Don’t quite know when the trend started, but all I know is it wasn’t soon enough. I mean, the slider trend alone was more than welcome, with its blank canvas of possibilities. (Toasted or plain buns? Both, please! Just the meat or with onions, lettuce and tomato? Both, please!) Then restaurants started substituting chicken to really get my head spinning, but you know what? Those were great, too. I’ve learned a valuable lesson during my Vegas travails—it’s very difficult to screw up a slider!

The newest variation is upon us, and it’s better than it sounds. Meatloaf sliders are the rage now, and if the few I’ve already tried around town are any indication, their popularity is only going to grow. It’s such a simple concept—take your finest meatloaf recipe, slice off a few hunks and slap them on tiny buns—but damn, it works!