Chick and Ruth's Deli

One of the most recognizable landmarks in downtown Annapolis, MD is Chick and Ruth's Deli. It is a narrow little place that starts on the main drag of Annapolis and goes all the way to the road behind it. If you reach out your arms as far as you can, you might be able to touch the wall and the counter at the same time. But the food and the atmosphere are legendary. They have the biggest deli sandwiches you have seen and the best shakes for miles. When you first arrive you are greeted by pictures of Maryland politicians and celebrities including Adam Richman of the television show Man v. Food on the Travel Channel. You are also greeted by Ted, the proprieter of the deli, in his signature flat cap. As you peruse the expansive menu, you can munch on a bowl of complimentary deli pickle slices. The menu has everything from breakfast foods to dinners, from sandwiches to crab cakes, and a small malt to the mammoth six pound shake. Chick and Ruth's has a challenge wich consists of the six pound shake and either a reuben sandwich or a one pound burger. This is the challenge seen on Man v. Food. Now for our experience. The turkey sandwich I ordered was larger than I have found in a deli for a long time. The meat was tender and seasoned to perfection. And the boardwalk fries that came with it were an honorable replacement for Thrasher's on the Boardwalk in Ocean City. My wife had a crab soup that was a little fishy tasting, the only bad thing we experienced. She also had chili cheese fries, yes I know but we were on vacation. The thick cut fries were coated in chili which was rich and meaty. The only regret I have was not taking on the colossal challenge.

http://www.chickandruths.com/

http://www.yelp.com/biz/thrashers-french-fries-ocean-city

Buddy's Crabs and Ribs

Ok, to say that I was excited to return to Annapolis after almost ten years and eat crab cakes at Buddy's would be a tremendous understatement. After all, crabs and crab cakes are what Maryland are most famous for. In fact, I find it funny when a restaurant advertises Maryland style crab cakes and then they have no Old Bay Seasoning. For the record, aside from the crab, that is the most important ingredient. Even Hollywood recognizes the glory of Maryland crab cakes. Check out the following link to see what I mean, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_2ADWBZgS8. Now back to Buddy's. For those that know Annapolis, there are a few places to get great crabs and crab cakes. Phillips Seafood, Mike's Crab House, the Edgewater Restaurant, and Buddy's. But oh how disappointing it was. First of all, we did not know this but they added the gratuity to our bill since we had six in our party. That explains why the waiter took our order, brought drinks, delivered food, then disappeared. We ordered an appetizer of crab dip with chips and it was ok as far as taste goes, but the size of the dish was not nearly worth the price. In defense of Buddy's, the salad was pretty good. But the crab cakes were not. The main reason we came there. The reason we brought some friends of ours there. And they were, in a word, lackluster. I don't know what the topping was, but it was not the most enjoyable texture. The crab meat itself was small and not very substantial. Tasted like more filler than crab. Not the best way to make real crab cakes. With the crab cakes came an order of what they called boardwalk fries. Now again, for Marylanders, memories of Ocean City and boardwalk fries go hand in hand. Buddy's fries were more akin to a bag of fries you might buy at the grocery store and cook in the oven. All in all, the meal was not at all what was expected and was extremely disappointing from start to finish. Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention the crab soup my wife got mainly because it was that forgetable. Mental note, next time I visit Annapolis, I am going to the Edgewater Restaurant or Mikes.

http://www.buddysannap.com/

http://www.phillipsseafood.com/

http://www.yelp.com/biz/edgewater-restaurant-edgewater

http://www.mikescrabhouse.com/

http://www.yelp.com/biz/thrashers-french-fries-ocean-city