Crab Dinner Baltimore
Oct 22nd, 2010, 08:55 AM
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Crab Dinner Baltimore
Our girls soccer team will be travelling to Columbia, Maryland for a tournament next month (November)... I'm looking for ideas of a fun place to have a dinner. We are a big group of about 45 ppl, mostly 15/16 year old girls. I like planning something local appropriate; in Philly we hit Tony Lukes and Pats for a cheesesteak challenge, had a clam bake on Cape Cod and visited Cap Cod Chip factory, and dug in to BBQ and pulled pork in North Carolina. Maryland is crab country from what I read, and so I'm hopeful that crabs are available/affordable year round and that all the experts can give me some suggestions. Its a saturday night and if necessary we can even have it cartered and brought to us. Again we will be in Columbia Maryland, and are ok with up to a 30 mins ride for a great atmosphere. Thanks all!
Oct 22nd, 2010, 09:01 AM
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Waht is your idea of available/affordable? What cost per head?
I don't think you will find whole crabs (if that is what you mean, and that is generally what people mean when they say Maryland crabs) at a low rate in a restaurant.
I don't think you will find whole crabs (if that is what you mean, and that is generally what people mean when they say Maryland crabs) at a low rate in a restaurant.
Oct 22nd, 2010, 09:16 AM
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I put crab maryland in the search bar and saw a few posts, all of which were a few years old. I did find one link that you might find helpful
http://www.bluecrab.info/crabhouses.htm
if you click on the link, you will see a photo of people holding up what people mean when they say "Maryland crabs"
If all 45 ppl intend to eat these crabs, you should probably call ahead to whatever place you intend to go.
http://www.bluecrab.info/crabhouses.htm
if you click on the link, you will see a photo of people holding up what people mean when they say "Maryland crabs"
If all 45 ppl intend to eat these crabs, you should probably call ahead to whatever place you intend to go.
Oct 22nd, 2010, 09:23 AM
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We have enjoyed the Rusty Scupper, at the harbor. It has amazing views and would be a good place for a large group to get a feel for the Baltimore atmosphere.
I wouldn't call it "fine dining", and it does get mixed reviews by foodies. It could use a face lift, but it is still a fun, friendly and 'homey' place. (Also has free parking)
Our experiences there were to treat a number of college students to dinner, and for that it is perfect.
The food has always been plentiful, good, and reasonably priced.
http://www.selectrestaurants.com/rusty/tour.php
I wouldn't call it "fine dining", and it does get mixed reviews by foodies. It could use a face lift, but it is still a fun, friendly and 'homey' place. (Also has free parking)
Our experiences there were to treat a number of college students to dinner, and for that it is perfect.
The food has always been plentiful, good, and reasonably priced.
http://www.selectrestaurants.com/rusty/tour.php
Oct 22nd, 2010, 12:41 PM
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Maybe you could make arrangements for a picnic type scenario, depending upon the weather. There should be places that will boil crabs in about six tons of Old Bay seasoning for less than what a restaurant would charge for sit-down meals. I'd be more specific if I could, but I'm working off long memory when I lived in Virginia and while at a friend's house just off the Bay, we could go to various fish sellers nearby who would prep the crabs for us.
BTW, from a potato chip standpoint, the Utz Crab chips (made with Old Bay or similar type seasoning) get great reviews but they're hard to find outside the northeast (they're over $4 per bag here in Texas at a specialty store).
BTW, from a potato chip standpoint, the Utz Crab chips (made with Old Bay or similar type seasoning) get great reviews but they're hard to find outside the northeast (they're over $4 per bag here in Texas at a specialty store).
Oct 22nd, 2010, 12:59 PM
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Thanks! I'll take a look at the Rusty Scupper. What about Faidley's or G & M?? We're a down and dirty crowd. Doesn't need to be whole crabs...I figured they'd have a season, and off season they would crazy expensive. If crab cakes are the thing, we are open to that as well. We could even place a big order and grab a spot at our hotel.
