Anne Arundel Seafood Offers Classic Maryland Fare

If you’re craving fresh seafood but can’t catch a break to go fishing, Anne Arundel Seafood in Pasadena has you covered.

Anne Arundel Seafood is a community mainstay. Every weekend for as long as I can remember, the parking lot of the small blue building has been packed, and cars wrap around the nearby road as customers filter in for crabs, fish, shrimp and more.

I went on a Tuesday evening and the place was moderately busy. It’s a self-serve casual stop for fresh seafood cooked to order. In front, three guys were stationed behind a raw bar, ready to steam, grill and season an impressive selection of fish, shrimp and crab. Toward the back of the restaurant, customers can order fried foods, platters or subs, hot wings and more. The fresh fish options are huge! You can order oysters, clams, crabs, shrimp, scallops, king crab, crayfish, mussels, soft crabs, swordfish, salmon, and the list goes on. There’s also a steamed seafood sampler with snow crab cluster, crayfish, mussels, large shrimp, lobster and clams with a piece of corn on the cob. The selection was so huge that I half expected to find the Little Mermaid on the menu.

The seafood experts at the counter were friendly and helpful. One young man asked whether I’d been there before, and he patiently and professionally explained the process.

We enjoyed fried pickles for our appetizer and I was perfectly pleased! The pickles are thick and lightly battered; the accompanying chipotle sauce was a perfect match.

My husband chose the crab imperial with sides of Italian pasta salad and cucumber salad. Another person picked the 8-ounce crab cake with coleslaw and french fries. It was half-price night for the platters (buy one, get the other half off). I ordered a grilled blackened tuna steak.

We sat in the enclosed area near the raw bar while we waited. There are long polished picnic tables with paper towels ready for the good messy stuff, like steamed crabs. It’s decorated in classic crab house décor, with photos and plaques of fish and beer posters. The tantalizing smell of fresh fish floated through the air.

We waited for about 20 minutes before collecting our orders and then moved to the outdoor tables. It was a nice evening, right before an imminent thunderstorm. There was a plastic tarp covering the area where we sat, but at other tables, guests can enjoy the sunshine without the covering.

The blackened tuna was slightly larger than my palm. It was grilled to perfection, tender and flavorful with just the right amount of seasoning. I’ll be stopping by often to pick up more grilled fish on busy workdays.

The crab imperial was rich and soft, a nice melding of ample crabmeat, with mild and creamy imperial sauce. The dish was served in a unique breaded cone.

The Italian pasta, served in a crunchy lettuce bowl, was definitely one of the best I’ve ever had. It was super fresh, with peppers, onions and carrots, and the dressing was just right — not greasy, and perfectly flavored with Italian seasonings and dressing.

The cucumber salad was also pretty good. I like mine a tad sweeter, but that’s a matter of taste. It had thin slices of cucumbers seasoned with light vinegar and oil.

The crab cake was huge, easily filling my husband’s hand (and belly). It was the way we Marylanders like it — jam-packed with crabmeat and very little filler. The texture was great, but the flavor fell a little short — some more seasoning would have gone a long way. Be sure to request some extra Old Bay or ask that your crab cake be heavily seasoned. The fries were average. The coleslaw was tangy and crunchy, not mushy like some, but needed a touch more mayo.

We were pretty full but managed to down a few black bottom cupcakes and a piece of Snickers cheesecake before we left. The cheesecake was custardy and smooth, better than many, but the frosting on top made the dessert a little too sweet for my taste buds.

The dessert brought back memories of my mom’s incredible black bottom cupcakes. They were perfectly soft and fresh, with a sweet, dense cream cheese topping, sprinkled with chocolate chips.

The restaurant offers a wide variety of items. Take your time and look around. They have hot dogs, chicken tenders, fish, fried clams and other offerings for the kiddies, and each meal comes with fries.

Lunch specials are offered from 10:00am to 4:00pm. And don’t forget the steamed crabs! Call 410-255-3344 for prices and availability.

Anne Arundel Seafood is a mainstay for a reason: it offers classic Maryland treats.