Category Archives: Restaurants

Alba: From Milk Braised Pork Cheeks to Chocolate Lava Cake

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Alba opened its doors in 2008 in the eclectic East Village of Des Moines and has been one of my favorite restaurants in Des Moines ever since. There are three main reasons I enjoy dining at Alba:

1) The attentive and knowledgeable staff - The staff is polite and very knowledgeable of the menu and wine selection. Use your server as a guide through the menu and drink selection, as I have found their recommendations to be spot on and quite helpful! 

2) The atmosphere and colorful decor - I appreciate the atmosphere at Alba and I absolutely adore the vibrant artwork and the colorful mix of doors that hang from the ceiling.

3) The food is superb, fresh and constantly changing. (Check out our recent meal below!)

Levi (my fiancé) and I decided to dine at Alba as a part of the 2012 Des Moines Restaurant Week. The weather was gorgeous, so we sat on the patio, which is a great spot for couples or small groups looking to enjoy a relaxing meal outdoors. Here’s the “She Ate / He Ate” scoop on our meal at Alba.

She Ate: (My Meal)

First Course - Maxwell Farms Heirloom Tomato Salad made with basil caramel, house made ricotta, and topped with a zucchini crouton. This salad was refreshing with a mix of textures and tastes. The tomatoes were the star in this dish, but the basil caramel really added a burst of flavor to the salad.

Second Course - Chive Potato Gnocchi with chicken, crème fraîche and white truffle oil. I only dream of being able to make a sauce as tasty as the sauce that covered this dish! The chicken was tender, the veggies were fresh and the gnocchi was soft and pillowy. It’s easy to get carried away with white truffle oil (and it can quickly overpower a dish), but this dish had the perfect amount.

Third Course – Chocolate Lave Cake served with buttermilk ice cream and topped with a pinch of Cyprus flake sea salt. When I think of Alba, I think of their rich Chocolate Lava Cake. It’s just one of those menu items that I can’t pass up and this trip to Alba was no different. The dessert came out freshly prepared, warm and oozing with chocolatety goodness. It’s worth the wait (and the calories!)

He Ate: (Levi’s Meal)

First Course – Iowa Sweet Corn Soup, which included puffed bacon, chive oil and a bit a tomato jam. The soup tasted exactly like a cob of Iowa Sweet Corn. It was creamy, fresh and packed with flavor. The bacon added a welcomed bit of salt to the dish.

Second Course – Milk Braised Pork Cheeks, sweet corn veloute (a type of sauce), potato rosti (grated potato made into a cake) and a shaved zucchini salad. I’m not a huge fan of pork, but this was melt-in-your-mouth good, and it probably was the most tender pork I’ve ever eaten. If you’re planning on eating at Alba, make sure you try this dish!

Third Course – Summer Blueberry Clafouti topped with vanilla ice cream. The crust on the dessert was crisp and the blueberries were plump. I would have added a bit more ice cream to the dish to balance out the dryness of the clafouti base, but overall a solid choice to complete the meal.

Location: 524 East 6th Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
Hours: Lunch – Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and Dinner – Monday through Saturday from 5:00 p.m. until close.
Phone: (515) 244-0261 – I’d recommend making a reservation to ensure a spot.

Competitive Eating Meets Triathlon with 2012 Devour Des Moines

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Could you eat the Mini Meatloaf Dinner from High Life Lounge and then bike 5 miles? Or maybe it’s more your style to eat a Breakfast Burrito from The Library Café and then run 3 miles. Either way, it’s time to put your competitive eating and athletic skills to the test with Devour Des Moines 2012 as you “tri to eat it all.”

Devour Des Moines will be held on Saturday, August 4, 2012 from 10:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m.. The event will start and end at El Bait Shop and make its way throughout downtown Des Moines during the competition. Devour Des Moines teams, which consist of four members, will compete in a relay-style race with each team member completing an eating challenge and an athletic challenge at each race leg. At the final leg, all team members will come together to complete the final eating and athletic challenges as a team.

Which leg of the race would you take on?

