Baltimore. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning for absolutely nothing, happy with the epic fail that is their lives.” Sure, when we think of Baltimore, we think of Scranton-esque hellhole. But we at chicken and rice wanted to discover what lurked beneath its unpolished surface–what diamonds in the rough still glimmered in the colonial port. We found crabs.

They feed on their dead.  Nature’s roombas, the bottom-feeders consume the detritus of the ocean.  However, in one of the most beautiful violations of the garbage-in garbage-out paradigm, these crustaceans are delicious.  The crabcakes in Baltimore were unequivocally superior to any I had ever tasted.  The seasoning brought out the true flavor of the crab without overwhelming it, and a lightly fried exterior added to the texture of the dish.  The care and attention to detail in the presentation was truly surprising, and definitely added to the experience.

Friends, there are many things we can say about Baltimore. But I think the one we can all agree on it that the city knows its bottom-feeders. The state of Maryland gets a 8.5/10 for having the foresight to never clean up the city of Baltimore, where nature’s trash collectors and America’s trash have formed a symbiotic relationship which can only be described as delicious. Hats off, and a strong recommendation to visit the great city for lunch, and leave shortly after.  The aquarium is pretty cool too.