<P> The two most common styles of Maryland crab cake are Boardwalk and restaurant . Boardwalk crab cakes are typically breaded and deep - fried, and often filled with stuffing (of various sorts) and served on a hamburger bun or, most popularly, with saltine crackers . Restaurant (or gourmet) crab cakes are often prepared with no filler, consisting of all - lump (backfin) crab meat served on a platter or open - faced sandwich . </P> <P> The choices of sides are usually french fries, cole slaw, potato or macaroni salad . Baltimore restaurants serve crab cakes with a lemon wedge and saltine crackers; other restaurants serve condiments such as a remoulade, tartar sauce, mustard, cocktail sauce or ketchup . Baltimoreans usually forgo these condiments and eat plain or with a dash of Worcestershire sauce . Many restaurants give their patrons the choice of having their crab cake fried or broiled . Crab cakes vary in size, from no bigger than a small cookie to as large as a hamburger . </P>

What is the difference between maryland and charleston crab cakes