Something's different about the lunch and dinner menus at Crossroads in the Radisson Hotel at Cross Keys.

It isn't the nothing-fancy daytime fare or the slightly more upscale evening entrees at the venerable restaurant in the Village of Cross Keys shopping center.

There's a bistro steak and a Cross Keys Burger, Grammy's meatloaf and a ham and cheese sandwich, twin crabcakes and seared, maple-thyme salmon.

It all sounds fine, but what really stands out are the words of explanation above the menu.

"We believe in the farm to table approach. Whenever possible, we feature the seasonal best from local growers and emphasize eco-friendly and sustainable agriculture."

In a hotel restaurant? Why not, say Radisson officials, who put out a news release touting their menu and raved about it in an interview.

With a nod to the upscale restarant Woodberry Kitchen -- "that's the benchmark," said Crossroads chef Don Crowther Jr. -- the menu name-checks reputable farms and creameries in Maryland and Pennsylvania, such as Albright Farms and Hawks Hill Creamery, both in Harford County.

The burger is described on the menu as a "half-pound (of) grass-fed, free-range ground chuck from Albright Farms, smothered with Hawks Hill Creamery's cave-aged cheddar (and) served on a Kaiser roll." (Add applewood smoked bacon for $1.)

Breads are from Stone Mill Bakery in Greenspring Station. Maryland shimp is steamed in "our special blend of Old Bay seasoning and Natty Boh."

Since it's too late in the year for local lettuce, Crowther is making due with "organic greens" from Earthbound Farms in California, localized with chevre goat cheese from Cherry Glen Farm in Boyds.

Because no one makes blue cheese around these parts, the bistro steak is "crusted with Black River Cheese Co. blue cheese" from Canada, Crowther says.

By the way, the beef is from Indian River Farm in Lancaster, Pa.

The farm-to-table menus are being used for lunch, dinner and room service, but not for breakfast.

Many food items, especially cheeses, cost Crossroads more to buy, but Crossroads has not passed on the extra costs to customers, said Crowther and July Wilbur, sales director for the Radisson.

Wilbur acknowledgets that the menu motif is unusual for a hotel restaurant, and uncommon for any restaurants in north Baltimore, other than Woodberry Kitchen.

But she hopes the sustainablity theme will draw more than hotel guests and shoppers and make the restaurant a destination for area diners.

"We're trying to stand out," Wilbur said. "We don't want to be just your standard hotel restaurant. We want people to come because they want a farm-to-table experience."

"A different one than you get at Woodberry Kitchen," said Crowther, who has been at Crossroads about 2 1/2 years.

Crowther, a former chef at the Hilton Garden Inn in White Marsh and former purchasing director for the Sheraton Baltimore North, in Towson, said that the concept came from "corporate," but that he is excited about it.

"I think the green movement in general is becoming more popular," he said.

"Guests are pleasantly surprised when they see that we offer sustainability and local products," Wilbur said.

Crossroads has been at the Village of Cross Keys since the 1970s, when the hotel was the Cross Keys Inn. Then, Crossroads was a white-tablecloth bookend to the Village Roost, a breakfast hotspot for Baltimore business leaders.

But the Roost closed about a decade ago, as did a Bun Penny and Cross Keys Deli and Market. Crossroads last year downsized, cutting its inside seating from 140 to 72, and expanding its private dining and conference facilities, in conjunction with a partial renovation of the Radisson.

Also last year, the Village Square Cafe opened near the hotel, and its owners, Robert and Roseanne Glick, now are serving dinner as well as breakfast and lunch.

Having two restaurants overlooking the courtyard, as well as Donna's upstairs, gives the shopping center more dining options, which is what the center management wants, Wilbur said.

"It's good for the Village because it brings more traffic," she said.

But it also brings competition to Crossroads, which is now trying to stand apart not only from other restaurants in the area, but from the cafe virtually next door.

In addition to its new menu, which debuted about two weeks ago, Crossroads has started a live jazz night on Thursdays and is also considering a weekly blues night, as well as a wine-tasting night, featuring regional wines.

As for the menu, it will be fine-tuned based on customer reaction, Wilbur said.

But the concept of sustainability will remain the same.

"We're still going to use the local dairy, the local butcher," Wilbur said.

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