crab houses – Baltimore Magazine

Ten Iconic Crab Houses in Maryland

Aaron Hope — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:24:33 +0000

By Lydia Woolever

Photography by Justin Tsucalas

Illustrations by Jason Schneider

Food & Drink

The Most Iconic Crab Houses in Maryland

From mounted marlins to paper-wrapped picnic tables, long live these old-school spots.

By Lydia Woolever

Photography by Justin Tsucalas

Illustrations by Jason Schneider

July 2024

SK US WHAT OUR LAST MEAL WOULD BE, and like many a Marylander, we’ll tell you the following: There will be crabs. Of course, in The Land of Pleasant Living, there are endless ways to eat them—fried into cakes, stacked into sandwiches, studded into soups, whipped into imperial—and even more places to do so—sports bars, steakhouses, market stalls, gas stations. (Not to mention a dip-covered hot dog at Camden Yards.)

But in our opinion, other than an all-you-can-pick feast in your own backyard, there is no more iconic means of indulging in our state crustacean—the fittingly named Callinectes sapidus, aka “beautiful, savory swimmer”—than at a true-blue crab house, be it on the streets of Baltimore City or edge of the Chesapeake Bay. And you’ll know one when you’ve found it.

The tables will be wrapped in brown paper, likely already armed with a roll of paper towels and bucket for discarded shells. The scent of seafood seasoning will hang ever-present in the air —and not Old Bay, but some house version of the saltier, still-local J.O. Spice. At one point, the walls might’ve been knotty pine—mounted with a taxidermied marlin—and fingers crossed that’s still the case. On tap? National Bohemian, or some equally affordable beer. For dessert? A slice of Smith Island cake, of course. The chalkboard menu? Scrawled with a list of steamed crabs by size and price. And the surefire giveaway? Free copies of PropTalk magazine and a Keno machine by the front door.

Though no two classic crab houses are exactly alike, each is no fuss or frills and always full of nostalgia, without being drowned in kitsch for kitsch’s sake—the kind of well-seasoned patina that can only be earned with age. In fact, many of these old-school establishments have been in the family for generations, their decadently down-home food made using taken-to-the-grave recipes adorned with little more than a dollop of cream, bed of lettuce, or pack of saltines.

And it’s because of this, in part, that they’re becoming somewhat of an endangered species, as owners and regulars age out and dining trends shift toward more modern and elevated eating, a la glitzy seafood towers to be served alongside Champagne. While tourists are commonplace, even catered to, they always leave room for locals, who keep coming—summer after summer, and through winter, too—for a taste of Maryland tradition.

And since none of us knows when we’ll kick the bucket, we should waste no time in planning a trip to one of “The Classics” that are featured below and culled from across the state.

May they carry on for the long haul, and continue to be a cut—or crack of a claw—above the rest.

Opening Spread: Clockwise from left, A pay phone and bucket of crabs at The Red Roost;
the market at Chic’s Seafood; a marlin on the wall at Courtney’s.

The dining rooms at The Red Roost.

Look around The Red Roost and try to guess how much money is on the walls. (We estimated at least four figures.) Located on the Wicomico River marsh, this circa-1974 Eastern Shore crab house is a bona-fide dollar-bill bar, the kind of off-the-beaten-path honky-tonk where patrons throw back beers, scribble their names on greenbacks, then tack them to the ceiling. To leave your mark, take a 20-minute detour off Route 50 outside of Salisbury on the way toward Ocean City. You’ll pass through the streetlight-studded whistle-stop of Quantico, and then push further still, until the road reaches a long, squat, cinderblock building that was once a Purdue chicken coop.

It’s a fitting venue for Royal Farms country, with the poultry industry rivaling that of seafood on this southern stretch of the Delmarva Peninsula. And you can, indeed, pair your luscious crab imperial, lump-topped deviled eggs, and all-you-can-eat hardshells with a fair share of fried chicken —though some simply come for the pickle-back shots and frozen beach-bar cocktails. As for us, we’re partially drawn by the décor: crab-basket chandeliers, sun-bleached Bay maps, waterfowl paintings, and creamsicle-colored booths, with a trash can at the end of every paper-lined table to imply that, yes, you are going to crack at least one claw. Bring the kids because there’s an arcade in the back. But don’t waste your quarters on the pay phone—it doesn’t work anymore.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: Route 50 is a treasure trove of second-hand stuff. On your way home, stop at Foxwell’s Antiques outside of Easton to search for vintage oyster tins and Natty Boh memorabilia. Or peruse the floor-to-ceiling shelves at Unicorn Books near Cambridge to find, with a little luck, dog-eared copies of James Michener’s Chesapeake or Mrs. Kitching’s Smith Island Cookbook.

THE ROOF DECK AT L.P. STEAMERS

WHEN AN OUT-OF-TOWNER asks us where to get crabs in Baltimore City, we send them to the east side of Fort Avenue. This corner rowhome restaurant’s name is a nod to its neighborhood, Locust Point. And in the not-too-distant past, this working-class community was rooted around the city’s industrial waterfront, just a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry and the iconic Domino Sugars sign. Now, new residents and businesses have moved in, but it’s that latter landmark that keeps this circa-1996, family-owned hangout such a destination, with those glowing gold letters visible from the tiny roof deck. Downstairs, we admittedly miss the old digs—brick-glass windows, cash-covered walls, bench-style seating—which were recently removed during renovations. But from up top, over a pitcher of Natty Boh, basket of hush puppies, and heaping pile of red, hot, Bay blues, this town truly feels like Charm City. They also serve the region’s legendary “crab fluff,” deep-fried like a funnel cake into county-fair food porn, plus mini bags of Old Bay-flavored Utz. Best of all, the Charm City Circulator gives free lifts from here to the Inner Harbor.

INSIDE SCOOP: For a local rite of summer, cool down with snowballs at the Black-owned Ice Queens on Andre Street, or further down, fetch soft-serve cones from Miss Twist, Baltimore’s beloved ice cream truck turned brick-and-mortar near Hull Street.

SCENES from COURTNEY’S

Arriving at Courtney’s is like a daydream. After the slow ride to the southernmost tip of Maryland’s Western Shore, the land gets flatter, wider, and wilder until farm fields and pine forest sink into the Potomac River. At certain tides, the parking lot might actually be flooded, but it’s worth braving for one of the dinette tables at this country restaurant—the red letters on its whitewashed cinder-block façade fading into the perfect shade of peach and the menu heralding “Free Wi-Fi at the end of the Earth.”

Namesake waterman Tom Courtney still owns the place, as he has since 1979, while his daughter, Cathy, handles the front-of-house, and his wife, Julie, runs the kitchen. Even with touches from her native Filipino cuisine, this is quintessential Chesapeake home cooking, folks. Open at 9 a.m. seven days a week, you can certainly come for a scrapple-filled breakfast, but then you’d miss the lumpia egg rolls, fried rockfish bites, and soft-crab “slammer,” which deserves a spot in our personal sandwich Hall of Fame. As the name implies, it’s an out-of-the-park combination, featuring one fat crustacean, finely dredged, flashed in oil, then crisply plopped onto a fluffy roll with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and tartar. By the salad bar, the Maryland crab soup is quasi-self-serve, with as many saltine crackers as you could want.

BREAK FOR HISTORY: Historic attractions abound down here in St. Mary’s County, from St. Mary’s City, the state’s first capital, to Point Lookout State Park, where you can hitch a boat ride to Smith Island. If you’re not too full, take part in another long-held tradition and swing out to W.J. Dent & Sons in Tall Timbers for a slice of Southern Maryland’s hyper-local and hallowed “stuffed ham.”

THE MASCOT AND MENU AT CHIC’S

We know what you’re thinking: Crabs? In Western Maryland? We, too, have historically been skeptical of eating fish this far from the Bay. But that was until a tip took us on Route 70 west to Washington County, where, in the cool mountain air of working-class Hagerstown, a big red crustacean on the roof of this circa-1982 restaurant lured us inside. The once dimly lit dining room, with its captain’s chairs and leather booths, has recently been renovated with more modern features, but it’s still the spot for locals and, frankly, anyone searching for legit seafood this side of the state.

Second-generation owner Ernest Schuhly cut his teeth at a Catonsville seafood market before moving to Appalachia, and it shows. Our fresh-steamed crabs were some of the best we’ve had (noticeably not reheated, as has become common practice in our neck of the woods to meet the extreme demand). But as the menu warns, most dishes come fried in these parts. And that’s a good thing: Their decadent soft-shells are divinely spiced and their hand-cut fries will transport you straight to Ocean City.

IN-THE-KNOW DESSERT: Save room for dessert at Krumpe’s Do-Nuts, a 90- year-old bakery that sells hot-out-of-the-fryer doughnuts nightly from 7-11 p.m. You might even catch your waitress there after her shift.

Day in the Life

OLD SALT

That spicy seasoning at your local crab house? Marylanders know that it’s probably not Old Bay but J.O. Spice, whose family-recipe, flake salt-strewn mix has been made in Baltimore since 1945. Manager Ginger Ports shares the secret to their success.

What’s your production like these days? Between three and five million pounds of seasoning a year, at least. We ship worldwide and are very busy, adding new crab houses every day. Sometimes when I’m in Florida, a waitress will say, “We use J.O. Have you heard of them?” And I'm like, “As a matter of fact ...”

What sets J.O. apart? We make different blends, but the #1 is an all-purpose seafood seasoning closer to Old Bay, which has more cinnamon, clove, and allspice flavor in it, and our #2 is formulated specifically for crabs, because it includes coarse flake salt. During the steaming process, this helps it stick to the shell [consistently], versus clump up like mud.

What’s it like always being mistaken for Old Bay? It’s something we’re always going to have to deal with. They have a great product, but it’s just not what the crab houses use. And I can tell the difference right away.

CRABS, PRICES, AND MALLETS AT CANTLER’S

For first-timers, it’s not always easy to find Cantler’s, located down a sinewy string of residential backroads often beleaguered by Bay Bridge traffic in the outskirts of Annapolis. And yet, one of the last times we went, there was a literal tour bus in the busy parking lot, its passengers all waiting for a table, and we can’t say we blame them. They, like us, will travel for first-class crabs—which is the only rating we’d give to this real-deal fixture, situated down on sleepy Mill Creek near the Severn River.

Founded by its namesake waterman in 1974, the restaurant has become a local mainstay and its waterfront pier remains a stop for white workboats to off-load their daily harvests, which then get cooked on the spot for loads of locals, too. The elevated deck is an ideal position to watch soft-shells get snatched from their dockside shedding tanks for your sandwiches or platters. But dining inside is its own experience. Devoted fans belly up to the bar for O's, Ravens, or Navy games, and the dark wood-paneled dining room is fit for both decade-spanning families and dive-loving salty dogs. Everywhere you look are portraits of past governors, chalkboard menus of daily specials, and extra-large rolls of brown paper at the ready for their constant flurry of finger-pricking feasts.

Crack open an ice-cold can of local craft beer, then dig into the rambling menu rooted in family recipes. We’re suckers for their spicy Maryland crab soup, plus the buckets of fresh-steamed littleneck clams with drawn butter and baskets of clam strips—an essential order on every visit. Fresh-cut, hand-breaded, and fried to crispy, crunchy perfection, they might be the best of their kind in the entire state.

Remember them with a souvenir matchbook on your way out the door. Not that you’ll forget.

TIDAL TUNES: After a seafood-rich supper, help yourself digest by boogying the night away to live music at Stan & Joe’s Saloon, a busy watering hole beloved by sailors and city slickers alike on West Street in downtown Annapolis.

CRABS AT MAY’S

The first time we went to May's, we’d just wrapped a chilly weekend of camping in the nearby Catoctin Mountains, and their cream of crab soup was so simple and comforting—chock-full of sweet meat with a dash of sherry and spice—it tasted like our mom made it. Which was not surprising, given that, from the friendly waitresses and shabby-chic knickknacks to the outside sign reminiscent of a grandmother’s handwriting, this locally owned, circa-1992 seafood house is the town’s de facto family dining room.

Here, with country music on the stereo and rolls of paper towels on every table, couples split buckets of beer, friends clink claw-garnished bloody Marys, and all walks of Frederick gather for birthdays, retirements, sports celebrations, and sheer fun until May’s closes for the season on Christmas Eve. Located past the car dealerships and tattoo-piercing parlors on Urbana Pike, the massive menu has something for everybody, ranging from Margaritaville-worthy appetizers like “bang bang” shrimp to broiled rockfish dinner platters and all-you-can-eat specials, offered seven days a week.

During warm weather, we’re partial to the back patio, a few feet from giant kettles that cook bushels of blue crabs to order. When it’s on offer, order the smoked chicken from Papa O’s BBQ, also made on-site.

SOLID SIPS: It was a sad day when Frederick’s Flying Dog Brewery relocated to New York last year, but a 20-minute dogleg off I-70 will take you to Old Westminster Winery, a family-run vineyard that turns out some of the best bottles in the state.

THE FAMOUS MOUNTED MARLIN AND EXTERIOR AT SCHULTZ'S

When it comes to listing all the reasons to love this grand-dame dining establishment, where do we even begin? The mounted marlin. The knotty pine walls. The red pleather banquettes and silver-rimmed linoleum. The lone pool table, constant Keno, and copies of PropTalk and SpinSheet by the front door. The list could go on and on—and it lengthens every time we head out of the city and over to Old Eastern Avenue until we reach this fat brick building on a quiet corner in Essex, its bright yellow sign heralding “SEAFOOD & STEAKS,” only a hook’s cast from Middle River.

This family-owned, nautically themed, circa-1969 chophouse never changes, and thank goodness for that, as it has become a surf-and-turf institution, known for platters of fresh-steamed crabs, lump-topped porterhouses, and ole Bawlmer standbys like sour beef and dumplings. In 2017, the James Beard Foundation named it a coveted “America’s Classic,” but we already knew that. Beneath the fading red awning, amid the diamond-shaped windowpanes, order a to-the-brim martini for only five bucks and sip it slowly while eating a dozen hard-shells, hauled in from local watermen and lavished in a proprietary blend of spices and salt. Just don’t leave without a to-go quart of their half-and-half soup. We put ours in the freezer to pull out as sustenance through the depths of winter.

BRIGHT LIGHTS: Around the corner, find another Americana icon at Bengies Drive-In. Throughout the summer, come for just-released blockbusters and cinematic masterpieces like Grease and Jaws. Pick up popcorn from the snack bar and revel in the fleeting days of summer beneath the Baltimore County stars.

SHORE SIGHTS AT THE CRAB CLAW

We’re not sure if there’s any crab house on this estuary more iconic than The Crab Claw, parked like a steamboat on the Eastern Shore’s Miles River, waiting on its revolving door of “come heres” and “from heres” who both scuttle in for nostalgic seafood that hasn’t changed much since the first service in 1965. Though we adore all the details, we rarely dine inside, with its red-and-white checkerboard tablecloths, taxidermied waterfowl, and autographed headshots of guests like Orioles Hall of Famer Rick Dempsey and former President George W. Bush. Instead, the outdoor deck is our preferred perch for its umbrellaed picnic tables and paper placemats that detail the 4-1-1 of dissecting our storied shellfish, which are brought in by local watermen and steamed right there on the restaurant’s dock.

This is The Land of Pleasant Living at its finest, folks—at the water’s edge, listening to osprey overhead, watching a bevy of boats roll (with the restaurant providing slips for patrons, should you decide to BYOB). Begin with a fresh-squeezed orange crush or locally brewed house ale, then forgo the tourist’s snow crab (shudder) for our state’s local delights. The Bay’s blues come every which way here, including as a fried hard crab, which gets stuffed with a crab cake, battered, then blitzed into an over-the-top, old-school delicacy. If you go for the feast, act like certain Eastern Shoremen and add the side of pickles and cheese.

LUNCH ‘N’ LEARN: Right next door, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is a treasure trove of estuary history, with a historic lighthouse, scenic cruises, and an impressive working shipyard.

ALL THE DETAILS AT CAPTAIN BILLY’S

Once you get past the Capital Beltway, it’s a seamless drive down south to this circa-1947 stalwart, located a mere five minutes off the fast-flying Route 301. But tucked into a calm cove off the Potomac River, Captain Billy’s is a world away from its surrounding suburban sprawl— a last slice of tidewater life not yet swallowed up by D.C. For many Marylanders, it’s not a hole-in- the-wall shack but this sort of timeworn seafood palace—plopped on a prime piece of waterfront real estate with the kind of homey service where waitresses Sharpie their names on your brown-papered table—that makes the ultimate crab house. “I don’t know why you even get menus!” one cracked to the old couple behind us, their eyes already set on the Yuengling-battered haddock.

Inside or out, the view is lovely, looking out over the tides toward the Virginia Line, but we have a soft spot for the dining-room booths, with their baskets of saltines and paper placemats featuring ads for local marinas and Amish furniture. This way, too, we can watch the bar scene, where potent tiki drinks get poured beneath a tiny life-ring buoy that reads “Cocktail Time.”

Crab covers most dishes, and we gravitate toward the jalapeño crab bombs with sweet chile sauce, the greasy spoon-style crab melt on a buttered English muffin, and the deviled crab dinner, with spicy cakes served in those retro tinfoil shells. Cap it all off with a slice of Smith Island cake, and if you have the chance, chat with Captain Billy’s daughter, Celine, who now runs the place, and is sometimes posted up by the penny candy sold at the front door.

NECK-DEEP NOSTALGIA: Near La Plata, a stretch of Charles County highway—dotted with old motor lodges, drive-thru liquor stores, and the rogue biker bar—feels like a Jack Kerouac-ian timewarp. The neon-lit, circa-1952 Bel Alton Motel is our favorite pit-stop by far.

NOTHING BUT NOSTALGIA AT Crisfield

Crisfield Seafood is not a crab house, per se. In fact, there’s not a hard-shell in the place, unless you count what they call “poppers”—about a dozen impeccably prepared claws, meant to be dunked in a spicy mustard sauce then scraped between your teeth like an artichoke petal at a circa-1945 cocktail party (the year this place opened). But we’re willing to bend the rules a bit for this D.C.-area institution that is, indeed, a travel back in time. Think tin ceilings, tiled floors, and teal walls decorated with fading photographs of the politicians (Parris Glendening) and pop stars (Jimmy Buffett) who have flocked here over the decades for a mid-century Mid-Atlantic menu that is profusely packed with crab.

Enter beneath its epic neon sign on Georgia Avenue, where the smell of Old Bay-style seasoning fills the city streets. Then grab a seat in the bustling side dining room or at the well-worn bar, at which regulars slurp down oysters, shucked right there on the mahogany.

Named for the Eastern Shore town once known as “the crab capital of the United States,” Crisfield tips its hat to both sides of the Chesapeake, all the way down to Norfolk, Virginia, where seafood preparations tend to swim in butter. Open for lunch and dinner, it’s a DMV mecca for throwback seafood salads, imperial-lacquered fish, and—our choice— creamy, dreamy crab cakes that arrive on dinner china with plain-and-simple sides like sliced tomatoes or baked potatoes wrapped in tinfoil. Though we’d be remiss to not mention the shoestring French fries, too, which give McDonald’s a run for their money.

HIDDEN-GEM HIKE: On your way there or back, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Patuxent Research Refuge is a 10-minute trek off I-95 with 13,000 acres of protected wildlife habitat for walking off your meal between sunrise and sunset.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

A few more old faithfuls for good measure.

Belly Busters: Ocean City. Circa 1950. You’re at the beach; no shirt, no shoes, no problem.

Captain James Crab House Deck: Baltimore City. Circa 1978. An Oprah favorite.

Crabtowne USA: Glen Burnie. Circa 1971. Featuring 100-plus arcade games.

Edgewater Restaurant: Edgewater. Circa 1948. No hard-shells, but great cakes with a side of fried okra.

Ford’s: Rock Hall. Circa 1995. Ask about Miss Sharon’s desserts.

Mike’s: Riva. Circa 1958. Scenic views over the South River.

Tap Room: Chesapeake City. Circa 1981. Get the “garlic crabs.”

Woody’s: North East. Circa 1993. Snag one of the turquoise pleather booths.

IN MEMORIUM

Jumbo Jimmy’s: Blue crabs, bikers, and bluegrass—what more could you need out of a true-blue crab house? This Port Deposit outpost had it all before a devastating fire swept through last fall. We’re rooting for them to rebuild.

Source

Crabs A Love Story: The Region’s Best Crab Houses, Soft Shells, and Crabby Dishes

Aaron Hope — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 14:00:03 +0000

Edited by Jane Marion

With Suzanne Loudermilk, Mike Unger, and Lydia Woolever

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT SUCHMAN

Spot Illustrations by Jason Schneider

Opening Spread: Styled by Janelle Erlichman Diamond. Hair & makeup: Brian Oliver and model: Kyler Garner, both from T.H.E. The Artist Agency. Shot on location at Schultz's Crab House.

Food & Drink

Edited by Jane Marion

With Suzanne Loudermilk, Mike Unger, and Lydia Woolever

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT SUCHMAN

Spot Illustrations by Jason Schneider

Opening Spread: Styled by Janelle Erlichman Diamond. Hair & makeup: Brian Oliver and model: Kyler Garner, both from T.H.E. The Artist Agency. Shot on location at Schultz's Crab House.

July 2022

“How do I love thee?” Elizabeth Barrett Browning once asked. When it comes to Maryland crab, we can barely count the ways—there are just too many. But let us try to illustrate our ardor. Every state has its point of pride, from Maine blueberries to Idaho potatoes. Here, in the Mid-Atlantic, Maryland is for crab lovers. With no disrespect to oysters and rockfish, the blue crab reigns as the undisputed king of the Chesapeake Bay. And while they can be found as far north as Novia Scotia and far south as Uruguay, one-third of our country’s blue crab harvest hails from our local waters.

In Maryland, there are two seasons—crab season (that’s May through November) and waiting for crab season. The latter happens in the colder months when the crabs burrow into the bottom of the bay and hibernate through winter. As the thermostat rises, the crustaceans ascend with the warmer waters and swim into crab traps, when they’re as fine and fat as can be—not to mention salty-sweet and buttery in a way that’s unique to our brackish waters. Sure, you might travel to Birmingham or Boise and see a “Baltimore-style” or “Maryland-style” crab cake on the menu, but there’s no truth in that advertising. Ours are the best and we’re happy to throw down the gauntlet—make that the mallet—to anyone who argues otherwise. Unlike other blue crab states—that’s North Carolina, Texas, and Louisiana—where hard shells often get boiled, we steam our bay beauts, which means they stay mustardy and moist, and of course there’s our iconic home state brand of crab spice seasoning, Old Bay.

