The burger: The question of the day is, "What constitutes bacon 'jam'"? The answer: "It's mostly bacon, with vinegar, onions and a little bit of pure maple syrup," said Colossal Cafe co-owner Elizabeth Tinucci. It's also fantastic – one of the all-time great burger garnishes -- and the topper on a monster of a burger that Tinucci has christened the "Breakfast Burger." Because, why not start your day with America's favorite sandwich? Or have "breakfast" for lunch?
Naturally, the folks at the Colossal aren't tentative about piling it on.
"We don't hold back on the bacon, that's for sure," said Tinucci with a laugh.
As for the patty – and yes, it's there, buried beneath all of that chopped pork -- it's a quarter-pounder, cooked on a flattop to medium-rare, with plenty of pink inside, and a flavorful char on the outside. Keeping her business in the neighborhood, Tinucci buys the freshly ground beef from the meat counter at Tim & Tom's Speedy Market for her two St. Paul locations, and at Everett's Foods for her south Minneapolis spot.
The bun is a standout. It's baked in-house, a milky formula that's equally sturdy and soft. It gets a toast on the grill, but not before getting the plenty-of-butter treatment.
The garnish motto is "keep it simple," in an all-major-food-groups kind of way: a thick blanket of sharp Cheddar, and a camera-ready, sunny side-up egg, the runny yolk contributing much-needed texture. Oh, and that dolled-up bacon. What a breakfast. Or, a lunch.
"They're popular," said Tinucci. "Maybe it's because we don't serve dinner, but people order them all the time, especially on the weekends."
Price: $13.
