vitus979's Profile
Iowa City
>> the only place around town that is universally loved is Motley Cow?
I'm not really a huge fan. I've eaten there 3 times and never been particularly impressed. I had better meals at 126, Orchard Green, and Linn Street Cafe. Lincoln Cafe is MUCH better. IMO on an average night Lincoln Cafe is better than anyplace in Iowa City.
Des Moines Recommendations?
Nobody' mentioned George the Chili King or B&B Grocery yet?
Des Moines Recommendations?
>>there is a Italian-Mexican Fusion restaurant
The pizzas and pastas are great at El Chisme. Very different from Great Plains where you live though.
Des Moines Recommendations?
>>One thing I couldn't find in central Iowa for a long time was a good pupusa.
If you're ever around the Quad Cities on the Mississippi River you should try Izalco in Muscatine, which is a Salvadoran place. They've got good pupusas. The Mexican side of the entree menu is ok, but the Salvadoran side is great. Be prepared though, the place is pretty divey.
For that matter, nearly any Latin restaurant in Muscatine is good. There is a VERY large latino community there, and the Latin restaurants are generally all good. My favorites in town are Izalco and El Olmito (which is in the back of a grocery store).
[Iowa/Illinois] Mississippi River area
I've got a group that gets together for dinner every month. We tend to center around the Mississippi River for our restaurant selections no farther north than Dubuque, no farther south than Keokuk. We've been going for awhile and something I've noticed is that there don't seem to be a lot of restaurants on the Illinois side of the river other than Rock Island and Moline. That can't be right. I must just be missing restaurants somehow.
What are some good restaurants on the Illinois side of the Mississippi within the bounds I mentioned above?
Dinner in Des Moines
I should've checked the site before I went out to dinner. We went to Sbrocco. The Main course Braised Pork osso buco was alright but not exceptional. The Pork Belly Social Plate and the banana bread/cake dessert were good though.
Dinner in Des Moines
I ended up going to Django, the appetizer was good, the main was not as good. I think it wasn't so much that the food wasn't prepared correctly as much as I was trying something new that I found out I didn't like.
Looks like I'll be back in town again for a long Easter Weekend. Any other suggestions? Or suggestions for especially good items at the places mentioned in the thread already?
Outdoor/Patio Dining with a view of the Mississippi River
Something I love doing is sitting out on a patio for a nice dinner with a great view. Since I moved to the Mississippi River Valley (near the Quad Cities) I haven't found someplace with a great view of the river and good food.
Any suggestions? My regional bounds are no farther north than Dubuque and no farther south than Keokuk. I'm looking for Iowa or Illinois locations.
The only ones I've heard of are Martini's in Burlington, Steventon's in LeClaire, and Ellie's Tea in Muscatine (which doesn't do dinner).
Even a mention of a river bar that happens to have good food would be appreciated (like the Lighthouse in Fairport Iowa).
Dinner in Des Moines
I'll be in Des Moines this weekend, and as a former resident I've been to a lot of the old standbyes. Looking over the boards I've been thinking about
Django
Sbrocco
Alba
Cafe Descalla
Of these I've only previously been to Django, but I liked it quite a bit.
Thoughts/Opinions on these or alternative restaurants for a sit-down supper?
Iowa - Regional Food ideas anyone???
Des Moines has Steak Deburgo
Something I always find odd is that pink champagne cake is apparently an Iowa/midwest only kind of thing.
Des Moines Update
I'll give a +1 to the pizza at El Chisme. It got good reviews from both foodies and non-foodies the last time I took a group there.
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El Chisme
2920 Merle Hay Rd, Des Moines, IA 50310
Davenport/Quad Cities--what's good?
The three restaurants inside the Quads I really like are Le Figaro in Rock Island, Duck City in Davenport, and Indigo Cafe on the far east side of Davenport. None of these places are cheap and each is a bit different. Le Figaro is French and the ambiance is cozy small rooms. Duck City is the kind of trendy brick walled location and serves modern Fusion. Indigo Cafe also serves Fusion, but is a quieter place with tables more separate.
None of these places are cheap.
I myself have been looking for a good river-view. The only one I KNOW of is Bass Street Steak and Chop, though I've heard Bierstube in Moline has a good one (never been).
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Bierstube
1001 Canal Shore Dr SW, Le Claire, IA 52753
Des Moines Update
IMO the B&B Grocery Stores tenderloins are better. It's not the size of a discus like Smitty's is, but it's thicker, and B&B is also a butcher, so they make the fresh every morning.
Good bakeries in the Des Moines area?
I have to second this. Their basic vanilla petit fours is still one of my favorite things there.
If you're looking for Cheesecake (and if she still does it) the wife of the owner of Lucca makes a wonderful one with caramel and caramelized apples.
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Lucca
420 E Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309
Best restaurant in Des Moines?
Recently I've been incredibly happy with the new Smokey D's (BBQ) location on 2nd St just north of the 35/80 overpass. I've had all the meats except turkey and they've all been good (and most of them excellent). I've had about half the sides as well and they're all good as well.
USDA Prime steakhouse in Iowa City, Cedar Rapids or Quad Cities?
I went to Bass Street with a group of about 10 others for a foody night out and I thought the steak was great, but I also decided I didn't like eating great steak enough to go back considering the price. That's just me though. They've got a Maytag cheesy potato side that's really good, and I was also fond of the Carrot Cake.
