“Ignorantly Delicious”…Chaps Pit Beef

Being a “food enthusiast” is a beautiful thing.  Food is necessary for life, but the emotional impact it has makes it all the more better.  The ultimate and most natural of endorphin releases.  Today, I just had the ultimate endorphin release at Chaps Charcoal Restaurant in Baltimore, Maryland.

Outside of Baltimore, alot of people heard about this restaurant when it was featured on Food Network’s popular show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives“.  Baltimore really must be a hidden gem when it comes to good places to eat, because five or six restaurants from Baltimore have been featured on “Triple D“.  Chaps is the first of those restaurants that I have been to, and if the other restaurants didn’t exist, that would be ok…CHAPS ROCKS!!!  When it was featured on “Triple D“, Alicia…my fiance’ and myself were watching the television drueling at the sight of grilled meat…beef, pork, turkey, it didn’t matter.  ALL OF IT LOOKED DAMN GOOD, and we had to have it.  Granted, life’s little moments get in the way, and we were not able to get up to Baltimore right away (From where I live in Northern Virginia, Chaps is 70 miles from my house, according to MapQuest).  That all changed today.

Once we go to where Chaps is located, it soon became apparent that Chaps is not in the most “savory” of neighborhoods.  Across from Chaps is an adult video store, and Chaps itself is located in front of a strip club…one of many along Pulaski Highway.  Along with the nasty motels, fast food chain restaurants, and liquor stores…again, not the most savory neighborhoods.  But you know…for whatever reason, it adds to the “charm” and “mystique” of the place.  We park behind the restaurant, and go in.  We see a large, autographed poster of Guy Fieri (Host of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives“) hanging from the ceiling, in a rather “dive-ish” looking place.  A few seats…nothing special.  After taking in the atmosphere of the place, we take in the other atmosphere of the place…THE SMELL.  GRILLED FREAKIN’ MEAT, and I take a peak, and huge slabs of all kinds of meat are on this giant pit-grill apparatus.  It was beautiful.  Alicia and I looked at the menu, and made our orders.  Alicia ordered a regular pit beef sandwich, some cole slaw, and some water.  Myself…I got a pit beef-sausage combo sandwich, fries, and a sprite.  The cool thing about this place is that you can get your meat cooked however you want….Alicia got her’s medium, and myself…medium-rare.  Within five minutes our order was out.  We sat down and ate.  THE VERDICT….

After taking a few bites, Alicia and I looked at each other, as if to say, “Can you believe this sh*t!!!”  “Can you believe how utterly damn delicious this is?”  We just had confused looks on our faces.  These sandwiches were ignorantly delicious.  Alicia and I both considered ordering additional sandwiches to take home, but we decided that we would just visit again in a month’s time.  We want to make it a special trip.  Hell…Alicia and I are getting married next month, and I wouldn’t mind my first wedding meal to be at Chaps (Although I think Alicia would have an issue with that).

I noticed apartments across the street from Chaps, and I told Alicia, “I couldn’t live within 10 minutes of this place.  I would be here almost every week, and become fat and bloated.”  If you live near this place and haven’t been…shame on you.  If you have the opportunity to go there…GO!!!  This place is awesome.  Thanks Chaps for a good meal.

Chaps Pit Beef
5801 Pulaski Restaurant
Baltimore, Maryland 21205
http://www.chapspitbeef.com