The burger: What a pleasure to find chef Lucas Almendinger at the helm of the Third Bird, the Loring Park newcomer that opened in late August in the former (and more enchanting than ever) home of Cafe Maude at Loring (and, before that, Nick and Eddie). He's a huge talent who made the short-lived Union Fish Market a notable new-in-2013 endeavor.

For the burger on his lunch, dinner and brunch menus, Almendinger is skipping beef in favor of grass-fed bison. "The focus of what I want to do here is be a Midwestern restaurant," he said. "Bison is a little healthier than beef, and it's unique. I'm from South Dakota, and I sort of love bison. There are bison burgers all over South Dakota, and they're not good, so I wanted to do a good one."

Mission accomplished. Almendinger wisely exercises restraint, allowing the meat's gentle, pristine flavor to speak for itself. The only (well-calibrated) seasoning is salt and pepper, and then the thick, hand-formed patties are fried on a flattop. In butter, a welcome fat injection for the naturally lean meat.

"How do you like it cooked?" asked my gracious and well-schooled server, music to my ears. When I told her I'd prefer it the way the kitchen prefers to prepare it, she came back with "medium-rare," and that's precisely the way it arrived. (And thoughtfully cut in half; my friend and I were sharing courses).

Composition-wise, Almendinger is offering a kind-of tribute to fast-food burgers, and the muted, scrupulously attended-to details bear that out.

A Thousand Island-style dressing serves as a shout-out to the Big Mac, but Almendinger's far more flavorful aioli-based version isn't exactly Golden Arches territory, what with its Sriracha (for subtle heat) and cornichons (for brief acidic flashes) touches.

White onions are sliced thin and coaxed on the griddle to sweet, near-black caramelization, then finished with a splash of mustard oil. A stack of pale, crisp iceberg adds just-right crunch.

As for the bun, it's a soft, milk-laced beauty, its golden top studded with sesame seeds and its interior toasted on the grill. They're baked on the premises, and they're terrific.

There's a story behind the choice of cheese, a Wisconsin white Cheddar. "Cheddars have the best flavor for a burger," said Almendinger. "But a lot of the sharp Cheddars don't melt well, so we went through this long process to find a good white Cheddar that would melt appropriately."

Its Wisconsin roots are also a shout-out to owner Kim Bartmann's heritage. "And we want to keep it in the Midwestern ballpark," said Almendinger.

Would I return for a second? Absolutely, and as soon as possible. I can hear the voice of Mr. Gerlach, my high school English teacher, ringing through my brain. "A for the day," he would say.

Price: $11, and so very worth it.

Fries: None. Instead, excellent house-made potato chips that adhere to the simple-is-best mantra, just thin-sliced russets, hit with smoked sea salt and malt vinegar powder. I wanted to ask for an extra helping.

Busted: When Bill Summerville gave the contents of our table a sharp-eyed once-over, my diner's intuition guessed his question before he asked it. "Why aren't you having a glass of wine?" he teased. And really, why wasn't I? For Third Bird, Summerville has composed a dream of a list, at prices that support constant if not enthusiastic exploration. My tragic response: There was work to be done back at the office, post-lunch, and I was being a prudent, nose-to-the-grindstone Midwesterner, ergo my (delicious) non-alcoholic cocktail. But if I needed a reason to return to the restaurant -- beyond that burger, of course -- Summerville's list is definitely that.

Friendly shout-out: When tapped for a burger recommendation – one that's not on his own menu, anyway -- Almendinger had an immediate response. "Landon's burger is my favorite," he said, referring to North Loop-er Landon Schoenefeld, chef/co-owner of HauteDish. "It presents simply but every element is done super-well. It's a great burger." I agree.

Address book: 1612 Harmon Place, Mpls., 612-767-9495. Open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Talk to me: Do you have a favorite burger? Share the details at rick.nelson@startribune.com