And while it may seem overly obvious, it must be said that there’s only one place to eat authentic Maryland crab—and that’s smack dab in the Old Line State, where an almost religious fervor surrounds this seafood. We do have a bit of bad news on that front: Due to the demand for this seasonal seafood, plus recurring visa issues for crab pickers, it’s not always possible to get actual Maryland crab. In fact, the majority of seafood houses—even in season—supplement their local catch with other domestic crab, while the meat can come from as far away as Asia. That said, other blues make for an acceptable alternative, since so many places don’t serve Maryland crab. Your best bet? Always ask where the crabmeat comes from.

Crabs have long been an essential local protein along the Chesapeake. As early as 1,200 B.C., these crustaceans were an important food source and continuously consumed through the 17th century, when Native Americans and early colonists enjoyed eating them. Although crab shells are fragile and friable, sites across the estuary have turned up their archeological remains, from such places as George Washington’s Mt. Vernon homestead to Sukeek’s Cabin, a 19th-century African-American residence in Calvert County.

Given this history, it’s safe to say our craving for crabs runs deep in our DNA—and this time of year that hankering kicks in with full force. And we don’t just limit ourselves to crab cakes, hard shells, or soup. We use crab everywhere: folded into dips; stuffed into dumplings; sprinkled atop pretzels, waffles, and deviled eggs; piled high on chicken cheesesteaks—you name it. You can find crabs in their various incarnations at local seafood shacks, fine-dining dens, pizza parlors, food trucks, food halls, and malls—and even High’s gas stations.

Below, find your fix, however you like to eat ’em. Then get ready to celebrate the return of blue crabs to a paper-wrapped table near you—and with it, one of Maryland’s most tried-and-true traditions.

Scenes from The Choptank: the aftermath of a crab feast; grapefruit and orange crushes; crispy crab fritters with rémoulade and pickled vegetables; the historic entrance.

⇓ Article continues below ⇓

Crab Houses

Captain Dan’s Crabhouse

Eldersburg

When we walked into this far-flung storefront in a Carroll County strip mall, we couldn’t help but notice the bags of carryout orders behind the counter. Takeout steamed crabs and seafood are big business here. There’s eat-in service, too, but we couldn’t immediately see the dining room. Noticing our confusion as we entered through the bar, a friendly cashier directed us to a solid door that opened to a connecting room with about 10 tables. It’s a bare-bones but cheery space with a mural of docked boats and photos of crab house scenes. Depending on the time of year, the cooked-to-order crabs are a mix of Maryland, Virginia, and Louisiana hard shells dusted with the kitchen’s own seasoning. And the restaurant’s crab expertise is evident. After all, owner Dan Schuman, who runs the crab house with his brother, Mike, has been in the business since 1971, putting time in at a Randallstown seafood market before opening Captain Dan’s in 2003. Simply put, the crabs are fab.

Crab Takes: The crab house ships its seafood nationwide.

Captain James Seafood Palace and Crab House

Canton

People love to crack crabs while sitting near the water, but Captain James takes that one step further by offering guests the chance to eat crabs near the water and on a boat. Okay, it’s not an actual boat, but rather a boat-shaped restaurant with an adjacent crab house which features a large deck on the water between Canton and Fells Point. That central location no doubt contributes to the restaurant’s popularity, but the place wouldn’t have hung around for so long if it didn’t deliver quality as well. When we visited on a Friday spring evening, we found both the food and service to be stellar. The view comes with a price tag: These were among the most expensive crabs we encountered, ranging from $100 for a dozen mediums to $155 for jumbos (they’re sold only by the half-dozen or dozen). They were nicely seasoned and well-cooked with sweet meat. Corn on the cob, cold pitchers of beer, and an order of delicious fries that tasted like the boardwalk rounded out our meal, which was just as good as the view of the Patapsco.

Crab Takes: Captain James Crab House is one of the last spots to offer all-you-can-eat crabs in the city (with a two-hour dining limit), available Mondays through Thursdays, from 4 to 9 p.m.

Picking just-steamed crabs at the old-school Costas Inn in Dundalk; Alfresco dining and live music at The Choptank.

The Choptank

Fells Point

At first glance, a casual visitor might not realize that The Choptank is a place to eat steamed crabs. The outdoor area has a happy-hour vibe, and cocktails flow faster than the nearby harbor waters. But once you take a seat and focus on the menu, you realize this is a crab house, after all. Before the steamed shells arrive, your table is covered with brown paper and the proper tools appear—mallet, knife, and even a shell cracker (for those more accustomed to eating lobster). While we waited for the crabs (from Louisiana on our visit and local when available) to steam, we dug into a worthy mound of seafood nachos laden with grilled fish, shrimp, and lump crab. Our half-dozen larges, coated with J.O. seasoning, were mostly plump specimens, but one was a lightweight, so the kitchen tossed in an extra crab.

Crab Takes: The Choptank is housed in the historic Broadway Market’s renovated south shed, circa 1786.

Conrad’s Seafood Restaurant

Perry Hall

If your crabs here taste like some of the freshest shellfish you’ve ever had, that’s because they might be literally just out of the water. Owner Tony Conrad—a triple-threat waterman, restaurateur, and entrepreneur (who recently expanded to Harford County)—likely just disembarked from his boat after a morning of catching crustaceans on the bay. There are so many reasons to come here, from the gratis bucket of popcorn to whet your appetite to the surprisingly delicious salads (which isn’t where crab houses typically shine) to the case of scrumptious sweets (strawberry shortcakes, tiramisu) or the refreshing cantaloupe crushes. But we digress. It really is all about those dependably delicious Maryland crabs, which come hot, heavy, coated in the restaurant’s own proprietary seafood blend, and stacked proudly on a plastic tray.

Crab Takes: In a DIY mood? Conrad’s also has its own seafood market in Parkville, where you can buy crabs live to steam at home. While you’re there, grab a house-made crabby pretzel or a pound of spicy steamed shrimp to-go.

Scenes from Costas Inn: jalepeño crab poppers; steaming the crabs; rolling out the brown paper.

Costas Inn

Dundalk

Since 1971, Costas has been a stalwart of the local crab circuit and, in many ways, it is a crossroads of Baltimore, hosting everyone from families just leaving church service to port workers swinging in for a half-dozen hard shells after their shift to couples enjoying a date night. The diner-like menu, too, showcases a medley of cuisines that have settled in the eastern stretches of the city—things like Italian lasagna, Greek gyros, and, you guessed it, a whole host of dishes featuring crab. Everywhere you look, there are vintage photographs of Lexington Market and Preakness, and televisions for watching everything from NASCAR to Orioles games. Of course, there is Keno. While there’s overflow seating in the adjacent dining room, grab a stool at the central U-shaped bar. The bartender will line it with brown paper, mix you a high-octane orange crush, and, rightly, steer you toward the crabby jalapeño poppers.

Crab Takes: TV personality Kathie Lee Gifford has an affinity for Costas crab cakes, once devouring them on air with her co-host, Hoda Kotb.

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The Crab Claw

St. Michael’s

There are few places in the state of Maryland more iconic or idyllic than The Crab Claw on our Eastern Shore. In operation since 1965, this waterfront crab deck and old-school dining room is a landmark for locals and tourists alike, only open during its namesake seafood’s season from April through October. Unlike many local seafood houses these days, most of their crabs come from nearby waters, with the restaurant touting its working relationships with Talbot County watermen. Grab a picnic table, order a pitcher of the house beer—Crab Claw Ale, made by Devil's Backbone Brewing Co.—and indulge in over a dozen crab dishes, from crab cocktail to white crab pizza to an Old Bay-seasoned corn dog.

Crab Takes: Still a novice at picking crabs? Their placemats will teach you the tried-and-true way.

The Crackpot

Towson

The Crackpot Seafood Restaurant turned 50 this year, and like many of us who hit the half-century mark, it recently had some work done. The result was a stylish new dining room and bar area, a spiffed-up menu that blends new items like New Orleans-style beignets with its signature crab cakes and steamed crabs. Here we found the least expensive crabs we’ve seen in a while: $85 for a dozen larges and $95 for a dozen extra-larges. The latter were generously seasoned and pleasantly heavy. The former, while well-prepared, were noticeably lighter and a bit watery. Go for the biggest size and your taste buds—and your wallet—won’t be disappointed.

Crab Takes: New owners Binod Uprety, who owns Namaste restaurant in Roland Park, and his business partners Mandira Mainali and chef Ram Thapa, have added Indian and Nepali dishes like momos and samosas to the menu.

Dock of the Bay

Sparrows Point

The Chesapeake Bay view, complete with a lighthouse, is enough to draw hungry diners to this decades-old waterside restaurant. Add steamed-to-order crabs and an outdoor deck where you can listen to the lapping bay and quacking ducks, and you’re hooked. On a recent visit, our large hard shells, hailing from Louisiana and sprinkled with J.O. seasoning, were as satisfying as the setting. You can also opt to sit inside the rambling space, which includes a dining room with a sports-bar vibe and large windows to soak in the vista. Wherever you settle, you can nosh on an excellent seared-tuna appetizer or fat rockfish bites while waiting for the main event. After your meal, nab one of the Adirondack chairs on a wooden deck over a dock and linger awhile.

Crab Takes: If you need an early seafood fix, the restaurant serves breakfast, starting at 8 a.m. on weekends, offering a cream-of-crab omelet.

Floyd’s Crossroads Pub

Dayton

You are indeed at a crossroads—Ten Oaks, Linthicum, and Green Bridge roads—when arriving at this cute, unassuming shack in the Howard County countryside. But you made the right decision to head here for some of the best steamed crabs around. Owners Bill and CindyLee Floyd, along with their sons Curtis Lee and Brendon, also serve up big-time hospitality in their diminutive spot, which seats about 40 in the dining room, plus a few high tops and stools in the bar area. Walls are appropriately adorned with crustacean knickknacks. You can order a minimum of three crabs; we dug into a half-dozen large Louisiana blues, coated generously with J.O. While waiting for them to steam, treat yourself to the restaurant’s delicious Maryland crab soup, loaded with tons of meat swimming in a spicy tomato broth—it’s the real deal.

Crab Takes: In warmer weather, the restaurant pitches a covered tent outdoors to accommodate the crowds.

Serving up steamed crab and corn at Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn; a cup of Maryland crab soup at The Choptank; the hand-washing station and the Old Bay-coated “Deck Fries” at Nick’s Fish House.

Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn

Annapolis

When we pulled into the parking lot this spring, there was a literal tour bus waiting for a table at Cantler’s. Normally, this would be a turn off, but once you make the winding journey to this storied Annapolis crab house situated along Mill Creek, nothing could deter you. The wooden interior is awesomely nostalgic, but we always try to sit on the outside deck. Once you’re settled, split a dozen hard shells from the chalkboard menu and watch below as soft shells are freshly pulled from their waterfront shedding tanks before being fried into your platters or sandwiches (see our "Soft Spot" section below). We always get one of the latter, plus an order of their golden clam strips, too.

Crab Takes: BYOB—if you’re arriving by water, you can dock your boat for free.

Jimmy’s Famous Seafood

Broening Manor

We’re not exactly sure how long after this behemoth of an east side institution opened in 1974 that it added “Famous” to its name, but Jimmy’s has, in fact, become nationally renowned. Photos of celebrities like The Rock, Cal Ripken Jr., and just about every Raven of note hang on the wall near the entrance of the main dining room, which, like the outdoor dining space, separate barroom, and second-floor bar and lounge, were renovated during the pandemic. A boatload of crab appetizers is available, including outstanding crab imperial-stuffed mushroom caps. In March, we cracked steamed jumbos that were pricey—$75 for a half-dozen—but to Jimmy’s credit, they were legitimate jumbos: heavy with tons of sweet meat. They were served with perfectly seasoned potatoes and corn, making for an excellent meal. The kind that has made the place, well, famous.

Crab Takes: With 118,000 followers on Twitter and 77,000 on Instagram (and counting), Jimmy’s social media channels are among the most robust and entertaining in the local restaurant scene.

Kahler’s Crabhouse

Rosedale

From the outside, Kahler’s looks like a quaint cottage that’s gone through a hodgepodge of additions—and that’s exactly what’s happened in the 50-plus years this family-owned restaurant has operated. Once inside, however, you’ll find yourself charmed by this old-time Baltimore haven for steamed crabs and more. Tables are covered in white plastic, an aquarium bubbles with fish, and an assortment of whimsical crab-themed art dots the walls. An outdoor deck in a bucolic setting beckons in warm weather. We got started with several delectable crabstuffed deviled eggs and a mound of shrimp steamed just so. Our large crabs, encrusted with the restaurant’s own spicy seafood seasoning, also showed care from the kitchen. After the shells are taken away, you may be tempted to order Kahler’s homemade ice cream for dessert.

Crab Takes: The restaurant is BYOB and welcomes coolers.

L.P. Steamers

Locust Point

The fact that March 9—months before the official start of Maryland’s crab season—is National Crabmeat Day befuddles us. But seeing as how we never need an excuse to pick up a butter knife and mallet, we headed to one of the city’s most popular crab houses to celebrate this year. It was a raw, cold, rainy night, but most of the tables were taken, as usual, by a blend of locals and tourists who frequent this iconic crab house. It’s easy to understand why all types are attracted to this rowhouse restaurant with pitchers of beer and ballgames playing overhead on various TVs. At L.P. Steamers you can buy large or medium-sized crabs by the dozen or single, a flexible policy that we appreciate. After a bowl of Maryland crab soup and some gooey crab dip, we cracked into a few of both sizes. They were lightly seasoned, prepared well, and, most importantly, they satisfied our craving.

Crab Takes: L.P. Steamers is one of the few places we've encountered where you can crack crabs on a rooftop deck with a view of the Domino Sugar sign in the distance. It doesn't get more quintessentially Baltimore than that.

Mike’s Crab House North

Pasadena

The good-time vibe is strong at this northern outpost of the popular crab house and restaurant on the South River outside of Annapolis. The Pasadena location opened in a marina on Rock Creek in 2012, and since then, it’s been a destination for locals, boaters, and general partiers alike. It’s a sprawling complex with a huge outdoor bar along with a spacious bar and dining room inside. You have to respect a place that lists a crab cake on its menu under “Sides” (it’s sandwiched between hush puppies and a baked potato), so we started with one. It emerged from the broiler piping hot, and for $21 in late April, it was a bargain. For our main course, we ordered a dozen large steamed hard shells for $85. We drank cold draft beer and listened to a blend of country music, yacht rock, and mallets hitting shells—the soundtrack of a good time.

Crab Takes: Customers arriving by boat can tie up for free at Dock B.

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Mr. Bill’s Terrace Inn

Essex

Even though the familiar face and banter of Steve Eliades are no longer at Mr. Bill’s Terrace Inn, the fun vibe and fat crabs keeps that tradition going. Eliades, who died last September, turned his father’s tavern into a seafood hotspot in 1989, naming it after his dad, Bill. Now, another generation, Eliades’ daughter, April Swinder, keeps her father’s legacy alive. During our visit, most tables were piled high with hard shells. We picked our way through a half-dozen large specimens. While the place is not actually an inn (and, come to think of it, doesn’t have a terrace), visitors soak up Maryland’s crab culture in a recently renovated room brightened with a mural depicting bay scenes and a wall adorned with sports jerseys and TVs with games playing. Brown paper covers the tables, paper towels await, and servers are attentive. And it’s always a plus to have an in-room sink to wash the Old Bay off your hands.

Crab Takes: The late Eliades created the restaurant’s signature spicy seafood seasoning.

Scenes from Nick’s Fish House: a crab feast in progress, complete with orange crushes and mallets; crabs coming out of the steamer; a basket of blues waiting to be steamed.

Nick’s Fish House

Port Covington

One of the best seats in Baltimore is on the Nick’s Fish House patio beneath the Hanover Street Bridge along a wide stretch of the Patapsco River. It’s not the easiest to get to, but once you arrive, you can easily transport into vacation mode, with beers sold by the bucket, four kinds of crushes, and a sprawling happy hour menu that draws in the nearby Under Armour crowd. There’s something for everyone on this enormous menu, full of classic and creative takes on Chesapeake fare. The boat of crab dip is a dangerous excursion if you’re not with a large party, but you won’t find us sharing the lump-stuffed grilled cheese, lump-topped lobster roll, or Old Bay French fries. Check out the raw bar list for something a little lighter.

Crab Takes: On a hot summer day, consider the $70 cold seafood platter, featuring raw oysters and claws, peel-and-eat shrimp, chilled snow and Chesapeake crabs, and jumbo lump crab meat.

A crab cake platter with a side of fries and slaw at Schultz's.

Ocean Odyssey

Cambridge

You might not think that some of the best crabs you can find on the Eastern Shore would be situated at the edge of the highway. But trust us—this Dorchester County restaurant, located on the northbound lane of Route 50 in Cambridge on the way to and from Ocean City, run by 41-year-old Travis Todd, whose family has been in the seafood biz for generations, is a cut above the rest. That millennial touch is apparent in the hip white-and-black exterior, playful cocktails, and local emphasis on an elevated fish shack menu (they still abide by the True Blue program, sourcing 100-percent domestic crab meat). Go big or go home with the DoCo Poutine—aka French fries topped with cream of crab soup, cheese curds, and scallions—or the Bay On A Bun, filled with Chesapeake blue catfish, a fried soft crab, and fried local oysters with tomatillo aioli.

Crab Takes: Reserve the “Pickin’ Room” of this former processing house for a private feast.

Ocean Pride Seafood Restaurant

Lutherville

Founded in 1971, this Baltimore County crab joint is one of the premiere spots for steamed sweeties, whether you’re dining in or carrying out. Crabs come hot and heavy, though carryout sells out fast, so call early in the day to claim your crab. (And should you decide to up and move to, say, Seattle, Ocean Pride ships to the lower 48.) Beyond the crabs, there are plenty of other items on offer, from flatbreads to Philly cheesesteaks, as well as raw bar offerings, which are always excellent. Be forewarned: This place has zero ambiance, unless you count a bevy of big screen TVs and tin buckets for beer, but that’s how you know it’s the real deal.

Crab Takes: Except for Sunday night (when it closes promptly at 10 p.m.), Ocean Pride is open until midnight, should your craving for crab kick in after the 11 o’clock news and the kids have long gone to bed.

Reter’s Crab House & Grille

Reisterstown

Housed between a veterinary clinic and a physical therapist in a nondescript strip mall, it’s easy to miss Reter’s from Reisterstown’s main drag. We’re glad we didn’t. While it might not look like much from the outside, inside Reter’s provides an inviting atmosphere that serves some of the best crabs we’ve had in recent memory. On a lively Wednesday in late April, the bar and dining room were packed with people feasting on oysters, crab and shrimp nachos, the prime rib special ($16.99 with two sides), and, of course, crabs. We ordered jumbos, larges, and mediums, which were priced both by the dozen and per crab. The jumbos looked perfectly fine when our friendly bartender slid them onto the paper in front of us, but the real treat—the tender and well-seasoned meat—was inside. Just like the crab house in which they were served.

Crab Takes: Although it was established in 1997, the menu still touts Reter’s 20th anniversary. It’s an apt embodiment of the laidback atmosphere here. No one cares that the logo is a bit dated; everyone’s having too good of a time to look up from the business of cracking crabs.

Scenes from Schultz’s Crab House: sorting and seasoning the crabs; the finished product; a table awaits you in the iconic dining room.

Schultz’s Crab House

Essex

If you’re looking for the real-deal Maryland crab house, drive out of the city and onward down Old Eastern Avenue until you get to Schultz’s Crab House in Essex. Instead of finding a patio deck of paper-covered picnic tables, you’ll be surprised to see a brick corner restaurant with a faded red awning, diamond-shaped window-panes, and an illuminated yellow sign beckoning you inside for “seafood & steaks.” Since 1969, this family-owned, James Beard Award-winning “America’s Classic,” just a stone’s throw from Middle River, has been the place for platters of fresh-steamed crabs, jumbo lump-topped porterhouses, and ole Bawlmer classics like sour beef and dumplings, which were on special during our last visit. You can eat at the bar, which is always packed with regulars rallying for pool, Keno, and O’s on the television, or in the dining room, fit with quintessential knotty pine walls, red pleather booths, and mounted marlins.

Crab Takes: Don’t leave without a to-go quart of their half-and-half crab soup.

WHAT THEY DID FOR LOVE

Getting Picky

“I dug my finger in behind the blade of an immersion blender and turned the blender on by accident. I went to the ER, got 16 stitches, and went right to a going-away party for my mom, so I wouldn’t miss out on the crabs. I picked them onehanded. I kept up with everyone.”

—Juliet Ames, artist, The Broken Plate Co.

He’s Got Mail

“The word ‘crab’ is part of my official email address. Someone asked me, ‘How many crab cakes did you have to eat to get that email address?’ Now I just need crab as part of my license plate!”

—John Shields, owner-chef, Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen

Anything for Love

“I’m a crab lover and about 15 years ago, I had a bad allergic reaction to eating crabs. I got so scared that I might never be able to eat them again, but I continued to eat them anyway. I had an allergic reaction two more times after that. Basically, I was willing to die for crabs.”

—Felicia Covel Rami, restaurateur, The Crab Queen

Think Ink

“People love their blue crabs, especially people from Maryland. If you’re from Maryland, you must have a blue crab tattoo.”

—Sam Ford, Annapolis-based tattoo artist, who fills such frequent requests.

Animal Instincts

“We love Maryland and crabs, so having ‘crab’ in the name of our business was important to us, plus an Old Bay-crusted blue crab wearing a Terps Jersey is my spirit animal. I’ve always had a ton of state pride.”

—Earl Holman, general manager, Crooked Crab Brewing Co. (and UMD graduate)

Blue Crabs

A Brief History

1600s

First and Foremost

Blue crabs are an important food source for Native Americans and European settlers and appear in our nation’s earliest cookbooks.

1890

Elder Statesman

The J.M. Clayton Company, the oldest crab-picking house on the Chesapeake, is founded on Hoopers Island.

1896

In the Swim

The blue crab is officially named Callinectes sapidus, which translates to “beautiful savory swimmer.”

1920s

Nice Catch

The wire crab pot is invented by a Virginia man, Benjamin Lewis.

1939

The Secret Is Out

Atlantic blue crabs are introduced beyond Baltimore in the New York World’s Fair Cookbook, which refers to “Baltimore crab cakes.”

1940s

Spicing Things Up

Old Bay is invented in Baltimore.

1977

Book It

William W. Warner’s Beautiful Swimmers, about the local seafood industry, wins the Pulitzer Prize.

2012

Into the Blue

The True Blue program helps consumers buy certified Maryland blue crab.

A soft shell platter with fries and slaw.