Leg 1: Breakfast burrito from The Library Café and a 3 mile run
Leg 2: An ear Iowa grown Deardorff sweet corn from Buy Fresh, Buy Local, chips with a side of Juan O’Sullivan’s hot salsa and a 2 mile run/lap swim at YMCA
Leg 3: Cheese pizza from Fong’s Pizza and a 3 mile run
Leg 4: Mini meatloaf dinner from High Life Lounge and a 5 mile bike ride
Leg 5: A basket of Mo’Rub wings from El Bait Shop and a team run around the block

It’s all for a good cause!

The money raised from Devour Des Moines will benefit The Greater Des Moines Chapter of Buy Fresh, Buy Local, who is “dedicated to connecting the Greater Des Moines community to local farm-fresh food as a means to supporting a healthier population and promoting greater economic growth.”

Participation is limited to only 50 teams and the cost per team is $120. Teams have until Wednesday, August 1 to register for Devour Des Moines. To register or for more information, visit: www.DevourDesMoines.org and check out their nifty video below.

Louie’s Wine Dive: “Wine is Supposed to be Fun!”

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My fiancé, Levi, and I were looking to grab a bite to eat before Ingrid Michaelson’s concert at Nightfall on the River and we luckily stumbled upon a new local restaurant – Louie’s Wine Dive.

Louie’s Wine Dive opened about five weeks ago in the space that used to be the Iowa Bakery Cafe on University Avenue. The inside is revamped and has dark wood, mint green walls and a large bar stocked with a generous selection of wine. The atmosphere is inviting, local and lively and almost all of the tables inside were packed by 6:00 p.m. on a Thursday night.

The Wine: We were in a bit of a hurry to get to the concert, so instead of reading through their wine list we decided to share a half carafe of the house white wine, which was a great deal at only $11. We were both able to enjoy two glasses of wine from the half carafe, which was the perfect amount to accompany our dinners.

The Appetizer: We kicked off our meal with a flatbread covered in fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese. The flatbread was a bit crunchy for my liking, but I did like that the flatbread was topped with generous amounts of melted cheese and sliced tomato.

The Meal: I ordered the “Emily’s Harvest” salad because I was in the mood for something light and because we have the same name…so I felt like I needed to try it out! The salad included fresh field greens, gala apple slices, candied pecans, Maytag Blue Cheese, Berkshire Bacon and Louie’s balsamic vinaigrette. I loved this salad – it was crisp and refreshing and it also had a hint of salt because of the crunchy bacon.

Levi ordered the Kobe Burger – a 6 oz. kobe beef burger grilled with berkshire bacon, fontina cheese and pinot onion relish – with fries. I tried a few of his fries and they were crispy and lighted dressed with a herbs and cheese. Levi explained to me that what he ordered was a “quality over quantity meal” because he was satisfied by his burger and fries, but not overly stuffed at the end of the meal.

Our waiter brought a plate of dessert options to our table, which included tableside s’mores and an “adult” jello, but we were full enough from the appetizer and the meal that we didn’t have room to try any of the desserts.

Overall, I would go back to Louie’s Wine Dive again. The service was great, the food was local and high quality (they work with local purveyors such as Turtle Farms and La Quercia Meats) and the atmosphere was fun and welcoming. Did I mention that the staff wears shirts with “Wine is supposed to be fun!” on the back? You can’t get much better than that!

Location: 4040 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50311

Hours: Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

UnWINEd with Winefest’s “Sips in the City”

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Winefest is in full swing in Des Moines! There has been a weeks worth of events and it all culminates this weekend. One of my favorite, and most affordable, events during Winefest is “Sips in the City” (presented by Jethro’s BBQ), which will be held tonight, Friday, June 8, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Nollen Plaza and Capital Square. It’s the perfect way to wind down the week with a little (or a lot) of wine and a few hors d’oeuvres from local restaurants such as: Americana, Baratta’s, Chocolaterie Stam, South Union Bread Cafe and more.

I had the opportunity of chatting with Nikki Syverson, Winefest’s Event Director, and Kelly Sparks of Socialize Events, who is also helping with the planning and execution of Winefest, and here’s what they had to say about “Sips in the City.”

Q: Why is “Sips in the City” the perfect event to start the weekend?
A: It’s a fun, low pressure way to experience wine and kick off your weekend. If you’re interested in learning more about wine – and what wine you like – Sips is a great way to taste hundreds of good value wines and talk with distributors and vintners.

