There’s no ambivalence about what this new Mike Johnson spot is as soon as you walk in. It’s got that griddle-cooked burger smell that might bring you back to your meals at Burger King. In fact, much of Hi-Pointe is deliberately retro: the Fazio sandwich buns, thin burger patties, toppings, simple milkshakes and the prices.

It’s a cool idea. The main attraction, burgers, are described as a blend of brisket, chuck and rib meat. Mind you, the cooking process—on a hot greased griddle—means it still tastes like fast food made by a short-order cook. The good news is, the menu is ‘chef-driven’ (meaning trained chefs created it, and there’s a chef on site), which accounts for a few of the more gourmet offerings (shaved Brussels sprouts, salmon banh mi, bacon and collard greens sandwich).

My double cheeseburger with bacon ($9) was an impressive pile of food. Arranged on a butter-toasted Fazio’s potato bun were tomato slices, lettuce, mayo, pickle, onion, mustard, ketchup, American cheese and two thin beef patties griddled practically to extinction. To my palate, the charred meat over-dominated all those wonderful fixins.

A meatless dish, the Veggie Burger ($7), was really good. The patty, a blend of quinoa and beans, was flavorful and in this case, the griddling process had a less burnt flavor, probably because a veggie burger has no fat to sizzle up and char. The Greens & Grains salad ($10) also was good—super grainy with wild rice, wheatberry, quinoa, red pepper, baby greens and crunchy tortilla strips. It was satisfying, and the lime vinaigrette dressing was good.

The surprise favorite during one visit was Salmon Banh Mi ($9), two small fillets of pleasantly griddled fish on a hoagie bun with cilantro and creamy chile mango aioli. Something pickled in there imparted a great sour note that made the fish pop, and the fillets had good texture from the griddle—a little bit crisp around the edges. Another good experience came from the Fried Chicken Sandwich ($8.50), which included two small breasts, lightly fried, on a bun with all the fixins. It was reminiscent of Shake n’ Bake flavors. The milkshakes are made with Ronnie’s vanilla ice cream, a local product, but they didn’t really take me back to the old drive-in days when milkshakes were thick and creamy.

What’s a burger without fries? Or slaw, for that matter. The sides here are an astoundingly low $2.50 and come Belgian-style, sticking out of a pint container. The accompanying ‘sauce andalouse’ was good. But our sides came to us barely warm. The Brussels sprouts were best, shaved with shallots and plenty of bacon. However, the vinegar slaw was too liquidy, and the White Cheddar Mac & Cheese needed more defining flavor—more cheese, butter, or both.

I get what they’re going for here—a local Shake Shack that’s more high-quality than typical fast food spots. I’m just not sure they’ve succeeded yet.

amuse bouche
the scene | Hectic, fast-food diner
the prices | $5.50-$7 burgers, $8.50-$9 sandwiches, $5 shakes
the owner | Mike Johnson
the favorites | Salmon Banh Mi, Veggie Burger, Chocolate Milkshake, Greens & Grains, Crispy Fried Chicken Sandwich

chef chat» owner mike johnson
Why an old-style drive-in?
No reason, we just love old time drive-ins. There are not that many in St. Louis, and we thought it would be a good idea.
Signature dish?
Taco Burger
Your favorite menu item?
The mitraillette. It’s a sandwich that has its origins in Belgium.
Customer favorite so far?
The regular cheeseburger

1033 mccausland ave. | 314.349.2720

Photos: Bill Barrett