OUR ETERNAL AFFINITY FOR A PECULIAR, PRIMAL DELICACY.

THEY ARRIVE IN THE middle of spring, a few weeks earlier or later than last year, depending on myriad mysterious things like the moon and weather. A cold spell could push them off. As could a good rain. But eventually, the water will rise above 50 degrees, luring the Atlantic blue crab out of the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay tributaries and off on a great migration toward nearby shorelines for a cosmic event: becoming a soft shell.

Delicacies are often ephemeral foods—those still at the whims of Mother Nature—and few rival the seasonal treat of a soft-shell crab. In order to grow, crabs must molt their exoskeletons, and in that brief period before their tender bodies turn tough again—a matter of mere hours—they can be harvested and eaten whole. Plump, fragile, and flavorful, they allow us to indulge our most primal instincts, devouring the sweet meat with abandon, without the pricked fingers of hard shells.

For that, they’ve been coveted for centuries, sating the aquatic appetites of Native American communities and European colonists, appearing in early 20th-century cookbooks boiled, broiled, fried, steamed, and even curried, with one Cajun recipe calling the soft-shell crab “a dainty dish that graces the most aristocratic tables.” Part of their rise in popularity arrived with the advent of aquaculture, with the first known soft-shell nursery appearing in South Carolina in 1885, though many credit the region around Maryland’s Crisfield as the soft-crab capital of the world. Decades-old shedding docks still speckle nearby Smith and Tangier Islands, where, come spring, watermen patiently wait along the underwater grasses for crustaceans to shift their shapes, at which point they’re plucked and rushed to market.

Today, these spider-like delights have found their way onto menus not just near the crab’s natural waterfront, but across the country, and around the globe, embellishing everything from eggs Benedict to sushi. But in our eyes, there’s only one way to eat them: dredged in J.O. and flour. Fried in butter. Served between two slices of white bread with a ripe July tomato and slather of mayonnaise. Simple. Perfect. Ambrosia of the Chesapeake. —LW

LEGS & ALL

OUR GO-TO PLACES TO EAT ’EM.

BIG SOFTY

For several years now, the Big Softy pop-up has been slinging soft-shell crabs around town, from R. House to John Brown’s Butchery. Follow them on Instagram to catch their next location for classic sandwiches with spicy mayo on griddled sourdough.

CHARLESTON

When chef Cindy Wolf has soft shells on offer, head to Harbor East—fast. Sit at the bar, order a martini, and treat yourself to at least one, which will likely arrive lightly fried in cornmeal and served simply with some seasonal salad and divine aioli.

DYLAN’S OYSTER CELLAR

Long live the soft crab sandwich at Dylan’s. Every spring, we wait to hear that these little creatures have arrived in Hampden, where they’re fried to the perfect crisp, double stacked on toast with butter lettuce and tomato, and topped with a tiny Maryland flag.

EKIBEN

One of the most fun ways to eat soft crabs is however Ekiben decides to cook them. Each year, their inventive takes tantalize taste buds across the city, from spicy BLTs to Buffalo- style sandwiches with cheddar and blue cheese.

THE LOCAL OYSTER

Beloved restaurateur Nick Schauman might have invented “food porn” with his ridiculous soft crab sandwiches in Mt. Vernon. Live a little and order the “Colossal Crab Sandwich,” which is also piled high with a crab cake and bacon on Texas toast.

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THESE CRAB CAKES ARE PERFECT FOR DAYS WHEN YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE MANNING A MALLET.

CASA MIA’S

Parkton

The menu listing a “World Famous Crab Cake” tells you all you need to know at this Parkton haunt, where the colossal creations are made by hand—and with love—from a treasured heirloom recipe.

FAIDLEY SEAFOOD

Baltimore

Since 1886, this Lexington Market seafood stall has been turning out big-as-a-baseball splendors, made with all- Maryland meat and molded by third-generation owner Nancy Faidley Devine. If you only eat one specimen in all of Maryland, make it Nancy’s. As Gourmet wrote many years ago, “Every subsequent crab cake will be measured against hers.”

G&M RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE

Charles Village

Chef John Shields, who is known as Mr. Crab Cake, does his grandmother Gertie proud with these broiled babies using backfin Maryland meat bound by Saltine cracker crumbs and flavored with Worcestershire and a kiss of Tabasco. The whole shebang is served with boardwalk-style fries and classic coleslaw.

KOCO’S PUB

Lauraville

Locals know that this Lauraville landmark is one of the best places to eat colossal crab cakes with few fillers, a touch of Old Bay, and a variety of dipping sauces (though we prefer eating ours straight). And we mean colossal—at 11 ounces, when it comes to crab cakes, size does matter.

Top: The massive crab cake sandwich at Koco’s Pub. Above: The famous crab cake from Faidley’s.

THE LOCAL OYSTER

Mt. Vernon

Seafood shaman Nick Schauman serves his jumbo-lump cakes made with real-deal Maryland meat as a sandwich or a la carte with Saltines. Eat them with a bag of Utz and repeat after us, “Welcome to B’more, hon!”

MICHAEL’S CAFE

Timonium

For four generations, the crab cake recipe at this Timonium hangout has remained unchanged. And that’s a good thing, given that you shouldn’t mess with perfection.

PAPPAS RESTAURANT & SPORTS BAR

Cockeysville

The recipe and sourcing are a closely guarded state secret at this 50-year-old Cockeysville joint. But all you need to know is that these crab cakes, lightly spiced and virtually filler-free, received the ultimate imprimatur from Oprah, who deemed them a “favorite thing” in 2015.

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FROM CLASSIC TO ZANY, WE NAME SOME OF OUR FAVORITE CRABBY CONCOCTIONS.

When it comes to crab dishes in Maryland, anything is fair game. From nachos to chicken to French fries, there are few dishes that aren’t enlivened with the addition of crab, whether it plays a starring role—or a supporting one. Crabmeat adds a bit of decadence to anything you pair it with. It can cool fiery flavors found in Old Bay or dishes with chile or garlic and ginger; and it pairs well with tangy ingredients like tartar sauce, lemon, and mustard, or fresh herbs such as tarragon, mint, and basil. Below, you’ll find some of our favorite local crabby creations.

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Crab Pie

Matthew’s Pizza

The adage about not mixing seafood and cheese certainly doesn’t apply to the 10-inch, deep-dish crab pie (with mozzarella and Parm) at this 79-year-old Eastern Avenue pizza parlor that has earned shoutouts in The New York Times and on the Travel Channel.

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Crab Cake Eggroll

Watershed

It’s about time someone made a crab-cake egg roll, and this deep-fried trendy take offers the unexpected with the addition of shrimp and spicy aioli. Take a bite and count your lucky stars that you reside in the Land of Pleasant Living.

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Crab Meatballs

The Food Market

Where’s the beef in the meatballs at this Hampden hotspot? There is none, which is precisely the point. Instead, you’ll find beautiful balls of, you guessed it, blue crab served in fra diavolo sauce with pasta.

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Crabby Pretzel

Nick’s Fish House

This colossal pretzel stuffed with crab, topped with cheddar, and sprinkled with Old Bay, is the perfect happy hour snack for splitting with friends. (You can also eat it by yourself and make it a meal.)

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Crab Mac-and-Cheese

True Chesapeake Oyster Co.

Briny bivalves get top billing at this Whitehall Mill seafood spot, but the mac-and-cheese tossed with chunks of Maryland lump comes in a close second.

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Crabby Nachos

Nacho Mama’s

This South of the Border meets Bay creation is a study in texture and taste. The sweet of the crab meat, plus the heat of the jalapeño, the tangy cheese, and crunchy corn tortillas, is a flavor bomb.

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Could a Crab Cake Shortage Be on the Horizon?

Lydia Woolever — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 12:06:00 +0000

It’s an undeniable truth: in Maryland, we take our crab cakes for granted. Considered as much a part of local summers as Natty Boh and baseball, we simply expect they’ll always be there. And now less than a month before crab season returns to the Chesapeake Bay, the local seafood industry faces uncertainty due to a substantial shortage of workers that pick and process the iconic crustacean.

If you’re wondering, yes, this is déjà vu. For the second time in three years, many of the state’s main crab picking houses—this year six out of nine—did not receive any of the temporary visas required to fill their seasonal workforce, which is made up almost entirely of foreign guest workers, who are predominantly women from Latin America, as it has been since the 1980s.

The dearth is due in part to increased demand, with a rising need for temporary workers among the likes of landscaping companies, hospitality businesses, and other seafood industries, such as along the Gulf Coast. In January, the U.S. Department of Labor received nearly 100,000 H-2B visa applications for their annual nationwide lottery system. This year, 66,000 are currently allocated after final approval from the Department of Homeland Security, with only half being released this spring, when the Chesapeake’s crab season begins on April 1.

Along with Governor Larry Hogan, Maryland senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen have written to federal officials, urging them to release the additional 33,000 visas held over for summer.

“Many of the seafood businesses we represent are family-owned operations that go back multiple generations, often in rural areas of our states,” reads a bipartisan letter to the DHS signed by Cardin, Van Hollen, and five other senators last week. “Despite good faith efforts to find local seasonal workers, our seafood industries rely on H-2B workers for tough jobs such as shucking oysters and processing crabs. These businesses are entirely reliant on the forces of nature that determine, for example, when salmon will run and be ready for harvest. Without H-2B visas, some local businesses will be forced to reduce the size of their American workforces.”

Maryland’s seafood processors suggest that, in the long term, the local industry should be considered for a permanent exemption from the yearly quota. For now, they are requesting the release of the lottery’s additional visas. Dozens, alongside watermen, seafood business owners, and local and state officials, gathered on Monday at the A.E. Phillips & Sons picking room in Dorchester County to call on the Trump administration to act, stressing that the continuation of this workforce instability could have detrimental impacts on the prized local industry, as well as its surrounding communities.

According to a recent survey, Maryland officials estimate the current worker shortage could cause Maryland to lose at least 900 jobs, from watermen to distributors, and upwards of $150 million from the state’s economy. It could also cost watermen more than $12 million and processors more than $37 million in income. Many watermen crab solely for sale to picking houses.

It hits home, too. Some suggest a lack of workers would represent a loss of 65 percent of the crab meat produced in the state, potentially leading to a sharp increase in picked meat prices, as well as a depleted price for steamed crabs (good for consumers, bad for watermen), due to a surplus of hard shells that would have otherwise been bound for the picking houses.

In past years, the Trump administration has agreed to release additional visas, including an additional 30,000 last year. In late February, The Wall Street Journal reported that the DHS planned to announce the approval of some 45,000 additional visas last week, with 20,000 available immediately, and the other 25,000 available come June, though no official announcement has been made at this time.

“I would say, as of right now, no decision has been made about the supplemental H-2B cap increase,” said acting secretary of DHS Chad Wolf during a meeting with a Senate Appropriations subcommittee last Tuesday, stating that he is in talks with the DOL to develop a proposal, noting possible provisions to address potential purported abuse in the program. “We hope to announce that very shortly.”

For fans of Maryland crab cakes, the announcement can’t come soon enough.

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Ten of Many Reasons Why We Love Charm City

Lauren Cohen — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 19:20:00 +0000

You may have heard that Baltimore has been disparaged recently. Here at Baltimore, we’ve spent 112 years celebrating this city—and we’re not about to back down now. Take a look back as we revisit some of the many reasons why Charm City lives up to its name. Here are some highlights from our archives:

We’ve got Otterbein’s.

The sacred sugar cookies of Bawlmer.

And the best crab houses in the country .

From Captain James, Oprah’s favorite, to the James Beard Award-winning Schultz’s Crab House.

Photography by Scott Suchman

Oprah Winfrey got her start here on WJZ.

Recently, she made a local news appearance on WBAL to defend Baltimore’s honor. “This charming city is anything but full of rats,” she said.

Illustration by Anita Kunz

We have sports legends.

The Iron Man even beat The Iron Horse’s streak!

Photography by Mike Morgan

Our chefs win James Beard Awards.

Woodberry Kitchen’s Spike Gjerde is a farm-to-fork pioneer. Even former First Lady Michelle Obama eats here.

Photography by Mike Morgan

We have some of the best museums in the country.

Among them are the first-of-its-kind National Great Blacks in Wax Museum, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & Culture, and the Baltimore Museum of Art—which is expected to unveil its upcoming Matisse center by 2021, making it the premier place to study the French artist and his works.

Some of the most iconic artists hail from here.

John Waters, Blaze Starr, and Joyce Scott. (Need we say more?)

-Bryan Burris

We have the largest free arts festival in the country.

Local legends (Ethel Ennis) to national names (TLC) have stepped up to the stage here.

Our symphony is home to conductor Marin Alsop, the first woman to head a major American orchestra.

In an era when symphonies around the country are closing their doors permanently, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is one of only 25 of the 800 or so U.S. orchestras to have been around for more than 100 years.

Photography by David Colwell

We invented just about everything.

Hyperbole? We think not. Read on.

Sean McCabe

Source

A-Z Guide to Crabs

Aaron Hope — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 08:00:00 +0000

The ultimate Hardshell bible.

By Jane Marion
Photography by Christopher Myers

Illustrations by T.M. Detwiler

Food & Drink

A-Z Guide to Crabs

The ultimate hardshell Bible.

By Jane Marion
Photography by Christopher Myers
Illustrations by T.M. Detwiler

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APRON

(a•pron) n. 1. If you’re going to get up close and personal, it’s best to know basic anatomy. So let’s talk about the apron. No, not the one you wear when you cook, but the flap on the white underside of a crab that ends in a point. It’s also useful for judging the sex—an egg mass develops under the female’s apron—and maturity of the crab.

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BUCKET

(buck•et) n. 1. While a mountain of blue crabs (formally known as Callinectes sapidus, aka “savory beautiful swimmers”) is a sight for sore eyes, a pile of picked-over shells is not. Think of the galvanized bucket as the Marie Kondo of the crab feast—tidy up your table by depositing crab carcasses here. (And don’t forget to thank your sidestepping sweetie for its service!)

► Use to keep your beers cold!

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CRAB HOUSE

(crab•house) n. 1. It’s hard to swing a mallet in Maryland without hitting a crab house. Here’s a smattering of classic spots for picking our state symbol.

Captain James LANDING

This crab house in Canton has many claims to fame, from its whopping crustaceans to its neighboring boat-shaped restaurant to the fact that former Baltimorean Oprah Winfrey eats here when she’s in town. 2127 Boston St., Baltimore

Costas Inn

With its keno, pit beef, bottles of Boh, and spiced crabs, this Dundalk crab joint is total Bawlmer, though the colossal crabs hail from Louisiana and Texas year-round, so whatever the month, it’s always crab season here. 4100 North Point Blvd., Baltimore

Nick’s Fish House

This Port Covington spot has a beach-meets-bay vibe with its sprawling crab deck, string lights, large wooden deck, and views of the Patapsco River. Man your mallet and enjoy a hot heap. 2600 Insulator Dr., Baltimore

Conrad’s Seafood Restaurant

With so many spots sourcing outside of the state (and even the country), take your (jumbo) lumps at Conrad’s in Perry Hall if you care about local sourcing. In season, Maryland crabs are always the catch of the day thanks to owner-fisherman Tony Conrad. 9654 Belair Rd., Perry Hall

Mr. Bill’s Terrace Inn

It really says something that the titular “Mr. Bill” has been perched at the bar—and the host stand—for more than 50 years. This Essex crab house, like its proprietor, is something we can count on. Head here for dependably delicious cold buckets of beer and a spicy stack of crabs. 200 Eastern Blvd., Essex

Schultz’s

Look in the dictionary under “crab house” and you’re sure to find this Essex original—voted “America’s Classic” by the James Beard Foundation—that has been throwing down crabs on brown paper since 1969. Get ’em hot, hefty, and straight from the steamer! 1732 Old Eastern Ave., Essex

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DOZEN

(doz•en) n. 1. Crabs are priced singly, by the bushel, and, commonly, by the dozen. A good rule of thumb is four to five crabs per person, especially if you’re also enjoying a selection of sides. But when you do your calculations, unlike most math problems, there’s no wrong answer here: Leftovers can come in handy. (See “X is for X-tras!”)

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EXPERIENCE

(ex•pe•ri•ence) n. 1. Cracking crabs is not a meal—it’s an experience, an event, and something best done en masse. For the full immersion, blare some music, crack open some cans, and indulge your appetite—for crabs and fun in the sun.

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FRIENDS

(friends) n. 1. Like crabs, you can never have too many of these. The more, the merrier, especially when it comes to gathering around galvanized buckets. Here are some guest-list tips on throwing a flawless and friend-filled crab feast:

► Separate couples. This isn’t middle school. Breaking up couples, cliques, and BFFs allows everyone to expand their world and maybe even meet someone new.

► Assign seats. This might feel formal for something as casual as crabs, but crab-shaped name cards or any kind of nautical notecard will work.

► Don’t worry if not everyone knows each other. Part of being an adult is knowing how to make new friends through the art of conversation. That said, do make sure that each person invited knows at least one other person—you’re the host, not the babysitter. Warn your guests to stay away from politics as a talking point—way too tempting to start a food fight with empty shells.

►Limit the number of guests. A crab feast is both expensive and messy. Make sure you have enough space for everyone to have a seat at the table. Eight to 10 guests is the ideal number.

is for GET MESSY

(get•mess•y) v. 1. Making a mess adds to the fun of the feast, so Tide sticks can come in handy for those stubborn spice stains. Equally effective: cold water (which is also useful if you cut yourself and get blood on your blouse). Adding white vinegar or liquid laundry detergent also works magic. For best results, treat the offending area quickly after it happens. If all else fails, call your mother for an age-old home remedy.

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HUSH PUPPIES

(hush•pup•pies) n. 1. As far back as The Civil War, these deep-fried cornmeal-based babies were supposedly fed to barking dogs (hence the name) by fishermen, hunters, and the like. But these Southern fritters—a popular seafood side—are so delicious, we’re ready to shout it from the rooftops (or at least the crab decks).

Ingredients

1 cup yellow cornmeal
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. Old Bay
½ tsp. salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¾ cup whole milk
1 small onion, chopped

Directions In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, Old Bay, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk egg, milk, and onion; add to dry ingredients and mix. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat oil to medium heat. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 2½ minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

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ICE-COLD BEER

(ice•cold•beer) n. 1. Though National Bohemian hasn’t been brewed in Maryland for decades, many crab houses around the bay are true to the iconic brand of beer. Even so, there are plenty of truly local brews that go great with crustaceans, too. Try Flying Dog’s Dead Rise Old Bay Summer Ale—it’s made with the crab spice, and with its citrus, celery, and salty notes, it’s an ideal complement to crab. And should you want to sip your day away at the crab feast, Union Craft Brewing’s Anthem is both creamy and floral—in other words, it goes down easy.

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JUMBO

(jum•bo) n./adj. 1. There’s huge, there’s outsized, there’s massive, there’s mammoth—and then there’s jumbo. Hardshells of any size are delicious, but if you’re impatient or inexperienced or don’t like working for those prized pieces of lump, size does matter. There’s a reason that jumbos are the least caught and most in-demand crab. Call your favorite crab house early in the morning to reserve them for later in the day—or risk disappointment.

► When it comes to crab, the bigger the better.

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KNIFE

(knife) n. 1. Much like the 4.3-mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge, the crab knife divides Eastern Shore residents from everyone else. Shore residents practically invented the sport of picking, which they practice silently and swiftly. The knife helps with the basics of hardshell surgery—from cutting off legs and gills, removing the apron, and cracking the shell of the claws and the body to extracting the meat. For many Eastern Shore residents, using a mallet is like nails on a chalkboard—or claws, in this case.

► Bona-fide Carvel Hall Crab-Picking Knife from the Eastern Shore.

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LEMON

(lem•on) n. 1. Just because you love crabs, that doesn’t mean you have to smell like one. The briny Bay odor can linger on your hands for days—and Wet Ones have their limitations. To neutralize the aroma, simply squeeze the juice of a lemon wedge across your fingers and the palm of your hands. You’ll go from fishy to fabulous in an instant. (Note: Bowls of water are also useful for seafood sanitation.)

is for MALLET

(mal•let) n. 1. While Eastern Shore folks tend to use a knife to extract their crab meat from the shell, those who reside west of the Bay Bridge usually wield a wooden mallet or hammer. Pro tip: Swing lightly—you don’t want to damage the delicate meat. A knife is a good alternative. (See “K is for knife.”)

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NECESSITY (OLD BAY SEASONING)

(old•bay) n. 1. Bagels and lox, peanut butter and jelly, Old Bay and crabs. Has there ever been a more classic combination than this yellow-, blue-, and red-tinned crab seasoning and the sweet meat of Maryland true blues? Of course, crabs can stand on their own, but no crab worth its salt—or, in this case, Old Bay—should go it alone. Here’s a recipe for the perfect crabs/Old Bay ratio every time.

STEAMED BLUE CRABS

Ingredients

2 cans light beer
¼-½ cup of cider vinegar
1 dozen live blue crabs
½ cup Old Bay
1 tbsp. kosher salt

Directions Pour beer and vinegar in the bottom of the pot to form a layer of liquid. The liquid should not bubble above the steamer insert. Using tongs, layer live crabs inside the steamer. Cover pot and place over a flame on high heat. Sprinkle seasoning and salt over crabs. Steam for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on size of crabs and how many are in pot. Crabs are cooked when the aprons begin to lift from the body of the crab. (Use extra Old Bay if you like them super spicy.)

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OTHER FISH IN THE SEA

(oth•er•fish•in•the•sea) n. 1. Crabs are not the only fish—make that crustaceans—in the sea. There are plenty of other options for seafood savoring. Consider:

► A proper pairing with crab.

Fried Calamari

Golden rings of calamari are a great starter to any feast. For a kick, sprinkle them with Old Bay.

Oysters

Local oysters are among the Bay’s bounty. Whether they’re Skinny Dippers, Holy Grails, or Choptank Sweets, slurp the day away.

Clams

Nothing says summer like a pile of these marvelous mollusks. For a Maryland touch, steam them in a can of local beer.

Steamed Shrimp

Man cannot fill up on crabs alone. Add some steamed shrimp to turn your meal into a feast fit for Poseidon.

Lobster

For an innovative appetizer, make a lobster salad (or mix it with crab) and serve it Maryland-style on Saltines.

Rockfish

In Maryland, rockfish reigns. Slather with olive oil, grill, and finish with a squeeze of lemon.

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PAPER

(pa•per) n. 1. No need for napkins or starched white tablecloths here—whether it’s rolls of paper towels for wiping, print-free brown paper, or newspaper for covering the table, pulp products are an essential element of any crab feast.

