The Stanford Grill is a relatively new location in Columbia, having opened up about a year or two ago.  As they say, food is their passion, and they pride themselves on fresh, handpicked ingredients, prepared in an open-air kitchen.  Unless you've heard about it, you may not even know where this place is, seeing as how it is tucked away behind the trees.  But once you find it, you'll be greeted with great ambiance and a culinary adventure.  So how did the crab cakes turn out?  Read along and see for yourself!

Hellas is a local Greek restaurant, located off of Veteran's Highway in Millersville.  But what you may not know is that Hellas is part of that well-connected ring of Greek restaurants that serve some of Baltimore's famous crab cakes, that you may think they all come from the same place.  (We're talking G&M, Timbuktu, and Romano's.)  But, while each may have a similar crab cake, they are all individual establishments, serving their own version of our beloved delicacy, as noted in a MD Gazette article from 2007.  So do Hellas crab cakes live up to the legend?  Let's find out!

We'll bet you didn't know that Pizza Boli's started over 25 years ago up in the Baltimore neighborhood of Mount Washington.  Nowadays, they have over 70 stores in the MD, VA, PA and DC area, being voted best pizza by the Washingtonian Magazine, and touting that they offer more product variety than any other major pizza chain.  They are also innovators in recyclable container technology with their SmartBox pizza boxes.  Along with that, one of their newest pizza offerings is the Old Bay Crab Pizza.  Being a Baltimore company, one is going to probably assume that they know a thing or two about crabs.  (Isn't that usually the case?)  So how did their newest pizza offering turn out?  Let's find out!

Lewnes' Steakhouse is an upscale steakhouse in the Eastport neighborhood of Annapolis, serving only the finest U.S. Prime aged beef, amongst other tasty treats.  While there have been many renovations and ownership changes throughout the years, the location as a business dates back to the early 1900's.  

To walk past this establishment, you may never think twice about what lies inside.  From the outside, you can really only see the bar area.  But step inside and ask for a table, and you'll be whisked away to a cozy booth with white tablecloths.  And that is where your experience begins.  But they're not just all about steaks.  They also offer crab cakes.  Should you choose between one or the other?  Let's see if we can't help you decide!

When Marylanders go "downy ocean, hon", one popular destination to go is Seacrets.  If you are not familiar with Seacrets, then you may want to pay them a visit at least once in your life, if for the atmosphere alone.  Seacrets has something for everyone, from a restaurant to a tiki bar to floating tables in the bay, and yes, even live music and a night club.  Billed as Jamaica USA, Seacrets is that little island paradise in the middle of Coastal Highway, complete with sand everywhere and palm trees.  Spend any amount of time there, and you'll eventually get hungry.  Dare you leave and go elsewhere, possibly with a wait (especially true if you are visiting in-season)?  Or do you stay put and let the good times roll?  Allow us to make your decision easier with our review of their crab cakes.  Worth the stay, or should you ship out?  Read on and find out what we thought!

The Corner Stable has been around since 1972, proudly boasting that they serve Baltimore's best ribs at their location on York Rd. in Timonium.  If you've ever been, then you know what a unique place this is.  A small, somewhat triangular, shack alongside a busy road; limited parking wherever you can find it; and horse racing decor on the inside.  It was usually dark, and what most people would consider a dive.  But look past all that and check out the line waiting to get in, sometimes overflowing outside.

Ribs is certainly what they are known for, and if you haven't been, then you are missing out.  My family has been going to the Timonium location at least once a year for a long time now.  No matter how far away we move, we still find a way back to enjoy those delicious ribs.  But, a few years ago, the restaurant was sold to new owners, and the secret rib recipe passed on.  The new owners also expanded the menu, offering Maryland's beloved crab cakes, and recently opened a second location in Columbia.  So do the crab cakes stand a chance in the shadow of their famous ribs?  Read on and find out!

What hasn't been said about the Phillips empire?  We here at the CCR have reviewed many of their products, both at one of their restaurants, as well as their retail offerings.  Love them or hate them, they are a big part of the Maryland seafood scene, and are here to stay.  Locals tend to write them off as being too "touristy".  Those very same tourists have heard nothing but good things about Phillips, and come to our town intent on sampling their offerings.  Either way, you will have had them once in your life, and could use them as a baseline for all things seafood related.  

BUT --  you read the label on the box a little more closely.  Coastal cakes.  What does that mean?  Crab cakes are advertised as such, and often time are described further as 'jumbo lump' or 'lump'.  Just to be clear, the coastal cakes are the "lesser" offering.  Made from flake and claw meat, as opposed to the prized backfin and jumbo lump.  Clearly, based on crab classifications alone, they can't be better.  Can they?  This, dear readers, is what we set to figure out.  Follow along and join us on an eye opening quest.

One thing we always wonder here at the CCR is just how good a retail crab cake can be as we are roaming the grocery store aisles.  One past reviewee was Bloom, a niche chain of supermarkets operated by Food Lion (AKA Food Kitty).  The ones in a past review were the ones you could get fresh at the seafood counter.  Shop a little further, perhaps into the frozen food aisle, and on your way to Ben and Jerry's latest flavor, you might just notice the Taste of Inspirations crab cakes.  Calling.  Beckoning.  Wanting to jump into your shopping cart.  And then you think, "What would the CCR do?"  Well, the CCR has been in that predicament.  (Cherry Garcia and Half Baked, if you must know)  And those Taste of Inspirations cakes did fall into our cart.  How were they?  Read on and see how it went down!

So you are staying in Annapolis, perhaps for a meeting or a conference.  There are lots of places to stay in this area.  But you, lucky traveler, got to stay in the Doubletree Annapolis.  Ah, yes.  Comfy bedding.  Attentive service.  Everything that you've come to expect from the Doubletree.  So, now, your thoughts turn to dinner.  Maybe you have a rental car, maybe you took a cab.  Annapolis Town Center is right across the street.  Maybe you could walk.  Or, maybe, just maybe, you could hit up the hotel restaurant.  Maybe, perhaps, Ports of Call.  But every other time you have patronized the hotel restaurant, you always wondered "Why?" afterwards.

Well, let me tell you about Ports of Call. The chefs there are well versed in local cuisine.  Unbeknownst to you, the Executive Chef has won many honorable achievements, such as 1st place for his Vegetable Crab Soup at the MD Seafood Festival 3 times.  Or that he has taken 1st place for his Cream of Crab soup in the very same festival 4 different times.  And his Executive Sous Chef?  A food champion himself with the American Culinary Federation.  So they have the staff all set to prepare you a gourmet meal without leaving the premise.  With this culinary dynamic duo at the helm, one would think crab cakes should be a slam dunk.  'Nuff said (as they say in the old Adam West 'Batman' series).  So did they?  Read on and find out!

Happy New Year from the Crab Cake Review!