Baltimore--Not Poeing it yet.

My intention this week was to post a recipe for a lovely spinach salad with warm bacon dressing.  I love an old fashioned spinach salad.  However, two things changed my mind.

First, I haven't quite gotten the dressing recipe right.  The first time it was---okay.  Just okay.  My mother told me to try to make it with two slices of bacon instead of just one.  I did it, but it was awful.  Inedible.  I cannot even begin to describe it.

Second, I am in Baltimore.  Baltimore is awesome.  I am not getting to Poe it out as much as I would like, but I did get to go to this lovely place called Jack's Bistro.  We went with a native of Baltimore who recommended Mac and Cheese and Chocolate.  It sounds disgusting.  Even as he described it, I thought it was disgusting. 

IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!!!

I know.  You think I am exaggerating. I am not.  It was pretty much the best thing I have ever eaten. 

Jack's Bistro describes this appetizer in very simple terms:  " shell pasta * smoked cheese sauce *
Columbian dark chocolate."  It is certainly not that simple, though.  It is nothing short of magical. 

Obviously we had already eaten some of this.  It smelled so good when the waiter sat it in front of us that we immediately reached for it.  That fork in the corner?  Mine.  (Thanks to Rachel Vaughan for the picture---I couldn't stop eating long enough to actually take a picture of my own). 

The moral of this story is that mac and cheese and chocolate trumps spinach salad.  Now if only I can recreate this. I think I need some smoked gouda.  Maybe some goat cheese?  It was super, super creamy.  Just so so good.

The other moral of this story is that if you are in Baltimore, stop by Jack's Bistro.  You will not regret it.  Everything we had there was amazing.