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!

If you ever go down to visit Solomon's Island from Baltimore/DC, you may notice the Ruddy Duck on your left as you head down to the island.  Far enough away from the main strip, there may be an inkling to stop in and have a bite.  If you're a beer nerd like I am, then all it takes is the word "brewery" in the name to pique your interest.

Walking in, a sandwich board in the hostess area informed me that the Ruddy Duck's crab cakes were voted the best in Southern MD.  Well, such a bold claim certainly grabbed mine.  I mean, how could I pass up a tasty crab cake after a day of taking pictures at Annmarie Garden?  Certainly not this guy.  So were they worth all the fuss?  Check it out!

Ryleigh's Oyster started out in Federal Hill as a relaxed oyster bar with upscale cuisine. They pride themselves on making everything from scratch each day, using quality seasonal and local ingredients that support sustainability and local farmers. Recently they expanded to a second location in Hunt Valley, so we decided to check it out and see what they can do with local ingredients. Read on to see how it went!

It's not often that you come across a crab ranch. But when you do, it's nothing like you expect. Sadly, there aren't men in cowboy hats, riding narwhals corralling crabs into traps. But what it is is a local establishment in Towson that opened in 2011, featuring steamed crabs and southern barbecue. Usually, you'd expect to smell either smoked meats or Old Bay, but usually not both. But sometimes you have to ask yourself, "Why not both?" Fighting the urge to snatch one of the many trays of steamed crabs walking by our table, we decided to corral us up a crab cake and see how things are out on the Ranch. Read on to see how it went!

Schultz's Crab House is a Baltimore landmark that dates back to 1950. When Schultz's first moved into their current building, it housed three separate storefornts: the bar, a spaghetti carry-out, and an appliance store. After knocking down some walls and moving some things around, Schultz's Lounge was in business. The Lounge operated as a barroom only until 1969, when the liquor license was sold to the current owners, who then renamed the business to what we know it as today. With all of this history, in addition to the business' longevity, we would expect them to know a thing or two about crab cakes. Read on to see how our adventure was!