You knew something was wrong. More than a year after the Sfuzzi chain filed for bankruptcy and was supposed to be converted to a Coco Pazzo, nothing had happened. Then the struggling restaurant quietly closed a couple of weeks ago.

Taking over the spot is a well-known chain from Boston, Legal Sea Foods Inc. It should open at 100 E. Pratt St. across from Harborplace by mid- to late September. It joins several other seafood chains in the Inner Harbor - Phillips, Rusty Scupper and McCormick & Schmick.

Why should Legal succeed where Sfuzzi failed?

"Our reputation for freshness is pretty legendary," says Annie Kirsch, the company's public relations director.

The real question, though, is do Legal Sea Foods' cooks know how to make an authentic Maryland crab cake? At least they're going to try. Besides all the lobster dishes and chowders you'd expect, local specialties like Maryland crab soup, soft shells and crab cakes will be on the menu. Entrees will be priced from $11 to $23. Look for indoor and outdoor seating, with room for around 200 people.

Take a turn outside

Depending on how the weather is when this appears in print, this may or may not seem like good news: Charleston (1000 Lancaster St.) now has outdoor seating on a patio overlooking the harbor. Also new is the restaurant's Web site at http://www.charlestonrestaurant.com, which offers the usual menu, wine list and positive reviews, plus one feature I like a lot: a seasonal recipe from chef and owner Cindy Wolf. The current one is for tomato-basil relish.

Table Talk welcomes restaurant news. Please send suggestions XTC to Elizabeth Large, Table Talk, The Sun, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore 21278; fax 410-783-2519; or e-mail elizabeth.largaltsun.com.

Pub Date: 7/30/98