Yes, I know – it’s March, and you’ve got other things on your mind besides the NSA Convention! But, since the convention this year is not only in my home state, but my home town, even (yes, I was born in Baltimore, at University of Maryland Hospital, which is less than a mile from the Hyatt Regency, where the convention will be held), I though I'd give you a chance to take a little break and read about some of the wonderful things Baltimore has to offer. Maybe you’re thinking of coming to the convention, maybe not – if not, let me give you an idea of some of the great things to do in the Free State; maybe you’ll give it another thought. Let's start with the food ...
My ancestors have lived in Maryland for over a hundred years, having moved here from upstate New York (on my father’s side (we’ve actually traced back to the Mayflower – for what it’s worth)) and New Jersey (on my mother’s). Many of my Maryland relatives have lived on one of the many waterways that connect with the Chesapeake Bay; it’s a Maryland tradition to steam crabs caught fresh from a crab pot off the dock.
World famous Maryland Crab Cakes have been one of the stars of the NSA convention and biennial NSA Scholarship Foundation auction for more years than I can count. I have it on good authority that the Nolens, who have most often been the highest bidders on said crab cakes, have them shipped flash-frozen from one of several restaurants famous for the best crab cakes in Maryland.
Two of those that will ship a dozen (or more) frozen eight-ounce crab cakes to anywhere in the country are G&M Restaurant & Lounge and the Olive Grove Restaurant & Lounge (not Olive Garden), which coincidentally are a block or so apart on North Hammonds Ferry Road in Linthicum Heights, about two or three miles from Thurgood Marshall Baltimore-Washington International Airport. G&M (gandmcrabcakes.com) is at 804; Olive Grove (oliveg.com) is at 705. In addition to the crab cakes, the Olive Grove serves a dish called Veal St. Michael – eight to ten large sea scallops placed around four or five thinly sliced veal cutlets in a brown sauce, with four or five asparagus stalks and an eight-ounce lump of crab imperial in the center. You can substitute an eight-ounce crab cake or eight ounces of cooked hand-picked lump backfin crab meat, if you prefer. Check out the websites for full menus. Both restaurants are about seven miles from the Hyatt; if you decide you want to go, you may want to find someone with a car, or you could take a cab (cab fare from downtown to the airport runs about $30; I suspect it would run close to that).
There are several other excellent restaurants that are closer the hotel, in the Inner Harbor area. Phillips Seafood (http://www.phillipsseafood.com/) is at 601 East Pratt Street, on Pier 4, about a 9-minute walk from the Hyatt. Sit at Phillips “crab deck” right on the inner harbor water, in spacious dining rooms, on the “sun-drenched” patio, at the bar or in the bar lounge. The food is a bit pricey, with two four-ounce cakes costing $29 or two six-ounce cakes for $34. Phillips serves its crab cakes with a “zippy chipotle remoulade. The crab-stuffed mushrooms are a great appetizer, but if you are eating crab cakes, we recommend you start with the calamari. Phillips Seafood will be celebrating its 100th Anniversary in 2014; A.E. Phillips & Son seafood processing plant on Hooper’s Island began operations in 1914. The first Phillips restaurant was opened by A.E.’s son Brice and his wife, Shirley Phillips, in the mid-1950s at 2004 Philadelphia Avenue, Ocean City, MD 21842.
Fells Point is just east of the Inner Harbor; the hardier of you may want to take the two- to three-mile walk there. Between Fells point and the Harbor is Baltimore's Little Italy, stuffed with tons of restaurants and Italian pasticceria. Fells Point is a little further, three to four miles by cab, and has a number of bars, pubs, and several crab restaurants. You can also take the Charm City Circulator, a free bus system with four routes covering the downtown area (http://www.charmcitycirculator.com/).
Thames Street Oyster House at 1728 Thames Street in Fells Point is 6 minutes by cab and about two miles from the Hyatt Regency Hotel (or you can drive; there is parking nearby). Thames offers a nine-ounce crab cake for $26 with mustard and a non-traditional remoulade sauce, with sides of butternut squash, savory corn pudding and grilled local asparagus.
South of Little Italy and west of Fells Point is Harbor East, a trendy place where young people go to socialize and eat. Harbor East can be accessed by the free harbor area bus called the Charm City Circulator (see above). There are many good restaurants in this “new” neighborhood, and one of the most unique movie theaters I have seen, the Landmark Theater (http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/Baltimore/harboreast.htm). The theater has a bar to mix you drinks, either loaded or Shirley Temple-style, for you to enjoy while you watch your movie.
Generally chains have a bad reputation, but the Oceanaire Seafood Room (http://www.theoceanaire.com/Home.aspx) at 801 Aliceanna Street in Harbor East may be the exception that proves the rule. Located just over a mile from the Hyatt, the Oceanaire serves two five-ounce cakes for $35 and three mini-crab cake sliders for $7; sides include truffle fries and spicy red-chili calamari.
Speaking of chains, Sullivan’s Steakhouse is just north of the Hyatt, at the corner of Light and E. Pratt Streets, McCormick and Schmicks is on Eastern Avenue, just west of Little Italy, and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse is on Water Street, near the Holocaust Memorial Park and about a 12-minute walk from the Hyatt. There’s also Fogo de Chao, across from the National Aquarium on Pratt Street, the Cheesecake Factory, in Harborplace, across from the Renaissance Hotel, and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., on the harbor across from the Hyatt, not far from the kiosk for the water taxi.
I hope I’ve whetted your appetite a bit – enough for you to start thinking about comin’ to Bawlamer, hon!