Can’t get to the Eastern Shore for blue crabs this summer? Or even to Cantler’s in Annapolis? Well, how ’bout the trendy 14th Street corridor in the identity-crisis ‘hood of Mid-City? Can you manage that?

If so, you can sample some of those classic Maryland crustaceans. Bar Pilar has a special blue crab dinner available now through the end of August.

Chef Justin Bittner is drawing on his Baltimore heritage to serve up a tray of steamed blue crabs. The Bar Pilar crew plans to do this the right way, too: They’re going to spread newspapers across your table; steam those crabs in a mixture of cider vinegar (rather than using it as a dipping sauce), water, and Old Bay; and then serve those beauties with a simple dip of melted butter.

The only hitch? The crabs may not necessarily be from the Chesapeake. Bittner will be buying blue crabs from both Maryland and North Carolina during the promotion.

Bittner’s “Maryland-style” Blue Crab dinner will set you back $60, but it will serve two and come with two or three sides, which will change daily. Could be corn on the cob, sliced heirloom tomatoes, corn bread, or even steamed clams with chorizo. For that price, you’ll also get a dessert, which is currently mascarpone ice cream topped with seasonal berries.

You can even wash down that sweet crab meat with another classic taste of summer, a Yuengling lager, which will set you back $3.50 a pop during your blue crab dinner.

Don’t know about you, but I’m so there.

Photo by ssour via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution License