In my previous post, I talked about steaks. A natural continuation of that conversation will be seafood. Baltimore, among many things, is known for its seafood, especially blue crabs. When you come in town, you will encounter many restaurants, casual and upscale alike, serving “Maryland crab cake.” I am sorry for being a wet blanket but I have to warn you that most likely you will not be trying REAL Maryland crabs during ARVO. The Maryland crab season typically runs from June to October--- blue crabs have to be shipped in from North Carolina and the Gulf during the rest of the year. However, having said this, there is still plenty of fantastic seafood to try in Baltimore.
LP Steamers
1100 E Fort Ave.
As I mentioned, there are many places to try crabs in Baltimore. To get the quintessential blue crab experience, I recommend LP Steamers, which is only a short cab ride away from the Convention Center. This is a no-frills place, where the one and only one focus is crabs. Prepare the get dirty, don your bib and hammer away! Picking up a mallet and cracking the shells is part of the experience. As a tip, please don’t wear anything fancy or white.
Thames Street Oyster House
1728 Thames St.
This is easily my top 5 favorite restaurants in Baltimore. I love oysters and have tried oysters in many different cities. Honestly, this place is on par (if not better) than any oyster bar I have visited in LA or NYC. Its selection of fresh oysters is impressive--- usually at least around 15 different kinds. Besides the oysters, its lobster roll (though on the expensive side) is great. Ironically, I think its burger is also one of the best in the city.
Ozuo Bay
1000 Lancaster St.
Overall, I think you can’t go wrong with picking this restaurant: trendy décor, happening vibe, good wine list and wide selection of seafood. Its fancy set up and convenient location makes it an ideal venue to host a dinner. The most memorable aspect of the restaurant is the myriad of seafood beautifully displayed in an ice case for your choosing: jumbo prawn, massive lobster tails and even the hard-to-find dover sole and langoustine. I am pretty sure this is the only place in Baltimore that you can find langoustine (The Black Olive occasionally has dover soles available as well.) The lamb chops and dover sole served here are out-of-this-world delicious. However, as a cautionary tale, I have dined here three times now, and twice I thought the dish executions could have been more precise especially given the high price point.