Crab Cakes Galore

The weather in Baltimore is finally getting warmer, which means there is only one thing on my mind: Crabs. Baltimore is known for its huge blue crabs native to the Chesapeake Bay and for the sacred spice concoction, Old Bay. The two are as good of a pair as Jay Z and Beyoncé.

Crabmeat is used for all different recipes including crab dip, crab pretzels or my absolute favorite, crab cakes. For all who don’t know, a crab cake is the combination of lump crabmeat, some spices and usually some type of sauce to help keep the cake from falling apart. The end product is a buttery and flavorful patty stuffed to the brink with delicious lump crabmeat.

For all you out-of-staters and those Baltimoreans who may not be crab cake connoisseurs, I have compiled my list of the top places to chow down on one of these Baltimore favorites.

• G&M Restaurant and Lounge (804 N. Hammonds Ferry Rd.) – We’re starting off the list with one of my all-time favorites. The restaurant has a formal restaurant side and then the lounge area, comprised of just an ordering counter and a few picnic style tables. The eight-ounce crab cakes here are served either as a platter with choice of side ($18) or as a sandwich served with fries ($15). Whichever you prefer, the cakes are huge and broiled to perfection with all lump meat.
• Jimmy’s Famous Seafood (6526 Holabird Ave.) – Jimmy’s Seafood has been a Baltimore favorite since its opening in 1974. With huge portions, fresh seafood and great prices, this is a no brainer for seafood goers. The single platter highlights a family-recipe eight-ounce crab cake and side for a steal. Food Network’s Guy Fieri even had to make his way to Jimmy’s for their famous all lump crab cakes.
• Koco’s Pub (4301 Harford Rd.) – The tiny bar doesn’t scream crab cakes from its bright yellow exterior, but this quaint neighborhood favorite cooks up 11-ounce jumbo sized cakes ($24.99). Broiled to perfection and served with fries and coleslaw, this is a true sight to see.
• Pappas Restaurant & Sports Bar (1725 Taylor Ave.) – This has been a family favorite for years. My family and I are huge seafood junkies and Pappas definitely has some fantastic crab cakes. Their eight-ounce colossal lump crab cake ($19.99) is served with two sides and plenty of flavor with their special spice blend mixed into the cakes.

Though this list isn’t exhaustive, these are a few of my favorite crab cake restaurants. Baltimore is full of specialty seafood restaurants. With the bay a short drive away and the summer only a few weeks away, blue crab season is just around the corner. Whether you like your crabs steamed, broiled as crab cakes, or concocted into cheesy crab dip, go out and enjoy this Maryland delicacy.

 

Until next time. I wish you GoodEats!

 

Edited by Jared Kurlander.

The BoatHouse (2809 Boston Street)

On Nov. 18, I was invited by Downtown Diane to come and enjoy The Boathouse. I had been invited to a similar event just a few months prior so I had some type of idea what was to come. The expectations I had were completely wrong. I imagined a few samplings and some time to mingle. That by no means was the case. The food seemed to be never ending, but I’ll get to those specifics later.

The BoatHouse is a relatively new restaurant to the Canton area. Situated right on the water, the restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating (right on the water) for those nicer days. The restaurant is a two-floor open set up with tables placed around the bottom dining room and more seating upstairs. Our event was hosted on the upstairs level of the restaurant.

Once upstairs, appetizers were already plated and ready to be eaten. The BoatHouse featured some of their favorites including: oysters on the half shell, lobster mac n’ cheese and calamari. The lobster mac was decadent, so cheesy and topped with huge pieces of lobster meat. The calamari was also a huge hit. Lightly breaded tender pieces of squid fried with cherry peppers and a spicy marinara.

Lobster mac n’ cheese. Photo by Taylor Seidel/TU Student.

Oysters on the half shell. Photo by Taylor Seidel/TU Student.

After a few drinks, appetizers and some mingling, it was time for the main course. I kid you not, there was enough food to feed an army and everything looked unbelievable. I hope you all know this is a judge free zone so no judging on the amounts of food I devoured. Dinner included a spinach salad, chicken Chesapeake, hanger steak and frites, grilled salmon and a roasted penne.

Now, to make all your mouths water.

The spinach salad was such a clean, fresh way to start the meal. The salad had pears, crumbled goat cheese, bacon, walnuts, cherry peppers, roasted sweet onions and a sweet honey balsamic vinaigrette. After the salad I quickly moved on to the chicken Chesapeake, a personal favorite of mine. The BoatHouse had a nice spin on their chicken Chesapeake serving it with prosciutto and an old bay cream sauce. The crowd favorite was the grilled salmon served in a cast iron skillet with crunchy Brussel sprouts, bacon, pearl onions and a rosemary balsamic butter.

Spinach Salad. Photo by Taylor Seidel/TU Student.

Grilled Salmon. Photo by Taylor Seidel/TU Student

Hopefully these three dishes have you sold, but if not, The BoatHouse also has a pretty sweet Happy Hour including both menu specials and drink specials. Also, they have “yappy hour”, a happy hour inspired menu every Thursday that incorporates your four-legged friends. The BoatHouse also features a brunch menu Saturdays and Sundays with bottomless mimosas for only $10.

Head Chef Matt Campbell is an artist in the kitchen pairing fresh seafood with local produce. With a friendly and personable mentality, he is the perfect fit for this up and coming restaurant.

