Takes the Cake

The search for a great crab cake never ends in Baltimore. When we heard that John Steven Ltd. (1800 Thames St., 410-327-5561) was boasting about the merits of its patty, we had to check it out. Indeed, the longtime Fells Point restaurant deserves its bragging rights. The crab-cake sandwich on a soft potato roll (market price; $15 for lunch on this visit) is a moist mound of broiled lump with little filler. It’s stacked with lettuce and tomato, and served open-face with a tiny container of Dijon and hand-cut fries (or kettle chips if you’d rather). A salad with crisp greens, roasted red peppers, and feta cheese, tossed with balsamic vinaigrette, is well worth the extra $3. The restaurant definitely backed up its boasts; we wholeheartedly recommend this cake.