Best crab cakes in nova dc area? (Alexandria, Fairfax: condos, hotels)

[Ffxdata]

Originally Posted by GleasonEd

How about Captain Pell's in Fairfax? Are their crab legs any good?

I find that place depressing. No outside seating and the atmosphere of an abandoned cafeteria.

[ersatz]

I love crabcakes but no commercial establishment makes crabcakes as good as my DelMarVa Gramma used to make. Fresh Lump Crab is the key. I have been so disappointed so many times that now I just make my own if I find a source for reliable fresh lump crab meat. So many sources for Chesapeake crab meat are seasonal but Hunters Crabs and Seaford in Grasonville eastbound after the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is open year round.

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/...yle-crab-cakes is the closest recipe i have found to my Gramma's crab cakes, substituting Ritz crackers for the Saltines listed in the recipe. Season extra with Old Bay according to personal taste!

[Bigfoot424]

I don't eat crab cakes but many friends of mine do from work. There is a guy in Front Royal, VA that used to operate a Seafood vendor truck but a year or so ago moved into a gas station to operate a restaurant. I know how this sounds but this is becoming more and more popular. It's larger than you think. These friends swear this is by far the best seafood they've ever eaten to include the crab cakes. Rated 4.9 with 118 reviews on Google so it must be doing something right. I believe they are on Facebook as well. I keep trying to link it but it keeps screwing up. It's called Talk of the Mountain Seafood.

[echo7tango]

Thank you all for your feedback. To list them, and to map them I used a URL shortener. Links are safe, I created them, I am echo7tango.

Using Google Maps addresses...

ersatz, and CLfan1977 > Edgewater Restaurant, 148 Mayo Rd, Edgewater MD

weezycom > Clyde's, M Street Northwest, Washington DC (1 of several locations)
weezycom > GAR chain (Carlyle, Sweetwater, Coastal Flats, etc.)
>> Carlyle, 4000 Campbell Ave, Arlington VA
>> Coastal Flats, 7860-L Tysons Corner Center, McLean VA
>> Sweetwater Tavern, 3066 Gate House Plaza, Falls Church VA
>> (others, see https://www.greatamericanrestaurants.com/m/)

G1.. > Stoney's Seafood House, Oyster House Road, Broomes Island MD (1 of 2 locations)
G1.. > Captain John’s Crab House, 16215 MD-254, Newburg MD
G1.. > Captain Billy's Crab House, 11495 Popes Creek Road, Newburg MD (not yet open, seasonal)

GleasonEd > Captain Pell's Fairfax Crabhouse, 10195 Fairfax Boulevard, Fairfax VA
Ffxdata > but, finds it depressing

ersatz > Hunter's Crabs & Seafood Market, 4801 Main St, Grasonville MD

ersatz > Fresh Lump Crab is the key; recipe @ https://is.gd/bXpQPT; sub Ritz for Saltines, Old Bay seasoning to taste

Bigfoot424 > Talk of the Mountain Seafood, 507 N Royal Ave, Front Royal VA


Mapped, here’s where they are:
gMap >> https://goo.gl/maps/oFwt7hJoVwtRRCVT9

This link for all restaurants on the map doesn’t show all 11 restaurants but I put a pic of it on imgur >> https://imgur.com/a/ETh4h8k.



I’ll be trying some of these. Thanks again!

[Bigfoot424]

Do a spring time ride to eat in Front Royal and do a ride on the Skyline Drive as well. Beautiful views if you've not done it yet.

[echo7tango]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

Do a spring time ride to eat in Front Royal and do a ride on the Skyline Drive as well. Beautiful views if you've not done it yet.

I’ll have to return for that!

[Mike from back east]

IMO you have to go to Baltimore for good crabcakes. I lived in NoVa for 31 years and took the 1 hour drive to Baltimore hundreds of times during those years.

I grew up in Baltimore and lived in that area for 57 years. I know crabcakes.

Faidley's is arguably the best, uptown, in Lexington Market. They can be ordered over the phone and shipped to you. The area is rough, I'd go in daytime.

IIRC both Faidley's and Snyder's (and other places in Charm City) sell a "100% Jumbo Lump" crabcake. "Jumbo Lump" is the top of the line in crab meat. Other places sell a "lump" crabcake with a few pieces of jumbo lump stuck in them amid the lesser grades of meat. Pay whatever is the price for a 100% jumbo lump crabcake.

When I fly back to Baltimore (BWI airport) for a visit I make it a point to stop at Snyder's Willow Grove restaurant for their crabcakes, which IMO are as good as Faidley's. Snyder's is very close to BWI airport, so I stay at a motel near the airport and hit Snyder's asap. I prefer my crabcakes fried and put on rye bread. Softcrab sandwiches I like on white bread. Then there's the crab imperial, essentially a crabcake in a shell with sauce; amazing flavor. Snyder's does all 3 of these dishes to perfection. I've been going to Snyder's probably 30 years....

If you've never eaten a softcrab sandwich then I urge you to do so. I know, it looks like a big spider that's been deep fried but just bite in and eat it. All of it. A blue crab becomes a softcrab when it sheds it's hard shell to grow into a larger crab and at that time it's soft to the touch and easily eaten. The flavor is delicate and crablike and just a treat.

There's another place near Snyder's, called G and M restaurant. They sell HUGE crabcakes but use a different recipe that's heavy on mustard (vice mayonaise) and thus not so much to my taste, but a lot of people swear by this place. You may like it. Hit all 3, make it a hat trick, or a crab trifecta.

[echo7tango]

Mike, sounds good and we'll likely return. A trip out to Charm City is in order. Thanks again for the advice.

[elizabeth224]

Recent event. Snyder's has new owners. Hopefully food will remain as good!

[Hal Roach]

I used to drive from Springfield to the Wharf at Maine Ave. for softshell sandwiches..basically buying from a fish market...might be worth a look for cakes.