By Jim Duncan
CVFDude@aol.com
Twitter.com/foodude

A Cajun platter at Jethro’s BBQ & Jambalya, 9350 University Ave., West Des Moines. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The three biggest restaurant openings in the metro this year reflected Des Moines’ independent spirit. Americana, Zombie Burger + Drink Lab and Jethro’s BBQ & Jambalaya are all fresh ideas. None are franchises. All are locally owned and represent confident investments in local real estate and local talent. They shared the same biggest problem — coping with the large crowds that appeared on day one. That all added up to something in which local diners took considerable pride. Just a few years ago, the only metro restaurant openings that created enough buzz to draw TV crews involved outlets of out-of-state corporations. Such carpetbaggers erase culinary distinctions among the towns or suburbs they inhabit. Original visions give their towns unique character.

Groups led by Scot Carlson, Paul Rottenberg and Bruce Gerleman turned 2011 into a year of creative new restaurants on grand scales. Gerleman edges the others as Restaurateur of the Year by taking his vision into the most hostile zip code, at least in the minds of demographers and bankers who think that growing suburbs will only respond to national brand names. He opened the 8,000-square-foot Jambalaya on the West Des Moines border with Waukee this month. It was packed on my visits, at hours that typically are not busy for restaurants.

“I’m not afraid of anything,” Gerleman responded when asked about the suburban shibboleth. “We produce really good products at extremely friendly prices. That’s all people want anywhere.”

Jambalaya is the third Jethro’s Gerleman has opened with chef Dom Iannarelli. They are also the principles at Splash, one of the city’s top restaurants, and its very best wine server. Jambalaya became their largest endeavor with nearly 400 seats indoors and another 100 on the patio. It claims to be the biggest sports bar in town, with 24 beers on tap, 17 big screen TVs and 15 different satellite receivers.

“Three quarters of million dollars buys a lot of kitchen,” Iannarelli explained while showing off things like a 46-foot-long grill hood and separate smokers that can each hold up to 900 pounds of meat. Each of four fryers holds 106 pounds of oil.

“It costs $4,000 to change the oil,” he added.

In barbecue, size matters. A really busy place moves product so fast that it’s usually served at its prime, not refrigerated and reheated. Jambalaya smokes all the same meats as the original Jethro’s, adds exquisite smoked prime rib from the second Jethro’s, plus an entire Cajun/Creole menu, some of which is from Splash. I found Wondra-coated “Buster’s shrimp” a fresh take on Buffalo wings. Fried Louisiana gator was more tender than in my previous experiences. Smoked chicken and sausage gumbo was Cajun style, with a dark roux. Jambalaya featured sweet plum tomatoes, large shrimp and smoked andouille. Crawfish etouffee was my favorite dish — a rich creamy gravy with lots of delicious little crustaceans that someone else had picked out of their clingy shells. Red beans and rice featured smoked andouille, pit ham and bacon. Catfish filets were corn breaded and fried. Mahi mahi was seared. Salmon and chicken seemed to be the new redfish as far as blackening goes. Smothered smoked chicken, cavatappi (pig tail pasta springs) in cream sauce and Po Boy sandwiches completed the Louisiana menu. The most extreme Po Boy included 18 inches of sausage, a pound of shrimp, a pound of blackened chicken, fried gator, Provolone, lettuce, tomato and remoulade. Twelve specialty cocktails included Hurricanes and a crawfish cooler.

“Someday I will open a 50-seat restaurant and cook there every night. For now though, I can’t think of anything more exciting than big projects like this,” Iannarelli said. For that, and for his serious commitments to non-profit food events all year, he’s our Chef of the Year. CV