From Trinidadian to Jamaican, from old-fashioned pan shaking to French haute cuisine - and never forgetting the Chesapeake Bay crab theme in between - fine food is the hallmark of Maryland's African-American and Caribbean-American restaurants. Below is a sampler, the smallest taste, of the state's succulent bounty.

"A black man owning a French restaurant? Is he for real?" quips Benjamin Gordon Jr., owner and chef of Baltimore's highly successful Restaurant 2110. The "romance, flair and versatility" of French traditional cooking appeals to Gordon, and with its exacting techniques, he considers it a creative, artistic expression designed to please diners who have followed his career as though he were family. 2110's menu emphasizes country French preparations of fish, lamb, shellfish, veal, beef and duck, though Gordon is equally at home with both sweet-potato pie and with pate. Indeed, he frequently prepares Cajun and other Louisiana specialties for his patrons.

Gordon studied classical French cooking techniques at the Baltimore International Culinary College, where he now occasionally teaches. Later he became the first black member - and the youngest member - of the Baltimore chapter of the Chaine des Rotisseurs, an international gourmet society. Today his voice is heard on the radio, endorsing culinary products; his future may include television. Clearly, Gordon's career is on the rise - which is to say, it's been an uphill climb. "When you get out of school, that's when you start to learn," he says. His first menu was written in French, which intimidated some customers - a, lesson learned; now it is in English and customers order with confidence. The menu's language is not all that has changed; so has Gordon's dress, which is now formal. His commitment to excellence and listening to his customers remains steadfast. Just as he did when he was a youthful beginner - though then outfitted, in a white chef's coat, gym shoes and baseball cap - he still visits with patrons during the dinner hour, asking what they like and answering questions about techniques and trends.