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QUENCH

(quench) v. 1. A drink is required to quiet the heat—enter the mojito or any citrusy spirit to complement your crab. Think of this cocktail as a fire hydrant for your taste buds.

MOJITO

Ingredients

2 oz. mint leaves, two leaves left whole
2 oz. fresh lime juice
1 ½ oz. light rum
1 tsp. granulated sugar Crushed ice
4 oz. club soda
1 slice of lime for garnish

Directions Muddle the mint with the lime juice in the bottom of a tall cocktail glass. Add rum, sugar, ice, and soda. Cover and shake. Garnish with a lime slice and whole mint leaves. Serves 1.

is for REAL DEAL
(MARYLAND CRABS)

(real•deal) n. 1. Blue crabs hail from as far north as Nova Scotia and as far south as Uruguay, and, out of season, lots of local spots serve crabs sourced from Texas, Louisiana, and the Carolina coast. But the best blues hail from our beautiful brackish bay. At 64,000 square miles, the watershed is the largest estuary in the United States and the place where 50 percent of the country’s blue crabs come from. Maryland crabs have a buttery flavor, thanks to the stores of fat that come from many months of hibernation, something their crabby kinfolk do not do. In other areas of America, crabs get boiled, which can make them mushy and wet. In Maryland, they get steamed, which makes them moist, gives them depth of flavor, and maintains their delicate texture.

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SOFT SHELLS

(soft•shells) n. 1. Unless you hail from around the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, the concept of eating an immature blue crab, legs and all, tossed in flour, salt, pepper, and crab spice, then deep-fried or sautéed in butter—might seem straight out of Survivor. But once you taste this Tidewater treat, often placed on a toasted bun slathered with mayo and adorned with lettuce and tomato, your craving will kick in every April as these molting marvels signal the start of the season. This soft sammie, pictured above, is from Rye Street Tavern.

► Soft Shells kick off crab season in April.

The Dos and Don’ts of the soft shell
DON’T use ketchup. Yes, it looks like a burger, but it’s not. DON’T overthink it. Yes, you’re eating the whole crab carcass, but ignorance is bliss. DO use two hands to make sure nothing falls out. DO tuck in all appendages, close your eyes, and focus on the flavors.

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TO-GO!

(to•go) adj. 1. Many Maryland traditionalists like to have at it at a picnic table in their own yards. If that’s the way you roll, here are some spots to get ’em while they’re hot—and crack ’em back at home.

ANNAPOLIS SEAFOOD MARKETS

This market has an ocean of offerings—from crabs to scallops to wild salmon and swordfish. And once we’re back at home, we love referring to the company’s recipes and handy seafood cooking tips listed on its website. 1300 Forest Dr., Annapolis

FAIDLEY’S SEAFOOD

You don’t stay in business for 133 years without doing something right. Faidley’s name is synonymous with seafood, especially crab cakes and steamed crabs. You’re not a Marylander until you’ve brought home a paper bag from this Lexington Market stall. 203 N Paca St., Baltimore

J.M. CLAYTON CO.

Since 1890, live Chesapeake Bay crabs have been delivered by watermen to the doors of this local institution that’s the oldest crab company in the world. This is one place where you never need to ask if your Blues are from the Bay. 108 Commerce St., Cambridge

CONRAD’S CRABS

A trip to Conrad’s for carry-out can sometimes feel like a full-contact sport. Parking spaces go fast, and the line forms out the door, but it’s well worth breaking a sweat to haul home some of the heaviest crabs around. Also, sides here are serious contenders. 1720 E. Joppa Rd., Parkville

GIBBY’S SEAFOOD AND
GOURMET MARKET

With its selection of crabs (Blue, King, Dungeness) and jumbo lump cakes, this spot dominates the get-it-to-go market in Baltimore County. There’s always a wait, which is a good thing—this is a sign that your seafood is actually cooked to order. 2322 York Rd., Lutherville

OCEAN PRIDE

This Lutherville-Timonium outpost takes great pride in their products—from jumbo Gulf shrimp to Malpeque oysters to steamed crabs, local whenever possible. Can’t carry out because you moved to Montana? No worries. Ocean Pride ships there. 1534 York Rd., Timonium

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UMBRELLA

(um•brel•la) n. 1. Nothing says summer like sitting outside in front of an ice-cold six pack and picking a hot heap of crabs for hours on end. Word to the wise: You’re here to eat crabs, not look like one. Slather on some sunscreen, park yourself under an umbrella, and you’ll be made in the shade.

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VINEGAR

(vin•e•gar) n. 1. The use of cocktail sauce separates the tourists from the Old-Liners, but dipping the sweet meat into apple cider vinegar is acceptable. The vinegar tenderizes the meat—and cuts the heat. That said, don’t overdo it—a little dunk’ll do ’ya.

► The sour of the vinegar draws out the sweet of the crabmeat.

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WHAT TO WEAR

(what•to•wear) n. 1. Just follow this one easy wardrobe rule: Wear anything you don’t care about—whether that’s your high-school prom dress, your old ringer tee, or those worn out clam diggers. Whatever you do, don’t don a plastic bib (this is the Mid-Atlantic, not New England), Granny’s heirloom ring, or anything white. If all else fails, mix up a batch of our secret stain remover.

DIY stain remover

Need: Grease-cutting dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, airtight container.

Mix: One part dish soap with two parts peroxide. Add 1-2 Tbsp. baking soda to make a paste. Pour generous amount of paste on stain, rub in with toothbrush (treat both sides if stain has soaked through). Allow to sit for an hour and then wash according to garment label.

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X-TRAS

(x•tras) n. 1. If you have a spare crab or three, waste not, want not. Crabby morsels can be repurposed into anything from the obvious (crab soup, crab cake) to more innovative interpretations (crab mac and cheese, crab fra diavolo). Even the biggest naysayers are not going to whine about leftovers when you tell them what’s for dinner. This is not the mystery mush your mother served—crab is the rare food that’s just as good the next day.

► A colorful confetti of flavors.

Mango & crab Tacos

Ingredients

4 corn tortillas
¾-1 cup crabmeat (backfin, claw meat, or lump)
1 ripe mango, sliced
½ red onion, thinly sliced
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1 avocado, thinly sliced
Lime wedges for garnishing

Directions Preheat oven to 325 F. Warm tortillas for five minutes on a baking sheet. Layer ingredients across tortillas. Serves 2.

Crab Toast

Ingredients

4 oz. of leftover crabmeat
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
2¾-inch thick slices sourdough, toasted
1 avocado, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. fresh dill
Salt to taste
Lemon wedges for serving

Directions In a bowl, mix crabmeat and mustard. Place on bread. Top with avocado and dill. Salt. Garnish. Serves 1.

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YACHT ROCK

(yacht•rock) n. 1. Nothing says summer in Charm City like a crab feast—and so-called Yacht Rock, because everything sounds better on a boat. But no worries if you can’t afford a yacht: Sitting by the Bay will get the job done, too. Some playlist recommendations for a hot summer in the city.

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ZILCH

(zilch) n./adj. 1. When it comes to eating steamed crabs, there’s no such thing as too much of a good thing. However many you order, there should never be any left at the end.

Source

How to Throw the Perfect Crab Feast

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 08:30:00 +0000

Edited by Jane Marion
Written by Jane Marion and Lydia Woolever with Lauren Cohen and Jess Mayhugh
Photography by Kate Grewal
Illustrations by Danielle Dernoga
Food and prop styling by Limonata Creative

Food & Drink

How to Throw the Perfect Crab Feast

Move full steam ahead with our tips and tricks for a repast to remember.

Edited by Jane Marion. Photography by Kate Grewal.

Written by Jane Marion and Lydia Woolever with Lauren Cohen and Jess Mayhugh. Illustrations by Danielle Dernoga. Food and prop styling by Limonata Creative.

There are meals—and then there are feasts. What’s the difference? Think of a feast as one for the ages: Jesus’ Last Supper, King Midas’ funeral banquet (during which each guest purportedly drank at least a gallon of wine and mead), or Dr. Seuss’ festive Who-ville Who-roast-beast feast. While a meal is what you eat when you need sustenance, a feast entails gluttonous excess, with food—and drink—freely flowing and hordes of hungry guests in attendance. A meal is eaten; a feast is devoured. A meal is a pause in the day; a feast is the day. You get the idea. In Maryland, feasts typically center around our state treasure, the blue crab. Picking steamed crabs, especially at the height of the season during peak warm-weather months, is always cause for celebration.

While not a lot is known about the region’s early crab feasts, we do know that the loosening of Maryland’s mores—and society becoming less proper in general—had something to do with it. In an era of crab imperial and oysters Rockefeller, for certain segments of society, digging your own mitts into a pile of seafood just wasn’t “proper” etiquette. “The first time we find the term ‘crab feast’ in a historical newspaper is at the turn of the last century, when more informal behavior becomes acceptable in public,” says author/historian Kate Livie, an expert on the food and folkways of the Chesapeake region. “Picking crabs was something lower-class people did, but crab feasts were not something you ever saw in formal environments.”

crabs and National beer, 1954 by A. aubrey BODIne

Cold storage also had an effect. “In the early to mid-20th century—the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s—you also began to see the impact of refrigeration and how that inspired the proliferation of the crab house,” explains Livie. “People were doing something out in public that at one time you would only have done at home. By the 20th century, Marylanders embraced the crab feast as something that was appropriate for everyone.”

THE LAST SUPPER is a subject that has inspired many artists through the ages, including juan de juanes’ painting, ABOVE.

What we can say with certainty is that, here in the Old Line State, sitting down to pick crabs is now a way of life. And everyone has their own traditions, whether you head to your favorite seafood shack on the water for bushels of blues, start from scratch with your own fresh catch from the bottom of the bay, or haul home a treasure-filled box and have at it for hours in your own backyard.

“The Maryland crab feast is a distinct thing,” says Spike Gjerde, James Beard Award-winning chef and co-owner of Woodberry Kitchen. “There’s an adherence to tradition and more or less a pure way of doing it. It’s crabs with paper on the table—steamed, not boiled—with ice-cold beer, and maybe some corn.”

And while that may be the case for dyed-in-the-wool picking purists, we’re not above kicking it up a notch with specialty cocktails (we have a crush on watermelon crushes), crème de le crab craft paper, and next-level sides, as you’ll see on these pages.

However you eat them, picking the hard-shelled sweeties, aptly named Callinectes sapidus, or “savory beautiful swimmers,” is like no other culinary experience. There will be cuts (and burns, as the salt from the spice stings), crab “dirt” forming under your nails, and likely a few Tide stick emergencies from the carnage. (Pro tip: Don’t wear white, even if it’s after Memorial Day!) There are few rules —although we did check in with the International School of Protocol for some tips and tricks—and that’s part of the joy of it all.

For Marylanders, knowing how to extract the morsels of meat is practically encoded in our DNA. It’s synonymous with languid summer days, a sense of conviviality, and, above all, a return to home—even if we’ve been here all along.

THE ART OF EATING WITH YOUR HANDS

Mind your manners when eating crabs.

By Jane Marion

From the Ethiopians, who use spongy injera, or flatbread, as a utensil for spicy meat stews, to the Indians, who scoop curries and veggies with naan, many cultures have traditions of eating with their hands. But eating with one’s own fingers does not necessarily mean anything goes. “In places where not eating with your hands would be considered rude,” says Carol Haislip, co-director of the International School of Protocol, “there are rules. In the south of India, you eat with the palm of your hand, for instance. And in the north of India, you eat with the tops of your fingers.”

In Maryland, of course, eating with your hands only adds to the fun of the feast. In fact, the popularity of picking in public coincided with the easing of societal strictures. “Sitting at a table covered in newspaper and eating a pile of crabs is a ‘trickle-up’ tradition that came with the informalization of society,” says Kate Livie, an expert on the food and folkways of the Chesapeake region.

So when tackling a pile of hard shells, let loose but remember that some dining decorum is still in order. “The whole reason for table manners is to make the meal pleasant for everyone,” says Haislip, “whether eating with your hands or using a knife and a fork.” (See box, right, for some etiquette tips.)

Here are some dos and don’ts for using your digits:

Don’t eat more than your share. In other words, pace yourself in front of the common pile.

Don’t lick your fingers, no matter how much crab spice builds on your hands.

Do chew with your mouth closed—it’s easy to get lost in the moment.

Do use your napkin (or paper towels).

Do wash your hands prior to the feast. Hygiene counts.

Fancy Feast

When planning a feast, décor options abound: Go the traditional down-and-dirty route (brown paper, mallets, knife, pail) or plan something a little more upscale using stylish gear to help fancify your feast.

Seafood Boil Paper Roll ($33) at Becket Hitch.

Pewter crab mallet—part of four-piece gift set, Spice shaker, Can of Old Bay ($64) at Curiosity.

Small ceramic bowls ($4/each) at Wild Yam Pottery.

Oyster shucker—part of seafood set. Lobster cracker and seafood picks, not pictured, ($36) at Trohv.

Black & White Enamel Farm Tray ($30) at Su Casa.

BALT glass ($12) at Becket Hitch.

Magruder Shape No. 4 Wall Art by Forty Third Place ($50) at West Elm.

Crab Tea Towel in Teal by Fuzzy Mug ($18) at Marlow.

Crab Bottle Opener ($32.95) at Curiosity.

Crab Mallet Bottle Opener ($9.95) at Trohv.

Small Sibori bowl ($10) at Becket Hitch, EGENDOM enamel plate ($2.99) at IKEA.

Download the essential list you’ll need to complete your crab feast.

BURNING QUESTIONS

Q. How do I recognize a Maryland crab?
A. “Maryland crabs are a bright light blue with a little bit of black and a lot smaller than crabs from the Gulf Coast. Texas crabs are lighter blue. Carolina crabs are a darker green. Of course, once you steam them, they all end up red, but when you taste them, Maryland crabs are sweeter.” —Terry Sanders, owner, CJ’s Crabhouse & Grill

Q. Why do Marylanders steam their crabs?
A. “Down south, they boil their crabs. When you boil a crab, it gets mushy. When you steam them, they only get a bit of moisture and heat that helps dry them out, so people can easily pick them.” —Brandon Floyd, owner, Floyd’s Crossroads Pub

Q. Why is Maryland crab so superior?
A. “It has a sweetness and a delicacy of taste and texture that’s unrivaled. The late-season crabs are amazing because of the fat that they put on before they go dormant for winter. The taste also has to do with the bay itself and the estuary conditions.” —Spike Gjerde, owner, Woodberry Kitchen

Fun Fact: Crab SHELLS CONTAIN A pigment THAT responds to heat. When dumped into boiling water, The pigment separateS and transforms the shell’s color into a ruby red.

Q. When is the best time of year to throw a crab feast?
A. “Toward the end of the season, late September/October when the crabs are heavy and get a lot bigger and the prices go down.” —Jimmy Fowler, crab room manager, Pappas Seafood

Q. Why do crabs and beer make such good pairing partners?
A. “This is a tradition, but I say it has something to do with the cold, refreshing taste of beer helping us to tolerate the heat momentarily. Either way, it works!” —Tony Minadakis, owner-chef, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood

Q. Why is the blue crab blue?
A. “God made them that way. Duh.” [Editor’s note: As with many things in nature, camouflage is key. Their green-blue tones blend in with their habitat as a survival technique.] —Tony Conrad, owner, Conrad’s Crabs

Seafood Markets & Roadside Stands

If you’re the DIY type, head to one of these purveyors to buy your beautiful swimmers, then eat them at home. Some spots will even deliver them to your door.

Side EffectS

Let’s be honest, man cannot get full on crabs alone—here are some sides to round out your meal.

While they’re known as “sides,” crab-feast accompaniments are more than mere accessories to the meal—they’re a highlight. Whether you’re serving corn on the cob or hushpuppies, sides help tell a story. “One of the big differences in crab feasts—even regionally—is the sides,” says Chesapeake Bay historian Kate Livie. “I grew up in Kent County, where corn and sliced tomatoes were served. My husband grew up in Talbot County, where a side of pickle spears and cheddar cheese cubes is common. Further south, you see people eating Saltine crackers along with their crabs. Crab feasts are personal and speak to the traditions of your family.”

Here are a few of our favorites:

Cucumber-tomato salad: Like crab itself, cukes and tomatoes are summer personified. Buy It: Gibby’s Seafood, 2322 York Rd., Lutherville-Timonium, 410-561-5225

Lobster Mac ’n’ Cheese: If you want to raise the bar on the banal, this mac ’n’ cheese is delicious and decadent. Buy It: Stone Mill Bakery, 10751 Falls Rd., Lutherville-Timonium, 410-821-1358

Potato Salad: There are many ways to pimp your potato salad (mustard, eggs, chives). We like ours with red skins, dill, and a blend of sour cream and mayo. Buy It: Eddie’s of Roland Park, 5113 Roland Ave., 410-323-3656

Watermelon & Feta Salad: The sweetness and saltiness of melon mixed with feta is a killer crabby counterpoint and the adult version of our childhood summer favorite. Buy It: Whole Foods Market, 1001 Fleet St., 410-528-1640

Corn Fritters: We’ve never met a fritter we didn’t like. But we really love them made with corn and eaten with crabs. Pop one in between pickings. Buy It: Gourmet Again, 3713 Old Court Rd., Pikesville, 410-484-9393

CracK ’Em OpeN!

By Jess Mayhugh

Chris Brohawn knows a thing or two about crabs and beer. As a Cambridge native and co-founder of RAR Brewing, he’s spent the majority of his life crabbing, picking, and making suds. “I’ve put one too many chicken necks in the water,” he says with a laugh. “Whenever other brewers visit for collaborations, we always take them out for a crab feast.” Brohawn says that an ideal beer for crabs should be light in body with citrus hops—like RAR’s Country Ride. “You don’t want to copy or mask the flavor of crabs,” he says. “They should be the stars of the show.” No matter what he’s drinking, Brohawn sticks to the same tradition: Whoever grabs a mallet out of the bag first has to chug a beer.

Watermelon Crush

When the weather is clammy, the crabs are spicy, and the watermelons are juicy, why not take the iconic summer fruit for a spin in the shaker?

INGREDIENTS

4 oz. vodka
1/2 cup pureed watermelon juice (strain to remove seeds if watermelon is not seedless)
Squeeze of fresh lime
2 tsp. simple syrup
Crushed ice
Lime soda or seltzer water
Fresh mint

DIRECTIONS

In a martini shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, watermelon juice, lime juice, and simple syrup. Shake until combined. Divide mixture evenly into two glasses. (Use Mason jars to make a style statement.) Add crushed ice and top off with lime soda. Garnish with mint. Add a striped paper straw!

Makes 2 cocktails

How To Catch A Crab

As the saying goes, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Happy crabbing.

1. Purchase state-approved recreational wire crab pot at local boating or fishing store.

2. Tie a rope to the pot and secure to dock piling.

3. Add bait, such as chicken necks, to trap.

4. Lower into water for several hours or days.

5. Pull up crab pot, open lid, shake out crabs into basket, and refrigerate or steam ASAP.

How To Pick A Crab

Follow these simple tips for plucking the most meat.

1. Break off appendages, except for swimmer legs, and set aside for later picking.

2. Using your fingers or a knife, pull back the apron flap from the crab’s underside to gently separate the top from the bottom. Discard shell.

3. Remove crab gills and intestines (the mustard won’t hurt you but is an acquired taste), then break body in half.

4. Break each half in half again and remove outer membranes.

5. Pick out meat, and crack open claws and legs . . .

House Calls

Picking crabs can sometimes rise to the level of A culinary full-contact sport. If you want to skip the cleanup at home (i.e. a hazmat team is sometimes necessary for all those crab carcasses and THE flying shell shrapnel), head to one of these local crab houses and reserve all your energy for simply picking. Photography by Matt Roth

BO BROOKS

Canton | 2780 Lighthouse Point | 410-558-0202

Located at the end of a strip mall in Canton, Bo Brooks could easily veer into touristy territory, but the 54-year-old crab house still gets the important things right. For starters, it offers unparalleled panoramic views of the Baltimore waterfront, a lively thatched-roof tiki bar out front, and even a roaming food truck when you’re craving crab on the go. We sat down at the restaurant early in the season, so only mediums were available, but they were meaty, well-spiced, and enhanced by the salty air. Our sides, including crispy, sturdy Boardwalk-style fries and an ear of corn swimming in melted butter and flecked with Old Bay, were noteworthy. The jumbo-lump crab cake was like grandma used to make. And a few tables over from us, some players from the Baltimore Brigade arena football team were clearly enjoying their meal—if you can feed those guys properly, you know you’re doing something right.

SCENES FROM CAPTAIN JAMES.

CANTLER’S RIVERSIDE INN

Annapolis | 458 Forest Beach Rd. | 410-757-1311

If you’re looking for a real-deal Maryland crab feast, make your way to the picnic-tabled patio at Cantler’s. Nestled at the end of a winding back road near the Severn River, this four-decade-old institution is the place “where the watermen gather,” with local fishing vessels dropping off just-caught crabs at the quiet Mill Creek dock. You, too, can come by boat (though arriving by car is always an option) for a few rounds of fresh-steamed shells topped with J.O. Spice, a basket of hush puppies, and the meatiest clam strips you’ve ever encountered. A small chalkboard lists the daily prices ($75-115 a dozen on our late-spring visit), plus seasonal specialties such as sweet corn and soft-crab sandwiches. Several hours of cracking and cold cans of Striped Bass as the sun sets over the water make for peak pleasant living, indeed.

SCENES FROM CAPTAIN JAMES.

CAPTAIN JAMES LANDING

Canton | 2121 Boston St. | 410-675-1819

Most people associate Captain James with the giant boat-shaped restaurant at the corner of Aliceanna and Boston streets. But the real fun takes place across the street at its seasonal outdoor crab deck. Open after 4 p.m., the waterfront spot features all the trappings of a proper feast: picnic tables, buckets of beer, brown paper, and a feel-good soundtrack on the stereo. Though the deck was packed with people the night we visited, our service was stellar, with constant drink refills. And our table was set up with all the condiments you could possibly want. All hard-shell sizes were available, but we opted for a dozen larges, and there wasn’t a dud in the bunch. Our crabs were packed with sweet meat and not a single one was steamed too long. Complement your crustaceans with Maryland-style hushpuppies, which are light, fluffy, and served with honey butter. Try to go toward the end of happy hour right before the sun sets to snag $3 Natty Boh drafts and maximize your view.

PILE O’ CRABS AT CAPTAIN JAMES.