I hope you all make it a point to go out and enjoy The BoatHouse in Canton. It is definitely GoodEats.

Until next time. I wish you GoodEats!

Edited by Jared Kurlander.

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Ryleigh’s Oyster House (22 Padonia Road)

Before I begin reviewing the next restaurant on the list of GoodEats, I’d like to thank all of you. I’ve now been operating GoodEatsMD for almost 10 months and the support has been unbelievable. Without all of your help, I wouldn’t be where I am now. So, this post is dedicated to all of you, my fans. Without further adieu here is my newest recommendation.

Ryleigh’s Oyster House, the fresh seafood house in Federal Hill, has now opened a second restaurant in Hunt Valley. Located off of Padonia Road (accessed by York Road), this favorite restaurant of mine has a beautiful new home. The restaurant is chic and very modern. The interior is highlighted by a huge dining room with a focal point around the massive oyster-shucking bar. Patrons sit around the bar and watch the action. The restaurant also includes a full-service bar inside and one outside, as well as a huge outdoor dining area.

The inside dining room of Ryleigh’s including a look at the outside dining. Photo by yelp.com

The menu is focused around seafood, starting with the specials, which lists the daily local oysters available on the half shell. Ryleigh’s compiles a hefty list of local oysters, somewhere around a dozen different types ranging in brininess, texture and size. I went with the Hollywood Oysters, a local, sweeter oyster from St. Mary’s County, served with all the fixings (hot sauce, vinegar, cocktail sauce and horseradish).

Half Dozen of the Hollywood Oysters served with all the fixings. Photo by Taylor Seidel/TU Student.

A Hollywood Oyster up close and personal. Photo by Taylor Seidel/TU Student.

The appetizer list was extensive, featuring some bar favorites and seafood classics. I went with the crab dip ($13). A hot and cheesy dip served in a cast-iron dish accompanied with crunchy bread perfect for dipping. The dip was all lump crab. The waitress also suggested the crab pretzels ($11), warm crab dip served on soft pretzels.

Cast-iron Crab Dip. Photo by Taylor Seidel/TU Student.

The entrees and sandwiches carried a similar theme, providing several seafood options. The first thing that caught my eye was the fish tacos ($14): three huge tacos served with a chipotle sauce and pico de gallo. The fish was fresh and flavorful. The fish and chips ($15) made with Atlantic cod and hand cut fries was also suggested. My friend, also a Marylander, holds crab cakes true to his heart. He went with the crab cake sandwich ($15), served with lump Maryland Blue Crab and a homemade slaw. The sandwich was huge and featured a plump crab cake.

The Crab Cake Sandwich served with a tangy Tartar Sauce. Photo by Taylor Seidel/TU Student.

Ryleigh’s Oyster House had some great food. Whether you are in the Hunt Valley area or downtown by Federal Hill and are in need of some great Maryland seafood, give Ryleigh’s a try.

Fish Tacos served with house made Pico de Gallo. Photo by Taylor Seidel/TU Student.

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Until next time. I wish you GoodEats.

 

 

Edited by Jared Kurlander.

Mama’s on the Half Shell (2901 O’Donnell Street)

The next restaurant I had the pleasure of enjoying is Mama’s on the Half Shell. Located in the heart of Canton in downtown Baltimore City, this is a seafood lovers dream. Mama’s on the Half Shell prides itself on fresh and delicious seafood dishes and their amazing cocktails.

The restaurant is always packed, so come early and expect a wait. The wait may be long but the food and drinks are worth every minute.

If you have a long wait, I suggest heading to the bar and getting a drink. Mama’s on the Half Shell is known for their Orange Crush. A sweet and refreshing cocktail pairing liquor with fresh squeezed orange juice. If that isn’t right up your alley, the bartenders will happily whip up any drink of your desire.

The restaurant area upstairs is extremely cozy, with tables almost on top of one another and a huge wood fire in the back. Scattered around the dining room are old antique pictures of Baltimore landmarks.

The menu is quite overwhelming, as it all looks unbelievable. I highly recommend starting with some shellfish from the raw bar (clams, mussels, oysters). If you don’t like raw seafood, you have to try either the Crab and Artichoke Dip or the Seafood Skins. The Seafood Skins are potato skins topped with lump crabmeat, scallops, and shrimp, baked with cheddar cheese. Some of my other favorites are the Calamari, Beer Mussels and Oysters Rockefeller (baked oysters topped with cheese and spinach).

The main course is always the hardest choice. So many choices and all of them sound so good. I have narrowed it down to three of my all-time favorites. The crab cakes are amazing, served either on their own or as a sandwich. The Lobster Roll, which comes as huge chunks of sweet and buttery lobster, is unbelievable. The Oyster PoBoy – Big oysters hand fried and topped with coleslaw and tarter sauce – is another one of my favorites.

This restaurant is an amazing addition to the list of GoodEats. Great drinks and unbelievable food with an amazing atmosphere highlight Mama’s on the Half Shell.

Hopefully, my recommendations will be your top choices when you go and visit. If not, don’t be afraid to try something a little different, and please try some seafood, after all, that is what they are known for.

Average appetizers are between $8 – $12.
Average sandwich/entrees are between $10 – $25 depending on the type of seafood.

Until next time. I wish you GoodEats.

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The Oyster PoBoy

Creamy Shrimp Salad Sandwich

Seafood Potato Skins

Mama’s on the Half Shell famous Orange Crush

Edited by Jared Kurlander.