Bacon Jam.

And I don't mean a swine pressed, squeezed, or wedged tightly between bodies or surfaces, so that motion or extrication is made difficult or impossible. I mean bacon skillfully crafted into a spread appropriate for smearing on things-- in this case, a hot dog.

As the good weather comes to a close, I've decided that I'm eating at a mobile food vendor location every day that I can-- until they abandon the streets of Minneapolis for warmer climates (or indoor locations). This was an especially bold move when I thought that I'd be out-of-state for work during the majority of October. That work trip has been postponed, but why should I alter my brilliant plan?!

After recently visiting a cart that does NOT sell hot dogs, and with the Twitter announcement by the proprietor of Natedogs boasting "Today I have a "Bacon Explosion Dog"!!!", I made my way to Natedogs on 6th St. & Nicollet Mall.

Already a fan of Natedogs, because of his clear love of hot dogs, housemade Surly mustards, and aversion to ketchup as a hot dog condiment-- the introduction of bacon jam to the equation merely reinforced my affinity. The Bacon Explosion dog (pictured below) has a modest smear of bacon jam with Surly Bender mustard and onions-- and it's a flavorful combination without being overpowering. The jam doesn't dominate, but very nicely complements the hot dog-- which is nice, since Nate so carefully chose the hot dogs he sells from his cart (Pastures A Plenty, from Kerkhoven, MN).

I suggest trying the Bacon Explosion Dog when you get a moment. In the immortal tweets of Nate, "You won't regret it"!

This Cart Does Not Sell Hot Dogs.

Not that there's anything wrong with a cart that does-- especially because I'm a big fan of Natedogs... But this Untamed Cart is special. It sells sandwiches full of meaty deliciousness in the form of porketta, Mexican pot roast, or a third selection that varies-- today it was pulled pork.

The proprietor is extraordinarily friendly with an enthusiasm for his food that is absolutely contagious. The sandwiches are hearty, and delirium-inducing delicious. The porketta on ciabatta is dressed with house pickled onions, arugula, and a horseradish/Dijon mayo and the Mexican pot roast is dressed with cilantro, radishes, chipotle mayo and avocado aoili. Sandwiches are served with kettle chips, which complement the sandwich well.

Untamed Cart can be found on Nicollet Mall just off of 10th Street (the carts aren't allowed to change locations) near what's become known as #destinationfoodtruckdining (a bunch of trucks lining up near each other, similar to St. Paul's Food Truck Court). It's also dangerously close to the Cupcake truck. I'm just saying...

Holy Smack Mac

I take back anything less than flattering that I’ve ever said about Smack Shack. Today’s Smack Mac special has catapulted Smack Shack to the top of my list.

Smack Shack managed to recreate my grandma’s mac and cheese – complete with toasted cracker crumb topping – with the added bonus of generous, flaky pieces of their signature lobster. Every creamy bite was truly a religious experience.

Smack Shack’s social media following was apparent today, with massive crowds gathering for the special before 11:30, making sure to get the good stuff before it runs out.

It was well worth the wait and the $12 price tag. It was even worth the stomach ache resulting from my inability to control the speed at which I inhaled it – a blessing, actually, or I may have headed back for more.