Cake in Iowa City

I was never a huge fan of the Cottage when they were downtown, but actually I had piece of cake from them the other day that changed my mind. Someone brought it to departmental shindig so I don't remember the exact flavor, but it was a chocolate cake in several layers with icing and ornament. The chocolate layers of the cake were light and moist, and the icing was smooth, fluffy, and real tasting with rich chocolate ganache piping. It had none of the grittiness one encounters so often in butter frostings, and it had a pleasant contrast of textures with the cake, frosting, and harder ganache.

I really appreciate it when desserts are not too sweet, and it seemed like this cake preferred complexity over saccharin. At any rate, I was impressed and made a mental note to go over there to their new location and check out what they are making these days.

LifeB in Great Plains

Iowa City

Swisher IA, who knew it was the place to be?

After taking someone to the airport from Iowa City this morning, I finally stopped in Swisher to try out the Kava House & Cafe. This is something I've been meaning to do for ages but, of course, never got around to until now.

The interior is so welcoming and warm with its mismatched chairs and old oak tables. The building is apparently an historic treasure of restored 1914 general store, which probably contributes mightily to that charming cozy feel. It was packed when I went in (c. 10 am on a Saturday) and I think they were already running short on some baked goods. They were serving what looked like breakfast egg and cheese casserole, but I'm afraid I just went with a dark roast coffee and some raspberry rhubarb coffee cake.

It was a simple morning repast, but they kindly offered to warm my coffee cake, and with a nice cup of joe from their impressive collection of coffees, I have to say I haven't had such an enjoyable breakfast in some time. The raspberry rhubarb cake was light, fluffy, and moist with chunks of tangy rhubarb mixed in, topped with crunchy toasted pecans drizzled with just enough something or other to hold the nuts together without making it too sweet. It made me happy.

I checked out their lunch menu while I was there and they seem to serve a range of interesting sandwiches and things after breakfast, so I'll definitely head up there again to enjoy the atmosphere for lunch. As I was leaving, the owner stopped me to chat, and she mentioned that they bake everything there, roast and slice their own meats, and have music sometimes. For such a little town they are cooking a lot of food, but they were doing great business while I was there.

I stopped over at Cedar Ridge on my way out of town to pick up some nice alcohol for making tiramisu next weekend (ended up getting their Lamponcella, thinking of macerating raspberries in it to make a spring tiramisu?), and the cheerful bartender/distiller behind the counter said he goes over to Kava for lunch two or three times a week. He gave them a ringing endorsement too, so yes, I'll be heading back sometime when I feel like going for a little drive out of Iowa City, or finding some newer surroundings to pretend to write my dissertation in, to try the rest of their menu.

LifeB in Great Plains

Iowa City

I am very surprised to see so many ambivalent reviews of Baroncini's! After being away from the lovely Iowa City for and endless two years, I've been trying all my old favorites and investigating all these new options that sprang into existence in my absence. So far I've tried both new Italian places, Basta and Baroncini's, but it seems like the latter is under-appreciated on the board.

Basta first: I went there after the Taste of Iowa City because their offering of homemade sausage stuffed dates piqued my interest. My friend ordered a standby, Margherita pizza, and intrigued by a more traditional pasta than is normally seen in your standard American Italian restaurant, I ordered the Tortelli in Brodo. Both dishes were good, but not impressive. The Margherita came a bit overcooked with the fresh mozzarella separating into strands and fat instead of maintaining its integrity and the basil brown from heat. Obviously a combination of cheese, tomatoes, and crust is going to be tasty, but it did not live up to its full potential. I appreciated the pasta in brodo for being unusual for American Italian, and the slow-cooked meat inside the pasta was rich and flavorful. The key to a pasta in brodo, however, is the broth, which here owed most of its flavor to salt rather than slow cooking with vegetables and the drippings of the roasted meat filling the pasta. So again, it was fine, our waitress was very nice, our table pleasant and well-lit, but I'd like to see a little more care and attention in preparation.

