I was surprised when I heard that the Crackpot in Bel Air had closed. Surely the area needed a locally owned seafood restaurant. So I'm not surprised to hear that Bellissimo Seafood & Grill (510 Marketplace Drive, 410-836-8702) has opened in its place. It's owned by the same people who have the eight Double-T Diners in the area.
It sounds Italian, but partner and manager Nicholas Tsirlis describes it as "upscale Mediterranean."
There is pasta, of course; but charcoal-broiled seafood is a specialty, including salmon, orange roughy, mahi-mahi and octopus. A crab cake holds pride of place on the menu, although not the 10 versions the Crackpot offered. Steaks and chops are available as well.
Dinner prices run from $12 for pasta to $27 for the crab cakes.
No major renovations have been done to the space, which was fairly new. It seats about 300 people and features a sports bar.
Hours are Monday through Thursday 2 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday to 11:30 p.m., and Sunday 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.
O.C. restaurant week : Right now a Restaurant Week, much like Baltimore's Restaurant Week, is going on in Ocean City through June 7. That gives visitors a chance to try a fixed-price menu at places like Marlin Moon Grille (12806 Ocean Gateway, 410-213-1618, marlinmoongrille.com) in West Ocean City.
I mention Marlin Moon in particular because it was named the Maryland Restaurant Association's Favorite Restaurant 2009. But it turns out the Favorite Restaurant might not be in business after this summer. Owner Gary Beach tells me his lease runs out in September (although it's been extended through the first weekend in October) and won't be renewed. He's looking for another location for his popular restaurant, but so far hasn't found one.
Meanwhile one of the great eating beaches, Rehoboth, is having its own Restaurant Week June 7-13. Lucky you if you scheduled a beach vacation next week.
Paolo's closing : I should start a new feature called Closing of the Week, only it would be too depressing. My closing this week would be Paolo's Ristorante in Towson. I'm amazed Towson couldn't support a moderately priced Italian restaurant; but maybe the fact that it was in Towson Commons, which isn't the most bustling location these days, hurt it. I know if I were opening a restaurant in Towson these days, to be safe I would make it a bar or a sushi place.
