Related Content

• Recipe: Baltimore Crab Cakes

Lump sum: In search of the best crab cakes

New York has pizza. Chicago has hot dogs. But perhaps no city has embraced a regional dish the way Washington has the crab cake.

You don't have to go to a special crabcakeria or a sidewalk stand. Crab cakes are everywhere: at manly steakhouses, flirty bistros and waterside restaurants. I've even seen a crab cake at Japanese restaurant Sushi Ko, where it is -- some might say heretically -- fried in tempura batter and served with avocado.

Restaurateurs take for granted that we love them. And that isn't always a good thing. Like all simple dishes, an exceptional crab cake isn't easy to make. You need sweet crab, enough lumps for texture and a subtle matrix of flavors that enhance the crab but don't overpower it: traditionally a little Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, herbs and a binder such as eggs, mayonnaise or bread crumbs.

Review | Truluck's at Galleria a lucky seafood find

You won't see any bibs at Truluck's. No loud hammering or cracking, either. At this new seafood destination at Fort Lauderdale's upscale Galleria mall, crab lovers are chowing down in style.

The 325-seat restaurant has a classy bar, private rooms, indoor and outdoor seating and friendly, accommodating servers.

The name means ``truly lucky'' -- how the owners felt when they launched their first restaurant in Houston -- and it still fits. The first in Broward, and the 10th overall, the Galleria Truluck's has been a hot commodity since it opened two months ago, joining popular siblings in Boca Raton and Naples with a Brickell location planned for fall 2010.

Toasted pecan rice makes a great potluck dish

Q: Ten or more years ago, I ate at the Crab House in Boca Raton. One of the side dishes was the best rice I've ever eaten -- it had a sort of roasted pecan flavor. Any chance of getting the recipe?

Debbie Kitchens, Perry, Ga.

A: There are many variations on this theme, and since there no longer is a restaurant by that name in Boca Raton, I had to guess at how it was prepared.

Review | Grove's Windy City wannabe has lost its way

Coconut Grove has long been a magnet for drifters. It's easy to stop by for a beer and fall in love with the colorful, quirky neighborhood. But for a Chicago-themed eatery that plopped down in the ungainly spot that once housed Don Quixote, it has been a tough transition.

With a facade weighted with curly-cued wrought iron and faux marble, Chicago's Steakhouse looks more like a Moorish castle than a Windy City meat emporium. Inside, the red crushed velvet booths, black Formica tabletops and towering ceilings create an eery, haunted-house look. Murals of shiny Chicago skyscrapers do little to lighten the dank feel.

Since the place opened three months ago, other innovations have included a new management team. (Our lithe hostess made sure to tell us how bad the old one was.) The menu, too, has changed, but I'm not sure it was for the better. It's not too heavy now, our sweet waitress explained, which means the hearty, onion-laden steak sandwich I enjoyed a few weeks back has been nixed.

Review | Enjoy boldness amid elegance at Bin 595

Chef Adrian Deacon has spent years crafting a bold menu at elegant Bin 595, an easy-to-miss fine-dining destination in Plantation's Renaissance Hotel. He's not afraid to add chocolate to goat cheese atop wild mushroom ravioli or serve a vodka-braised Maine lobster. In a meat and potatoes town, his spuds are a mascarpone cheese potato purée with black truffles.

Originally from Jamaica, Deacon melds Caribbean, Latin and American cuisine. The mix, while not always successful, can be memorable. But even a creative chef has to consider practicalities in this economy; there are too many empty tables on prime nights. Deacon says he's adjusting the menu for the second time this year, adding a few less expensive dishes from the comfort-food realm, tweaked with his special touch. Yes, there will be mac and cheese, but his version will be an elaborate casserole with Maine lobster and crab.

Whatever your budget, you can expect a classy experience. The dining room has a cozy wine bar, aqua and red circular banquettes