#14: The Egg Raviolo at Acero

When Jim Fiala's Acero opened four years ago, it raised the bar for authentic regional Italian cuisine in St. Louis so high that other restaurants are still trying to reach it. Four years after I first visited the Maplewood restaurant, I still think about its egg raviolo.

The dish is sublime in its simplicity: a farm-fresh egg yolk -- a gorgeous, vivid orange -- nestled with a blend of Parmigiano-Reggiano, mascarpone and ricotta cheeses inside a single large raviolo. Adam Gnau, Acero's executive chef, dresses this with nothing more than a thick, rich beurre monté.

The combination of sauce, yolk and cheese is as indulgent, in its own way, as a slab of foie gras. (For those with only a mild sweet tooth, it could serve as a dessert.) Once you've dispatched the raviolo itself, dip your bread in the remaining of beurre monté, yolk and cheese -- or just eat the mixture with a spoon. God knows I won't tell anyone.

Acero
7266 Manchester Road, Maplewood
314-644-1790
$13

I'm counting down -- in no particular order -- 100 of my favorite dishes in St. Louis. Some are well-known, others obscure. Some are expensive, others dirt cheap. All of them, I guarantee, are delicious. Please do not hesitate to share your own favorites via the comments thread.

Previously:

#15: Pappardelle at the Tavern Kitchen + Bar
#16: Carnitas at La Tejana Taqueria
#17: Benne's Farm half chicken at Five Bistro
#18: Dátiles rellenos at Modesto
#19: Hot-and-sour noodles at Joy Luck Buffet
#20: Lamb vindaloo at India Palace

#21: Channa masala at Raj's Rasoi
#22: The blueberry scone at La Dolce Via
#23: Gang kua ped yang at Addie's Thai House
#24: Bánh xèo at Banh Mi So #1 - Saigon Gourmet
#25: Mojarra dorada at Garduño's Mexican Food
#26: "It" at Mammer Jammer
#27: Two eggs over-easy, bacon and hash browns at the Courtesy Diner
#28: Seafood at Farmhaus
#29: The "Edgar Allan Poe" at Dewey's Pizza
#30: The "Heart Stopping BLT" and a chocolate malt at Crown Candy Kitchen