Although it might sound hyperbolic to use the term “life-changing,” a cheeseburger this year indeed shattered my long-held definition of the perfect burger.

This unexpected paradigm shift involved lettuce. Or, rather, the lack of it. The lettuce debate was contentious even before McDonald’s gave us the choice between a Quarter Pounder and the Big Mac. I’ve never liked anything from McDonald’s. But I do love burgers, and I have always admired a leafier recipe: Bun, meat, lettuce, tomato, onion. I could give or take a pickle. The wackier the flavors, the less I’m inclined to order it.

The cheeseburger at The Mayor’s Table knocked me for a loop. It was unexpectedly naked and vulnerable. It was astoundingly delicious.

After the epiphany, I began looking for other undressed burgers. I found plenty, some of which were good but most of what I found just tasted incomplete. The cheeseburger at The Mayor’s Table might be an outlier, but it is the runaway winner for 2018’s Burger of the Year. Here are the 10 best burgers I’ve eaten this year:

1. Mayor’s Table at Lido House — BURGER OF THE YEAR

This cheeseburger is profoundly simple: No lettuce. No tomato. No pickles. Nothing but a huge meat patty, cheddar cheese, aioli and a few slices of lightly grilled onion stuffed into a soft, pillowy sesame seed bun. Every ingredient is meticulously considered. No matter where you stand on the lettuce versus no lettuce debate, you absolutely must try this burger. Bonus: It comes with outstanding hand-cut fries. Cost: $16. Lido House Hotel, 3300 Newport Blvd., Newport Beach, 949-524-8500, lidohousehotel.com

2. Vaka Burger

Here’s the powerful counter-argument of the lettuce-no-lettuce debate. I know, I know: Uptown Whittier is not Orange County. But as long as there’s a Vaka Burger just across the county line, Whittier deserves special designation. The OG Burger here is seriously perfect. I don’t know what they do to their meat, but it is always incredible. The fries are great, too. Cost: $11. 12913 Philadelphia St., Whittier, 562-789-0000, vakaburgers.com

3. Grinston’s

Grinston’s opened in April in the base of a new apartment complex in Fullerton a few blocks from the university. The burger they call The Meltdown is gloriously simple: a substantial meat patty, great cheddar cheese, charred onions, Thousand Island dressing and a brioche bun. That’s it, except the bun is upside down, heavily buttered and toasted, creating the illusion of a patty melt. Cost: $11.50. 2555 E. Chapman Ave., Fullerton, 714-213-8265, grinstons.com

4. Royal Hen

Shortly after I named the off-menu burger at Royal Hen to be last year’s Burger of the Year, the chef quit and everything on the menu changed. Or so I thought. The one thing that didn’t change was the burger: caramelized onion jam, smoky blue cheese, arugula — except now it’s actually listed on the menu, not merely an off-menu “secret.” Cost: $18. 311 Marine Ave., Newport Beach, 949-873-5603, theroyalhen.com

5. Juliette Kitchen + Bar

The burger at Juliette has evolved slightly over the years, although the core ingredients remain roughly the same: tomato jam, grilled balsamic onions, aged cheddar, smoked bacon, little gem lettuce, radicchio and mustard aioli on a Portuguese roll. At some point awhile back when I wasn’t looking, they started chopping the lettuce instead of using whole leaves. It comes with housemade potato chips, which are absolutely addictive. Cost: $16. 1000 N. Bristol St., Newport Beach, 949-258-9950, juliettenb.com

6. Eureka

You’re going to need lots of extra napkins to absorb all the grease and goo that drips from the Bone Marrow Burger at Eureka. What is already a juicy meat patty is slathered with an obscene amount of melted bone marrow, plus grilled onions, mustard aioli and a fat roasted tomato. You might want to call ahead; dinosaur bones are apparently in limited supply. Cost: $16.50. Bella Terra, 7631 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, 714-230-3955, eurekarestaurantgroup.com

7. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

The original Fleming’s at Fashion Island makes a terrific burger with steakhouse-grade beef, plus bacon, avocado, arugula and smoked jalapeño aioli. They serve it with hand-cut fries mixed with deep-fried olives. 455 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949-720-9633, flemingssteakhouse.com

8. Peter’s Gourmade Grill

The burger choices are extensive, but there’s no need to look any farther than the first one on the list: the ABC Burger, which I believe stands for avocado, bacon and cheddar, although the “C” might very well stand for condiments, as this old-fashioned burger is lavishly lubricated with a drippy slurry of mustard, mayonnaise and ketchup. 14311 Newport Ave., Tustin, 714-832-2099, gourmadegrill.com

9. Kaye’s Kitchen

Before you complain that I left your precious In-N-Out off this list, go to Kaye’s Kitchen in downtown Garden Grove. Get the double cheeseburger. The meat patties, the perfectly melted cheddar, the pillowy bun, plus iceberg lettuce, red onion, tomato, dill pickles and mayo. There’s no drive-thru, but trust me: This is better than In-N-Out. Cost $11.99. 12939 Main St., Garden Grove, 714-636-6755

10. S’wich Bistro

S’witch is a charming little sandwich shop adjacent to the Blizzard Entertainment complex, so the dining room here always feels like the gaming company’s employee cafeteria. The burger is fantastic, an old-fashioned classic on a cloud-like potato bun, with romaine lettuce, farmers’ market-quality tomato, sliced red onions and what they call “wink wink” sauce, which is basically Russian dressing. They don’t make their french fries from scratch, but they do make their own potato chips, which are terrific. 16277 Laguna Canyon Road, Irvine, 949-753-0227, swichbistro.com