CONRAD’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

Perry Hall | 9654 Belair Rd. | 410-529-3474

Tony Conrad has been a commercial waterman since 2003, known for his local seafood market that sells some of the most pristine seafood in town. His Perry Hall restaurant, open since 2014, continues that tradition. In fact, we’re fairly certain that the term “catch of the day” was invented here, since Conrad fishes for what’s on your plate himself aboard his beloved boat the Hannah Marie. The expansive menu lists plenty of apps to start your feast off right, including a soft pretzel smothered in creamy crab dip, and complementary buckets of Old Bay popcorn grace every table. But our heavy crabs—hot, dense, highly spiced—were the true delight. While Conrad’s bustling seafood market in Parkville is for takeout enthusiasts, this is the place for all the comforts of home without the big mess.

SCENES FROM CAPTAIN JAMES.

COSTAS INN

Dundalk | 4100 North Point Blvd. | 410-447-1975

Throughout its nearly 50-year run, this family-owned Dundalk landmark has gained a loyal following for its colossal crabs spiced with a house blend that hasn’t changed since 1971. Unlike many spots that are first-come, first-served, diners can specify size and reserve their crabs when they make reservations here. Beyond the hard shells (11,000 domestic crabs are hand-sorted each week!), there’s so much to love here, from the old-school Bawlmer atmosphere to the walls papered with signed photos of local luminaries such as Cal Ripken Jr. and Kathy Lee Gifford. Not to mention the yummy Boardwalk-style fries and a sandwich known as the “Baltimore Club,” stacked with shrimp salad and, what else, a classic crab cake. Since there’s no such thing as too much crab in one’s life, consider some ready-made cakes to go.

"the open-air deck is A TRUE-BLUE EASTERN SHORE EXPERIENCE with chester River views and watermen lining the docks below."

MALLETS AT COSTAS INN

HARRIS CRAB HOUSE

Grasonville | 433 N. Kent Narrows Way | 410-827-9500

When it comes to feasts, there are few more idyllic settings than that of Harris’ at the Kent Narrows. The open-air deck is a true-blue Eastern Shore experience with scenic views of the Chester River, an adjacent decades-old packinghouse—one of the last of its kind in Maryland—and watermen lining the docks below. You know you’re in the right place when each table comes equipped with a red wooden crab bucket filled with paper towels, malt vinegar, and Harris’ own house-blend seasoning. Only pay mind to the local seafood, like a pail of Chesapeake cherrystone clams or a pile of hard-shell crabs. Whether mediums or jumbos, they’re all heavyweights and best eaten with comforting sides such as foil-wrapped baked potatoes. Always save room for the house-made Nutty Buddy ice cream cones.

SOME FAVORITE SIDES AT NICK’S.

L.P. STEAMERS

Locust Point | 1100 E. Fort Ave. | 410-576-9294

Few city-limits crab feasts feel more quintessentially Baltimore than that of L.P. Steamers. This Locust Point rowhome-turned-seafood shack has all the fixin’s, from indoor picnic tables and cheap pitchers of Natty Boh to a stellar roof deck with up-close views of Domino Sugar. Start with a basket of salty-sweet hushpuppies before moving on to the main event over brown paper with a branded wooden mallet. Open year-round, L.P. does its best to source local whenever possible, using a steady mix of Maryland and Louisiana crabs. Here, you’ll find anything but slim pickings, from small shells to giant jumbos. Prices start as low as $35 a dozen for smalls. Complete your feast with other briny beauties, such as local oysters, littleneck clams, snow crab legs, and lobster tails, plus classic sides such as seasonal corn on the cob and curly fries.

WAIT STAFF AT COSTAS INN

MR. BILL’S TERRACE INN

Essex | 200 Eastern Blvd. | 410-687-5994

After more than 60 years, this sports bar has become a seafood stalwart, revered for its Poseidon-approved portions, plethora of TVs for O’s and Ravens games, and, of course, its friendly proprietor—actually named Mr. Steve Eliades (the restaurant is named after his father). Snag a table, order a bucket of beers, and peruse the massive menu for the ubiquitous crustacean, served atop soft pretzels, swirled into dip, or stuffed into mushrooms. There is no terrace or inn here, but that’s beside the point. Homegrown pickers (and tourists alike) come here to go knuckles-deep in a hot heap of steamed-to-order shells. And while a recent renovation has led to a more modern aesthetic, this Essex crab joint hasn’t wavered where it matters most: its complete commitment to serving some of the heaviest blues in town.

NICK’S FISH HOUSE

Port Covington | 2600 Insulator Dr. | 410-347-4123

Like many things in Port Covington, Nick’s Fish House is owned by Under Armour founder Kevin Plank, who was wise enough to put the management team from Starboard, the famed restaurant and bar in Dewey Beach, in charge a few years back. The result is a beach-like vibe right in our backyard, with a large wooden deck, a long bar, string lights, and the occasional live acoustic act. For the optimal experience, score an outside table overlooking the Patapsco River. This is a place that draws plenty of locals, though tourists also flock. In fact, on a recent visit, a server assisted a crowd of Midwesterners, giving them step-by-step instructions on how to crack a pile of heavy hard shells. Go for the crabs, but while you’re there, also enjoy crab dip and affordable bottles of Boh.

WASHING STATION AT NICK’S FISH HOUSE.

SCHULTZ’S CRAB HOUSE

Essex | 1732 Old Eastern Ave. | 410-687-1020

Somewhere between the billiards table, the bar, and the bathroom, there’s a framed silver medal on the wall that might make you wonder about this 68-year-old Essex institution. Get a little closer, and you’ll soon see that it’s a James Beard Award, bestowed upon this spot in 2017 for being an “American Classic.” Fortunately, fame has not changed a thing. And that’s exactly the point: the crabs, sourced locally whenever possible, arrive straight from the steamer all hot and hefty, beer is served in orange plastic pails, servers are the right combination of tough and tender, and sides, like applesauce and macaroni salad, remind you of everything that’s good about the world. We also love that you can’t swing a fishing rod without hitting a stuffed marlin mounted on knotty pine. In other words, this place is priceless—as is fitting for something considered a classic.

OuR Rite of SummeR

By Lydia Woolever

Growing up in Maryland, you don’t remember your first crab feast the way you remember, say, your first beer. Especially on the Eastern Shore. The crab feast feels like it was always there, those hundreds of hazy afternoons blurring like old Polaroid pictures—the fine lines of it all fading away until the only thing that remains is that timeless, familiar feeling.

For me, those sun-bleached flickers feature a little kid, sitting on her young dad’s knee, being fed a few perfect pulls of backfin and first salty sips of Rolling Rock beer—or a not-quite-teenager, bikini-clad on a picnic-table bench, boldly diving into a piping-hot pile. In those split-second flashes, there is Dad, in his Ray-Bans and khaki short-shorts, taping down paper over the worn wooden table out on the oyster-shell-speckled patio that overlooks Langford Creek off the Chesapeake Bay. And then there is Mom, with her tanned skin and waist-length braid, carrying a pot full of steamed corn in one hand and a silver platter of succulent sliced tomatoes in the other. Sunburned and barefoot, my sister, Erin, and I douse ourselves in bug spray and scramble to our seats. Then, finally, as if some maestro has waved his magic baton, we settle in amidst the cicada symphony that hangs in the molasses-thick Maryland summer air.

I slowly build a stash of prized pickings for Mom to make into her world-class crab cakes.”

Over the course of a few hours, time slows down, and there’s no care in the world other than finding every last shred of crabmeat. Mom painstakingly picks each crab with buzzard-like precision while Dad shares old stories, cracks cornball jokes, and cares for little much besides the backfin and claws. Erin digs out the mustard of discarded shells and devours the outcast innards with gluttonous glee, while I slowly build a stash of prized pickings for Mom to make into her world-class crab cakes. We prick our fingers. We get Old Bay in our eyes. We light a few old gas lamps as the twilight sets in, keeping up the good work until it’s almost bed time. When we finally amble inside, the yard is littered with forgotten legs, sweet-corn skeletons, and a few empty beer bottles that blew over in the balmy breeze.

All these years later, on the eve of my 30th birthday, the ritual endures. The minute details have disappeared, but we don’t need them—the rolling out of the brown paper and the finding of the fattest crab from the bottom of the wax-lined box became second nature long ago. Whatever our age, we just waste away the sunlight, fill our bellies, and forget about being grown-ups for a little while. One crack of a bright-red claw and we’re all instantly kids again.

Source

2014 Crab Buyer’s Guide

Jess Mayhugh — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 08:30:00 +0000

Below is but a small smattering of spots where we love to eat crabs—from your typical Maryland-style crabhouses (Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn) to more upscale establishments with classic cakes (Linwoods). Don’t get steamed (pun intended) if your favorite joint isn’t listed on these pages. This is Maryland, hon. It’s hard to make it through a menu that doesn’t have some manifestation of crab.

Can’t get enough crabs? Be sure to check out our Crab Basics and Home Plates.

Steamed Crabs: Carry Out | Steamed Crabs: Eat In | Crab Cakes | Soft-Shells | Do-It-Yourself

STEAMED CRABS: Carry Out

When you want to eat in the comfort of your own home but don’t want to steam them yourself, head to one of these spots for ready-to-go steamed crabs.

CJ’S Crabhouse and Grill

10117 Reisterstown Rd., Owings Mills
410-363-6694

CJ’S is a no-frills neighborhood crabhouse where everyone knows your name. Owned by brothers Terry, Gary, and Jeffrey Sanders (whose parents, the late Charlie and Jean Sanders, started the business 38 years ago), this is the place to go if you want to spot a Raven (we’re told former coach Jim Caldwell ate here when he lived in town) or just experience a family-friendly vibe whether carrying out or eating in. (It’s only crab, folks!) While ordering a bushel to go, throw in a quart of Maryland crab soup, authentic New England clam chowder, or steamed shrimp with onions to quell your craving.

Conrad’s Crabs & Seafood Market

1720 E. Joppa Road, Parkville
410-882-1515

Quality crabs and a top-secret blend of spiced seasoning is the name of the game at Conrad’s, a favorite spot for take-out enthusiasts. (Gertrude’s chef John Shields shops here.) Owner and self-professed “baybilly” Tony Conrad, who has crab in his genes (his great-grandfather was a waterman and his great, great-grandmother owned an Eastern Shore seafood spot in the 1800s), spends most mornings aboard his beloved boat The Hannah Marie, in pursuit of the big boys. The proof is in the product: While most outfits sort their crabs only once, Conrad’s sorts twice, which means he sells the freshest, most colossal crabs in town.

The Crackpot Seafood Restaurant

8102 Loch Raven Blvd., Towson
410-828-1095

At The Crackpot, it’s all about superlatives—it has the longest bar in Baltimore, and sells a 20-ounce crab cake touted as the largest in town. The restaurant, which opened in 1972, was also one of the first in the Baltimore region to sell crabs year-round, importing them from Louisiana before doing so became a “thing.” Today, the Crackpot still uses the same spice mix, and still proudly sells fat, sweet Louisiana crabs for eating in or taking out from January through December.

Gibby’s Seafood & Gourmet Market

2322 York Road, Timonium
410-561-5225

Gibby’s has closed the restaurant that used to be connected with it, but sells all the same food, just for carrying out instead of eating in. Given the market’s incredibly brisk business—it sells between 200 and 300 bushels a day (depending on size, that’s between 1,000 and 2,400 crabs)—it’s amazing that there are any savory swimmers left in the Chesapeake. Gibby’s is a great one-stop shop for a crab feast, and unlike other outlets, it rarely seems to run out of crabs even when supplies are short. Buy the zesty Maryland crab soup as a starter, the tomato-cucumber salad with red onions as a side, and the creamy rice pudding for dessert.

Ocean Pride Seafood

1534 York Road, Lutherville-Timonium
410-321-7744

Brothers Rick and Randy Bielski worked at Ocean Pride when they were kids, churning the proprietary spice blend for the crabs in a cement mixer located in the restaurant’s basement. About 11 years ago, their childhood dreams came true when they purchased the carryout store and restaurant, expanding the bar and concentrating on crabs. The crab seasoning, no longer made in a cement mixer, still contains the same 26 ingredients, including rock salt, mustard seed, and black pepper, delivering just the right heat as a complementary counterpoint.

Pappas Seafood Co.

1801 Taylor Ave., Parkville
410-665-4000

An entire floor of the family-owned Pappas Seafood Co. is devoted to steaming crabs from our Atlantic waters (including the Chesapeake Bay and Wye and Chester rivers). The store has been at the same location since 1953, and still uses the special spice blend on its steamed crabs, but this seafood stalwart has also changed with the times—about six years ago, Pappas added a website and began selling crabs and crab cakes in all 50 states, plus Puerto Rico. Naturally, Maryland retirees—from Florida and California—form the strongest fan base.

JUMP TO: Steamed Crabs: Carry Out | Steamed Crabs: Eat In | Crab Cakes | Soft-Shells | Do-It-Yourself

Gibby's Seafood & Gourmet Market. - Photography by Christopher Myers.

STEAMED CRABS: Eat In

When you don’t want to deal with a tsunami of shells, these crabhouses are happy to make your mess their business.

Canton Dockside

3301 Boston St.
410-276-8900

Whether you sit indoors or out, you’ll get the classic crab experience at Canton Dockside. All the elements are there: brown paper-lined tables, mallets, knives, and crabs the size of your forearm. (Some have been known to measure almost six inches.) The waterside restaurant, which also does a brisk carry-out business, sources its crabs from Louisiana and Texas year-round, and sells Maryland crabs when they’re available. We love the rock salt in the seasoning that lends a grainy texture and a sensory-inducing lip-tingle, best quenched by a cold brew.

Costas Inn

4100 Northpoint Blvd.
410-477-1975

The family-owned Costas Inn began as a small Sparrows Point tavern in 1971, and grew to a full restaurant, seating 200. Unlike many haunts that are first come, first served, diners are allowed to specify size and reserve their crabs when they make reservations. The crabs, all male, are always domestic, and from the Old Line State whenever possible. The spice blend, unchanged since 1971, is sold at the restaurant and through the online store, which can cater to all your crab needs with ready-made crab cakes (Today’s Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb professed their love of these lumps on air), crabmeat, and T-shirts.

Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn

458 Forest Beach Rd., Annapolis
410-757-1311

You gotta love a crab joint that’s easier to find by boat than by car. No matter how you get there, Cantler’s is worth the trek. The restaurant, with indoor and outdoor seating, has a full menu, but chances are you’ll choose to sit out on the wooden deck overlooking scenic Mill Creek, as you extract sweet crabmeat from a bright red pile of steamed sweeties. In summertime, you might even see the crabbers dropping off their haul. Yes, it’s touristy, but it’s also a Maryland-must experience.

L.P. Steamers

1100 E. Fort Ave.
410-576-9294

Housed in a Formstone corner building in Locust Point, L.P. Steamers has a no-fuss Baltimore charm that attracts locals and tourists alike. You can get them ready-to-go or settle at a table with brown paper, beer in a plastic cup, macaroni salad, disposable cutlery, and classic steamed crustaceans. Owner Bud Gardner, who opened the restaurant 17 years ago, serves number-one males (a number assigned to the heaviest Jimmies), and he does something different than other outlets—he sells them by weight, not by size, because, as it turns out, you can’t judge a crab by it’s hard-shell cover.

Mr. Bill’s Terrace Inn Crab House and Sports Bar

200 Eastern Blvd., Essex
410-687-5994

There’s nothing hoity toity about Mr. Bill’s Terrace and its cafeteria-like television-filled rooms. But the stupendous steamed-to-order crabs and friendly atmosphere have charmed some of the best-known taste buds in Charm City, earning testimonials from the likes of Dutch Ruppersberger, the late Art Donovan, and other Baltimore bigwigs. Yes, the lines can be long, but there’s comfort in knowing the famous have to wait, too. (Reservations are only for tables of 10 or more.) You’re sure to be famished once you finally get a table, so try the spicy Maryland crab soup and gooey crab dip while you’re waiting for the steam to work its magic on your main meal.

The Sue Island Grill & Crab House

900 Baltimore Yacht Club Rd., Essex
410-574-0009

The Sue Island Grill & Crab House, connected to the Sue Island Marina, boasts a sand beach with Adirondack chairs, a bustling tiki bar, live music, and fantastic sunset views over Sue Creek. Customers arrive by car, by boat, even by Jet Ski. The casual menu includes hamburgers, steamed shrimp, crab cakes and, of course, steamed crabs, from Maryland when possible and from the Carolinas or Louisiana in the off season. In summer, they’re served with Eastern Shore corn and fresh, meaty Maryland tomatoes for the quintessential hometown summer spread.

JUMP TO: Steamed Crabs: Carry Out | Steamed Crabs: Eat In | Crab Cakes | Soft-Shells | Do-It-Yourself

The Sue Island Grill & Crab House. - Photography by Christopher Myers.

CRAB CAKES

When you want crab, but aren’t interested in eating as a full-contact sport, crab cakes at one of these establishments are always an option.

Cunningham’s

1 Olympic Pl., Towson
410-339-7730

This spot has been open only since November, but it has already found a niche serving American favorites made with local ingredients and jolts of flavor. Given that everyone and their uncle has a new riff on the cake, Cunningham’s keeps it fairly classic with a broiled eight-ounce patty, served two to a plate, made with a dash of Old Bay, lemon zest, and Dijon mustard. Ever-changing seasonal sides (the tangy mustard seed mashed potato and steamed asparagus with shallots, served in spring were divine) float our boat.

Faidley Seafood

203 North Paca St.
410-727-4898

If we could only pick one place that sets the crab-cake gold standard, we’d choose Faidley Seafood stall in Lexington Market, open since 1886. Faidley’s owner Nancy Devine says her jumbo-lump crab cakes, sold since the 1980s, are seven ounces because “that’s the size of my hand.” And her hands are plenty full. Using jumbo-lump meat from the Atlantic (and Maryland meat whenever possible), and flash-frying them to yield a golden crust and creamy interior, on a busy day, working with a single helper, Devine makes and sells more than 1,000 cakes. Some have even shipped as far as Alaska and Hawaii. (And pre-9/11, even shipped to Europe frequently.)

G & M Restaurant and Lounge

804 Hammonds Ferry Rd., Linthicum Heights
410-636-1777

The jumbo lumps are what sets the eight-ounce crab cakes at G & M apart. A bit of spice, hardly any filler and 15 minutes in the oven, highlight the sweetness of the seafood. The restaurant got its start as a pizza shop in 1974, switching to seafood in the ’90s. Since then, the crab cakes, served in sandwiches and on platters and shipped nationwide, have been winning plaudits for their sublime simplicity.

Koco’s Pub

4301 Harford Rd.
410-426-3519

Tiny, family-run Koco’s Pub is famous for its enormous 11-ounce crab cake, made with jumbo and, well, ginormous lumps and served as an incredibly satisfying sandwich or on a platter with salty fries and slaw. With seating of just 60 in the dining room and about 50 in the bar, the lines get long, and for good reason. Don’t let the down-home, simple vibe deceive you—when the wait is over, your patience will be amply rewarded.

Linwoods

25 Crossroads Dr., Owings Mills
410-356-3030

The crab cakes at suburban stalwart Linwoods begin—and end—with fresh jumbo-lump meat. Yes, there’s a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of Tabasco, a drop of Worcestershire sauce, and a smidge of Old Bay. But why mess with Mother Nature’s just-plucked-from-the-waters plump lumps? The only adornment comes in summer-evocative sides: soft corn pudding, spinach salad studded with radishes and heirloom tomatoes, and a mound of crisp potato shreds. With a plate of these (one as an appetizer, two as an entree), summer doesn’t get any better.

Thames Street Oyster House

1728 Thames St.
443-449-7726

The 10-ounce crab cakes at Thames Street are an old-school interpretation of the Eastern Shore crab cake. These beauties start with blue crabs pulled from the Atlantic waters. While many cake creators tout the size of their lumps, these are made with all the fine flesh the crab has to offer—lump meat, of course, but the claw and backfin as well. Spices and filler are kept to a minimum. The cakes are pan-fried and then served in a cast-iron pan, with scrumptious seasonal sides such as roasted cauliflower and lima beans baked with brown sugar.

JUMP TO: Steamed Crabs: Carry Out | Steamed Crabs: Eat In | Crab Cakes | Soft-Shells | Do-It-Yourself

Crab cakes at Cunningham's - Photography by Christopher Myers.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Captain James Landing

2127 Boston St.
410-327-8600

The key to the tasty soft-shell crabs at Captain James is their 24-hour bath in buttermilk and Old Bay to tenderize and add flavor. The crabs, generally available in late spring, are then dipped in seasoned flour, pan-fried, and served with a white wine and chicken-stock pan sauce. Crabs come from as far away as South Carolina and as near as the waters you can see when you’re served.

Cinghiale

822 Lancaster St.
410-547-8282

There’s no way that Cinghiale, a Cindy Wolf-Tony Foreman restaurant, is going to take the traditional pan-fry and slap-on-a-bun approach to soft-shells. For an original interpretation, the enoteca offers seasonal variations, but one we’re fond of is a peppery salad with red watercress, pickled ramps, and spicy vinaigrette, topped with a deep-fried soft-shell crab. Chef Julian Marucci uses East Coast crabs, and favors the smaller ones, which are sweeter, softer, and fry up with crisper crust.

Miss Shirley’s Café

750 E. Pratt St.
410-528-5373

Leave it to Miss Shirley’s Café to deliver original takes on soft-shell crabs. The Grumpy Shirley-Feller is a Maryland soft-shell in cornmeal crust, surrounded by grits, onion jam, bacon, a pickled relish, and a special chicken-sausage gravy. The Surfin’ the Bay Club places the same crisp-coated crab on sourdough toast as part of a sandwich that’s stuffed with blackened shrimp salad, jalapeño-smoked bacon, avocado, tomato, and an Old Bay remoulade.

The Oceanaire Seafood Room

801 Aliceanna St.
443-872-0000

On the ever-changing seasonal menu at The Oceanaire, executive chef Joe Pastore likes to get creative with crabs. Though he hails from Pittsburgh, this chef is a quick study in soft-shells. In this swanky seafood house with white-coated waiters, you’ll find a deconstructed BLT—blue crab, lettuce, and heirloom tomatoes tossed in bacon vinaigrette—geared to the more adventurous on one visit, a tempura treatment on another, or possibly a more traditional version on yet another pass. To sum up: Two claws up.

The Oregon Grille

1201 Shawan Rd., Cockeysville
410-771-0505

If you’re craving crabs and white-tablecloth service, The Oregon Grille is always a great choice for superior service, horse-country ambiance, and an extensive wine list to wash it all down. (FYI, chardonnay cuts the richness of crab.) This dish—dusted in cornmeal, sauteed, and served over spaghetti squash swimming in beurre blanc and whole-grain mustard-seed sauce—is a winning combination of flavors.

