While situated near water and not on a dock (as the name may imply), Canton Dockside is one of Baltimore's newest crab houses.  The outside patio is as you would expect with a crab house: wooden picnic tables that get laid down with brown paper before a tray of Maryland's finest are presented before you.  Go inside, and the crab house feel takes on a more upscale feel.  Family owned and operated, Canton Dockside was listed by the Baltimore Sun in 2011 as one of 15 crab houses that you need to visit this summer.  If they know crabs, then one would figure they know crab cakes.  Do they?  Let's find out!

The other weekend was Honfest, which despite all the controversy surrounding it, is a festival celebrating Baltimore and the hard working ladies of the 50's and 70's with their beehive hairdos and cat's eye glasses, otherwise known as Hons.  This yearly festival brings thousands to The Avenue (aka 36th St) in Hampden.  If you were there, you were most likely distracted by all of the activities going on and all of the other food vendors selling everything from grilled cheese to, yes, crab cakes.  Even without the distractions, it may be easy to miss one of Hampden's newest eateries, Alchemy.  Recently opened back in December 2010, Alchemy bills itself as a modern American eatery, that also boasts The Avenue's only champagne brunch.  Looking to escape the heat and craziness of Honfest, the CCR stepped inside to sample what they had on offer.  Read on to see how it all went down!

The Baltimore Marriott Waterfront has to be one of the most convenient locations for a hotel around the Inner Harbor.  Located in Harbor East, it is centrally located for guests to walk as far as Canton or Federal Hill in either direction without the need to use public transportation (although if it's a hot day, you may want to take the Circulator, especially if you're looking to go up around Mount Vernon/Charles Village).  With all that there is to see and do in the area, one might scoff at eating in the hotel.  And in our opinion, we'd recommend venturing out and experiencing the true B'more crab establishments.  But if the weather isn't cooperating, or you've already been out and about (that walk from Federal Hill to Canton can be brutal to the uninitiated!), then you might want to consider staying in.  There are other seafood options in Harbor East, so is it worth hanging out at the Marriott, or should you go elsewhere?  Follow along and find out!