Best Ever Cream of Crab Soup

If you live in the mid-Atlantic region, you know that summer means blue crab season. One of our favorite ways to enjoy crab is in soup, weather it’s Maryland Crab, She Crab or Cream of Crab. If you’re traveling on the Eastern Shore this Summer or Fall make sure you stop in Easton, MD and have lunch at Legal Spirits Tavern (next to the Avalon Theatre) and have a bowl of the best ever Shore Boys Cream of Crab soup.

What: Jumbo lump crab meat, butter (lots), sherry, cream, old bay seasoning, etc.

Why It’s The Best:  For starters the soup contains a lot of crab meat, which is key.  Too many restaurants focus on the cream and skimp on the crab... it needs to be ALL about the taste of fresh lump crab.  Second, the soup has a nice consistency and it's not "starchy" which can also be the downfall of a good bowl of soup.  Finally, you can taste the sherry and a hint of old bay seasoning, which blend wonderfully with all of the other ingredients in the soup.  For us, the right balance of sherry in a cream based soup is test for a greatness...winner -- Shore Boys! 

How We Know:  We've tried cream of crab soups up and down the east coast.  She Crab soup in the "Low Country comes close, but no one does Cream of Crab as well as the Shore Boys.   If you need more proof read the reviews at TripAdvisors.

Craving Level: Weekly, bordering on daily.  The great news is that you can order the soup on line.  The bad news is that it's an expensive treat...you have to pay almost as much in shipping as you do for the soup.  It's worth a road trip to get it, and Easton is a nice get-away weekend location.

Best Cheese Steak Ever!

If you're traveling Rt 68 in Western Maryland this summer, time your trip to hit LaVale, MD around lunch time. You'll want to pit stop into D'Atris Restaurant for the Best Ever Cheese Steak. Having grown up eating this cheese steak I can tell you that it is the "benchmark."

What: Steak, provolone cheese, grilled onions, special salad toping (lettuce, tomatoes, hot and sweet peppers, oil and garlic salt). Available in small (8") or large (12").

Why It's the Best: It depends on the type of cheese steak you prefer. If you are a Philly traditionalist this might not be your "Best Ever." The reason is that what makes this a winner in our book is what the Philadelphians would call "the salad." (Interestingly enough you can also order this as a cheese steak as a salad also outstanding). The special recipe salad mixture of oil, garlic salt, parsley, etc. sets it apart from everything else. If you're looking for the total package this is it, from the fresh baked bread to the "salad" topping nothing else beats it.

How We Know: Jen went to college in the Philly area and dined on many cheese steaks, especially late night. Scott spent 6 months in central Philly for work and spent his free time searching for the Best Ever cheese steak...never found it.

Craving Level: DAILY

Reviews & Map: Insiderpages