One thing that our friends keep asking us is if we've been to Pappas yet. It's always been on the list, we just hadn't gotten around to it. When you talk about crab cakes, Pappas' name is sure to always come up. Since 1972, they've been a Baltimore institution, offering quality food at a fair price, with a focus on customer service. Their crab cakes are huge, and have been featured Baltimore Magazine, the Baltimore Sun, and in 2009, the Baltimore City Paper crowned them Best Crab Cake.  Located up in the Parkville area, they're well outside of downtown, but still in the heart of suburban Baltimore. So with the rave reviews coming in from all ends, we set out to see what the talk was about. Follow along as we take a journey to crab cake town!

Last week, we reviewed the Gunpowder Lodge's crab cake. We liked it so much, that we had to review one other crab-related item on their menu -- the Crab Alfredo Pizza. We've tried a similar product in the past, and were less than pleased. Everything else coming out of the GPL's kitchen looked tasty, so why not? So put your crab bib on, get your hunger in check, and continue on to see what we thought!

What's better than hiking around Gunpowder Falls and enjoying the beauty of nature that Baltimore has to offer us, than to end that afternoon with some good food and cold beverages at a local nearby establishment? Nothing! Run by the same folks that bring us Freddie's, the Gunpowder Lodge (or GPL, as it is known locally) is a restaurant with an outdoorsy theme. They pride themselves on serving fresh food and providing a specials menu that changes weekly. With all of the good looking food coming out of the kitchen, we had to see if their crab cakes were on par with the rest of the menu. How were they? Let's find out!

Joe Squared is better known for their pizzas than their crab cakes. Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, voted Maryland's best pizza, and named one of the best pizza places in the nation by both Food Network Magazine and Food Nation, it is certainly one place you can't miss when you visit Baltimore. Now with two locations (Power Plant Live! and North Avenue), Joe Squared is the place to go for a family friendly atmosphere, live music, and an extensive food and drink list. But pizzas are pizzas, and crab cakes are crab cakes. So how did Joe do? Read along and see for yourself!

So what do you do with an old gas station? Well, if your name is Richard, you buy it and turn it into a crab shack! Although, as the name implies, they are more than just crabs. Since 2006, Richard and his son had been selling crabs and shrimp at this old gas station, since renovating the location and adding a steam room and kitchen. Richard also owns The Seafood Stop, which we had the pleasure of reviewing. So while one would assume that the crab cake recipes were the same, we here at the CCR will shy away from assumptions and do what we do best -- chow down on some crab cakes! Were they the same? Let's find out!

What exactly is a laurrapin? According to their website, this is an Appalachian or Southern term commonly used to describe tasty "po' folk foods", and goes on to further describe the term as "being over the top in delectable flavor, seasoning, and texture....a memorable meal". Since 2001, this restaurant has been churning culinary delights featuring locally grown products, being one small business that supports other small businesses. They take pride in the source of their food, and their menu invites you to meet their farmers. So with so much expectation in deliciousness, one would expect the crab cakes to be nothing short of spectacular. How did they hold up? Let's find out!