Pelican Cove is a restaurant in Abingdon, MD (just outside Bel Air) that bills itself as a fine seafood restaurant.  But fret not, it's not all white tablecloths, matire d's, and valet parking.  No, it's about as fine seafood as you would want up around these parts, with a nautical theme.  It's not just seafood, as they do have your other standard restaurant fare on the menu as well, including steaks, chicken, and pasta.  And, naturally, they have crab cakes.  So we fought our way past the lure of Wine World, past the whimsy and challenge of Putt Putt Golf & Games, and ventured in.  Were they worth the trip?  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.

Earlier this summer, the CCR stopped by Phillips Harborplace in Baltimore to review their famous crab cakes.  Needless to say, we weren't that impressed.  But while grocery shopping one day, it occurred to us that because Phillips is such a large franchise in the area, that maybe, just maybe, overall consistency between retail and restauraunt products is what they're after.  

Phillips has a few retail offerings relating to crab cakes:  the Maryland Style Crab Cakes (being reviewed), the Maryland Style Crab Cake Minis, and the Coastal Crab Cake.  The picture on the box looks fairly similar to the crab cakes at their restaurants.  So how do they compare?  Read on to find out!

Pratt Street Ale House is home to Oliver Breweries, Baltimore's longest-running brew pub. The original building was built back in 1888, having housed the Pratt Furniture Company until 1980, when a bar by the name of P.J. Circketts was established. In 1992, P.J.'s turned into the Wharf Rat. A year later, the brewery was created, and life has been good ever since! While their beers may be delicious, we really wanted to see if their food was equally as tasty. Read on to see how this story ferments!

Price's Seafood has been serving Havre de Grace in its original location since 1944. They consider themselves to be one of the few original "Maryland" crab houses still in operation. You know you're in a legit crab house when all of the tables are lined with brown paper by default, the air smells of seafood seasoning, two different kinds of crab soup are always on the menu, and crackin' crab is the main attraction. Price's is certainly one of those locations. And a great crab house should have a great crab cake as well, right? Well, you'll have to click the link to find out!