best crabcake in maryland??
where is the sweetest crab in maryland and the best crabcake?
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monkeyrotica
Jul 2, 2011 06:42 AM
Just inside DC, Sullivan's Seafood sells an excellent non-traditional 1/2lb crabcake sandwich. No filler, little mayo binder, with small shrimp mixed in, fried not broiled. They also do a $20 1-pound crabcake, but I've never been that starved for crabcake. Carryout only, across the street from Cap City Diner in northeast.
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I have lived in Baltimore all my life and with a few exceptions (2-3) I have eaten all the crab cakes listed below . I am going to get slammed for this however I do like G&M and By the Docks in Essex. Both crab cakes are very good and both have been very consistent . As to "The Best" it is a personal thing. I also have never been to Smith Island so I cant comment there. However someone from Maryland can tell the difference from a Maryland crab and a crab from say North Carolina the meat is just plain sweeter.
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By the Docks
3321 Eastern Blvd, Middle River, MD 21220›4 Replies-
re: strawbrryfld
I'm a G&M and Timbuktu fan also. G&M has recently added mustard. Tasted it only once and not sure if I like it. I will give it another try like today perhaps. Lump Meat is what I go for. I don't care whether or not it is seasoned . I have my own seasoning that I like to address my crabmeat with either in cake form or shelled. Two Parts salad dressing, one part mustard, and Old Bay to taste. If the crabs are really good, I melt butter and scoop out a hole in the middle of the sauce and pour the butter in the middle then I drag the crab meat across. G&M has recently added mustard. Tasted it only once and not sure if I like it. I will give it another try like today perhaps.
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Since this topic has risen to the first page again . . . Husband and I went to The Narrows on September 12, 2008 and had cream of crab soup and crabcakes that were unremarkable.
The cream of crab soup was thick to the point of almost pudding consistency, and even adding the sherry didn't help (although sherry is a nice touch that too many restaurants neglect). To the restaurant's credit, it wasn't thick from a flour or cornstarch thickener, but (I imagine) rather the cream. However, for all that cream, it lacked sufficient flavor and crabmeat.
The crabcakes had identifiable filler and were short on lumps of crab, having more of the shreds of crabmeat from the less delectable parts of the crab.
Maybe we can write it off to a bad day or being on the late side for lunch (1:30 PM) or being late in the season, but it was a disappointing trip across the bridge expressly for those two items.
Annapolis Seafood Market's cakes are much better than the two we were served that day.
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re: Denise
monkeyrotica
Aug 17, 2009 04:07 AM
August 17 2009 update: stopped by The Narrows on the way back from Rehoboth. The crabcake had substantial amounts of filler and no lump crab meat was identifiable. It looked like it was mostly backfin shreds. They also went a little overboard on the mayo binder. I opted for the crab/tomato/vegetable soup; they went heavy on the Old Bay, but I didn't mind so much because I love Old Bay. Others might find it distracting. Very little crabmeat present in the soup, but there was a lot of cabbage (?!). Great view of the ships docking, excellent service, and a convenient location if you're headed back from the beach, but I doubt I'll be back. The Crab Bomb (or even the regular crab cake) at Jerry's in Bowie is much better: no filler, little binder, predominately lump crabmeat. The crabs may not be from the Chesapeake, but to me, it's tastier than what they're serving at The Narrows.
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re: enots
Wegmans, for realsies?? I had one, I didn't think it was much to sneeze at. I mean if I had to choose between theirs and say Eddies, I'd definetly take Eddies over theres. I thought the Wegmans Crab Cake was kind of small too. Well OK it was 4oz, but 2 each their own. Wonder where Wegmans gets their Crab Meat for their Crab Cakes...
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re: monkeyrotica
Joe H
Aug 17, 2009 08:11 AM
monkeyerotica, I am really sorry to hear this. We've been stopping at the Narrows once or twice a year for over ten years and have never had a bad experience with either the crab cakes or the cream of crab soup. I have never cared for their red crab soup, however. They charge a lot of money for their crab cakes but we always felt it was justified because there was so much local lump crab meat. When I read a post like your's I wonder if there has been a change in the kitchen or management. We'll be stopping back by there in a few weeks and it will be interesting to see what kind of an experience we have. I am sorry that your's wasn't exemplery.
