapeake Bay to take advantage of some of the great Jimmies (large male blue crabs) that were available. Well, she wouldn't touch them. Now, she loves them after 23 years. There is one disadvantage though... I have the job of picking them for her. I do miss living on the bay!

Tim - Keeping the flame lit...

Thanks Medicman For the good Info.on Crab Cakes,should be fun for I have never had any and I'am looking forward to it.

Which issue of Coastal Living is this in?

Coastal living. Vol 5, Issue 5. Sept-Oct.2001

When you posted this I hadn't received that issue yet. Now I have it and I found the article.

Suzanne

Y'all in for some tasty seafood in Maryland. I've been in New York over 3 years now and nothing compares to the seafood from back home. Definitely the special seasoning in the crab cakes is something most of you Yankees haven't discovered yet. The Harbor Place restaraunts and stores right on the harbor in Baltimore will be a great place for you to get a taste of Maryland. If going to Phillips, plan ahead - They tend to get extremely busy. Broiled or fried you guys will love our crab cakes. Enjoy a few for me! Or try the cream of crab or just the good ole plain crab soup. Nothing like it.

Enjoy!!!!

shirin

I agree with all of the top 5 listed above except for Phillips. Phillips is located in one of the Harbor Place Pavalions. They are so busy serving all of the tourists that visit that their quality suffers.

There are two other restaurants on the water that I would recommend. Both are accessable by water taxi fron Inner Harbor East. Bo Brooks is probably the best place in Baltimore for steamed crabs. They are right on the Harbor at Lighthouse Point Marina in Canton which is directly across the Harbor from Fort McHenry. I would advise you to make reservations there at least a week in advance. Their phone number is 410-558-0202.

Th Bay Cafe is next door to Bo Brooks. They have the best shrimp salad that I have ever tasted and great crab cakes also. I don't think they serve steamed crabs. I don't think they take reservations but you could call and check. their phone number is 410-522-3377.

Obrycki's is also a great place for steamed crabs but it is not located on the water and doesn't have the view or the atmosphere of Bo Brooks and Bay Cafe.

Angelini's has the best Crab Cake in Baltimore. Unless you have a car it will be hard to get to. It is not at the Inner Harbor. It is located on Harford Rd
in Northeast Baltimore. It is at least 20-25 minutes from the hotel.

Jim Thomas

PS - If anybody needs more local information contact me by email.

Angelini's sounds like a good Bus Tour stop!

Mike

No, no, no...on your way up I-95 to Havre de Grace to see Concord Point, get off at exit 77 toward Bel Air, and at the first light, go right (Rt 924). At the 2nd of 3rd light after that (Abingdon Road), you will come to the Box Hill Shopping Center. The BEST crab cakes in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD are at the Box Hill Pizzaria. Trust me on this.

Oh, and please...get them BROILED. It's the ONLY way to eat a crab cake.

Oh, and Snowluver is right about Philips. They were once very good. We ate there recently and were extemely disappointed.




[This message has been edited by Larry (edited 08-26-2001).]

We will have them working double shifts at
Price's ,Right Derith????

We will have them working double shifts at
Price's ,Right Derith????

OK, this fat boy's curious. What in the world is a crab cake? Looks like I'm in for something new!

What is a crabcake?

If you get the right crabcake, it is one of the most delectible (sp?) things you will ever eat. If you get the right one (and any of the above named places will serve you one right), it will be plump, white, backfin crab meat and not too much filler(bread), perfectly broiled (or fried) to a golden brown. You can eat it plain, or I like mine on a kaiser roll with lettuce and tomato. Backfin meat is the meaty part of the crab. Not the stringy grey stuff from the claws (tasty in it's own way).

Try to get steamed crabs too. Opening them and diggin' for your dinner is half the fun!

Jeez, and I thought it was a regular cake who's Husband didn't take out the garbage!

Mike