Ouzo Bay

1000 Lancaster St.
443-708-5818

The soft-shell crabs served at the Greek restaurant Ouzo Bay start with crabs dusted in seasoned flour and pan-fried. Platters include two crabs, along with mustard aioli and two sides. It’s all about letting simple ingredients shine, and delivering a modern twist on an ancient cuisine. (On a recent visit, we couldn’t resist posting these tasty “bay-bies” on Facebook.)

JUMP TO: Steamed Crabs: Carry Out | Steamed Crabs: Eat In | Crab Cakes | Soft-Shells | Do-It-Yourself

Soft-shell crabs at Captain James Landing. - Photography by Christopher Myers.

DO-IT-YOURSELF

As long as they’re fresh (and local), you don’t need to be a graduate of the CIA to cook crab. Here are some great places for the key ingredient to your home-cooked meal.

LIVE CRABS

Gibby’s Seafood and Gourmet Market
2322 York Rd., Timonium
410-561-5225

J.M. Clayton Company
108 Commerce St., Cambridge
410-228-1661

Mo’s Seafood
219 S. President St.
410-837-8600

Ocean Pride
1534 York Rd., Lutherville-Timonium
410-321-7744

Parkville Crabs
7800 Harford Rd., Parkville
410-668-0020

CRABMEAT

Bill’s Seafood & Catering
9016 Belair Rd., Nottingham
410-256-9520

Gourmet Again
3713 Old Court Rd., Pikesville
410-484-9393

Faidley Seafood
203 N. Paca St.,
410-727-4898

S. DiPaula & Sons Seafood
7613 Philadelphia Rd., Rosedale
410-866-8100

Eddie’s of Roland Park
5113 Roland Ave.
410-323-3656

SOFT-SHELLS

Captain Jim’s Crabs
818 Bowley’s Quarters Rd., Middle River
410-335-2221

Crab Depot
5717 Gov. Ritchie Highway, Brooklyn Park
410-789-6722

Gibby’s Seafood and Gourmet Market
2322 York Rd., Timonium
410-561-5225

Sea King Seafood Markets
3417 Plum Tree Dr., Ellicott City
410-465-9663

Waterman’s Pride
7692 Belair Rd.
410-665-5555

Source

VIDEO: How To Pick Crabs Like An Expert

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 14:09:00 +0000

Source

Best Crab Houses 2012

Jess Mayhugh — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:03:00 +0000

We have the scars to prove it. For weeks, we’ve been cracking our way through dozens—and dozens—of steamed crabs, nicking our fingers on the sharp-edged shells and enduring the salty sting of Old Bay. But the battle scars were well worth it. Along the way, we got to savor our Maryland delicacy—spice-covered, hot-from-the-steamer crabs—from some of the Baltimore area’s best spots.

Tried-and-true crustacean landmarks like Costas Inn, Mr. Bill’s Terrace Inn, and Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn are still living up to their reputations. But we also found some new places, too, like The Mallet in Fallston and S&J Crab Ranch in Towson. We were hoping to check out the outdoor deck at Phillips Seafood in the Inner Harbor and Mo’s Seafood in Towson, but they weren’t serving crabs at press time. We’ll report back on those later.

We also checked in with some local celebs to find out where they get their crabs. And we talked to Tony Conrad of Conrad’s Crabs & Seafood Market in Parkville. This local waterman takes pride in serving his fresh catch of crabs and fish at his store.

So get out your mallets (and maybe a Band-Aid or two), we think you’ll find some great places to try on our list.

Bo Brooks

2701 Boston St., 410-558-0202.It may be the hopping tiki bar parked at the entrance, but we can’t help feeling like a trip to Bo Brooks is a bit of a party. The staff is cheerful and helpful, and one’s cares are steamed away along with your crab order. And such crabs—we’ve never felt short-changed when digging into an order of jumbos here. We’re fans of their house blend of seasonings, too, which is heavy on the pepper, and salty enough to have us reaching for the beer pretty often. Luckily, Bo Brooks features Baltimore’s own Heavy Seas “Loose Cannon” IPA on tap, a bit of local support we applaud. If weather permits, dining on the outdoor deck offers a beautiful view of the harbor, and there’s plenty on the menu for non-crab people (i.e., “out of town guests”) and youngsters in your party alike.

Canton Dockside

3301 Boston St., 410-276-8900. The Gulf crabs we had on our visit were noteworthy for their heft. The claws were thick, and meat burst from the cracked body segments like a magician’s paper bouquet—clean, white, and sweet. The place is large and colorful, with globe lights (a reminder of its fancier days as Pearls restaurant) suspended from the ceiling of the spacious, carpeted dining area. Murals of local landmarks such as the Canton neighborhood, with its winking Natty Boh sign, and the Annapolis State House decorate the walls. The long outdoor deck is all business on a warm evening with packed tables looking beyond Boston Street sailboats to the industrial ships of Locust Point, and the cacophony of whacking mallets ringing across the harbor. There’s plenty on the menu for those who don’t want crab: a garlicky Caesar salad, hearty burgers, and onion rings the size of cuff bracelets, served with hot, tangy buffalo sauce and mild blue-cheese dressing.

Captain James Crabhouse & Restaurant

2127 Boston St., 410-327-8600.Captain James may be best known as a visual landmark—its main dining room is the building painted up like a ship at the corner of Boston and Aliceanna Streets—but they deserve some praise for their crabhouse, too. Located just across the street from the “ship,” the Captain James Crabhouse sports easy parking, a super casual atmosphere, and piles of steamed crabs. The friendly, prompt staff is happy to set you up with steamed crabs, shrimp, and mussels, as well as buckets of boardwalk fries. Their $30-per-person, “all-you-u-can-eat” special includes a serving of crab soup, an ear of corn, and all the mediums you can pick in two hours. They also have lots of outdoor seating, making Captain James Crabhouse an ideal spot to enjoy Maryland’s favorite culinary pastime with a great view of the harbor.

CJ’s Crabhouse and Grill

10117 Reisterstown Rd., Owings Mills, 410-363-6694.Dark and bustling, illuminated by the numerous flat-screen TVs and festive twinkle lights that encircle the bar area, CJ’s balances its devotion to Maryland’s teams with its passion for crabs. The dozen larges slid from the tray to our brown-paper tabletop within moments of our order, barely giving us time to savor the steamed oysters we’d been working on. The crabs were crusted with lumps of red, salty seasoning—a custom blend the owners have been ordering from nearby Fuchs since it was Baltimore Spice (originators of Old Bay). The current owners are three sons of the late founders, Charlie and Jean Sanders, whose initials form the restaurant’s name. It’s son Jeffrey who’s responsible for the collection of die-cast model trucks near the entrance, each displaying a Ravens or Orioles logo, and it’s Terry who makes sure the strawberries pass muster for CJ’s renowned strawberry pie.

Costas Inn

4100 Northpoint Blvd., 410-477-1975. Sitting among a sea of fast-food joints and car-repair shops with no water in sight, Costas Inn might not match many people’s vision of a world-class crabhouse. Until they walk inside. The perma-smell of crab spice in the large, open dining room, the drumbeat of mallets hitting shells and empty shells hitting buckets, autographed Brooks Robinson and Johnny Unitas memorabilia on the front wall—all instantly authenticate the place. Crab lovers have been stamping their sign of approval on Costas’s brown-paper-covered tables for more than 40 years. Doused with loads of spicy seasoning that burrows into your lips and doesn’t quit, Costas’s crabs are flown in daily from Texas and Louisiana. Be sure to place your order when you call for a reservation. The full menu offers many other options (the mushroom caps stuffed with mounds of crab imperial are a great start), but the reliably fat and perfectly steamed and spiced crabs are what’s made Costas an institution, whether it looks like one from the street or not.

The Crackpot Seafood Restaurant

8102 Loch Raven Blvd., Towson, 410-828-1095.Forget fancy. The dark-wood dining room is looking its age in this decades-old restaurant in a strip-shopping center. But that doesn’t stop the regulars from soaking up the ambiance. It’s a great spot to eat fat, spicy, delicious crabs. That never gets old. On this evening, there were only jumbos and one dozen of the extra larges left. We quickly snagged the 12 extra larges. In due time, they arrived at our table, now ensconced in brown paper, hot from the steamer and heavily coated with the restaurant’s custom, Old-Bay-laced seasoning. The aroma alone was mouthwatering. While we waited for the main event, we quelled our hunger with a silky cream of crab soup and a seafood sauté, generous with big shrimp and giant teardrops of jumbo lump in a wine-and-garlic sauce.

Gianni’s Italian Bistro and Crab House

3720 Washington Blvd., Arbutus, 410-242-4555.Greg Orendorff opened Gianni’s Italian Bistro in 2007, then expanded and added a crabhouse in November 2010. Though there are separate entrances and signs, the restaurants are attached, and patrons can order from either menu (and pick up warm doughnuts at the Fractured Prune inside the bistro). The crab side has a couple of weathered wooden picnic tables out front, a bar area, and televisions tuned, soundlessly, to sports. Orendorff, who owned Luigi Petti in Little Italy, created his own spice mix for the crabs, which has less salt and heat than most. He also invented the Angry Mallet soup that combines Maryland crab soup and cream-of-crab soup after spilling one into the other by accident. We also really like the crab-ball appetizers—deliciously decadent morsels, fried to a crisp exterior, with large lumps of sweet crab inside.

Gunning’s Seafood Restaurant

7304 Parkway Dr., Hanover, 410-712-9404.There’s nothing glamorous about Gunning’s, a family-owned restaurant with a crab tradition that dates to 1969, when Edward Gunning Sr. began serving food at the South Baltimore dive bar his father had opened the previous year. The restaurant, now run by Edward’s son, Edward Jr., has been in a distinctly unscenic Hanover strip mall since 1990. The carpet is a purple-and-green fish print, the tablecloths purple, the walls mustard yellow. But once brown paper is laid across the table, brown paper bags given to each diner for shells, mallets distributed, and the crabs arrive, you won’t care about the décor. These beauties from Louisiana, Texas, or Maryland, explain why every table in the spacious dining room is full on a Sunday night. They are steaming hot, crusted in lip-tingling spice, and filled with particularly succulent meat. Gunning’s, which has a second location in Glen Burnie, does its Maryland heritage proud.

Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn

458 Forest Beach Rd., Annapolis, 410-757-1311. Few experiences are more quintessentially Maryland than working through a pile of jumbo steamed crabs on the oft-photographed deck of the well-known Cantler’s, founded in 1974. The water view is not especially scenic, but it’s still a water view, and chances are you’re sharing a long table with strangers who are becoming friends, while all around you, people are laughing and talking loudly as they drink beer out of plastic cups and pull chunks of white flesh out of spice-crusted shells. Though crabs are the main attraction, Cantler’s serves salads, sandwiches, and even pizza and barbecued ribs. We especially liked the seared ahi tuna with a vinegary seaweed salad on the side, as well as the lightly dressed coleslaw. The crabs did not arrive hurt-your-fingers hot, the way we like, but they were still as fat and full as ever.

L.P. Steamers

1100 E. Fort Ave., 410-576-9294. One of the many glowing reviews that hangs on the weathered walls of this Locust Point landmark proclaims, “L.P.’s interior isn’t big on ambiance.” We couldn’t disagree more. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more genuine spot for picking hard crabs. A handful of tables line one side of the narrow first floor. There’s also a dining room upstairs and a few tables on the rooftop deck with sweeping views of the city. We were greeted by one of L.P.’s always friendly servers, who gave us a list of crab prices and quantities remaining for the night. Crabs are priced and can be ordered individually, so we got eight larges, two jumbos, and two huges. They were all tasty, although the difference in sizes was minimal. The smell of seafood frying and crabs steaming wafted throughout. TVs hanging on the front and back wall showed the Orioles game; they were winning. On a quiet spring weekday night, we couldn’t imagine better ambiance anywhere in Baltimore.

The Mallet

2403 Belair Rd. (Rt. 1), Fallston, 410-877-2722.The restaurant space at the busy corner of Route 1 and Mountain Road has been given another breath of life after going through many failed mutations. But the new owners may have found the winning formula by offering a mix of dining scenarios, including steamed crabs. You can eat crabs at one of the high tops in the dimly lit tiki bar or head outside to the wood decks, which is just what we did. The crabs—from Texas the night we visited—were spicy and hot. Our server warned us they would take 25 minutes. We were fine with that, biding our time with an excellent cup of cream-of-crab soup (the best we’ve had in a while), delicious crab balls, and a half-pound of perfectly steamed shrimp.

Mike’s Restaurant and Crab House

3030 Riva Rd., Riva, 410-956-2784.The fact that Mike’s advertises free boat docking, in addition to the large parking lot for cars, may be all you need to know about the authenticity of this place, fastened to the side of the South River in Annapolis. The restaurant, with its knotty-pine décor, reminiscent of an old summer camp, and the long outdoor deck (with clear plastic walls when the weather is cool), is a classic. This is the kind of place you bring your out-of-town guests or simply come for the pleasure of watching the sun set upriver from the outdoor picnic tables. The trays of steaming crabs hail from a variety of areas depending on the season. There are also platters of seafood, fried shrimp and clams with tartar sauce, juicy burgers, and even an oversized Nutty Buddy paper-wrapped cone, seemingly fresh off an ice-cream truck, for dessert.

Mr. Bill’s Terrace Inn

200 Eastern Blvd., Essex, 410-687-5994.Yes, people go to Mr. Bill’s for the fat, heavy, always-pleasing crabs, but they also head there for the retro vibe that jettisons them back to a time when Willie Don was mayor of Baltimore. The tile floor, vinyl booths, and faux-fish décor still work today. The late Mr. Bill is there, albeit only in a photo on the wall. His congenial son, Steve, now reigns over the dining room, keeping an eye on everything and everyone. Even when the crowds gather for a two-hour wait on summer weekends—reservations are only taken for parties of 10 or more—he makes no exceptions for the famous or the infamous. Everyone patiently waits their turn to dig into the steamed-to-order beauties seasoned with Bill’s secret blend, the spicy Maryland crab soup laden with vegetables, and the house-made crab dip with melted cheese, large enough to share—if you can bear to part with any of it.

Nick’s Fish House & Grill

2600 Insulator Dr., 410-347-4123. This sprawling crabhouse sports outdoor decks and indoor dining rooms with giant windows to take in the docked boats and scenic water view of the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River—and it’s a stone’s throw, or, at least, a quick drive, from downtown Baltimore. As a prelude to steamed crabs, we tucked into a plateful of crispy fried oysters, which were plump and juicy, and a half-pound of steamed jumbo shrimp, mixed with a wonderful mélange of potatoes, onions, and tomatoes. Since we were there in the early part of the season, the crabs weren’t being sorted by size, so we ended up with a mix of medium, large, and jumbo. It was a motley dozen from Louisiana, some light, some claws missing. But, on the whole, they were all well-spiced, and there were several heavies in the group.

Ocean Pride Restaurant & Carry-out

1534 York Rd., Lutherville, 410-321-7744.This longtime restaurant has established itself as a local destination for steamed crabs as well as other dishes. The menu is large, with freewheeling combinations of seafood, bar food, Tex-Mex, and even Italian, drawing a constant stream of regulars and newcomers alike. All that business means crabs can run out early, even on off nights, so be sure to reserve some in advance. Crabs here are seasoned with a bracing, fiery-red, finely-ground blend—good for selling lots of beer, we’d imagine. The specimens were decently hefty, though there seemed to be at least one throwaway crab per dozen on the night we visited. Service is almost exuberantly friendly, but on the busiest nights, even the best staff can get overloaded. In that case, the good vibes of the staff—and the customers—go a long way.

Reter’s CrabHouse and Grille

509 Main St., Reisterstown, 410-526-3300.There’s no need to go downy ocean for a beach-style crab feast when you can take a short trip to Reisterstown. Unless you’re sitting outside with a view of the traffic, you could mistake this colorful strip-mall restaurant, its coral walls festooned with surf and boogie boards, life-saving buoys, and brightly painted fish, for a place much closer to the sea. (The official-looking sign on the wall, outlining Ocean City beach rules contributes to the geographical confusion.) The crabs are sweet and flaky, coated in lumps of seasoning, and blackboards around the room list alternate specials in bright chalk: various oysters from the raw bar, fish gumbo, and a tropical salad with coconut shrimp. There’s a kind of Jimmy Buffet vibe, and you get the feeling that the airy room is filled with regulars. You know you’re in a place that takes its hand-picking seriously by the sink outside the restrooms, expressly for scrubbing off the Old Bay.

Riptide by the Bay

1718 Thames St., 410-732-3474. In a narrow building on Thames Street, Riptide could be one among many Fells Point bars, where the revelry routinely spills out onto the sidewalks and cobblestone streets. You’ll find that, like its neighbors, Riptide has a great selection of beer on draft and live music on weekend nights. But unlike most of its rivals, the place also offers steamed crabs by the dozen. Crabs don’t seem to be the mainstay of the menu—which serves everything from Ahi tuna, raw oysters, and seafood pasta to burgers and chicken tacos. But order a dozen, and your cheerful server will whip out a sheet of brown paper and bring on the bucket. The night we visited, we picked ours clean. As we were savoring the last chunk of meat, crunching a final ring of calamari with sweet miso glaze, the evening’s singer was starting to tune his guitar by the bar. What else could we do but order another round and settle in for a Fells Point night?

S&J Crab Ranch

2 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Towson, 410-821-6789.S&J may be a newcomer to the crab scene, but it’s made a splash with a menu that pairs traditional Maryland crabhouse fare with classic Southern barbecue. Located in the heart of Towson, S&J features a sleek, modern bar, a haystack-country-themed dining area, and a few picnic tables out front. The barbecue smelled delicious, but we’re interested in the crabs this time, and we weren’t disappointed. Our order of jumbos arrived positively smothered in S&J’s seasoning, and they were heavy, succulent, and satisfying. We also enjoyed the seafood quesadilla, a tortilla generously stuffed with shrimp, crab dip, and cheese. A word of caution, though—it may seem ludicrous to warn you about touching your eyes or licking too much seasoning; we know that’s old hat. But there is a peppery capsicum heat lurking in the crab seasoning that thrills the palate in moderation but can rise to masochistic levels very quickly if you aren’t paying attention. Best to have a cold pitcher of beer on hand, just in case.

Ship’s Cafe Restaurant and Crab House

828 Frederick Rd., Catonsville, 410-744-1838.A sign that Ship’s Cafe is doing something right? The place is jammed on a nothing-special Tuesday night. This rambling, wood-floored, two-story restaurant in Catonsville’s Norman Rockwell-esque downtown opened in 2002, but it has the easy charm and confidence of a more established place. The service is personable and efficient, and the food is lovingly prepared but never fussy. Though most tables were piled high with spice-crusted crabs during our visit, the menu is extensive and includes local favorites like deep-fried, soft-shell crab, chicken Chesapeake, and barbecued ribs. Our Maryland crab soup was thick with crab, potatoes, tomatoes, corn, and peas, with a nice zing of Old Bay. Another appetizer was a bit of a test—a platter of scallops, crab balls, and shrimp that could have gone awry with overcooking, but Ship’s Cafe’s version was delightful. Then, came the extra-large crabs. The meat was tender and moist, and the spice coating added just the right counterpoint. Yum.

Sue Island Grill & Crab House

900 Baltimore Yacht Club Rd., Essex, 410-574-0009. A few hours before we planned to venture out to Sue Island, the restaurant called. Their shipment of crabs hadn’t come in. They offered their apologies. We thanked them for letting us know and rescheduled for a week later. We’re glad we did. Set on the banks of Sue Creek, the restaurant exudes a laid-back ambiance reminiscent of a locals’ hangout in a sleepy beach town. We devoured a baker’s dozen of large crabs, which were heavy with surprisingly sweet and meaty claws. Five sizes were available, along with $2 individual smalls (on Wednesdays only). We ate ours with sides of sufficiently greasy French fries and onion rings, and washed it all down with an ice-cold pitcher of Yuengling. As the sun set, seemingly right in the laps of happy mallet-wielding diners at the picnic tables outback and regulars chatted at the bar, we raised our plastic cups and toasted to the fact that Sue Island was worth the drive, and the wait.

Where The Locals Go

Bob Turk, weatherman, WJZ-TV: To tell the truth, we usually bring them home and enjoy them without the maddening crowds. They are also a lot cheaper at home. Since I live in northern Baltimore County, I get them anyplace nearby—— I go to Gibby’s, Don’s Crabs, or Captain Trey’s.

Suzi Cordish, Maryland Art Place chairwoman and fundraiser and wife of developer David Cordish: Every guest we host in Baltimore——whether it’s a sports-team owner, professional athlete, mayor of a city, or head of state—— they want Maryland crabs. We always take them to Phillips Seafood Restaurant, where they can experience hard-shell crabs or have a crab cake with a lot of great side specials. The feeling is authentic Chesapeake Bay.

John Shields, Gertrude’s: I love Mr. Bill’s Terrace Inn. How can you not want to go to a crabhouse with that name? It’s a quintessential Baltimore crabhouse. What Mr. Bill’s does best are the crabs. In my experience, they have always been very heavy, with lots of meat. And the décor: This is a crabhouse design that a Hollywood film scout would definitely choose. Over the top, but so much fun.

Edie Brown, public relations, Edie Brown & Associates: We go to Costas for crabs. I hate the long drive, but it’s worth the great taste of crabs, the Greek salad, and the friendly attention of the wait staff. If it’s good enough for [actor] Josh Charles, it is certainly good enough for me.

Mickey Cucchiella, broadcaster, 98Rock: I get all my crabs from Conrad’s Crabs. Captain Tony (see our story) is on the bay everyday, and he and his wife run a tremendous local business that makes me proud to be a Baltimorean.

Brian Roberts, Orioles’ second baseman: I like the crabs at Canton Dockside. The atmosphere is great, and it is close to where we live in Canton, so we can walk to the restaurant. I also like Mr. Bill’s Terrace Inn.

Source

Best Crab Houses 2010

Jess Mayhugh — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Sometimes, you just have to get down and dirty. And when it comes to our beloved steamed crabs, we wouldn’t have it any other way. For months, we’ve been picking and clawing our way through local crabhouses searching for the best. The blues, in many cases, came from other waters, but it didn’t really matter. As we found out, it’s really the steaming and seasoning that makes the hard shells winners. We were also paying attention to ambiance, side dishes, and service. Now, it’s time for you to get crackin’ and check out our choices, in alphabetical order!

