Winter is behind us, making way for the great weather that welcomes a walk through downtown Westminster.

But why just stroll and look at the scenery, when you can crawl and enjoy the food?

Welcome to The Eagle's inaugural Appetizer Crawl, a fun way to spend time out and about downtown in our county seat.

My girlfriends and I recently indulged our appetites -- and sabotaged our workout routines -- to provide you with a sampling of all the Westminster eateries have to offer.

Hey, someone has to do it.

A crawl is a great way to try new items and different places without overloading at any one location.

This one took some research, so it began with a quick survey on my Facebook page, where friends weighed in on their favorites. The variety of suggestions underscored the fact that Westminster residents, and those who work or visit here, can find incredible edibles downtown.

Armed with a list and glowing recommendations, we set out.

Our crawl began at A Little Bit of Tuscany, 84. E Main Street. The first appetizer order was gorgonzola and fig bruschetta, a recommendation from both Kelly Stillwell and Melissa Shaffer. It's an incredible bite of cheese, slightly melted, on a warm piece of chewy bread. Yum!

Our next selection was truffle and fontina cheese bruschetta, recommended by owner Tuscany Rose Seaman. Laura Buczkowski and Laurie Borkowicz preferred this one, and it paired well with the crisp Pinot Grigio we were served in a wonderful and warm atmosphere.

Next stop, Wine Me Up, is a wine bar about a block down on the opposite side at 61 E. Main Street. My friend Michele Macera swears by its antipasto platter, an arrangement of marinated mushrooms, artichokes, kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, salami and mozzarella cheese, with an awesome, rich balsamic vinegar glaze.

Melissa Shaffer recommended a glass of Tall Horse, a South African Shiraz red wine, to pair it with. Enjoy this part of your crawl in Wine Me Up's new expansion location, a separate room with comfy couches to relax on.

Next, we stroll behind Wine Me Up and visit Paradiso Italian Ristorante at 20 Distillery Lane. Kelly Chiavacci said she adores the crostini, lightly breaded rounds of mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and fresh basil served in a light tomato sauce.

"Imagine the greatest bread stick you've ever had, and fill it with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella," said Joe Lamirande, server at Paradiso, in describing this dish. "It's one of our most popular appetizers."

To go with it, we can't resist Paradiso's Captain Morgan's martini -- a shaken, spiced rum drink with pineapple juice.

Across the Distillery Lane parking lot is Papa Joe's, at 27 E. Main St. (rear). Here we stop for a margarita. Leslie Eckard recommended these fun concoctions to quench our thirst after eating the house made chips and salsa.

Next, the crawl headed to 14 Liberty St. for a stop at O'Lordan's Irish Pub, where Kim McManus and Holly Hutchins both raved about the Gaelic prawns served in a bread boule.

"Once I tried them the first time, it's now the only thing I order there," said Hutchins. "The shrimp swims in a garlic butter sauce that soaks into the bread bowl. The bread is almost better than the shrimp, but the shrimp is fabulous too." She suggested a Bloody Mary to go with this starter.

Still hungry? Really?

Well, gooey dips are great for a crawl. Kelly Chiavacci loved the crab dip at Rafael's, 32 W. Main St., which can be served on the restaurant's back deck once the weather really warms up.

Others raved about the irresistible artichoke dip at Harry's Main Street Grille, 65 W. Main St. The dip comes complete with warm chunks of artichoke, served with bread or crackers for dipping.

Now it's your turn. Pick some pals, carve out some time and check out multiple appetizers at various venues. Here are some tips for your own crawl:

•Pick your spots ahead of time, but be flexible. If you're having a great time at one locale, save the others for another date.

•If you want a "hard core" crawl, select two to four locations and establish time limits at each. Be sure to make reservations to ensure you won't have to wait for a table.

•Park in the middle of the crawl, between the first and last stops, so you're not walking too much at the beginning or end.

•Start with light starters to share so you don't fill up. Soups aren't necessarily recommended because of their "fill" factor. However, if you are in a soup mood, my friends recommend the potato leek soup at O'Lordan's and the French onion at Harry's.

•Choose a designated driver up front. Most locations have alcoholic beverages, and think safety first.

•Be sure to ask servers about specials. Some restaurants provide fresh, innovative and meticulously crafted starters as their specials. Don't miss an opportunity.

•Determine ahead of time how you and your friends will pay. Will you take turns picking up the tab, or split it at each place? Deciding ahead of time will eliminate questions later.

Have fun on your crawl and be sure to let us know how it goes. Share your crawl stories and suggestions of dishes to tryin the reader comments below or on our Talk boards.

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