HEY! DON'T EVEN THINK IT!

remember when Danny's used to put on their sign "the whales are back"? I used to think they were actually serving whale.

My favorite place to get soft shells is Captain Dan's in Eldersburg. He somehow gets some real whale sized soft shells and they're cooked perfectly. One of those big boys and 2 sides and you've got yourself a dinner.

What in the name of almighty Zeus is that thing hovering above the room? Gad zooks is that some sort of intergallactic crab monster? Someone hold me, I'm scared.

The only place that I know that has good soft shells is the Oregon grill, even though they don't offer like a sandwich for them, the wife likes 'em. I personally don't like the texture of soft shells so I'm not the best resource. Do any of the corporate steakhouses downtown have them on their menus??

My wife and I shared an order of soft shells at the Oceanaire a few weeks ago. They were from the Florida Keys and were fat, juicy and fantastic!

Last year Mari Luna had excellent soft shell crabs with a Mexican twist. And no corkage fee!

By Thor's hammer ... McIntyre in all caps?!? What a difference a day makes ... gettin' all OG on us (Original Grammarian). Break out the funky cold Medina.

Gertrude's at the BMA usually has soft-shell crab sandwiches on their menu for a couple of weeks right around now, but haven't seen them make an appearance yet. Hope it isn't a cost issue - I work near the restaurant, so it is a nice, convenient place to go for lunch during the week.

OMG,
ROTFLMAO!

People, the best soft shell crabs come out of my mom's kitchen. Unfortunately for all of you, this information is of little use.

I like that chandelier thing. Looks like a Dale Chihuly. What restaurant is that?

That thing on the ceiling is made of glass, I think. I remember it in a review awhile back.

It looks both scary and neat. I don't think I'd want to sit under it, in case it fell.

I though Capt. Kirk vanquished that evil being years ago.

Alizee has a big plate that has crab cake tempura soft shell crab seasoned sushi rice Asian slaw and finished with sambaul mayo and wasabi cream

We also have a single soft shell on our bar menu served with wasabi cream and slaw

All our soft shells have came from Baltimore county so far

I think it is a Chihuly piece or a darned good copy of his work. The photo just says "Monica" so no clue there as to where this is.

It's the Glass Grill in (insert east side neighborhood here), and the artist is owner Tim McFadden

I loved their buttered noodles.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/reviews/bal-li.eats22jan22,0,5131693.story

Skewed Tomato, it is from The Glass Grill

I think that's McFadden Art Glass on Eastern Avenue. A restaurant and glass blowing place. I think you can eat and watch demostrations or you might be able to take a class.

Where the crabs come from, that is useful information. If I ever try blue crabs, I want them to be, well, blue.

I was thinking Cthulhu.

What you see isn't a crab monster, but the great sphagetti monster.

The best soft shells in Bmore happen to be served at my home. They are marinated in a bit of milk, lightly dosed with some flour/cornmeal, and sauteed in butter. Sometimes served by themselves, on a buttered roll, with garlic aioli, or over pasta.

Better yet, where does one buy good, fresh soft crabs? I've purchased them out on Eastern Avenue just over the stinky bridge and under the overpass at the Farmer's Market.

I believe Cheese meant The Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Soft shells are often available at the fish stand in Broadway Market. I was by there today and didn't see any, but the place was crowded and I didn't wait around to ask about them.

Oh my--Hal has given up being the Voice of Reason only to become a Pastafarian! Is this a portent?

Soft shell crabs? Ick. I ordered them once because native Marylanders told me I HAD to.

The legs dangling from my sandwich made me feel queasy. It didn't taste any better than it looked.

That's okay, Carol in Hampden--more for us!

Carol, don't worry. I am a native Marylander, and I don't eat them either. I tried once and I couldn't get past the legs. I also can't eat fish with tails or the head on.
I ordered fish at the Candlelight Inn one time and it arrived with those horrible extras. I made the poor waiter take it back to the kitchen and cut off the head and tail.

I can't say I like peelers (soft shell crabs) much either. I have had them a couple times, on a sandwich.

What is great is watching the tourists order them and see their expression when its served.

Bucky will have to add the soft shell crab to his list of "must eats" when he finally visits Charm City.

Dahlink, the Pastafarian appendage (not to be confused with a noodly appendage) was just a temporary thing to go with the post about the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Thanks, Dahlink ("more for us") and Cosmos Girl ("I am a native Marylander, and I don't eat them either"). You both made me feel better about my aversion to the soft-shell crab thing.

On another topic that I'm deliberately burying here, I just got back from Ireland, where I was delighted to learn that tipping is not expected. People working in the service industry in Ireland are paid a live-able wage so they don't have to rely on tips to make ends meet. [If you don't believe me, google "tipping in Ireland"],

I asked a bartender in my hotel about this. He said "I love Americans because they always tip."

Yeah, it is the same way in Iceland, Carol. While I've seen complaints about Icelandic service, they are always about Reykjavik (the NYC of Iceland, in many ways, good and bad). In my experience, the service is a bit better, on average, than here.

So, Carol in Hampden and Lissa--if "tipping is not expected," but "I love Americans because they always tip," will they consider a savvy American tourist who does not tip a deadbeat?