Baroncini's: I knew this was a place that would lavish care and attention on the food as soon as I saw that the walls had been plastered. Any person who cares enough about the details to plaster the walls of his restaurant, I thought, will likely never send forth an over-salted dish. The first night I went, my friend and I split a primi (capelli d'angelo with a broth based sauce and seasonal vegetables) and a secundi (pork scallopine with a lemon cream sauce), with a salad to end. Despite the fact that it can be annoying when customers split dishes, our waiter was incredibly nice and attentive, and the chef brought us our meal himself, already plated separately. We ended up with so much food that I almost felt as though I was taking advantage! The pasta was homemade, and its sauce had been delicately cooked, herbed, and salted to best display the flavors of the vegetables in their broth. The scallopine was crisp, pounded thin, and over perfectly cooked potatoes with a light sauce that enhanced without weighing it down. I found in this meal, and in all my subsequent meals at Baroncini's, all the careful attention to not only the preparation of the food, but also the unique qualities each element brings to the dish, that elevates a good restaurant to a fantastic restaurant.

From the light and airy texture of the fresh mozzarella in their verdure miste and of the mascarpone in their cheesecake, I feel certain they make their own fresh cheeses.

On a subsequent visit, I had a secundi of seared salmon with potatoes on a richly vegetal arugula sauce which was perfectly cooked, provided a pleasing and complex contrast of flavors, and was extremely simple in its ingredients.

The only other local restaurant I would compare it to is the Lincoln Cafe, and perhaps their limited and constantly changing menu could account for that. When you are working with a small menu and adapting it to the season and available meats and vegetables, you are really focusing your attention on those few dishes.

Baroncini's is the closest I could imagine a restaurant in Iowa getting to the dishes and the sensibility of food I've experienced in previous Italian trips, so perhaps its authenticity has put people off. Truly, an American's taste for Italian might be put off by the simplicity of some dishes. They have only been open a few months or so, I think, so I hope people will give them another shot. Or don't, more tables for me!

LifeB in Great Plains

Recommendations for a Foodie Grandma in Columbus, OH?

Thank you SO much for this. What a great suggestion! I've been checking out the town on Google maps, and it looks like we could make a weekend of it that she would love if the weather is good. I thought, pick her up in Columbus, head to Granville, have dinner at the Granville Inn, stroll about town and have frozen custard, then stay the night. Next day pick up some pastries from the bakery and head to some of the Hopewell Indian mounds there in Granville and Newark! It turns out some of the parks and the moundbuilders' museum are wheelchair accessible, so I could push her about the mounds and we could have lunch in Newark (any suggestions??). Then it's back to Granville, rest, manicures at the Inn's Spa, dinner at The Short Story (if you think it is any good?), a good nights sleep and return to Columbus.

I have been dying to find something like this so that she could have a little time out and about without having to be too overtaxed.

If you have spent much time there or in the area, let me know if there are other places to try or things to do! The Soup Loft sounds fantastic. I was sad to hear it is up a bunch of stairs because she LOVES soup. We used to go to this wonderful soup place next to North Market when I was in town, Bountiful maybe? They did nothing but soup and baked bread that they sold at the market... SO good.

Thanks for your help!

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The Short Story Restaurant
923 River Road, Granville, OH 43025

Granville Inn
314 Broadway E, Granville, OH 43023

North Market
59 Spruce St, Columbus, OH 43215

Soup Loft
138 Broadway E, Granville, OH 43023

LifeB in Great Lakes

Recommendations for a Foodie Grandma in Columbus, OH?

Thanks very much for the recommendation. I always forget about all the places in Grandview, and it is such a beautiful neighborhood! I used to go down to the Drexel there when I was younger and visit that fantastic coffee house, Stauf's (has it always been called that?). Never tried Spagio, but I will now that you recommend it. It has a commercial look to the outside and they have so many things on their menu that I thought they probably didn't pay much attention to the dishes, but the thing is you never can tell until you eat there! And the best part is, it looks like it would be very easy to get into. :)

Trattoria Roma is one I've been wanting to go to anyway, but haven't been making it to. Thanks for reminding me of these places!

