The first "Mine" in the Silver Spring Mining Company started back in 1995 when the Silver Spring Inn in Perry Hall was for sale. Focusing on their service, in addition to the quality of their food and family atmosphere, the success of two hockey camp buddies grew into two more locations, in Hunt Valley and Bel Air. And while you can't go underground and dig for gold, you can go table-side and and find gold on your plate. No, not in rock form, but in crab cake form! Did we strike it rich, or end up with fool's gold?  Only one way to find out!  Dig in and read on!

The Rams Head Tavern in downtown Annapolis has a long history dating back to the early 1700's. You can feel that history as you make your way through the downstairs Tavern, past the Tea Room and out to the patio. And as you walk through the downstairs, check out the plaques bearing the names of the many members of the World Beer Club (of which, yours truly is a member). While known for their immense selection of beers, as well as being home of the Fordham Brewing Company (where they brewed the beer until the moved to a larger facility in 2003), you may not know that they also have some pretty decent food. Crab cakes are on the menu, so we're out to see if they pair well with the beer. Did they? Read on!

Lures is a local watering hole that prides itself on its extensive craft beer selection and regional cuisine, and has been around since 2008. They were even voted Best Hidden Gem by the Annapolis What's Up? Mag in 2011 (and we also reviewed their Chesapeake Chachos back in October 2011). Just glance around the place, and you'll wonder what they love more -- beer or fishing. The two naturally go hand-in-hand, so for now we'll call it even. But where there is beer and fish, there are crab cakes. And Lures provides. How were they? Let's find out!

Christopher's bills itself as serving contemporary American cuisine, where personal touches and quality cuisine are the cornerstones of their restaurant. When you first enter, you'll walk through the bar, and come out the other side in a cozy dining room. The atmosphere fits any mood, whether you're feeling social, entertaining friends/family, or bringing a date. But we're not here to bring a date.  We're here to sample their crab cakes.  How did they fare?  Continue on and see for yourself!

Jerry's Seafood has been seen on the CCR before, back in March when we reviewed their famous Crab Bomb.  But there were more tempting treats on the menu that drew us back.  In case you missed their first review, Jerry's Seafood has been serving seafood to the DC area for over 25 years.  Instead of serving everything that swims in the sea, they instead concentrate on providing quality instead of quantity.  While the Crab Bomb didn't exactly blow us away, we gave them another chance for redemption.  Was it worth a return visit?  There's only one way to find out.  Read on!

The Crab Cake Cafe brings a new twist to a Maryland favorite.  Located across from Annapolis High School, this establishment combines the tradition of Maryland crab with different flavors found around the country.  Everything is made fresh on the premise from scratch, ensuring the best flavor and highest quality.  Their slogan says it all "Local flavors....twisted".  Crab cake flavor inspirations come from places such as Texas, Hawaii, and New Orleans.  But fret not, the Maryland classic is still available, which is where we decided to start.  Do they truly capture the flavor of the Chesapeake?  Let's read on and find out!