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CrabCakeGuy
Sep 19, 2008 07:57 PM
Here is my list of the best places in the Maryland are to eat crab cakes....
Annapolis: Cantler's
Eastern Shore: The Narrows Restaurant
Baltimore: Timbuktu Restaurant & Lounge with Koco's Pub a close second
D.C.: Clyde's of Gallery Place
Fredrick: May's RestaurantI think The Narrows has the top in Maryland but I would love to hear other recommendations and local favorites!
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Living here all of my life I have two rules when it comes to crabs/crabcakes:
Crabs: Must be heavy. I go to Bill's Seafood in Perry Hall.
Crabcakes: If I find a shell, even the tiniest one, I will never order it from that place again. I will only order a crabcake from the Olive Grove in Linthicum.
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re: ko1
I'd rather have lump meat broken apart than a shell. It's just always been a pet peeve of mine. It's bad enough when you're picking crabs to have to avoid them, I certainly don't want them when I'm paying $15 or up for a crabcake. Again, that's why the only place I'll get a crabcake is Olive Grove. Everywhere else I've gotten a shell.
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Hi, just recently returned from a day trip to Smith Island and the crab cakes there are so different. definitely among the best I've tried. They are creamy and seem to have more mustard in them. I browsed a cookbook and saw that they use cake or all purpose flour instead of bread crumbs. I rather enjoyed them and only wish I had purchased the cookbook.
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In my humble opinion, Jerry D's in Parkville makes a wickedly good crabcake. And, a very low priced option to boot, the Bel Loc Diner on Joppa Road and Loch Raven Boulevard in Baltimore makes a "from scratch" batch of very fine Maryland Crab Soup, which is their special every Friday night. Consider stopping in for one or both sometime soon, you might just be surprised.
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A relevant article in today's (August 10, 2006) Baltimore Sun:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/loca...
In case the link doesn't work on a future date, according to the article the best crab cake in MD is found at the Drum Point Market in Tylerton on Smith Island.
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re: charmedgirl
Joe H
Aug 12, 2006 03:24 AM
There is a charm and a romance in a crab cake from the English accented Smith Island. Unfortunately, the author makes the mistake of comparing the Smith Island crabcakes to G & M which I think are very poor examples of Maryland crab cakes (G & M uses the less sweet Indonesian crabmeat along with a fair amount of filler). I've eaten my way through Crisfield-actually through the entire Eastern Shore and still believe the Narrows on Kent Island have the best. I also question the "softball size crabcakes for $7.50" and wonder if either they use Indonesian crab meat or if they have a lot of filler. In 30+ years of eating crab cakes all over Maryland I still have not found a "bargain." As far as I am concerned you get what you pay for and Maryland-home bred and grown Maryland blue crab meat is expensive. Simply, I don't trust a "soft ball size crab cake" to A/use Maryland crab meat B/be nearly as good as a crab cake that is smaller which uses Maryland lump
crab meat.
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Went to Timbuktu on Sunday for the first time in about five years, and the broiled crabcake sandwich ($10.95 - I think) was very good. They had just put in a tray of crab cakes to cook, so the sandwich was fresh and hot. Lots of big lumps, and very little filler. Not overly spicey, but I'm sure I could have gotten some Old Bay on the side.
No side was included as it is at G & M, so I'm not sure if Timbuktu is owned by the same family, and I didn't think to ask for even lettuce/tomato, but I would return in a minute for the crabcake. I'd probably ask to have a fresh one if it seemed they were sitting around for a while. I also had a cup of pretty good Maryland crab soup as well.
Thanks,
Kevin
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Joe H
Aug 9, 2006 03:36 PM
Jerry's no longer uses Maryland crab in either their crab bomb or their crab cakes. I first raved about Jerry's about five years ago on here. I still like it but it is no longer the best either. I believe the Narrows in Kent Island is superior to Jerry's crab bomb as well as G & M (which I actually do not like that much), Faidley's (very good but their fish sandwich is better than Horace and Dickie's), Angelina's, Stoney's, Suicide Bridge, Waterman's, Captain's Table (Ocean City) and countless other places that have crab cakes.
My wife, having eaten at most of these with me, disagrees and likes Angelina's.
I wrote this about two years ago and for those of you that haven't seen it you might enjoy it:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/171420?user_name=&query=suicide+bridge
This is a "companion" piece that I wrote two weeks later:
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monkeyrotica
Aug 9, 2006 01:11 PM
I'll third the rec for Jerry's, particularly if you don't like filler.
Also Kaufmann's in Gambrills does a decent crabcake.
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re: beachgirl54
I recently had a great crabcake sandwich at the Jerry's in Lewes. I didn't go for the bomb but the sandwich was just right. I was quite surprised to find out its a chain and that they don't always use local crabs. I think there is also one in Gaithersburg.
The only other place I go for a crabcake rather than make it myself is off Rt. 50 on Kent Island at The Narrows. Not cheap either but has always been one of the best.
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As much as I like going to Faidley's, I do have to admit that it's got too much filler, and the filler (they use saltines) is too gummy for me. It's more of a down n' dirty experience rather than eating a great crabcake.
cf folks in DC is easily my favorite.
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Lowbar
Aug 8, 2006 08:41 PM
the lump crab cake at Faidley's, Lexington Market is the hands-down favorite. There are others people like but none as good as this.
the "sweetest crab" is kind of up to the crab itself, but you will generally find local crabs to be the sweetest. increasingly sweet from gulf to carolina to maryland. there have recently been several threads about good crab places very recently...Kelly's, Bo Brooks, Mr. Bill's Terrace Inn, Costa's Inn are four I like.
I HUMBLY AND IN A MOST POLITE MANNER SUGGEST that folks start using the search feature here.
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re: Lowbar
The Chowhound Team
Aug 9, 2006 05:59 PM
Some off topic discussion about asking people to Search has been moved over to our Site Talk board. You can find it here: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...
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re: Lowbar
Fadlieys has been in the Lexington Market since the 1800's.
The cakes are a real slice of OLD Baltimore, one of he best mid day experiences in town,
Lunch at the Lex. Nattyl Bo the local brew, a couple cakes, a short walk to the ball park or Inner Harbor,You have to stand up to eat ,but the cakes are made with the owners loving hands
My personal favorite was, and still is "THE PIMILCO HOTEL JUMBO LUMP OR BACKFIN"
The bad news is "The PIM" is gone, the good news is The Original Receipe Ccab cake is alive and well.The chef's son is carrying the torch, delivering by mail (sent me a box of 24 in Mexico City).
If anyone would like contact info, let me know. -
re: Lowbar
kukubura
Aug 19, 2009 05:39 AM
Man, I wish Faidley's was still as good as you say. It's gone so far downhill I don't think I'll ever go back.
I particularly like the crab cakes at Pappas in Parkville. There are a few other highly recommended ones I still need to try.
edit: whoah, zombie thread. Yeah, three trips to Faidley's in the last year or two and I'm through. It's gone to hell.
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re: kukubura
monkeyrotica
Aug 19, 2009 06:50 AM
Never tried Faidley's but I had a suprisingly tasty crab cake at Ikaros. I had it as part of a seafood sampler platter; the rest of the seafood was just okay, but the crabcake was just the way I like it: lots of sweet lump meat, hardly any filler, no noticeable mayo binder, just the right amount of Old Bay.
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re: monkeyrotica
kukubura
Aug 19, 2009 06:57 AM
Interesting. Not a place I would have expected a good crabcake. You mentioned the "right amount of Old Bay." That reminds me of the one time I tried Duda's. It had a nice consistency but it had so much Old Bay it was like eating a salt lick. I should have sent it back.
I remember liking my crabcake at Dizzy Issie's or whatever it used to be called. Now it's The Dizz and I haven't been since it changed. But the crab bisque there was as salty as the crabcake at Duda's was. Someone is selling salt by the ton around here.
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