Coyne's Pier 28, Sarasota - Authentic Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes

Since moving from Maryland to Florida over a decade ago, I have searched for authentic, Maryland-style crab cakes made from blue crab. Foolishly, I have believed menu claims at a number of restaurants that they served Maryland-style crab cakes, some with jumbo lump crab meat. Last week, I was again disappointed when I tried the alleged jumbo lump crab cakes at Pincher's Crab Shack in Lakewood Ranch.

Some restaurants think that if they start with jumbo lump crab meat and then grind it into a paste in a food processor that they're creating the real thing. However, that does not work. Authentic Maryland-style jumbo lump crab meat sandwiches have to satisfy at least the following criteria:
- Use fresh meat from jumbo-sized blue crabs, not imported canned crab meat
- Leave the meat in recognizable lumps
- Use very little filler

Finally, last night, I found the genuine article at Coyne's Pier 28 (http://www.coynespier28.com/), next to Costco in Sarasota. Coyne's knows the real thing because the owners are from Maryland's Eastern Shore and operated their original restaurant in Ocean City, MD starting in 1988.

My wife, our daughter, and I all had the crab cakes last night, and they were delicious. My wife and daughter had the crab cake platter, which comes with two crab cakes and two sides - vegetable of the day and starch of the day - for $26. The crab cakes were served with Pier 28's Spicy Remoulade. (I've never seen a remoulade served with crab cakes in the Baltimore-Annapolis area.)

The vegetable of the day was way overcooked asparagus. The starch of the day was red roasted potatoes. My wife and daughter asked our server, Michelle, if they could substitute the Bawlmer Nuggets that were listed on the chalk board specials by the door. Michelle arranged the substitution. It turned out that the nuggets were like ordinary Tater Tots. ("Bawlmer" is how Baltimoreans pronounce the name of their city.)

I had the crab sandwich, which is served with a choice of crackers or on a toasted bun with mayo for $15. It also comes with a side. I chose cole slaw, which was very nice.

I started with the Prince Edward Island mussels with pan-seared andouille sausage, tomato puree, fresh herbs, chardonnay, and a butter finish for $12. It also comes with pieces of toasted bread to dip in the sauce. I loved this dish. The mussels were excellent; there was lots of sausage; and the sauce was terrific. It's on my list to order again.

Our server was excellent.

Coyne's has lots of other appealing dishes on the menu, which is detailed on its web site, but I'd probably have a hard time not ordering the crab cakes and mussels again.