Crab Pretzels

Bill Bateman's Bistro

Ingredients: Though not as large as the ballpark or Super Pretzel, Bill Bateman's Bistro starts with a pretzel thicker than most. It's almost tall enough to ride the Shockwave at King's Dominion. The dip was creamy, not chunky, and the cheese is baked to a golden color before it's served. The pretzel isn't baked as much as the others so it's soft all around, sort of like your mom.

Damage: $9.99

Skinny: Excellent presentation. There was a colorful array of grated carrots, red cabbage, fresh parsley and Old Bay sprinkled across the plate. Really delightful. The pretzel, though, was lacking—like when you unwrap the shiniest present under the Christmas tree to discover a pair of dress socks. It hurts, I know. That's why I'm doing this hard-hitting investigative journalism. Anyway, the thick pretzel at Bateman's makes for a bready app, which we didn't like so much, and the dip was plopped down mostly on one side, so our crab pretzel was lopsided, sort of like your mom.—Mark Gross