Maryland Stamp of Approval

I've concluded that if I take a  guy to M Bistro, he will order the lamb burger.

It's happened twice now, so I'm beginning to see a pattern. Apparently the combination of BBQ bacon and lamb on a bun is irresistible to men.

It's fine with me because they always give me a bite, which given the number of truffle fries I ate off of my friend's plate today, was plenty.

My own lunch was the crabcake on heirloom tomatoes with mixed greens, fennel, a green olive relish and a grilled tomato vinaigrette.

Crabcakes are Chef Michael Hall's signature dish and I was curious if it would measure up to my raised-in-Maryland standards.

Did it ever! Lump crabmeat lightly bound with no filler was sauteed just enough to form the golden brown crust that frames the lumps.

I have no tolerance for deep-fried crabcakes, breaded crabcakes or any other adulteration of the crab meat beyond seasonings. This one would fly in Maryland, a fact I shared with the Chef.

Although the dining room wasn't as mobbed as the first time I'd been in, there were still familiar faces (Daphne Maxwell Reid) and local restaurant people, no doubt curious about the buzz.

The ABC license has finally arrived and the bistro will open for dinner tomorrow night, so I'm curious to have a meal in the space during the evening.

I think it has great potential to be an appealing nighttime spot, but I want to see what the room looks like after dark.

I especially want to see what the giant "M" bat symbol on the side of the building looks like at night.

For dessert, we inadvertently chose the one thing not made in-house, the raspberry sorbet, a refreshing option on a hot afternoon at Rockett's Landing, where concrete seems to be everywhere and shade trees are still in short supply.

But not lamb burger lovers. They too seem to be everywhere down there.