Q: Why is “Sips in the City”/Winefest a great event for Des Moines?
A: This is the tenth year for Winefest. Besides supporting the wine and culinary industry, Winefest has raised approximately $350,000 for local charities and cultural organizations. It’s even attracted top names in the culinary world and created another great experience for members of our community.

Q: What are the highlights of “Sips in the City”?
A:The wine! The food! What’s not to highlight? Be sure to hit the Jethro’s and Dahl’s Grocery booths for some great food and explore all of the wines. If you want an extra special experience, check out the Willis VIP lounge with high end wines and even better food!

Q: Is the event held both outside and inside?
A:Booths will be set-up both inside at Capital Square and outside at Nollen Plaza. In the case of bad weather, all booths will be inside Capital Square.

Q: How many different wines and foods will be available for tasting at “Sips in the City”?
A: There are hundreds of wines from all over the globe and a great variety of food selections.

Q: Can you talk a bit about Jethros BBQ pit? (Sounds awesome!)
A: As the sponsor of Sips & the City, Jethro’s is pulling out all the stops to make sure attendees have some great food to go with the wonderful wines available.

Tickets to the event and VIP upgrades are available at the door or online at winefestdesmoines.com. Tickets are $40 in advance or $50 at the door with the option of upgrading to the Willis VIP Lounge for $25.

La Mie Offers Top-Notch, Reasonably Priced Breakfast and Lunch Options

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Gently sliced avocado placed on a bed of cream cheese and pesto sandwiched between artisan bread. Lunch at La Mie is served.

La Mie, a local bakery and cafe nestled in the Roosevelt shopping center, might be my favorite lunch spot in Des Moines. Honestly, everything I’ve tried on the menu has been top-notch, fresh and well worth the money. Owners Joe and Christina Logsdon have created a modern, energetic spot and I can’t keep it off my radar.

The salads are crisp and refreshing, the fruit is plump and sweet, the breads are incredibility flaky, and the desserts – don’t even get me started on how divine those are! But put all the high-quality foods and pastries aside – the prices are what are really exceptional. Only $5 for a made-from-scratch buttery croussiat fulled with tarragon chicken salad with cranberries, walnuts and celery? Yes, please. (Check out La Mie’s full menu here.)

If you haven’t been to La Mie for lunch or breakfast (or both!)- you are doing yourself a disservice. It’s the perfect spot to grab a fruit danish on the way to work and/or the perfect place for a nice lunch meeting in the afternoon. La Mie is one of my “go to” lunch spots in Des Moines.

My favorite lunch items at La Mie: La Mie has some great veggie options, such as the Avocado Sandwich (I hold the sprouts) and the gooey Grilled Brie and Provolone Sandwich. (If you’re a meat eater the chicken salad is good!) I usually go with house salad with almonds, cranberries, carrots, and feta or the fresh fruit for a side dish. The fruit side is not your typical lame fruit side. More than likely you’ll receive a mixture of fresh strawberries, pineapple, and blackberries – and probably a few other seasonal fruits that are juicy and flavorful. My favorite desserts at La Mie are the french macarons, the chocolate carmel tarte (pictured below) or the almond bar.

A few tips: If you’re going for lunch make sure you arrive a few minutes early. At about 11:40 p.m. a hefty lunch rush hits and sometimes it’s hard to find a table. Also, ample parking can be found in the back of the building if there’s nothing available in front of the store.

La Mie’s Hours: Monday – Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Kickin’ Queso Blanco at Chisme

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Chisme is a Spanish word meaning gossip or rumors and it is also the name of a local restaurant located on 5th Street in Valley Junction.

Chisme’s menu offers a unique range of Mexican and Italian dishes.  From the Al Pastor Pizza, a pizza topped with marinated pork, cheese and green sauce, to the Super Taco Plate, three tacos with your choice of meat and all the fixings, the dishes are flavorful and fresh.

Almost every time I visit a Mexican restaurant I end up ordering the queso blanco (white cheese dip). I don’t know what it is about the dip…but it’s addicting. While dining at Chisme the tradition continued.

Chisme’s chips and queso were not the normal Mexican chips and dip. The chips were warm, homemade and fresh. The queso offered a spicy kick with full flavor. These were, by far, the best chips and queso I’ve ever eaten! Seriously, if you have a hankering for chips and queso, you need to try the appetizer at Chisme. But here’s your warning: other chips and queso won’t compare. You’ll find yourself craving the queso from Chisme.

