By
Jim Duncan
CVFDude@aol.com
Twitter.com/foodude
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Lobster poutine at Louie's Wine Dive,
4440 University Ave., 777-3416. Hours are Monday
through Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday
and Sunday, 9 a.m. to close. |
Des Moines’ restaurant business has been a
magnet for recruiting creative young talent.
Dom Iannarelli (Splash, Jethro’s), Enosh Kelley
(Bistro Montage) and much of the Full Court
Press gang (eight unique restaurants) came from
other parts of Iowa. Jeremy Morrow (Bistro 43,
Star Bar), Andrew Meek (Sage, Sbrocco), Don
Hensley (Danielle) and Sean Wilson (Azalea,
Proof) all came from the South. Miyabi Yamamoto
(Miyabi 9), Jay Wang (Wasabi Chi), Mao Heineman
(King & I), Jesus Ojeda (El Chisme), Zach
Mannheimer (Proof) and Liam Anivat (Cool Basil)
came from even further away. These are only
partial lists, but they suggest our dining scene
would be far less interesting without transplants.
Jason Kapela joined their ranks in June when
he opened Louie’s Wine Dive. Kapela came from
the corporate end of the business. Bravo promised
him a job in any city where they have a restaurant
if he first put in a couple years at their West
Des Moines store. Instead, he fell in love with
Des Moines. After keeping an eye on real estate,
he pounced when Iowa Bakery Café vacated the
Uptown Shopping Center. He counseled with Kyle
Cabbage (Wine Experience) to fine tune his concept
and persuaded half a dozen staffers from Bravo
to follow him across town. Louie’s is an 84-seat
(plus 28 on a patio) café that is furnished
upscale from true dive-dom. Comfortable rosewood
furniture, an overstuffed couch and a sleek
long bar invite people to linger. On Louie’s
first weekend, Kapela was unable to turn tables
because “no one was leaving.”
Louie’s trendy menu fits in an economical comfort
zone. One steak cost $21. Everything else was
priced $4 - $19. Kid’s meals cost just $5 including
a drink. On a recent weeknight the place was
full, and tables were turning so no one needed
to wait.
Gazpacho refreshed as much as it can this early
in tomato season. Superb Oysters Louie were
fried in panko and served on fried wonton shells
with habanero aioli and a balsamic glaze. Deviled
eggs were garnished with hackleback caviar from
the Missouri River. Lobster poutine delivered
perfect fries, crisp yet tender, covered with
seafood gravy that included generous pieces
of fresh lobster, assorted mushrooms and subtle
Fontina cheese sauce. Flatbreads (pizza) included:
jerked chicken with Fontina and pickled onions;
a Marguerita; ragu with ricotta; and mushrooms
with blue cheese.
Bruschetta and lunch sandwiches were made with
La Mie breads. A Cuban particularly stood out
with very spicy ham, roast pork loin, pickled
onions, Fontina and very sweet pickles on a
grilled hoagie. A Reuben was made with house
cured pork shoulder rather than beef. My ragu
was Bolognese style, with an orange glow from
chianti, tomatoes, carrots and cream. It included
prosciutto, sausage, bacon and tender pork shoulder
on toasted potato gnocchi. Striped bass presented
two moist skin-on filets on a bed of quinoa
in a beurre blanc. They were plated with delicious
carrots marinated in dark rum and asparagus
coins. Porchetta was as good as that dish can
be — slow cooked pork shoulder without any dryness,
stuffed with prosciutto and sage and served
with subtle cheese sauce.
Desserts were simple: a citrus cheesecake, a
pot de crème; and S’mores with tableside hibachi.
Wines ranged from $25 - $250, with 26 available
by the glass. After two days, an opened bottle
becomes a blackboard special, as no wine is
served after three days.
Bottom line — Besides wine, Louie’s features
unusually good execution, some original touches
and a particular rapport with pork.
Side Dishes
Seattle Best’s “Red Cup Showdown” comes to
the Iowa State Fair Aug. 15. The local winner
in a best coffee drink contest wins a trip to
New York to compete with four other state fair
winners for $10,000. CV |