Baldwin’s Seafood Restaurant and Lounge
baldwinsseafood.com
525 Pulaski Highway, Joppa, 410-679-0957
At first glance, you might sense a small identity crisis in the dining-room décor. The dark-green-papered walls are decorated with fox-hunting prints and horseback riding accessories. But it doesn’t take long to appreciate this Pulaski Highway classic’s ardent celebration of another great Maryland tradition: steamed crabs. Our platter of fatties (usually from Maryland or Texas) arrived promptly, and we devoured the whole dozen, plowing through an equal number of paper napkins, our fingers crusty with Old Bay. The cream of crab soup was a bit disappointing, thick with roux, but light on the lump. And the side of onion rings was a closer relative to the doughnut than the tear-inducing allium. The crabs however, hand-sorted each day by owner Charles Baldwin or one of the managers, are always reliable, and our upbeat server clearly knew about the goods. Steamed shrimp, clams, and rich, plump mussels are also available, as are crab cakes and more terrestrial offerings. But during the season, our advice is, go for the steamed hard shells. They never disappoint.

Bo Brooks
bobrooks.com
2701 Boston Street, 410-558-0202
Friendly service, a large menu, and plenty of seating are the hallmarks of this Baltimore crabhouse mainstay. Everyone at Bo’s seems ready to make sure you get what you want, when you want it. And there is plenty to want, from crab soup with just enough Old Bay and onion rings big enough to encircle Saturn to peppery, perfectly steamed crabs. There’s an engaging passel of brews on tap to help wash down the spice, and plenty to eat even if steamed crabs aren’t your thing. We could have made a meal out of the crab guacamole and steamed shrimp and never have needed to read up on all the other seafood offerings. When the weather’s nice, it’s hard to beat Bo’s breezy outdoor seating. What better way to take in the harbor view than pounding away with your mallet?

Canton Dockside
cantondockside.com
3301 Boston Street, 410-276-8900
This is a crabhouse with panache—and a view of the harbor. It has a long, shiny bar; a modern, open kitchen; several flat screens tuned to various games; and sports-figure bobbleheads eyeing you from a ledge. It also has beautifully hand-painted murals on the walls with varied scenes from Fort McHenry to Johns Hopkins as well as a fancy-patterned carpet in the dining room. But there are also a few stuffed fish on the walls to remind you that you are indeed in a crabhouse. You can also eat at picnic tables on an outdoor, covered patio in warm weather. We loved the restaurant’s version of onion rings—thick, lightly breaded slices tossed with spicy Buffalo sauce and served with blue-cheese dressing. The lush cream of crab soup with lots of meat will calm your tongue down a bit before the heavy, Old-Bay-saturated crabs arrive. We cracked and picked in utter pleasure.

Captain Harvey’s Restaurant Crabhouse
captainharveys.com
11510 Reisterstown Road, Owings Mills, 410-356-6688
The crabhouse at Captain Harvey’s is next to, but separate from, the main restaurant. While the restaurant serves the likes of lobster tail and filet mignon, people go to the outpost for one thing: crabs, of course. During our visit, we happened to get the last dozen, and we watched patron after patron leave after learning there were no more crabs to be had that night. Diners certainly weren’t there for the view (of Reisterstown Road) or the interior design (acoustic-tile ceilings, deli-style counter, and oddly placed TV). And the appetizers are hit or miss. A shrimp “trio” turned out to be fried shrimp, fried shrimp in Buffalo sauce, and fried shrimp in a sweet coating meant to be sesame ginger. On the other hand, the Maryland crab soup was loaded with crab and vegetables, and the clams casino delivered a pleasant bite of garlic, a satisfying chew of seafood, and a gratifying dose of bacon. The crabs, of course, made the visit worthwhile.

Captain James Crab House
captainjameslanding.com
2127 Boston Street, 410-675-1819
It’s surprising how few places there are in Baltimore in which to actually eat crabs, and to feast on them outdoors on the water. Fortunately, Captain James fulfills that craving with a floating deck full of picnic tables, reliably good crabs, and even its own water taxi stop. And despite being an offshoot of (and across the street from) its main restaurant painted like a giant ship, it is somehow not touristy. Crabs usually arrive fast, seasoned with a mixture that is relatively mild and sufficiently salty. On our visit, we were told the crabs were from Maryland, sparking much excitement, but they were similar in flavor and heft to other area offerings. The menu is brief, with a few steamed shellfish options, an oddly gumbo-like Maryland crab soup, refreshing slaw, and exceptionally crisp fries that are perfect for smearing on excess crab spice. But of course, the real draw is the sensory combo of a summer night cracking crabs right on the harbor—and they don’t even charge you for that!

Catches Restaurant and Crab House
catchescrabhouse.com
9727 Pulaski Highway, Middle River, 410-574-3200
On the night we crabbed out at Catches, there were at least three birthday parties going on. It’s easy to see why folks would choose to celebrate here—and not only for the dance floor and classic rock cover band that began tuning up at 9 on a Saturday night. We called ahead to reserve a dozen crabs, and Bill, the resident expert steamer, stopped at our table to tell us he’d hand-picked 14 beauties from a crop flown in from Louisiana earlier in the day. Sure enough, these larges might be jumbos at another venue. The lumps were easy to separate and milky white, washed down with a swig of Catches Ale, brewed by Fordham Brewery. We couldn’t resist sampling the decadent signature appetizer: a chewy, oversized pretzel topped with creamy crab dip and melted cheese. Catches’s owners are committed to crabs year-round and have built a steaming house in the parking lot. Party on.

CJ’s Crabhouse and Grill
cjscrabs.com
10117 Reisterstown Road, Owings Mills, 410-363-6694
CJ’s is more sports bar than crabhouse, its dark interior lit by the glow of sport-tuned televisions. Yet, when those bright-red crustaceans are spilled across the brown-paper-covered table, and the plastic bibs and wooden mallets are presented, even the saddest Orioles stats suddenly don’t seem so bad. The menu here includes hearty hamburgers and other sandwiches, as well as “real restaurant” entrees such as shrimp scampi, stuffed flounder, and ribs. Cream of crab soup is made the traditional way, with a shot of sherry to lighten the cream (if requested) and a generous amount of seafood. But our favorite appetizer was a serving of large and sweet steamed shrimp, swathed in spice that colored our fingers orange as we pried off the shells. Service is speedy and friendly, and jars of Old Bay alongside the salt and pepper are a nice touch. Eating here is a true Maryland dining experience.

Costas Inn
costasinn.com
4100 North Point Boulevard, Dundalk, 410-477-1975
There’s no denying Costas’s crabhouse status. The tables are covered in brown paper (if you’re getting crabs), mallets await your grip, and white buckets are ready for your shells. Like many local places, there’s nary a drop of outdoor water in sight except for the steamer-boat paintings on the wall. We like that you can choose the crab size you want when you make reservations. The other diners looked longingly at our larges while they had to settle for smaller ones that night. We kicked our palates into gear with a zesty Maryland crab soup (that could have used more crab), a half-dozen chilled, briny Blue Point oysters, and a stack of crispy, bagel-size onion rings. The service is attentive, with the staff keeping a close eye on empty plates and glasses. The hard shells are delivered on a tray—fragrant, hot, and generously encrusted with Costas’s own peppery spice blend—and piled on the table. These Texas crustaceans were loaded with meat, and there wasn’t a lightweight among them.

The Crackpot Seafood Restaurant
crackpotcrabs.com
8102 Loch Raven Boulevard, Towson, 410-828-1095.
For almost 40 years, The Crackpot has been steaming fat crabs year-round with its custom Old Bay-laced seasoning. The no-nonsense décor—wood-shingle walls, stuffed fin fish poised on said walls, crab pots turned into light fixtures, and even holiday garlands with lights—makes it just the right place to get messy and dissect your crabs (always from Louisiana, we’re told). Of course, there’s more than hard crabs on the menu. The Maryland crab and cream of crab soups were steamy hot, spicy, and all-around excellent, the best we’ve had in a while. The crab pretzel is a fun appetizer—a long, doughy twist coated with a garlicky crab dip and topped with cheese. Our waitress shared that she sometimes eats one for dinner. And that’s another bonus—the waitstaff, who are pleasant, friendly, and enthusiastic. This is a Baltimore tradition to appreciate.

Gunning’s Seafood Restaurant
gunningsonline.com
7304 Parkway Drive, Hanover, 410-712-9404
Business travelers will feel right at home at Gunning’s, not just for its setting amid office parks near the airport, but for its mustard-yellow walls and gold patterned carpet reminiscent of a hotel conference center. Servers will cheerfully pull on a pair of surgical gloves to walk visitors through the proper picking of a crab, clearly accustomed to bewildered out-of-towners. But along with the clusters of after-hours business people are couples and families, who have happily been coming to Gunning’s since the day in 1970 when Edward Gunning, a police officer, dumped a bushel of crabs on his father’s South Baltimore bar, thinking folks might like some food with their beer. These days, order the steamed crabs, and the staff kicks into action, delivering a crab kit in a brown paper bag: hammers, napkins, the ubiquitous sturdy blue plastic knives, before delivering the full-bodied critters. If you’re not worried about a crustacean overdose, try the crab-ball starter, an array of pan-seared mini crab cakes, and if you’re not shy about ordering dessert, Gunning’s homemade éclairs are renowned.

Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn
cantlers.com
458 Forest Beach Road, Annapolis, 410-757-1311
Even without its magical, sun-splashed, picnic-bench-covered wooden deck jutting over Mill Creek, Cantler’s would set a high standard for Maryland crabhouses. The crabs are always sweet, the beers are always cold, and there’s just something special about being able to arrive by boat if you choose. A beloved icon since 1974, Cantler’s could probably get by on goodwill and warm weather at this point. But that’s not how Cantler’s does things. Appetizers leave the fried stuff offered elsewhere in the dust and include fresh, delicious fare like ahi-tuna wantons that combine seared fish, piquant seaweed salad, and crisp-fried noodles. Another appetizer tops a hearty mushroom with a lump-meat-heavy crab cake and puts the whole thing over tender wilted spinach. And then comes the steaming bowl of Maryland crab soup, loaded with seafood and vegetables. Oh, and did we mention the delicious crabs?

L.P. Steamers
lpsteamers.com
1100 E. Fort Avenue, 410-576-9294
Located on the corner of a Formstone-covered row of Locust Point buildings, L.P. Steamers offers the quintessential Bawlmer crab experience. During our visit, we were told the mayor was enjoying a meal in a private room, while a big table of giggling tourists struggled, with help from their server, to master the intricacies of crab cracking. The space is long and narrow, and staffers stomp up the steep stairwell carrying beers, mallets, steamed shrimp, and platters of bright-red crabs, smothered with an Old Bay-type seasoning (though less salty, we were told). The deep-fried oyster and shrimp appetizers are grease-free and good. Forget greens—garnishes here are plastic tubs of tartar sauce and sweet, pickle-flecked macaroni salad. Plastic spoons are provided to scoop up the spicy veggie-filled Maryland crab soup. But before long, brown paper is laid across the table, sleeves are rolled up, and hands are soon covered with spice as crabs are cracked and morsels of white flesh are fingered into mouths. This is the real deal, hon.

Mike’s Bar & Crab House
mikescrabhouse.com
3030 Old Riva Road, Riva, 410-956-2784
Though locals are known to sniff at Mike’s as being too “touristy,” most will nonetheless concede that this sprawling crabhouse just west of downtown Annapolis is something of an institution. Indeed, even in the off-season, the cavernous dining rooms tend to be crowded. When the weather is nice, the expansive outdoor seating gets an extra hit of patrons arriving via boat (and car). The crabs, which hailed from Louisiana, were large and heavy, with a high rate of still-attached claws. They were, in fact, the fullest we’ve encountered in a while. The house spice is a finely ground, very aromatic but somewhat tame mixture. Luckily, supplemental ramekins of extra spice, as well as vinegar for dipping, are standard. Accompaniments such as a meekly seasoned cream of crab soup and overly dense hush puppies are just passable, but the service is efficient and cheerful.

Mr. Bill’s Terrace Inn
200 Eastern Boulevard, Essex, 410-687-5994
Step into the main dining room of Mr. Bill’s and you instantly suffer amnesia. You’ll forget Memorial Stadium is gone, that the Colts left, that Willie Don isn’t the Mayor, that McCormick isn’t on Pratt Street, and that National Boh isn’t sponsoring the City Fair. We had to peek back outside just to make sure the passing police car didn’t have a blue lollipop light. No Baltimore nostalgia fakery here, and no attempt at haute cuisine, either. It’s all about the crabs. Heavy, sweet, impeccably steamed, mouth-watering crabs. Dusted with a blend that is neither overwhelmingly hot nor puckeringly salty, these heavies were among the best we’ve had in years. Accompanied by a cup of spicy-delicious crab soup and a pitcher of beer, our only complaint of the evening was that with so many TVs, it was impossible not to watch the Orioles lose . . . the only reminder that it wasn’t 1979.

Nick’s Fish House
nicksfishhouse.com
2600 Insulator Drive, 410-347-4123
Often, especially on weekends, Nick’s is more about happy-hour drinks and loud music than food, as indicated by the throng of revelers on the outside deck—and this despite its less than advantageous location in an old industrial park by the Hanover Street Bridge. But it’s also a fine place to indulge in crabs, which you can get both outdoors and in. We suggest the dining room as the service is better than outside (which is a bit slow) or at the bar (a bit surly). The crabs were point-to-point among the largest we found, but several were light and many claws were MIA. However, the meat was notably sweet, and the spice a nice balance of salt and heat. The cream of crab soup was excellent, with velvet richness, subtle seasoning, and lots of meat. Unfortunately, the coleslaw had too much mayo, and the goat-cheese grits tasted vaguely of a cheese Danish. Hint: When large crabs are available, they go fast.

Obrycki’s
obryckis.com
1727 E. Pratt Street, 410-732-6399
In early crab season, there was a bit of subterfuge going on at the well-known Baltimore institution. Supplies, even from Texas and Louisiana, were unpredictable, so there were no guarantees that the restaurant would have crabs. We were instructed to call precisely at 11:30 a.m. the day that we wanted crabs. If the stars lined up, we’d soon be picking through hard crabs that evening. We lucked out. Yes, they had crabs—larges even. We soon headed to the downtown crabhouse that likely draws the most out-of-towners. We were impressed how friendly and courteous the staff is to its guests. They’re a good welcoming committee. As native Baltimoreans, though, we’re slightly horrified to be offered bibs for eating crabs. But if you’re not from here, you probably think it’s a good idea. Our crabs were hot and full but not spicy. Obrycki’s uses its own black-pepper blend on the crabs but not nearly enough for our taste. We loved our server’s recommendation of a side dish of cool, creamy cucumber salad.

Ocean Pride Restaurant & Carryout
oceanprideseafood.com
1534 York Road, Lutherville, 410-321-7744
On a spring evening at Ocean Pride, the bar was packed, many of the patrons waiting for bags of steamed crabs to take home from the busy carryout shop, where you can also order a container of potato or shrimp salad, and choose a cold six pack or a bottle of wine. In the sunken dining room at the rear of the restaurant, brown-paper-covered tables stand ready for those who prefer to eat crabs there. The waitstaff, dressed in navy polo shirts and khaki shorts, shoot back and forth with pitchers of beer and platters from the raw bar. This cheerful spot on York Road, some distance from the ocean itself, proudly offers crabs all year long. While the quality of crabs—from North Carolina, Louisiana, or Texas—may vary from night to night (we had some recently molted jimmys with flimsy shells and not enough meat), speak up if you’re not pleased, and the good-natured steam managers will set things right. The crabs are dusted with Ocean Pride’s own seasoning—modeled after Old Bay, with rock salt, cayenne, white pepper, paprika, and other undisclosed ingredients; we detected a lemony tang that complemented the sweet meat.

Reter’s Crab House and Grille
reterscrabhouse.com
509 Main Street, Reisterstown, 410-526-3300
Our most recent trip to Reter’s occurred on an unseasonably dreary day, making it difficult to get into the crab-pickin’ spirit as we made our way out to Reisterstown. But Reter’s beach décor, cheery servers, and airy environs elicited an immediate mood swing. We started our meal with a few appetizers, of which the crab soup was the strongest—good crab content, mildly spiced, and chock full of veggies. The oyster stew looked promising, too, loaded with plump bivalves, but it was let down by its somewhat gloppy texture. It mattered little, though, once the crabs arrived, smothered in a proprietary spice blend that is suitably peppery and salty. Our batch was perfectly steamed, as were the juicy shrimp we ordered along with them. For northwestern residents who don’t want to drive into the city for their crabs, Reter’s is the place to go.

Riptide by the Bay
riptidebythebay.net
1718 Thames Street, 410-732-3474
Crabs are the headline act at Riptide, but the supporting cast of appetizers and small plates should not be overlooked. Choosing to take more of a foodie approach to crabhouse dining, Riptide tempts you with garlicky crab dip, mini crab cakes finished with smoked bacon cream, and the aptly named ensalada fresca—a refreshing mélange of jicama, crab, and red and green salsas. We could have used a little more crab in our crab soup, but can’t quibble with its tanginess or the plethora of fresh veggies therein. We’re also happy with the beer selection here; in keeping with the suds-centric atmosphere of Fells Point, it features a rotating cast of delicious brews from around the world. Service at Riptide isn’t as well seasoned as the crabs just yet, but the occasional slip is forgotten in the face of genuine, youthful zeal.

Schultz’s Crab House
1732 Old Eastern Avenue, Essex, 410-687-1020
The journey to Schultz’s takes you past small businesses selling outboard motors, vegetables from local farms, beauty services, and nary a big-box store in sight. When you arrive, you won’t be disappointed. This place, which opened as Shultz’s Café in 1950, became a crabhouse when the McKinney family bought the business in 1969, and current owner Steve McKinney (along with five siblings) has been sorting and steaming crabs since he was a little boy. Inside, it couldn’t be less pretentious. With dark paneled walls decorated with trophy fish and a pool table in the large bar area, it’s a worthwhile destination in our quest for authenticity. At the table nearby, a couple sat in silence, whacking their knives just so, to expertly crack the claw or break the body without splatter. Our waiter explained the notion of “fat crabs,” pointing to a dark spot on the underside to illustrate how these guys spent their time lazing on the sandy bottom underwater, plumping up all that succulent white meat. A pitcher of Yuengling, a starter of slightly spicy Maryland crab soup, and we were in another world.

SeaSide Restaurant Crab House and Lounge
theseasiderestaurant.com
224 Crain Highway North, Glen Burnie, 410-760-2200
We’re not sure why SeaSide was so crowded and loud on a ho-hum and cool Sunday night. Though the restaurant is large, our wait was more than an hour. Yet, even with the hubbub, we were never neglected. A quickly served appetizer combo kept us occupied while we waited at the bar. It included plump steamed shrimp wrapped in bacon and dabbed with barbecue sauce, truly exemplary crab balls, and a creation described as “clams casino,” which was really a half-shell topped with cheese and bacon, then baked. Once seated, service was quick. We were soon enjoying a bowl of fresh-tasting, vegetable-rich Maryland crab soup, though we could have passed on the fishy-tasting steamed mussels. And then came the crabs, which went a long way toward explaining the crowd. They were heavy with meat and crusted in a slightly less-salty-than-usual spice mix that didn’t sting the fingers. Eventually, the loudest people left the bar, and we were left to pull off claws and pry out the marble-white meat in peace.

Ships Cafe Restaurant & Crabhouse
shipscafe.net
828 Frederick Road, Catonsville, 410-744-1838
This main-street restaurant offers a meandering warren of rooms—down steps, up steps, around the corner, and outside on a deck. From our experience, the steamed crabs are the selling point here. Our server alerted us that they would take from 20 to 25 minutes to be ready. We immediately felt comfortable knowing that we were getting hard shells right from the steamer. In the meantime, we ordered Maryland crab and cream of crab soups and a generous plateful of delightful, lightly breaded fried calamari with two sauces: a thick marinara and a zesty cusabi (creamy cucumber zinged with wasabi). We’d forego the lackluster, too temperate soups next time. But we quickly forgave those disappointments once the crabs arrived—hot, delicious, and thickly coated with spicy, flecked seasoning.

Sue Island Dock Bar
900 Baltimore Yacht Club Drive, Essex, 443-460-0092
Even for those who live in the area, this relative newcomer would be considered a destination spot, tucked away as it is near land’s end on Sioux Creek off Middle River. But the trip is a worthwhile one, given the picturesque view, relaxed atmosphere, and excellent crabs. The size selection here was comprehensive, with as many as five gradations ranging up to jumbo, which must be leviathans given the girth of the larges we received. Though not the heaviest specimens, all were consistently full, well-coated with a thick jacket of salty spice. As a bonus, our dozen was a baker’s, and wayward claws were even served alongside in a tidy pile. Nightly food and drink specials (our crabs came with a free pound of shrimp, and the $4 margaritas are huge) add further incentives for far-flung customers. The fries and potato salad are excellent, the cream of crab soup less so. Apply bug repellent beforehand. When dusk comes, so, too, do the mosquitoes.

Crab & Tell
The inside scoop on customers’ quirks.

Neil Smith, owner of The Crackpot Seafood Restaurant, says he wishes he’d written down all the funny stories that have happened over the years. “One of the ones I like best is when a customer got a dozen jumbo crabs and sent back six of them because each one did not have matching claws. He said the claws should be the same exact size. If not, it was a deformed crab,” Smith says. “Another good one is the lady who sent back her dozen crabs because one fin was missing (and it wasn’t the back fin). We offered to replace the crab, but she said she had lost all trust in us!”

Pete Triantafilos, a Costas Inn owner, is always amused by “people that bring their own butter warmers” and those “eating crabs while wearing surgical gloves.” He’s also had his share of retrievals with people “losing things in crab paper—rings, cell phones, keys, etc.—and they only tell you after the paper has been put into the Dumpster,” he says. After looking through the trash, the staff later finds out “that the item was found in a purse or elsewhere,” he sighs.

Rick Bielski, who owns Ocean Pride Restaurant & Carryout with his brother Randy, says that the restaurant often gets visitors who ask for help picking their crabs. He said the servers cheerfully give lessons, but always say how hard it is to pick crabs and not eat them themselves! “We have heard out-of-towners say that they want the mud washed off the crabs, not knowing that it’s the seasoning that makes them so tasty,” he adds. There’s also the aftermath of cleanup. “We have taken apart plumbing in the restrooms to look for rings that were lost while [people were] washing their hands.”

Eric Hamilton, owner, with dad Earl, of Canton Dockside, says customers frequently lose jewelry and car keys. He particularly remembers the time a woman left her engagement ring in the pile of crab discards. By the time she came back 15 minutes later, the table had been cleared and the brown paper full of shells—and her ring—thrown in the trash. “I’m a good guy,” says Hamilton, “I got in the Dumpsters with other staff, and we found the ring.” A crabhouse Dumpster is not a place you want to be, especially on a hot summer day, Hamilton notes. “It’s post-edible stuff and dead crabs we throw away that you can’t eat.”

