Ian Froeb
"It" at Mammer Jammer
Mammer Jammer is a north city restaurant -- a carryout joint, mainly, its two small tables usually occupied by those waiting for their orders. The specialty of the house is called the "Mammer Jammer." This is essentially a cheesesteak. What distinguishes it from a run-of-the-mill cheesesteak is the liberal addition of hot peppers.
What distinguishes "It" from the other Mammer Jammers is how much hot pepper it contains. As "It" cooks on the flattop grill, the smoke wafting into the air prompts not only the cook but customers to cough. When the cook hands you your order and says, "I hope you enjoy this," what he means is, "You had better eat every last bite of this because cooking it caused me actual physical pain."
It will cause you pain as well. For the chile-heads, though, this is a sweet pain: tongue and lips scaled to the point of numbness, brow sweaty, mind suddenly floating a little higher than it was moments before.
For those who like cheesesteaks but not so much heat, a milder Mammer Jammer is still a tasty sandwich, beefy and cheesy and maybe a touch greasy. For those who love capsaicin, "It" can't be bettered.
Mammer Jammer
5124 Natural Bridge Road
314-381-1617
$5.15
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:
#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
#31: Smoked half-chicken at PM BBQ
#32: The smoked chicken pizza at Onesto Pizza & Trattoria
#33: The baby-back ribs (or the burger) at the Piccadilly at Manhattan
#34: Albóndigas caseras con patatas at the Guido's Pizzeria & Tapas
#35: The "Sweet Burger" at SweetArt
#36: Buffalo fries at Blueberry Hill
#37: Tom yum gai at Pearl Café
#38: Cassoulet (and Sweetbreads) at Franco
#39: The "Papasan Roll" at Miso on Meramec
#40: Lasagna at Mama Josephine's
#41: The "Bucktown" Pizza at Pi Pizzeria
#42: Pla song kruang at Basil Spice Thai Cuisine
#43: Chori pollo at Mi Ranchito
#44: Pizza at La Pizza
#45: Fried chicken at Young's Restaurant & Ice Creamery
#46: The Philly Cheesesteak at 9th Street Deli
#47: Smoked chicken wings at Flavors BBQ Sports Bar & Grill
#48: Coffee and a pastry at 222 Artisan Bakery
#49: The torta ahogada at Taqueria Durango
#50: The "Morganford Mediterranean" Sandwich at Local Harvest Café & Catering