Oct 22nd, 2010, 02:12 PM
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G&M is good -- I'd call to check if they can accommodate that large a crowd. U might also check Gunnings Seafood Restaurant (7304 Parkway Dr., Hanover 410-712-9404) In November it is highly unlikely that u will be able to get hardshells from Maryland (referred to as "whole crabs" above.) Both restaurants have a nice seafood menu where u're sure to find good food.
Oct 22nd, 2010, 03:08 PM
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We often have West Coast dungeness crab parties in season and I would suggest that you not do whole crab. The dungeness crab is way bigger than the crabs in Maryland and even then some of our guests have struggled with these crabs.
Unless these 15/16 year olds are experienced crab eaters, they'll waste a lot of crab meat or else waste a lot of time trying to get the crab meat out of the legs and bodies (and end up hungry).
Crab cakes would be the way to go, but they're relatively expensive. I don't know if you could get someone, like a catering company, to do just crab cakes for you and then supplement that with potato salad, etc. on your own from a local grocery.
If you're bound and determined to do whole crab, then you should have a lot of nutcrackers and picks on hand! Also lots of napkins!
Unless these 15/16 year olds are experienced crab eaters, they'll waste a lot of crab meat or else waste a lot of time trying to get the crab meat out of the legs and bodies (and end up hungry).
Crab cakes would be the way to go, but they're relatively expensive. I don't know if you could get someone, like a catering company, to do just crab cakes for you and then supplement that with potato salad, etc. on your own from a local grocery.
If you're bound and determined to do whole crab, then you should have a lot of nutcrackers and picks on hand! Also lots of napkins!
Oct 22nd, 2010, 06:43 PM
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OMG - I have always enjoyed crab in general, then I had dungeness crab on the Olympia Pennisula and it instantly became my favorite to-die for food. I tried it a couple of times on the east coast where I live and it was not anywhere good as having it in WA.
Oct 29th, 2010, 06:21 PM
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Is this going to be during the day or at night? Faidley's is only open during the day, and you might have a hard time keeping track of 45 15/16 year olds in Lexington Market, plus it's not the best neighborhood in Baltimore.
G&M could probably accommodate you, it's a big place. But they have one good thing on their menu - crab cakes. They are great, but that is about the extent of it. It's not a crab house, just a restaurant.
You can definitely get steamed crabs in November. They are pricey, but then they are pricey all year round. Who knows - your hotel might be able to arrange a crab feast for you. Crabs go great with cook-out foods like hamburgers & hot dogs, so you could just get enough crabs for everyone to try a couple or three, then fill it out with the other stuff. You'd have to have someone that can show you how to pick the crabs, though.
I really like yestravel's suggestion of Gunning's. It's a regular crab house, and though your troops may not do well picking blue crabs if they've never done it before, they would probably get a kick out of seeing people go at it! Plus Gunning's has very good crab cakes. Gunning's is only about 10-15 minutes from Columbia.
You might also try Bo Brooks, located on Boston Street in east Baltimore, 30-40 minutes from Columbia. It's on the water, and it has a floating deck you might be able to rent, if it can be heated (that's something I'm not sure of). It's a crab house, but it also has a full menu.
G&M could probably accommodate you, it's a big place. But they have one good thing on their menu - crab cakes. They are great, but that is about the extent of it. It's not a crab house, just a restaurant.
You can definitely get steamed crabs in November. They are pricey, but then they are pricey all year round. Who knows - your hotel might be able to arrange a crab feast for you. Crabs go great with cook-out foods like hamburgers & hot dogs, so you could just get enough crabs for everyone to try a couple or three, then fill it out with the other stuff. You'd have to have someone that can show you how to pick the crabs, though.
I really like yestravel's suggestion of Gunning's. It's a regular crab house, and though your troops may not do well picking blue crabs if they've never done it before, they would probably get a kick out of seeing people go at it! Plus Gunning's has very good crab cakes. Gunning's is only about 10-15 minutes from Columbia.
You might also try Bo Brooks, located on Boston Street in east Baltimore, 30-40 minutes from Columbia. It's on the water, and it has a floating deck you might be able to rent, if it can be heated (that's something I'm not sure of). It's a crab house, but it also has a full menu.