Dahlink, I don't know - as much as I hate tipping in general, I couldn't bring myself not to do it! I even tipped the bartender in the completely empy bar who simply handed me a glass and 2 unopened splits of wine to take to my room! I stood there staring at the little line that says "tip", and absolutely could NOT leave it blank. Even knowing it's not expected. Pathetic.

Dahlink, I didn't tip in Iceland, and no one seemed disappointed. They could tell I was American, too, as I'm too fat to pass for a European and I eat funny.

Hal, my son tells me he's Pastafarian. I told him that's fine, he's old enough to choose to worship the flying spaghetti monster if he wishes.

Lissa, I think Hef's girlfriends would be fat by European standards. At least Parisian standards!

We decided to get away from the noise of Thunder Beach this weekend and play golf way up in Sunny Hills. As I paid for my round, the receipt I had to sign had a tip line. Jeez, even the person ringing up the sale wants a tip?

When I was in Iceland I remember another American having a discussion with a restaurant manager about tipping. The customer was paying her bill with a credit card, but when the slip came back there was no place to leave a tip. The manager explained to her that tipping wasn't necessary, but the customer kept insisting that she wanted to leave a tip.

I'm not sure how this ended. I'm sure I probably tried to listen as long as I could. More than likely my eavesdropping was met with disdain from my wife who no doubt insisted that I pay attention to her instead of those people over there.

What you can do in a hotel is leave some money on the dresser with a note for the chambermaid. I do this ever since daughters of long-time friends worked as chambermaids over the summers and I heard tales of deadbeat guests, particularly if we have asked for anything out of the ordinary.

Dahlink, you are raising a whole other issue of tipping: the chambermaids, remarking on "deadbeat guests" who don't tip..I am one of those deadbeats. It never occurred to me to tip the people who clean my room. I thought that was included in my hotel bill.

Who else on the hotel staff should be tipped? The concierge, for recommending a restaurant or hailing a taxi? I'm not being facetious; I don't want to be an Ugly American; I just don't know where to draw the line between people who are paid for the services, and people who go beyond the call of duty (thus deserving of a tip).

Carol in Hampden, I guess we were deadbeat guests until recently as well. I don't tip the concierge--should we? We generally never ask for anything beyond printing out a boarding pass.

Carol and Dahlink,
You should tip the concierge if they do something special for you, like getting tickets to a sold-out show or a table at a high-end restaurant.

If the concierge calls a taxi for you, you should at least slide them a buck or two.

The company I work for (at least for another week) has a policy that does not reimburse for tipping the housekeeping staff. Some of my trips have had me stay for 10/14 days; I noticed that for every day I didn't leave a tip, the supplies (cups, tissues, etc.) were not replenished. As soon as I left a tip, the cups, tissues, and toilet paper were replenished.

This is my last (I promise!) post about tipping. From Merriam-Webster, a concierge is "2: a usually multilingual hotel staff member who handles luggage and mail, makes reservations, and arranges tours ; broadly : a person employed (as by a business) to make arrangements or run errands"

So, given that definition, I think tipping a concierge is not necessary, nor expected.

Catonsville Gourmet has been serving soft shell crabs for a few weeks. The restaurant has become one of my favorite places to eat arond Baltimore. The food is fresh and consistent, service is professional with a smile and it's BYOB. Oh, and if you sit down at the bar with a bottle of wine, you will be brought wine glasses and have the bottle corked in what seems like nanoseconds.

Carol, Merriam Webster doesn't decide, or describe how one is paid. Other dictionary entries:

waiter
1: one that waits on another ; especially : a person who waits tables (as in a restaurant)2: a tray on which something (as a tea service) is carried : salver

musician
: a composer, conductor, or performer of music ; especially : instrumentalist

Contractor
1: one that contracts or is party to a contract: as a: one that contracts to perform work or provide supplies b: one that contracts to erect buildings 2: something (as a muscle) that contracts or shortens

Carol, you are simply cheap

1cheap Listen to the pronunciation of 1cheap
Pronunciation:
\ˈchēp\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English chep, from Old English cēap trade; akin to Old High German kouf trade; both ultimately from Latin caupo tradesman
Date:
before 12th century

obsolete : bargain
— on the cheap
: at minimum expense : cheaply

You are supposed to tip contractors? Like, when I get my new driveway poured this sumemr, I need to tip the guys who do it?

Bucky,
I've never heard of tipping contractors.

I've never heard of that either, but MN's post suggested that it is a "tipped" profession.

Not suggesting that at all. Just pulled a couple of professions showing the dictionary doesn't show any job's compensation.

Ask around the office Bucky, see if anyone else has heard of it.

You don't want to get called out as being cheap.

PCB Rob wrote: "Ask around the office Bucky, see if anyone else has heard of it. You don't want to get called out as being cheap."

Yeah, MN went to a lot of trouble to call me out on that! Aw. Hurt my feelings a little.

Carol in Hampden, ignore MN, please. We know you're not cheap. (Frugal, maybe ... but who isn't these days?)

Dahlink wrote: "Carol in Hampden, ignore MN, please. We know you're not cheap. (Frugal, maybe ... but who isn't these days?)"

MN chose to ignore the fact that I wrote, in an earlier post, that I could not NOT tip even though it wasn't expected in Ireland.He/she took a cheap shot, and the fact that it bothered me tells me I need to stop posting on blogs for a while. I'll catch up with you later!