Christopher D. Cox, general manager at Bo Brooks, still laughs about the time a woman swore up and down in the dining room that the crabs were from China. Why did she think that? “Because they were red and not blue!” he says. He also recalls the time a group decided to “rescue” some crustaceans: “Some customers bought a dozen crabs live and decided to throw them into the water [after a couple of beers] in their own attempt to help re-populate the bay.” And then there are the bridal parties, he says, who “come in right after their group manicure and wear latex gloves in the wedding colors to pick their own steamed crabs!”

Jeff Sanders, who owns CJ’s Crabhouse and Grill with two brothers, can one-up his colleagues with this one: “We have people eat steamed shrimp with the shells on,” he says. “I want to tell them that it’d be easier without them on.” The staff does show newbies how to peel and eat the shrimp. No surprise. “They said that was a lot better,” Sanders reports.

Source

Best Crab Houses 2008

Jess Mayhugh — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:00:00 +0000

Ask Marylanders about their favorite crab houses, and you’ll likely
get as many answers as the people you talk to—from familiar places to
lesser-known joints. Everyone seems to have an opinion on where to find
the fattest Jimmys and the frostiest beer. We thought it was time again
to belly up to the brown-papered tables around town and see what crab
houses are delivering these days. (Rip Tide in Fells Point hadn’t opened
in time for a review, but we have great expectations for the new kid on
the crab block.) Here are 15 of our top picks.

Cantler’s Riverside Inn
458 Forest Beach Road,
Annapolis, 410-757-1311. Former waterman Jimmy Cantler’s restaurant is
the waterside equivalent of the authentic American roadside diner. You
know it’s the real deal if most of the clientele arrive by boat. Open
year-round, when the weather turns warm, the preferred seating is on the
outdoor deck, with open and sheltered areas overlooking Mill Creek.
Indoors, the bar and booths have a warm and rustic glow. It would be a
shame if a setting so idyllic had anything less than fabulous crabs.
Thankfully, Cantler’s crabs, from Maryland waters and the Gulf, are
sweet, fresh, and meaty, and steamed for the optimal time. Extra larges
are available, and their heft is worth the price. For crab lovers who
can’t abide picking, the mild crab cakes have minimal binding—and
minimal size. (If crab cakes will be your meal, order two.) Desserts
come from SugarBakers, a Catonsville bakery that has quite a reputation
of its own. We suspect that Cantler took one taste of the Key lime pie
and knew that it, like his crab house, was the real deal.

Harris Crab House
433 Kent Narrows Way North,
Grasonville, 410-827-9500. In these times of skyrocketing gas prices, a
day trip to Harris’s for steamed crabs is a pretty decent cheap
alternative to a vacation. Hop in the car, head for the Bay Bridge, and
in less than an hour you’re there, surrounded by lovely water views as
you pick through a pile of hard shells (mediums were heavy, hot, and
fresh) and sip on a Redhook brew. The dining room is spare and no
frills, with butcher’s paper on the tables and big rolls of paper towels
you’ll come to appreciate in the midst of your feast. And with Harris’s
view of the bay, you’re not likely to miss white-linen napery or fancy
décor. Other particularly well-prepared items on the menu include a
nice, broiled jumbo-lump crab cake and a luscious cream of crab soup you
can carry out by the quart at the takeout window. That’s one way to
keep the holiday-from-home vibe going a little bit longer.

L.P. Steamers
1100 E. Fort Avenue, 410-576-9294.
This long-time Locust Point (“L.P.”—get it?) crab joint may be pretty
worn around the edges, but its charms are considerable: superior crabs
and seafood, rock-bottom prices, and a wait staff that’s more
knowledgeable, helpful, friendly, and hardworking than any we’ve
encountered at other crab venues, pricey or otherwise. Our lovely
waitress gave us an enthusiastic refresher course on the best way to
pick, along with a frank and fair assessment of competing crab joints
and an informative discourse on the differences between Maryland and
Louisiana blue crabs (basically, there aren’t any). The staff here will
candidly tell you what’s good that night, and which crabs are the best
bargain. Our $75 crabs were huge and heavy. But you’d do yourself a
disservice to stop at hard shells. Fried seafood here is expertly
prepared with a light and crisp batter, and the steamed shellfish is
plentiful and relatively cheap. Sit up on the rooftop deck and you’ll
get a panoramic city view along with your draft beer (no liquor here,
only beer and wine). Even with the surrounding gentrification, this is
about as Bawlmer as you can get.

Mike’s Bar & Crab House
3030 Old Riva Road,
Riva, 410-956-2784. Steamed crabs your way should be the motto of Mike’s
Bar & Crab House. When the crabs get to your table, they are hot to
the touch, but mild and sweet to the taste. There are no burning lips
here, unless you set the fire. Accompanying the crabs is a bowl of Old
Bay-type seasoning, vinegar if you prefer, and drawn butter. You also
get your own roll of paper towels. South of Annapolis on the South
River, accessible by both car and boat, Mike’s is an ideal place to wile
away a long evening over crabs and beer. Part of the outdoor deck is
covered overhead; the uncovered area abuts the boat slips, and on Friday
nights, there is karaoke. Indoors or out, however, most diners have a
river view, thanks to long windows and a wonderful location. In typical
crab-house style, Mike’s is informal with long tables, a full bar, a
children’s menu, and friendly service. Many large groups—big families
with lots of generations and after-work gatherings—are among the crowd.
In addition to hard crabs, the offerings are many and varied, including
an excellent seafood platter, which can be broiled or fried, a popular
crab imperial, pork chops, sandwiches, and even pizza. But skip the
desserts; none is homemade.

Nick’s Fish House
2600 Insulator Drive,
Baltimore, 410-347-4123. Imagine a Baltimore waterfront of a bygone
era—dinghies, aging motor craft, weather-worn sailboats sporting nothing
new but their glossy license stickers … it still exists outside the
airy windows of Nick’s Fish House. This little treasure, tucked away
under the Hanover Street Bridge, may be well-known for summertime happy
hour, but it deserves a visit for the food, too. We were pleased to find
the crabs here among the best we tasted in a while. Our server
recommended the 65s (a dozen crabs for $65), which arrived positively
smothered in Old Bay and steamed to divine perfection. We ate ourselves
silly, feasting on plump and fresh Chesapeake oysters, steamed clams,
and delicately flaky tilapia. We interrupted our crab picking only to
scarf down an occasional onion ring and have a swig of beer. The
laid-back fishing shack interior encourages relaxed largesse, and the
servers work with unflagging friendliness and efficiency to take good
care of customers. We’re looking forward to our next visit, and have
certainly found the place to take out-of-towners the next time they
demand seafood with a view.

CJ’s Crabhouse and Grill
10117 Reisterstown Road,
Owings Mills, 410-363-6694. After being on Reisterstown Road for three
decades, CJ’s knows what it’s doing when it comes to crabs. Hard shells
come out of the kitchen quickly: Faster service than McDonald’s, it
seems. But what crabs. They’re coated with tongue-tingling, peppery
seasoning and full of sweet meat. The night we were there, the larges
had the most enormous claws we’ve seen. We also like the lump crab cakes
here, which are fat mounds of back fin with just enough filler to bind
the ingredients. We’d skip the mediocre Maryland crab soup to
concentrate on the crabs. CJ’s prides itself on good service, and,
indeed, the wait staff is friendly and attentive. In addition to helpful
servers, staffers come along every few minutes to empty bowls of messy
crab shells to keep the comfortable booths and long tables clean. For
non-crab eaters, there are plenty of other dishes, like burgers, pizza,
and ribs. The crisp, tender buffalo wings are particularly good. And
don’t miss the crab pretzel (crab dip smothered over a jumbo soft
pretzel). It never disappoints.

Mr. Bill’s Terrace Inn
200 Eastern Boulevard,
Essex, 410-687-5994. This is not a crab house for newbies. Diners wield
their mallets and beer with deft hands, and everyone seems to know one
another in the noisy, boisterous space reminiscent of someone’s rec
room. And be prepared to order your steamed crabs immediately. The
servers don’t mess around here. They want to get your crab decision to
the kitchen as soon as possible since the crustaceans are steamed to
order. While waiting, tuck into a delicious cup of cream of crab soup.
It’s a lush potage laced with back fin. We also really liked the
Maryland crab soup, which reels you in with its zingy, spice-punched
broth, even if there seems to be a dearth of crabmeat. When the hard
shells arrive, you’ll find them steaming hot—literally, steam billows
from the pile. Ah, but these are the reason to come to Bill’s. The crabs
are fat, heavy beauties, plump with snowy meat, and coated with a
tantalizing spice crust—better than Old Bay, we think. (Was there a
tinge of garlic in the secret coating?) You can quell the spiciness with
desserts like hot apple pie à la mode or an ice cream sundae. We didn’t
need to. We like that happy crab aftertaste.

The Crackpot Seafood Restaurant
8102 Loch Raven
Boulevard, Towson/Parkville, 410-828-1095. There’s nothing glamorous
about The Crackpot’s location in a busy suburban shopping center,
sharing space with a grocery store, coffeehouse, and other shops. Even
inside the restaurant, there’s a frayed feel to it, like the years of
diners passing through have left their mark. But what the crab house
lacks in style and polish, it makes up for in food and service. You can
count on getting great crabs here year-round, usually from Louisiana in
the off-season. They’re picked up daily at the airport and delivered
kicking to the restaurant, servers will tell you. Our only quibble is
the size ranges. On a recent visit, our extra larges were definite
mediums, but we still swooned over the hearty, spicy flavor and
captivatingly sweet meat. We also like sitting at a table by ourselves
instead of at the long communal planks favored at many other crab
houses. Service is attentive whether you’re ordering hard shells or the
impressive range of other menu entries, from surf and turf to
crazy-sounding crab cakes like the Hawaiian one with pineapple and ham.
(There’s also a 20-ounce traditional Maryland cake on the menu for
crustacean diehards.) Before your hard shells make an appearance on your
table, start with stuffed mushroom caps—a retro appetizer with a mound
of impossibly rich crab imperial on top—and what is arguably the best
cream of crab soup in town. Cold, salty oysters on the half shell keep
you going till the crabs arrive hot from the steamer. Sated with crabs,
there’s cherry, apple, and coconut cream pies and other sweet
temptations if you desire. Or, like us, just leave content on an Old Bay
high.

Reter’s Crab House and Grille
509 Main Street,
Reisterstown, 410-526-3300. A strip-mall exterior, family-friendly
atmosphere, menu from both land and sea, and weeknight specials such as
all-you-can-eat oysters or prime rib keep Reter’s popular with the
land-locked locals. For them, it’s the closest thing to a beach joint in
Baltimore County. We appreciate the peach walls, bleached-wood
paneling, and dozens of kites and other beach paraphernalia that hang
from the walls and ceiling to distract us from the view of a gas station
outside. Inside, Reter’s has something for everyone. A group of
girlfriends eating dinner at the bar can be oblivious to the table full
of someone else’s children: like the hungry Little-Leaguers wolfing down
kids’ meals served on take-home flying discs spotted on a recent visit.
Standard bar food, along with a raw bar and indulgent seafood platters,
mean that even the non-crab eaters will find something to like. The
bland crab cake, however, should be passed over for the sweeter steamed
crabs, or even something hearty, like the pulled-pork sandwich. Even the
slow pickers among you will not leave hungry. According to our
waitress, the restaurant gets its beautifully fat swimmers from the Gulf
of Mexico. For dessert, there are some caloric whoppers, such as the
funnel cake, but we suggest saving your annual funnel cake allowance for
the state fair. At Reter’s, choose one of the smoothies that, just like
at the beach, come in a suspiciously large variety of flavors. But
after one taste of the cookies-and-cream variety, we stopped asking
questions.

The SeaSide Restaurant Crab House and Lounge
224
N. Crain Highway, Glen Burnie, 410-760-2200. With crab standards so high
in our area, The SeaSide continues to stand out in the competition. Its
success is evident from the crowds willing to wait 25 minutes on a
weeknight for a table (reservations are only accepted for seven or more)
in the large, brightly lit dining rooms. A lone eater, up to his elbows
in a pile of crabs, told us during a recent visit that he eats at
SeaSide “every paycheck.” Now, there’s a testimony. The crabs are served
hot out of the steamer and encrusted with a salty, spicy coating. You
can count on them being heavy and packed with crab. The Maryland crab
soup is an admirable version, thick with vegetables, crab, and Old Bay.
The crab cakes also were first class with giant lumps, little filler,
and broiled with a crispy crust. The voluminous menu also includes crab
imperial, fried hard crab, soft shells, chicken, steak, and even lobster
tails.

Canton Dockside
3301 Boston Street, 410-276-8900.
What bills itself as “Baltimore’s newest crab house” is fast becoming
one of our favorite crab houses. We might go elsewhere if we were
hankering for a water view (although Dockside is somewhere in the
general vicinity of a dock, there’s no harbor vista), but for truly
pleasant surroundings, excellent service, and all-around solid seafood,
Dockside is hard to beat. Oh, and the crabs—big, heavy, meaty Louisiana
blues—were the best we’ve had in a while. A large part of Dockside’s
appeal is its spacious, well-appointed dining room, which still retains
the fine-dining trappings of the building’s former resident, Canton’s
Pearls. Despite the semi-upscale feel, prices are eminently reasonable
and the vibe is crab-shack friendly. The place is popping with families,
after-work singles, old and young, all getting into the act. One night
we observed a sweet young couple—obvious novices—getting pointers from
an elderly man at the next table, who kindly gave a step-by-step on how
to dismantle a hard shell. Crabs aren’t the only act—a host of
seafood-topped pastas, sandwiches, salads, and non-seafood entrées fill
out the considerable menu—but every variation of the noble blue we’ve
tried here, including a seasonal soft-shell sandwich, was primo. If you
must have outdoor dining, there’s a shaded patio alongside the building.
But with crabs like these, you won’t really care where you’re sitting,
as long as the table is loaded with the house specialty.

Costas Inn
4100 North Point Boulevard, Dundalk,
410-477-1975. Costas Inn has been a crustaceous institution for more
than 30 years, and that’s obvious from the moment one pulls into the
parking lot—the building sports several additions of varying vintage.
Costas serves up a traditional seafood menu, featuring old-school
favorites like oysters Rockefeller, stuffed lobster tail, and crab
imperial. There are also plenty of steak, chicken, and pasta choices, as
well as pit-style barbecue offerings. But it’s the crabs that folks
drive significant distances for, and for good reason. Enter the
cavernous dining hall, settle down with a beer, a table full of crabs, a
bucket for spent shells, and go to town. Costas’s house spice tastes
pepperier than Old Bay, and seems a little tangier to us as well. In any
case, we love it, and gleefully lick our fingers often. On our last
visit, we couldn’t resist starting with a dozen raw Blue Point oysters
to prime the pump, and also ordering some onion rings to add just the
right grease factor for a mid-meal break and beer refill. Costas Inn
also has takeout service if you prefer to dine at home; either way, the
staff highly recommends calling ahead to reserve your crabs to ensure
getting the size you want.

Gunning’s Seafood Restaurant
7304 Parkway Drive,
Hanover, 410-712-9404. Here’s the scoop on the seemingly never-ending
and ultimately confusing saga of the two Gunning’s: The original Hanover
Street Gunning’s is closed. Gone. Done. Over. It has ceased to be. The
Hanover Gunning’s, still owned by the Gunning family, is alive and well
and serving hot steamed crabs and those crazy fried pepper rings that
made them famous. You know, green peppers—breaded, deep-fried, and
dusted with, yes, powdered sugar. Don’t knock ’em till you’ve tried ’em.
The strip-mall location has been knocked by purists, but it’s perfectly
nice and spacious, and you’ll find that the bevy of homespun Hon-type
waitresses provide plenty of atmosphere. A platter of heavily Old-Bayed
medium (but hefty) crabs passed our own personal Hon test, as did the
massive hard crab, that over-the-top concoction of breaded, stuffed, and
deep-fried whole hard shell. Nice touches include a beautiful salad
with kicky homemade pepper-Parmesan dressing that comes to the table
instead of the usual bread basket, and good, filler-less, all-lump crab
cakes for the pickin’ shy. Nightly happy-hour specials keep the bar
hopping, but don’t be dismayed when you pull up and see the cars
spilling out of the parking lot—the dining room may be busy, but it’s
big enough to accommodate walk-ins. If you’re anywhere in the vicinity
south of Baltimore and the urge hits you, Gunning’s is as good a place
as any to sate your crab cravings.

Obrycki’s
1727 E. Pratt Street, 410-732-6399.
Obrycki’s is nearly synonymous with crabs—imperial, deviled, caked,
flaked, and, of course, steamed. Whatever form you prefer your crabs,
they are good eatin’ at this Baltimore institution. The hard crabs,
steamed in Obrycki’s own peppery blend, are meaty—at least, the large
crabs are—and make your lips tingle and the beer taste colder and better
than you could imagine. For those who do not want to work so hard for
their supper, Obrycki’s offers an ambitious and appealing menu with many
kinds of seafood. For $11, diners can add a crab cake to any
entrée—it’s a high-quality crab cake with little filler, though a
slightly greasy taste. The cucumbers in sour cream are a delicious,
cooling counterpoint to the hard crabs. Obrycki’s is a bustling, casual
place with an earthy beige décor, tile floor, and tabletops almost the
same color as the brown paper used to cover them for hard-crab eaters.
In crab-house fashion, many of the dining groups are large, and there is
much coupling and uncoupling of tables to accommodate the changing
crowd. But the tables are well-spaced, and the dining area is divided
into several rooms, keeping the noise down and the conversation up. The
service is friendly and efficient. The staff is only too happy to teach
newcomers how to pick a crab, and to give refresher courses, too.

Ocean Pride Restaurant & Carryout
1534 York
Road, Lutherville, 410-321-7744. For almost 40 years, this Baltimore
County mainstay has been enticing diners with its well-seasoned hard
shells and other seafood. Yes, parking is always a challenge, even with
an additional lot, and the crowds can be overwhelming, but the
restaurant can be counted on to deliver Old Bay-coated crabs, hot from
the pot, to your paper-covered table. Sizes vary, depending on your
visit, as do the crustaceans’ origins. We sampled some fine specimens
from Texas on a recent visit and tried not to look too shocked by the
prices. That night, larges, which our waitress recommended, were $53 a
dozen, but they were fat with meat, and we ended up with a couple bonus
crabs. If we had been feeling particularly flush, we could have opted
for jumbos in the $80-plus range. Since the restaurant cooks the crabs
to order, we had plenty of time to dip into a steaming bowl of excellent
cream of crab soup with lots of crab and a crab nacho appetizer, which
is on our must-eat-again list. Colorful nacho chips with all the usual
stuff —gooey cheese, onions, jalapeños, salsa, and sour cream—were
addictive with lots of sweet crabmeat in the savory mix. If you need a
sugar fix after picking your crab shells clean, a turtle cheesecake
comes to the rescue with chocolate sauce and caramel adding appropriate
decadence.

Source

crab houses – Baltimore Magazine

Ten Iconic Crab Houses in Maryland

Food & Drink

The Most Iconic Crab Houses in Maryland

From mounted marlins to paper-wrapped picnic tables, long live these old-school spots.

By Lydia Woolever

Photography by Justin Tsucalas

July 2024

Opening Spread: Clockwise from left, A pay phone and bucket of crabs at The Red Roost; the market at Chic’s Seafood; a marlin on the wall at Courtney’s.

The dining rooms at The Red Roost.

THE ROOF DECK AT L.P. STEAMERS

SCENES from COURTNEY’S

THE MASCOT AND MENU AT CHIC’S

OLD SALT

CRABS, PRICES, AND MALLETS AT CANTLER’S

CRABS AT MAY’S

THE FAMOUS MOUNTED MARLIN AND EXTERIOR AT SCHULTZ'S

SHORE SIGHTS AT THE CRAB CLAW

ALL THE DETAILS AT CAPTAIN BILLY’S

NOTHING BUT NOSTALGIA AT Crisfield

HONORABLE MENTIONS

IN MEMORIUM

Crabs A Love Story: The Region’s Best Crab Houses, Soft Shells, and Crabby Dishes

Opening Spread: Styled by Janelle Erlichman Diamond. Hair & makeup: Brian Oliver and model: Kyler Garner, both from T.H.E. The Artist Agency. Shot on location at Schultz's Crab House.

Food & Drink

Edited by Jane Marion

With Suzanne Loudermilk, Mike Unger, and Lydia Woolever

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT SUCHMAN

Spot Illustrations by Jason Schneider

Opening Spread: Styled by Janelle Erlichman Diamond. Hair & makeup: Brian Oliver and model: Kyler Garner, both from T.H.E. The Artist Agency. Shot on location at Schultz's Crab House.

July 2022

Scenes from The Choptank: the aftermath of a crab feast; grapefruit and orange crushes; crispy crab fritters with rémoulade and pickled vegetables; the historic entrance.

⇓ Article continues below ⇓

Crab Houses

Eldersburg

Canton

Picking just-steamed crabs at the old-school Costas Inn in Dundalk; Alfresco dining and live music at The Choptank.

Fells Point

Perry Hall

Scenes from Costas Inn: jalepeño crab poppers; steaming the crabs; rolling out the brown paper.

Dundalk

⇓ Article continues below ⇓

St. Michael’s

Towson

Sparrows Point

Dayton

Serving up steamed crab and corn at Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn; a cup of Maryland crab soup at The Choptank; the hand-washing station and the Old Bay-coated “Deck Fries” at Nick’s Fish House.

Annapolis

Broening Manor

Rosedale

Locust Point

Pasadena

⇓ Article continues below ⇓

Essex

Scenes from Nick’s Fish House: a crab feast in progress, complete with orange crushes and mallets; crabs coming out of the steamer; a basket of blues waiting to be steamed.

Port Covington

A crab cake platter with a side of fries and slaw at Schultz's.

Cambridge

Lutherville

Reisterstown

Scenes from Schultz’s Crab House: sorting and seasoning the crabs; the finished product; a table awaits you in the iconic dining room.

Essex

WHAT THEY DID FOR LOVE

Getting Picky

He’s Got Mail

Anything for Love

Think Ink

Animal Instincts

Blue Crabs

A Brief History

1600s

First and Foremost

1890

Elder Statesman

1896

In the Swim

1920s

Nice Catch

1939

The Secret Is Out

Opening Spread: Clockwise from left, A pay phone and bucket of crabs at The Red Roost;
the market at Chic’s Seafood; a marlin on the wall at Courtney’s.