Best Crab Cakes (and restaurants) in Downtown Baltimore (to buy, price)

[james777]

Originally Posted by Maintainschaos

It's a bit out of the way, but I cannot recommend 1157 Bar & Kitchen in Locust Point enough (https://www.1157barandkitchen.com/). It's super tiny, and you may have to wait for a spot, but it's one of my favorites in Baltimore.

I second this recommendation for this place. Just up the street from your hotel is Forno, a nice Italian restaurant (www.fornobaltimore.com). Also, if you like French food, you might want to try Petit Louis Bistro at 4800 Roland Avenue. It is out of the downtown area and you would need to take a cab.

[NJ2MDdude]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

Ugh........in the first 5 seconds they both resort to mallets and knives........pikers.

1. Remove the "T" shaped piece of shell from the posterior of the crab's underside, this will look more like a triangle shape for female crabs. You save the "Ts" to know how many crabs you ate, as there is one per crab, an otherwise bilateral animal.
2. With the T removed, you can take the top shell off in one quick action exposing the inside.
3. Break the crab in half along the midline
4. Remove lungs/gills and intestines....leave as much of the yellow mustard stuff as you like.
5. Remove the legs carefully where they meet the body. If the crab is a good one, the lump meat should come out when the leg is removed.
6. If the lump doesn't come out, use your little finger to scoop.
7. Crack the claw at the base knuckle with your hand and gently wiggle out the claw meat. Do the same for the other large joint.
8. The legs don't generally have much meat, so crack them at the joints and give them a good suck, then discard.
9. Always keep some Old Bay/Seasoning of your choice on your hands to flavor the meat as you go.


If, and I mean if, any of the hand techniques don't work, and sometimes they don't because the crab is scrawny and you can't get the meat out or in the alternative, too big to easily hand crack, THEN you can use a mallet to break the claw to get the meat out, or a small pick to quickly pull out the lump meat.

During summer in the 1990s, my friends and I would often go to Bohager's and order "All You Can Eat Steamed Crabs," which included MD silver corn. The corn filled us, which was ok. There's nothing better than eating sweet corn on hot summer nights. I no longer eat steamed crabs. I prefer the instant gratification from eating crab cakes.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by NJ2MDdude

During summer in the 1990s, my friends and I would often go to Bohager's and order "All You Can Eat Steamed Crabs," which included MD silver corn. The corn filled us, which was ok. There's nothing better than eating sweet corn on hot summer nights. I no longer eat steamed crabs. I prefer the instant gratification from eating crab cakes.

I had adult onset seafood allergy in my late 20s, so no more for me anymore. The last couple years I was still eating it were very rough. I got sick every time I ate seafood, especially shellfish/mollusks and blamed it on anything and everything but the food. I was in hardcore denial until I ended up in the ER, and that was that.

I went down swinging at least.

[G1..]

The Mrs is a born and bred Marylander and when we get crabs we get them from as close to the bay as we can get. We go to a place near Cobb Island called Capt John's , we've never been disappointed.

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by NJ2MDdude

If you walk to Lexington Market, take Paca Street. It's not nearly as "rough" as Eutaw Street. And the entrance to Faidley's is on Paca.

Speaking of Faidley ...I wonder when they are moving into Lexington Mkt. Faidley has that "historic" feel like Pat Steaks in Philly where it is currently located but in the new market it will certainly have a different feel.

[NJ2MDdude]

Originally Posted by Woodlands

Speaking of Faidley ...I wonder when they are moving into Lexington Mkt. Faidley has that "historic" feel like Pat Steaks in Philly where it is currently located but in the new market it will certainly have a different feel.

IIRC, Faidley's was open during reconstruction. I hope nothing has changed. It has a lot of history and charm.

[NJ2MDdude]

Originally Posted by G1..

The Mrs is a born and bred Marylander and when we get crabs we get them from as close to the bay as we can get. We go to a place near Cobb Island called Capt John's , we've never been disappointed.

Have you ever gotten crabs on the Jersey Shore? I've never had blue crab there. It just never crossed my mind.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

...who swore by claw meat in her crabcakes.
She claimed using anything else was uppity and might as well be crab imperial!

I meant to comment on this before as I completely get the points being made.
even if I also assert my right to be a back fin lump elitist.

Crab cakes were invented as a way to use up (and sell) the last of the picking table scraps.
You know Coddies? I suspect they came to be in much the same way. Yumm on both.

OP? You still reading? The next day find yourself a Lake Trout Sandwich.

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by NJ2MDdude

IIRC, Faidley's was open during reconstruction. I hope nothing has changed. It has a lot of history and charm.

I think they are moving later this year. They are the only business left in the old Market and there is a space on the Paca Street side of the new market with a sign for them "coming soon". I was in there this past weekend and enjoyed the gritty feel of the current location. That will be lost at the new one to some extent.. but I am not sure what option they have as where they are (I believe) will be torn down. I am not sure what will go in its place unless it will be a "Phase II" of Lexington Market.

As an aside.. alot of security in the new market.. bathrooms are regularly cleaned and monitored. The court yard outside the market seems to be only available when the market is open.. I parked in a garage on Eutaw and walked over.. the normal throngs of characters are still hanging around outside and someone walked up on me and tried to sell me something he had is his pocket but he what he said was *inaudible*. He along with about two dozen folks walking in circles next to the garage and in the alleys. Not a threatening environment, or I am just used to the city, but certainly very bizarre if you are not from here. There is a hotel I believe at the corner and I saw quite a bit of new development especially right next to the market so I guess we will see what happens

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by MrRational

I meant to comment on this before as I completely get the points being made.
even if I also assert my right to be a back fin lump elitist.

Crab cakes were invented as a way to use up (and sell) the last of the picking table scraps.
You know Coddies? I suspect they came to be in much the same way. Yumm on both.

OP? You still reading? The next day find yourself a Lake Trout Sandwich.

One of two diners in Frederick (Mountain View or Double T) used to have fried claw meat crab cakes that were very good. Maybe they still do, I can't order them.

That would be my opinion, if you are going to make it with claw meat, fry it and have it as a sandwich. If you go with lump, broil and enjoy it on its own with some tartar sauce or maybe cocktail sauce if you prefer.

You can't really go wrong though with a crab cake in Maryland. Order out of state at your own risk! Or better yet, don't bother and avoid disappointment.

Never heard of Coddies, but they would have been up my alley for sure. I loved salmon cakes, which Coddies sound similar too, maybe just a bit less fish?