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Spagio
1295 Grandview Ave, Columbus, OH 43212

Trattoria Roma
1447 Grandview Avenue, Columbus, OH 43212

Grandview Restaurant
2221 Grand Ave, Galesburg, IL 61401

LifeB in Great Lakes

Recommendations for a Foodie Grandma in Columbus, OH?

Hi everyone!

My wonderful Grandmother lives in Columbus so I follow the boards for the area to find us places to try when I come visit. She loves to try all different kinds of food and always used to clip reviews from the paper and save them up for my visits. We would make a reservation, trundle into the car, and go! Unfortunately, my grandma has finally gotten old and our ritual is harder now than ever... The places in Columbus we used to love are hard for her to get into - Lindey's or other places in German Village where I can't push her chair, Alana's with the steps, nice places in Short North where it is hard to pull to the side and get her out in front of the restaurant.

I was hoping you all might have some ideas for an adventurous older woman who loves to eat. She lives in assisted living now and gets so terribly bored! I would especially LOVE any recommendations for foodie excursions to nearby towns where I could take her away for a drive in the country.

Thanks in advance!

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Lindey's
169 E. Beck Street, Columbus, OH 43206

LifeB in Great Lakes

Looking for Good Doughnuts in Kentucky

Stella Jane's just opened in Berea, KY, and it is actually pretty good. They have an interesting selection, yeast, cake, filled, frosted, powdered etc., and even though they are just serving your normal, basic doughnuts, they come out crispy and light. The people are very nice too!

They just opened in January, so there isn't a lot of buzz about them yet. They poured some money into paving the place to put in a drive thru, and it looks like they are going to have some tables and serve coffee once they get on their feet.

The Strawberry Cake and the Chocolate Dipped Chocolate Cake were particularly good.

LifeB in Kentucky & Tennessee

Iowa City

Greetings all! Does anyone know who makes those fantastic water carafes they put at every table over at Motley Cow? I called the restaurant and the woman I talked to wasn't sure but suggested I check Libbey. I went through their entire listing and couldn't find them...

Thanks everyone for your comments, I've been checking in with this list for ages!

LifeB in Great Plains

Slow Food in Charleston SC?

I really feel like I've hit the motherload with your link and suggestions. Evo looks fantastic, especially the pistachio pesto, and I love Carolinas 'garden to plate' initiative. My brother is excited about the prospect of meeting a fellow seed preserver as well, since he would much rather be in his garden than at the beach. :)

If you ever want to come to Iowa City, we have a thriving local farms field to family initiative with lots of participating restaurants.

Thank You!

LifeB in General South Archive

Slow Food in Charleston SC?

That is great, and I really appreciate the link to the sustainable seafood restaurants, which is an issue that has held me back from trying the great seafood around when I've been in the area before. We aren't looking for any particular kind of food, though it's more likely that we will do lunches instead of dinners. We are such enormous foodies that we eat anything, though naturally we like to eat as local as possible. My family has a house on Folly island for a week and we'll come into the city for the museums, history, aquarium, and food!

FIG and McCrady's are places I've seen mentioned several times on the board and it's great know they are involved in sustainability projects. From the link you left I checked out McCrady's and the tasting menu sounds like a lot of fun. FIG sounds right up our ally too, since I see there are heirloom varieties on the menu and my brother spends all his time helping to preserve varietals for our local seed bank.

Do you know anything about Slightly North of Broad? That restaurant has gotten a lot of favorable postings on the site, and from their menu it looks like the try to use a lot of local produce.

Thanks for your help!

LifeB in General South Archive

Slow Food in Charleston SC?

Hi everyone!

I'm a graduate student in Iowa City where we have a strong slow foods community, but I'm going to be in Charleston for a week with my family soon. I know that there is a strong slow foods community in Charleston, but I'm not exactly sure where to go! We want to support slow food where ever we are, and I was just wondering if anybody had any tips on the good places to eat in Charleston?

Thanks so much!

LifeB in General South Archive