Chef Jesus Ojeda, a past Marine, culinary school graduate and ex-school bus driver, has really found a way to harness his passion for cooking.

Most diners will be surprised by the prices on the menu because they are a little higher than the average Mexican restaurant. But keep in mind that Chisme is a local, more authentic Mexican/Italian restaurant, the ingredients are fresh and homemade, and the food we tried was just plain good.

Website: http://www.elchismedsm.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/chismedsm – @ChismeDSM
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ChismeDSM

World Food Festival to celebrate Iowa’s diverse culinary traditions

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The World Food Festival will add a dash of flavor and culture to Des Moines this weekend when it rolls into the East Village with live music, cooking demonstrations, local and international wine and beer, Cultural Cafés, a marketplace, interactive non-profit activities, and much more.

For the seventh year, the World Food Festival will “reign as Des Moines’ premier taste and entertainment event” on October 7 – 9, 2011. The Festival will be held on the streets of the East Village between East 4th Street and East 6th Street on East Locust Street and on East 5th Street. The hours for the Festival are: Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Festival is free to attend and many different international foods and beverages will be available for purchase. For only $1 the Cultural Cafés will offer samples of their unique dishes and for only $5 attendees will be able to go for the full-plate option for $5 or less. With over 30 different vendors showcasing their foods from Turkey, Ethiopia, Greece, Morocco, Russia, Mesopotamia, Hawaii and more, attendees will be able to find many different options to enjoy. For a sneak peak at what will be offered, click here to check out the menu items before you attend the Festival.

Free parking will be available in the State of Iowa Parking Ramp (corner of E. Grand and Penn) as well as a free bike valet at the corner of E. 4th and E. Locust Street.

Last year the event had a record number of attendee’s at 75,000, and with the gorgeous fall weather that’s in the forecast for the weekend, I’m sure many curious food enthusiasts will come out to enjoy the food, beverages, live entertainment and diverse culture which is uniquely Des Moines.

Interactive drinking and dining in Des Moines

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One of the first things you’re greeted with as you sit down to eat at Centro restaurant in downtown Des Moines is the beverage menu. I can’t tell you the amount of time I’ve spent at Centro, and other restaurants for that matter, staring at the wine list asking myself, “Will this one be too sweet? Do I want to spend that much? I wonder if I should try this new wine?”

This past weekend I dined at Centro and I was pleasantly surprised to find the answers to many of my wine-related questions in the form of a sleek and sophisticated interactive wine list. An iPad was sitting at our table when we arrived. At first I had no idea what was going on. I even said to my boyfriend, “Oh, I think someone forgot their iPad,”…and then I realized no one had forgotten anything – it was an interactive wine list!

The iPad wine list, or as our waiter referred to it, the “digital sommelier,” enables customers to browse for wines by price, type, region and varietal. It took a few minutes to get used to searching but the more we played around with the interactive list, the more we learned about Centro’s wine offerings. I am somewhat of a wine novice, so it was a great way for me to learn more about the wine selection without feeling intimidated.

After doing a little research, I quickly learned Centro isn’t the only restaurant in town that is using a digital approach to enhance the beverage selection process for its customers. Other interactive drinking and dining experiences around Des Moines include:

  • El Bait Shop – Beer Genius, a machine that helps you select the “perfect” beer for your tastes based on what the bar offers. The machine gives information about the brewing technique, flavor, ingredients, and more, on each beer.
  • Royal Mile / Red Monk – Scotch Genius, a machine similar to the Beer Genius that helps you select a Scotch based on a series of preference-based questions.
  • Americana – Bar Genius, an interactive tablet that helps diners decide which beers, wines and cocktails pair well with the meal they’ve selected at the restaurant.
  • Django – Digital Sommelier or interactive wine list. (Similar to Centro’s with a more French, homey feel.)

For a little more information about the idea behind these digital selection machines, click here to check out a demonstrative video put together by Americana on their Bar Genius.

