Angelina's, Classic Crab-Cake House on Harford Road in Parkville Since 1952 - Closed (But Shipping Mail-Order Under New Owners)

[Joe H]

I received, for Christmas, the John Folse Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creole Cuisine, which I really, really craved.

It's a great book but the crabcake recipe calls for 1 cup of crumbs to one pound of crabmeat. Not to mention bell pepper, celery, and onions.

Ewwww.

No, no, no, no. Mustn't do it.

Louisiana crab cakes have nothing in common with Maryland lump crab cakes like the Narrows, etc. Perhaps interestingly Angelina's in Baltimore, for years (perhaps decades!) was considered the home of Bawlmer's best crab cakes. They actually published the recipe on their website (www.crabcakes.com). I was going to link it as part of this post but it's gone! Gone! Angelina's has new owners and not only has the food gone to Hell (I was there a couple of months ago and will not return...) but now they no longer want people to know how to CORRECTLY make the crab cakes they no longer make.

Anyway, the best crab cake on earth is at the Narrows in Kent Island. I'm not a fan of G & M (actually, really dislike this place!), do like Faidley's, Stoney's in Broome Island, Captain's Galley in West Ocean City (Crisfield closed), Suicide Bridge, Waterman's (Rock Hall) and a few others.

But nowhere in Louisiana for crab cakes.

[Pool Boy]

Louisiana crab cakes have nothing in common with Maryland lump crab cakes like the Narrows, etc. Perhaps interestingly Angelina's in Baltimore, for years (perhaps decades!) was considered the home of Bawlmer's best crab cakes. They actually published the recipe on their website (www.crabcakes.com). I was going to link it as part of this post but it's gone! Gone! Angelina's has new owners and not only has the food gone to Hell (I was there a couple of months ago and will not return...) but now they no longer want people to know how to CORRECTLY make the crab cakes they no longer make.

Anyway, the best crab cake on earth is at the Narrows in Kent Island. I'm not a fan of G & M (actually, really dislike this place!), do like Faidley's, Stoney's in Broome Island, Captain's Galley in West Ocean City (Crisfield closed), Suicide Bridge, Waterman's (Rock Hall) and a few others.

But nowhere in Louisiana for crab cakes.

We have friends that live within walking distance of Angelina's (which recently celebrated it's 56th anniversary), and I am told the restaurant is again under new management, this time for the (cautiously optimistically) better. Here's an abbreviated report from them --

....We haven't been in well over a year. Now under new ownership since August. But the word is getting out slowly. There were only 2 other couples in there besides ourselves. Supposedly, they expect a big Valentine's crowd tonight. Reservations only. Couples only.......There is new wooden flooring, and the walls have been returned to their original dark green and cream white. Very clean. The menu is the same. There seemed, to me, less emphasis on the Italian part of the menu........(The) cup of Cream of Crab was fantastic. Big lumps of crab meat within. (The) Crab Imperial was rich, and there was a lot of it. (The) broccoli and baked potato sides....were good. Now, the test. I had an 8 oz Crab Cake ($22) - broiled. It was good. A little dry perhaps. I forgot to ask where the crab was caught. Texas and Carolina crabs do taste differently to a true Chesapeake Bay denizen. But it was good. Not exactly as I fondly remember, although (they) assured (us) that it was the original recipe.

They are trying hard. They are coming back. And so are we.

We'll probably head back in a bit to see how things have progressed ourselves (probably with these friends, too) and report back. As an aside, it appears that the www.crabcake.com website is separately managed from the actual restaurant (at least that is what the website says at the moment when you click on the contact us link).

[Pool Boy]

While I have not been in at least 4 years, we did go once with our friends to the 'new' version of the restaurant, and the nicest thing I could say about it was 'Meh.'

Googling around shows that this place is now closed.

Fortunately, from Google Street view it looks like Mastellone's across and up the street still seems to be in business. Whew.

[DonRocks]

While I have not been in at least 4 years, we did go once with our friends to the 'new' version of the restaurant, and the nicest thing I could say about it was 'Meh.'

Googling around shows that this place is now closed.

Fortunately, from Google Street view it looks like Mastellone's across and up the street still seems to be in business. Whew.

Yes, the restaurant has been closed since 2008, but they're still shipping crab cakes via mail order.

Their website is here, and they also have a second website with the enviable name www.crabcake.com.

Do note that this is apparently not the original ownership.