Baltimore Sun restaurant critic Elizabeth Large says if Baltimoreans have a Holy Grail, it would be the perfect crab house.
“It’s not just the heaviness and sweetness of the crabs and the perfect seasoning they’re looking for. Intangibles like atmosphere, water view and old-fashioned charm play a part too,” Large says.
For groups who join locals in their quest for the right crustaceans to mallet and munch, there’s plenty of wow in the discovery.
Summer is high season for the search, but considerations are much the same anytime. Should we get down and messy at a traditional crab house where you sit at papered tables and tear apart the hard shells, flinging about as much Old Bay seasoning on your clothes as you imbibe? Or is a cleaner, more sedate environment the right choice? Some are swayed by the sourcing. The iconic Chesapeake Bay blue crab is lagging in desired abundance and sometimes supplemented with alternatives from Asia and the Gulf of Mexico, as efforts continue to revive production. Top chefs cultivate purveyor relationships, to make sure they have the desired quality.
Both Large and Baltimore magazine food editor Suzanne Loudermilk say Obrycki’s, near Inner Harbor, and major group facilities like the new Hilton Baltimore Hotel is one of the best places for groups to get the traditional Maryland crab feast experience.
“Gunning’s in nearby Hanover is another good group stop,” she says. “Both have been serving up crabs for generations, and they are good places to get the real thing. But there’s nothing fancy about either place. You get a great communal experience, but expect to be messy when you’re done.”
Also at the top of both critics’ lists is Cantler’s in nearby Annapolis. “It’s a classic crab shack,” Large says. “You sit at communal tables amid lots of happy people, and have a view of Mill Creek.”
For Loudermilk, the Cantler’s camaraderie with strangers, the crabs and the water views is her “idea of a perfect place.”
Hard shells aren’t the only component in crab feasting. Crab cakes and soup often accompany the shelling.
“You can begin with corn on the cob, local tomatoes, a Maryland-style crab soup and hush puppies,” Loudermilk recommends. “Of course, beer is almost obligatory, and one of our local favorites is the Baltimore original, National Bohemian, which we call ‘Natty Boh.’ And great craft beers are easy to get because everyone is into them now.”
John Shields, a nationally known regional cookbook author, chef and host of his own syndicated cooking program, offers bay cuisine alternatives to steamed crabs at his restaurant - Gertrude’s at the Baltimore Museum of Art. “We offer patrons two or three varieties of crab cakes in the mix,” he says, “along with other signature dishes. We don’t do crab feasts, but we do cater for groups; up to 80 in view of the museum’s sculpture garden.”
For those who remain intent on the traditional Maryland crab experience, Shields recommends Bo Brooks waterside, where he says there is enough space for private dining. Classic Catering, he says, does a good job of staging feasts at sites like the Baltimore Ravens Stadium and the Baltimore Museum of Industry’s open-air pavilion “because it has a wonderful waterfront setting with great views of the harbor.”
So whether your choice for gutting crabs is a shack with lots of cracking history on its walls or an elegant setting amid art and waterfront scenery, some of the wow you find in Baltimore has to include crustaceans.