Zombie Burger + Drink Lab attacks East Village with killer flavor combinations

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Looking for a killer place to dine in Des Moines? Zombie Burger + Drink Lab is opening today – Tuesday, August 30 – at 300 E. Grand Avenue in the East Village. The highly anticipated grand opening is sure to bring in crowds of locals who are dying to get their hands on zombie-inspired burgers topped with homemade sauces, handmade appetizers, spiked shakes and even a few vegetarian options.

Chef George Formaro, who’s behind Zombie Burger + Drink Lab, as well as many other successful restaurants in Des Moines (Centro, Django, Gateway Market and South Union Bakery), decided to take two of his interests – burgers and horror films – and create something which would allow him to have a little more fun with his food.

“We have serious restaurants,” said Formaro. “It’s time to be playful.”

The new restaurant will offer up two types of service to deathly hungry customers: quick service, for quick meals on the go, and full-service, where customers can sit down and relax while enjoying the spooky experience of Zombie Burger + Drink Lab.

Forget the fancy, plump burgers as you enter Zombie Burger, because that’s not what you’re going to find. Zombie Burger will serve up nearly 20 different kinds of “bashed” burgers with a crispy, caramelized exterior. Formaro’s secret bend of beef and the love he’s put into the burger bun recipe will make for an insanely good combination.

“I’ve worked on this new bun recipe for years and I’m in love with it,” explains Formaro. “It’s a soft, pillowy nod to the burgers of my childhood and I haven’t been this excited about something since the coal oven at Centro.”

If you like a late-night bite, don’t worry – Zombie Burger understands that most zombies are late night eaters and their hours extend into the night: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Will you survive Zombie Burger? There’s only one way to find out…

Des Moines Restaurant Week 2011: 10 days of delicious dining deals in Des Moines

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It’s not often that 36 local restaurants come together for one mouth-watering reason, but thanks to the fourth annual Des Moines Restaurant Week, that is exactly what is happening.

Pasta at Centro during the 2010 Des Moines Restaurant Week.

From August 19-28, 2011, Des Moines Restaurant Week’s participating restaurants are offering up their fabulous fare for diners at a ridiculous rate. As a part of Des Moines Restaurant Week, top chefs from across the city are creating unique, fixed-priced menus for 10 days only.  For only $25, diners can enjoy two lunches or one three-course dinner at all of the participating restaurants. Each restaurant is serving up different meal options, but all are sure to create a palette pleasing experience.

There are tons of talented chefs in Des Moines, but as a young professional I don’t always have the budget to eat at some of the restaurants that catch my eye. Des Moines Restaurant Week gives diners a cost-effective way to dine out at some of Des Moines finest restaurants and to celebrate the great tasting cuisine the city has to offer. The restaurants I’m excited to try for the first time include: Baru 66, BOS, Lucca, Mojo’s on 86th, and Zingaro.

Last year, as a part of Des Moines Restaurant Week, I had the opportunity to try a few new restaurants. Here are my tips for making the most of the your Des Moines Restaurant Week:

  • Make a 10-day game plan.The lunch options are easy on the pocket book and the dinner options are great for a date night out on the town! Planning which restaurants you want to try is important. With so many great options available, it’s impossible to try them all, so having a game plan is a must.

    Pollo con Prosciutto from Cafe di Scala.

  • Eat outside of your comfort zone. The menus and participating restaurants for the week are diverse and the pricing is great – it’s the perfect time to try something that you wouldn’t normally order.
  • Go with someone you like. …That way they will let you taste their dish as well! Two birds, one stone.
  •  Check out the different menu options before you select a restaurant. The menus for each restaurant are available online, and they’ll give you a great starting point as you’re looking for something new to try.
  • Tip well! You’re saving money on the meal, so make sure that you take care of the servers accordingly. The servers (especially in the smaller restaurants) are knowledgeable of the food they are serving; don’t be afraid to ask them questions about your meal.

Wait, there’s a prize too? Make sure you save your receipts during Des Moines Restaurant Week. Diners who submit at least four Restaurant Week receipts are eligible to win a grand-prize trip for two to California’s Sonoma Country. The getaway package includes: a three-night stay, up to $400 each for two airline tickets, tasting passes to Sonoma County wineries, and gift certificates to two restaurants, all thanks to the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau.

For more information about Des Moines Restaurant week, which is presented by dsm Magazine, Business Record and Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, click here.