When They Said "Down East", I Didn't Think They Meant This

Actually, I've eaten at the Yin Yankee Cafe in Annapolis a couple of times now. The food is excellent, though somewhat odd, as the name and website suggests. The downstairs looks like your standard Sushi bar, though the staff is dominated by college kids. Upstairs is a small room, not completely painted, but with an under-the-sea decor and black lights, seating about 20. We got there early for a birthday party and had the room to ourselves for a couple of hours. Oh, did I mention that to reach the room you either walk thorough the kitchen or enter through the service gate in the wood fence out back, and then climb stairs onto the roof of the kitchen?

I had Crab Chops, basically Maryland crabcakes on a stick of sugar cane, served with wasabi mashed potatoes, with a garnish type salad in a peanut oil. Sounds weird, but it was all delicious. Spousal unit had tea-infused duck served on coconut rice and Asian vegetables. She said it was all good. The rest of the table had a variety of sushi and noodles. The staff was very helpful, describing the meals and scheleping things out the kitchen, through the back yard, up the stairs, across the roof, into the room, and back down again.

The place is highly recommended, but I'd say you should go early so the staff can concentrate on you, not everyone else in the place.

And if you like to see and be seen, they have four seats in the front window, facing out onto Main Street.