#18: Dátiles Rellenos at Modesto

Ian Froeb

The dátiles rellenos at Modesto

​Well of course something wrapped in bacon was going to make this list.

Crisp bacon is one of the three key elements of this tapa at Modesto, the Hill restaurant that, along with nearby Guido's Pizzeria & Tapas, is the rare local tapas restaurant to serve actual Spanish fare.

That bacon surrounds a date stuffed with Cabrales cheese, and the whole is a lovely blend of salty, porky, sweet and funky. You can dispatch each date in two quick bites. Thankfully, an order brings eight of them.

Modesto
5257 Shaw Avenue
314-772-9272
$8

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:

#19: Hot-and-sour noodles at Joy Luck Buffet
#20: Lamb vindaloo at India Palace

#21: Channa masala at Raj's Rasoi
#22: The blueberry scone at La Dolce Via
#23: Gang kua ped yang at Addie's Thai House
#24: Bánh xèo at Banh Mi So #1 - Saigon Gourmet
#25: Mojarra dorada at Garduño's Mexican Food
#26: "It" at Mammer Jammer
#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