Where to Call And Carry - Anne Arundel County

You don't have to be headed to or from Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport to stop at G & M Restaurant & Lounge in Linthicum Heights, but if you happen to be airport bound, this is a great place to pick up a crab cake -- or a dozen. The building isn't much to look at, but walk inside during lunchtime and you'll find the dining rooms packed, and almost everyone seems to be eating the saucer-size crab cakes. These cakes are broiled, with just enough binder to hold the sweet crabmeat together. 804 Hammonds Ferry Rd., Linthicum Heights, 410-636-1777.http://www.gandmrestaurant.com.

To say that Diego's, a Severna Park carryout selling California-style Mexican food, is all about family is almost an understatement. It owes its very existence to Naval Academy midshipman Andre Testman Jr.'s fondness for his mom's home cooking. His mother, Laura Allen, lived in Southern California, where she had owned and operated and later sold a homemade salsa business. When Testman entered the Naval Academy, he kept complaining that he couldn't get good California-style Mexican food in Annapolis. So much of his family, including his parents, his sister, her husband and their children, relocated to Anne Arundel County and in November 2004 opened Diego's. Its unassuming exterior belies the superior food. The menu is long, covering specialties such as carnitas (slow-cooked pork roast) and fish tacos, plus all the regulars, including burritos, enchiladas, tostados and quesadillas. Everything on the menu is homemade, and everything is fresh daily, including the crowning attraction: the salsa bar. There you can find mild, medium and non-tomato-based salsas, tomatilla (mild green salsa), jalapenos, pico de gallo and hot pickled Mexican carrots and onions. The enchiladas reheat wonderfully, and the guacamole is simply divine, especially with the homemade chips. 497 Ritchie Hwy., Severna Park, 410-431-5005.http://www.eatatdiegos.com.

Fishpaws Marketplace is mostly a wine and liquor store, but there is also a deli counter where you can buy sandwiches and sliced meats and cheeses, and a small refrigerated case with salads and other prepared foods (and, one day recently, a very good bread pudding). It offers special menus on occasions such as Valentine's Day. 954 Ritchie Hwy., Arnold, 410-647-7363.http://www.fishpawsmarket.com.

Joss Café & Sushi Bar on Annapolis's busy Main Street caters to carryout customers. Not only is the restaurant's entire menu available to take home, but also the eatery's Web site offers an order form that can be printed out and faxed to the restaurant. This popular sushi bar exists in cramped quarters and often has a line at the door. So takeout is a good option. Sushi and sashimi dishes usually transport better than delicate fried offerings, such as the delectable okra tempura. Ordering here ensures fresh-made items, even if someone has to drive around the block while you pick up the food. 195 Main St., Annapolis, 410-263-4688.http://www.josscafe-sushibar.com.

Chick and Ruth's Delly , just down the street from Joss, makes pickup even easier: There's a special parking area at the rear of the place for those getting carryout. Chick and Ruth's is a classic deli, with oversized sandwiches (many named for favorite politicians and customers), salads, breakfasts and old-fashioned milk shakes. 165 Main St., Annapolis, 410-269-6737.http://www.chickandruths.com.

Giolitti Delicatessen traces its lineage to a family business that began in Rome in 1889. The Annapolis enterprise dates to 1992 and has a little bit of all things Italian. There is a grocery section, with pastas and Italian specialty foods; a hot meal center, featuring dishes such as lasagna and roasted chicken; deli counters with meats, sausages and cheeses; and refrigerators stocked with cartons of lasagna, stuffed shells, manicotti and fresh pasta. The containers of stuffed shells and meat lasagna that I heated at home seemed bland, but that was quickly remedied with some red pepper flakes. Of course, you can also order sandwiches and pizzas. There is a small seating area inside, and there are tables on the patio for good-weather dining. 2068 Somerville Rd., Annapolis, 410-266-8600.http://www.giolittideli.com.

Pit Boys is a classic down-home barbecue place, close to downtown Annapolis. Located between West Street and Forest Drive in a small white frame building, Pit Boys specializes in pit-cooked beef and pork, though its menu also includes pit-cooked ham and turkey, salads, soups, and side dishes including potato salad, coleslaw and macaroni and cheese. There is no seating inside, and there are just a few parking places outside. The pulled pork sandwich I had needed more fire in the sauce, but it was more than okay, considering it didn't require a drive to the farther reaches of the county. Now, I want to go back and try the hog wings -- pork shanks prepared like hot wings. Warning: Pit Boys is open only for breakfast and lunch. 508 Chinquapin Round Rd., Annapolis, 410-263-2333.http://www.pitboys.com.

If you do make a drive to the southern part of the county, stop at Bayside Bull BBQ in Edgewater. It's primarily a catering operation, but it also has a small carryout. You can't get ribs at the carryout -- just from the catering service -- but the pulled pork barbecue can make you forget ribs. Slow-cooked for several hours in giant stainless steel smokers, then finished on the indoor pit (really a big wood-fired grill), the pulled pork is chunky and steeped in a savory sauce that gets its red color more from spices than tomatoes. 108 W. Central Ave., Edgewater, 410-956-6009.http://www.baysidebull.com.

The Big Fish Grille in Crofton is primarily a sit-down restaurant with an extensive menu of fish, steaks and chicken. Much of the menu is available for carryout, but you have to go to the bar to order it; no phone-in orders are permitted. This restaurant is a sister to the Yellowfin Steak and Fish House on Route 2 and shares a similar menu. The blue crab bisque was thick and creamy and chock full of jumbo lump crab meat. The seared tuna was properly raw in the middle, but so cold when presented in the restaurant that the tuna had little taste. The deep-fried calamari was crisp and light in the restaurant but lost all that wonderful texture when reheated at home. The crab cake, a tennis ball-size heap of jumbo lump crab that seemed to have no filler, was great in the restaurant and when reheated at home was just as good. While waiting for your order, you might take advantage of the bar's half-price appetizers on weeknights during happy hour. 1260 South Crain Hwy., 410-451-3133.http://www.thebigfishgrille.com.