You shouldn't. No one should. But sometimes you just have to eat like there's no tomorrow, or no swimsuit season or no known connection between caloric intake and vascular health.

For those times, there are plate-busters, otherwise known as gut-busters, last meals and "this is your future in elastic waistbands."

These are dishes of memory and the ones that become calling-cards for restaurants. The food we're talking about is intentionally loaded with calories in their most notorious forms -- red meat and white flour, coated, smothered and deep-fried. And because it's Baltimore, expect plenty of jumbo-lump crab meat.

Not too many years ago, the Baltimore tavern named Alonso's became very well known for having a 1-pound burger. Can you imagine? That was it; the burger was big. And it's kind of sweet to remember the way folks used to go on about it, like it was a marvel at the county fair.

Now the Alonso's burger looks quaint next to these belly behemoths. -- Richard Gorelick

What are some of your favorite Baltimore calorie bombs? Tell us in the comments field below.

Also see:
• May food holidays: burgers, strawberries and asparagus [Pictures]
• 10 great Maryland milkshakes
• 100 Things Baltimore foodies must try
• Baltimore food porn