North East Iowa
I'm going to be heading to Waverly, which is in the general area of Cedar Falls/Waterloo. Anybody know any place good? I've heard at least a few good things about the following places
CU
Montage
Bourbon Street
Anybody know anything about these places?
Quad Cities
La Figaro fits the bill. IIRC a lot of their business in large parties. Maybe Bass St. Steak and Chop in Moline? I believe they've got a private room. If not the booths are very tall and tables get a lot of privacy.
EDIT: totally missed aquapacat's post on La Figaro, but I did think they did parties. You might want to call and ask. They've got great food there.
Breakfast in Burlington/Quad Cities?
Tangential: The baker at Ganson's makes wonderful desserts (not really a breakfast thing).
Other options for breakfast include City Limits, which is supposed to be enlarging its dining room, and Riefe's in Daveport, and Joe's in Coal Valley.
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Riefes Restaurant
1417 W Locust St, Davenport, IA 52804
City Limits Restaurant
PO Box 365, Colby, KS 67701
Thanksgiving Dinner in Cedar Rapids/Iowa City
I'm not a huge fan of the food at the Power Company, but it has one of the best views I've seen at a restaurant in the state (most/all of the dining area overlooks the Iowa River).
I doubt it's open for Thanksgiving but check to see about Lincoln Cafe in Mt. Vernon. If it's open that's where you want to go.
Des Moines dining on a MONDAY. Yikes!
Star Bar is good, don't know if it's open on Mondays though.
EDIT: ack, sorry didn't notice the date you were going to be in town. Where did people go? What were the responses to their meals?
Des Moines Update
While I love Great Plains, Ames isn't "just north of Des Moines". It's a good 30 minute trip. If they're going that far out of their way, anyplace in Des Moines is closer.
In Dallas for business, suggestions?
I'll be in Dallas early in November for a conference, specifically in Richardson. What are some notable places in the area? Closer to Richardson would be good, but if there's a really good place that's a ways off I'm willing to face a long drive. Good food obviously has priority, but if there's a place with an awesome atmosphere and only so/so food (or worse*) I'd be up for that too.
I'd like to have some good BBQ once, just to see how you guys do Q down there, but other than that I've got no preferences for styles of food.
* example: Casa Bonita in Denver is someplace everybody should go to once just to see the spectacle, but the food was forgettable.
I-80: CO-NE-IA-IL-IN-OH Leg of CC Drive
Very good point, I tend to forget about Lago's just because I'm not partial to their chocolates and I don't get to downtown Moline much. It's definately a place you should go at least once though.
For good chocolates I'd suggest Stam in Des Moines. It's a Dutch chocolaterie with shops in Amsterdam, the Hague and ...... Des Moines. The owner's youngest son emigrated and set up a shop. The one on Ingersoll is great since it also has a number of boxed european candies that are generally hard to come by.
I-80: CO-NE-IA-IL-IN-OH Leg of CC Drive
Davenport - Whitey's Ice Cream (get a shake or malt). Breakfast? Hmm, probably City Limits in Rock Island (beware, it will probably be busy), the biscuits and gravy are supposed to be the best in town. Personally I'd also like to hear breakfast suggestions for the Quad Cities. I've got a group that meets weekly group and we can't find a place we agree on.
Des Moines - Along I-80 and the 35/80 loop around town it's kind of barren of good food. Perhaps B-Bops off the 86th street exit? Perhaps Palmer's Deli off the University Exit on 35/80. There's also the Machine Shop for classic midwestern eats off the Hickman exit on 35/80. If you take I-235 through Des Moines instead of taking the 35/80 loop around the edge of Des Moines you open yourself up to a LOT more good food. If you go that route for lunch I'd suggest Lucca for lunch, their lunch pasta is great. If you want something quicker, the local Tasty Tacos chain is good stuff. The closest one to I-235 is south of the SE-14th st exit.
PS - you do know that Omaha and Davenport are only about 5 hours apart on I-80 right? With dog and baby I can see why the short hops I guess, but it seems a rather short driving day.
DES MOINES - FOOD ADVICE
I've been to Lucca twice for dinner. The first time was excellent, the second time was good, but not exceptional.
That being said, Lucca/Basil's lunch pasta has always been wonderful. Mmmmm, sausage & pepper or 3 mushroom pasta. Lucca for lunch includes great bread and fresh parmesan with the olive oil at no additional charge. The last time I was there on a Saturday my lunch companion and I almost got stuffed just on the free bread & oil.
BTW does anybody know if Lucca still sells their cheese directly? When it was Basil's East you could go in and buy a loaf of bread and something from their cheese cellar to take home without having to buy dinner.
Iowa City restaurant recs
If you can swing it you should try to get to Whitey's Ice Cream, which is a small ice cream chain in Eastern Iowa/Western Illinois. Google maps says there's one only a couple blocks from the address you put up. Get a malt/shake. :)
It's a bit of a hike but there are a couple restaurants on Linn St. that might work. Motley Cow, Devotay, and Linn St. Cafe are all there.
DES MOINES - FOOD ADVICE
I've heard good things about Sbrocco in the East Village and Bistro Montage on Ingersoll, but I haven't been to either yet. Star Bar on Ingersoll I have been to and while each of the pieces individually don't seem outstanding I had an excellent overall experience there a couple weeks ago.
I'm going to try and drag a couple people to Sbrocco next weekend.
