Several burgers will make this list, and most of them share this trait: Simplicity. No gimmicks for the gluttonous. No elaborate garnishes for foodies who have forgotten that a burger is about the beef. At Michael's, your choices are limited to which, if any, cheese you'd like (I opted for pepper jack) and whether you want to add lettuce, tomato and pickle (I declined). Here the meat is the star, ten ounces of ground sirloin given an aggressive char but still pink and juicy in the middle.
My burger was so fresh from the grill that it scalded my mouth, the heat lingering throughout the meal and afterward, not entirely unpleasant, like the radiant warmth from standing near a flaming backyard grill.
Michael's Bar & Grill
7101 Manchester Avenue
314-644-2440
$7.75
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:
#92: Fried egg and ham toastie at the Schlafly Tap Room
#93: Bavarian chips with Welsh rarebit at Dressel's
#94: Onion soup at Brasserie by Niche
#95: Baby-back ribs at 17th Street Bar & Grill
#96: Kingshighway burger at the Royale
#97: Gyro sandwich at South Grand Gyro Express
#98: Carne asada tacos at El Paisano (Watson Road)
#99: Pretzel bites at Joey B's on the Hill
#100: Hot and sour soup at Shu Feng Restaurant
