Crab Cakes

These were not the kind of crab cakes Grandma made. They had peppers, and potato and cut-up bits of tomato in them.They were served with basil leaves and zucchini blossoms and a latticework made of potatoes.These were creative crab cakes made by chefs who had been golfing. They were very good.I tasted these crab cakes at the Central Maryland Chefs & Cooks Association gathering last week at the Turf Valley Hotel and Country Club in Howard County.After the chefs had whacked golf balls over the Turf Valley course, some of them went back to the hotel and hurried to the kitchen to whip up entries in an informal crab cake-making contest.

Roland Park CafeWhere: 413 W. Cold Spring Lane.Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays,11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.Credit Cards: MC, V.Features: American and international dishes, light fare.Non-smoking section? Yes.Call: (410) 889-2233.*** The Roland Park Cafe hasn't been with us long. But it feels like forever. From its old-fashioned decor to the excellent crab cakes to the waitress who called us "sweetie," this friendly little restaurant and carry-out already has the feel of a Baltimore tradition.

In the end, neither Jeffrey Rites nor Keith Anthony Rantin Jr. got any of G&M Restaurant and Lounge's famous crab cakes for lunch. In a scuffle over who was next in line at the Linthicum Heights carryout, Rites was stabbed. Then Rantin was charged. And today, a jury will be asked to sort through the messy saga. Rantin is on trial in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, accused of felony assault and three related crimes. Exactly what happened at the restaurant counter - including who started it and who had what weapon - has been the subject of nearly two days of testimony and one video clip.

WASHINGTON -- Trekking northward, President Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and about 40 fellow Democrats in the Senate will shift their political base today to Baltimore for the start of a two-day issues conference.Sens. Paul S. Sarbanes and Barbara A. Mikulski will play host to the conference, which comes coincidentally in the midst of intensive budget negotiations between the White House and Republican congressional leaders.Clinton and Gore will kick off the closed-door meetings with remarks this afternoon at the Harbor Court Hotel, where the two are to arrive at 12: 45 p.m. The senators will then break into groups for workshops today and tomorrow to discuss issues related to children, jobs, juvenile justice and education.

Lewnes' Steakhouse is the sort of restaurant that can stir up extreme emotions.There's the intense yearning as you wait for your food while the smells of delicious dishes at other tables swirl mercilessly around you, joy as you bite into chunks of tender filet mignon and then abysmal sadness when the meal is over and you're too stuffed to order that second strawberry shortcake.My sister and I arrived at Lewnes' late on a chilly weeknight to a short wait for a nonsmoking table. We passed time at the restaurant's small bar, where a slightly inebriated man nursing a drink proclaimed himself a regular and animatedly emoted about Lewnes' wonderful steaks, crab balls, crab cakes everything.

Angelina's -- like Haussner's and Maison Marconi -- has been around so long it's taken on landmark status in Baltimore. The Irish pub now known for its crab cakes and Italian food opened 48 years ago as a small Italian restaurant. The original owners were Angelina Tadduni and her husband, Joe.Here's the amazing part: Two sets of owners later, Angelina, who lives a couple of doors down from the restaurant, still comes in once a week (on Thursday nights) to cook. She's in her 80s.When her husband died in the early '70s, Angelina sold the restaurant to Bob and Carol Reilly.

Paul Blair remembers Dave May, who broke into baseball with the Orioles and spent 3-1/2 seasons here, as a skilled outfielder who was in the right place, but at the wrong time. "Unfortunately, when he got here (in 1967), there wasn't any room for him to play. He just couldn't break into our lineup," said Blair, the Orioles standout center fielder who was flanked by Frank Robinson and Don Buford. May died Saturday of cancer. The New Castle, Del., native was 68. A reserve with the Orioles, he hit .216 before being dealt to Milwaukee in mid-1970.

Be careful - don't break the China," joked Charles, our affable, curly-haired waiter as he shuffled out foam plates for our bread like he was dealing cards. This don't-take-us-seriously humor is part of the shtick at Corner Stable, a feeding trough of a restaurant where decor consists of Keno numbers lit up on a board and televisions tuned to the day's biggest sporting events. The restaurant isn't about fine dining - it's about messy, delicious ribs, crab cakes and other local classics.

The Baltimore Ravens face the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday, but food is no less a player at showtime. Chex Mix and cheap beer won't get it done for a game this big, so we checked with local restaurants, caterers, chefs and just plain fans to see what's on the tailgate menu. No surprise, wings are the things. But ribs, chili, crab cakes and purple pastries are also popular. Whether you're entertaining at home, headed out to meet friends, or catering a locker room of Ravens players, we've got you covered.

When Queen Elizabeth is in Baltimore to catch a baseball game, she should dine on crab cakes and sit on a throne of marble steps.