The Mexican Slinger at Egg in Midtown
This version of the slinger is lighter (and, dare we say, more photogenic) than its chili-slathered kin.
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
The veggie version of the Mexican slinger at Egg in Midtown.
This article appears in the September 2021 issue of St. Louis Magazine, under the title "Hybrid Home Run."
To the rest of the country, a slinger is one who uses a sling. In the Midwest, especially in St. Louis, the connotation reaches deep down into the bellies of late-night revelers. Somewhere in our city’s culinary history, the dish evolved into some iteration of potato, protein, egg, chili, and cheese, usually accompanied by white-bread toast and most often consumed in the a.m. hours, very early to late. The aptly named Egg restaurant in Midtown, known for its hearty, unusual riffs on breakfast and brunch fare, boasts a Mexican version of the slinger that’s lighter (and, dare we say, more photogenic) than its chili-slathered kin. Thin-sliced flank steak is the protein of choice, but consider the purists-be-damned version that includes a whatever’s-in-season mix of farmers’ market vegetables. Along with an uncomplicated mole, pinto beans, queso fresco, pico de gallo, and guajillo peppers (for tartness and color), the addition of a few shakes of quick-hitting Valentina hot sauce is recommended to jump-start the satisfaction. When gently broken, fried corn tortillas serve as scoopers, and the last crispy, saucy shard is the final, blissful bite.
