Crab cakes in Baltimore

I am on the East Coast for a conference in DC this upcoming week and came a bit early to see some family and friends.

Today my brother and I went to Baltimore to get crab cakes.  From where he lives, that is about 45 minute to an hour drive.  We got a late start, went to the gym, had a swim, showered, got on the road, forgot we needed gas, went back for gas, got back on the road, listened to the GPS which gave us bad directions, re-routed, stopped to use the restroom, and eventually made it to Baltimore.  If you don't know me, this is typical of my road trip style.  The journey is all the adventure, the destination is just an added bonus.  

We found parking in Baltimore rather easily considering that there is a sports event today.  We saw a lot of people dressed in orange jerseys, which even for a non-sports fan is indicative of some event.  We walked to Lexington Market, if when you're in the Baltimore Area, check it out! It's an indoor market speckled with fruit stands and fish vendors, bakeries and florists.  There was a live band jamming and people were gathered dancing, there's so much life and soul in this city! I bounced my head to the beat of the music as we walked along in search of these legendary crab cakes.

We finally made our way to Faidleys Seafood, and the line wrapped around the perimeter of the inside of the building! We planted ourselves in line which surprisingly moved quite fast.  The smell of the fried crab cakes did not help our hunger but it did help in the pre-meal anticipation.  We got to the front of the line and ordered: 2 lump crab cakes, an order of mussels and an order of calamari.  The cashier wrote our order on the paper place mat that fit in the red tray and our food was almost immediately placed on the tray.  We chatted with Bill Devine, the co-owner of Faidley's Seafood.  He asked where we were from and I answered California.  "Are you a movie star?" he said with a smirk on his face, I giggled, "no - I mean yes yes, I am!"

We took our trays and went over to the high tables where we ate standing up.  It was delicious.  The crab cakes are lightly fried on the outside and soft and moist on the inside.  They kind of crumble and fall apart when you push your fork into them.  Each bite melts perfectly in your mouth with such simple flavors that just work together.  We slowly ate our meal, soaking the calamari in hot sauce, dipping the mussels in garlic butter and savoring each bite of crab cake just as is.  We finished our meal, very full and wobbled back to the car...it was wonderful. 

There is a definite distinction between male and female crabs.  From what I've researched, male crabs are meatier and therefore more desireable

The super crowded oyster bar

FISHY! 

Oysters are said to be aphrodisiacs...hence the red sign.  Also, this young man was shucking oysters so fast it was incredible!  

Nancy Devine Faidley, co-owner of Faidley Seafood and the "crab cake queen," she is the creator of the famous Faidley Lump Crab Cake. 

Lump crab cake from Faidley's

Calamari

Mussels with garlic butter 

"Baltimores Best" - Faidleys crab cakes + me :)