ZestVibe

It almost goes without saying: Good seafood can be found in historic downtown Annapolis and over in Eastport. But don't look for hard-shells served on brown wrapping paper with mallets and picking knives. Mainstream Annapolis fare is often more seasoned with garlic than Old Bay.

Nonetheless, the crab bisque and crepe Annapolis at Cafe Normandie (185 Main St., 410/263-3382) add a pleasantly French coastal flavor to le jour d'Annapolis. But of Buddy's Crabs & Ribs (100 Main St., 410/626-1100 or 301/261-2500), overlooking the City Dock, it must be said, sadly, that the second-story view far surpasses the food.

If you'd rather eat on the run, or on the walk, grab a bite-to-go at The Market House (410/269-0941), directly in front of the City Dock. It's got a raw bar, a sandwich stand, deli, a Baskin-Robbins, a bakery and more. And there's no charge for dining al fresco at the few tables and park benches immediately outside.

Pusser's Landing (in the Waterfront Marriott at 80 Compromise St., 410/626-0004) has nicely prepared and presented specials and a dining room right on the City Dock. Here I observed the Chesapeake Bay Foundation skipjack Stanley Norman bringing in a boatload of school kids while a sleek sailboat motored out into the harbor. Pusser's, named for the company that up until 1970 provided daily issues of rum to the British Royal Navy, is also worth a visit for its decorative displays of coral and models ranging from bay boats to a British frigate.

The hotel foyer features early- to mid-20th century photos of Annapolis that show a working town, and a working dock, crammed with oyster dredge boats in winter and crabbing boats in summer. And then there's the African Queen, which has nothing to do with the Chesapeake but also happens to reside in the lobby. This is a downsized version of the steam-powered boat occupied by Bogart and Hepburn in the 1951 film; it was used in the treacherous shooting-the-rapids scenes, with little figures resembling the stars seated inside while the cameras rolled.

Over in Eastport, I found the nouvelle cuisine at Carrol's Creek (410 Severn Ave., 410/269-1406) to my liking, along with its view of the Spa Creek bridge and boats. Marmaduke's, the self-styled "World's Greatest Sailing Pub," sad to say, is no more, but it is soon to reopen as a steak house. (The unanswered question is which, if any, Eastport watering hole will now replay videos of the Wednesday sailboat races.) The good news is over on Back Creek where McNasby's (723 Second St., 410/280-2722), established in 1886 and now under city ownership but private operation, survives as both a retail fish outlet and a place to buy lunch. McNasby's is, according to its carryout menu, "slightly off the beaten path, but more than worth the trip" and "the home of the $2.99 crab cake sandwich." It's not exactly a restaurant, though there are four booths inside. But there's an outside deck with tables by the water and a loudspeaker that lets you know when your order is ready.

To be seated and served traditional Chesapeake Bay fare, Annapolitans know to head just outside town, to Cantler's Riverside Inn (458 Forest Beach Rd., 410/757-1467), on Mill Creek, or to Mike's Restaurant & Crab House (3030 Old Riva Rd., 410/956-2784), on the South River (southern shore) and Riva Road (northbound) at Riva. Cantler's is known for catching its own crabs in season. Mike's is another classic hard-shell-crabs-and-beer kind of place with indoor and outdoor tables and a small marina where sail and power boats coexist in adjoining slips.

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