quintessential baltimore?
ny chowhounder heading to baltimore for a couple of days. What should I eat that I can't get in NYC? or maybe something that's just a whole lot better than nyc? Things that come to mind are crabs and crab cakes but I'd guess the season isn't really in full swing until june/july. How about baltimore pit beef?
all suggestions welcome.
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Like to get crabs at Frank's in Jessup on Oceano off 175 running east of Toute One right next to the Wholesale Seafood Market. Make my own cakes, and with McCormick's crab cake mix it is as easy as pie. King's Kabob on the Avenue in Hampden has bab ghanouj, chicken kabobs, and fresh-baked Middle Eastern bread as as that to be obtained up there in the town so nice they named it twice at well-below Big Apple prices. Angelo's at Keswick and 36th also in Hampden offers ginormous slice of thin-crust slices at Baltimore prices. The Lexington market is quite safe IMO, and Andy's offers gut-buster cheesesteaks for a very reasonable price. Since I am a cheap bastard, I often get my oysters on the half shell on the cheapside West market, rather than paying estra at Faidley's on the east side. Finally, i would recommend the taramasalat and beef tas kabob at Ikaros in Greektown on Eastern Avenue even though I am aware that NY, NY is noted for its Greek cuisine.
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Two 'only-in-Baltimore' treats:
Pioneer Pit Beef is literally a shack underneath the highway. Order the beef medium rare, they will give you a sample. My standard is a sandwich with tiger sauce, but I have been known to order it by the pound and eat it straight.
Bill's Terrace Inn for pickin' crabs. They open at 4pm. Get there early or expect a serious wait.
You'll need a car for both.
There is also this thread:
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re: Steve
Dennis S
Apr 20, 2011 10:20 AM
I second Pioneer - just make sure it's not raining.
I also dissent against G&M - nice interior but not a good crab cake. However, on a different token, just down the road (within eyesight) of G&M is Snyder's Willow Grove. Basically this is a time machine to the 40's or 50's for some good homestyle food. Their fried chicken is good. This is a Hon type of place (where they may call you Hon).
I do like Faidley's, and no you shouldn't worry about Lex Mkt - especially coming from NYC. When I go I actually go more for the spicy fried chicken (numerous places, though I prefer a place against the far wall).
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Snyder's Willow Grove
841 N Hammonds Ferry Rd, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090Lex Cafe
111 Massachusetts Ave NW Ste Bsmt, Washington, DC 20001
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If you're shooting for "quintessential" Baltimore pit beef then you have to hit up Chaps. It's a little pit beef shop in the parking lot of a strip club. Best pit beef in the city. If you want a crabcake then (as previously mentioned) Faidleys is a good spot. You could also drive a bit outside the city and hit up G&M's. It's not Baltimore at that point but their crabcakes are killer.
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re: doperry
I couldn't disagree more, Chaps is pretty tasteless as are G&M foreign crab meat crab cakes.
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For good crab cakes:
Henninger's Tavern, Fells Point (www.henningerstavern.com
)Dudas, Fells Point
Mamas on the Half Shell, Canton (www.mamasmd.comyou also want to try "steamed shrimp", you usually see that in NYC as "peel and eat shrimp" served cold but these are piping hot, cooked to order!
this is a good no nonsense place to eat too:
The Dizz, Remington (www.thedizzbaltimore.com)-
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re: JonParker
baltoellen
Apr 23, 2011 10:29 AM
I actually don't think that Pioneer is the best. I think Beefalo Bob's, the one that's strictly carry-out as opposed to their sit down place, wins hands down.
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Beefalo Bob's
107 Mountain Rd, Pasadena, MD 21122-
re: baltoellen
Don't get down to Pasadena, so I can't have an opinion on Beefalo Bob's. Piooneer's pit beef is very good IMO, but perhaps the Route 40 west Ellicott City branch of Canopy is slightly better. Wish I could remember the name of that pit beef place on 40 further east than Chaps. All are quite good, perhaps with gas costing almost four bucks a gallon the best policy might be to patronize whichever is closest. Fieri glommed onto Chaps because he is the Great Touristic Diner and hits the obvious spots, but opften misses the smaller, less well-known gems. Just one man's opinion.
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re: elgringoviejo
What I find interesting about the Canopy website is that the beef they are slicing up looks overcooked, medium-well.
The only reason why I always direct people to Pioneer is that when I lived in Baltimore for one year, many moons ago, I tried a couple of pit beef places and was underwhelmed. When I read that City Paper thought that Pioneer was best, I gave it a go and the difference was like night and day. I will have to try Canopy or Beefalo Bob's one of these days.
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Beefalo Bob's
107 Mountain Rd, Pasadena, MD 21122 -
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re: hon
I like the fact that they serve Ocean fries with what is IMO a perfectly decent pit beef. I would go to Pioneer when I am in the Rolling Road neighborhood and Canopy when in Ellicott. BTW let me put in a good word for the pit beef at Little Texas at 8014 Pulaski Highway in Rosedale.
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re: elgringoviejo
little audrey
Apr 23, 2011 05:50 PM
I agree with elgringoviejo - Pioneer is good but really not any better than Canopy. I guess I expected to get my socks knocked off after all the raves, but it's just beef on a bun. Plus Canopy has my favorite fries, Md. crab soup, mac & cheese and other things. Heck, maybe they're the quintessential Md. casual eating experience. Either that, or a lake trout/chicken box place.
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re: Steve
baltoellen
Apr 23, 2011 03:55 PM
The one in Pasadena on Mountain Road is strictly carry out. The other one is in/around Curtis Bay. (I've only had pit beef from the Mt Rd location. I do know that the CB location doesn't have the same sort of smoker, so why bother....)
I've been to Pioneer a couple of times, and while I think they make a very good beef sandwich, I've never detected much of a smokey flavor.
I'll be interested to learn what people think when they get to Beefalo Bob's. (And, yes, I know that Pasadena is a haul for many of us--myself included--but at least pit beef is cheap eats, so it all balances out!)
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Beefalo Bob's
107 Mountain Rd, Pasadena, MD 21122
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I am not a Baltimore local, but Faidley's at Lexington Market is well worth checking out. The market is a big, hopping sort of place and Faidley's is a perfect bit of Americana. The crab cakes are meaty and delicious, though they do vary a bit. But eating a crabcake and a dozen of the best oysters I have seen in a good while make a truly great lunch, even if there is only room to stand while you are eating. Faidley's is Baltimore to me.
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Lexington Market
400 W Lexington St, Baltimore, MD 21201›4 Replies-
re: Ziv
If you go to Faidley's, try to go on a Saturday afternoon, between noon and 2:00. They have live music in the market and it's always a lot of fun (full discosure - I'm a musician and my band has played there a few times.)
If you want a cheap beer while listening to the band, go to the little pizza joint there. It's something like $2.75 for a Heineken.
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re: vinouspleasure
I see families with kids there every time I go. It's not the nicest area, but it's pretty safe. The kids might see some homeless people and drug addicts - probably nothing they haven't seen in NYC.
The market is also very close to the church where Edgar Allen Poe is buried. You and the kids might like that.
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