By Jim Duncan CVFDude@aol.com

Rob Beasley's reputation as Des Moines' boldest, edgiest chef is longstanding. At Adam and Abby's, the Varsity and the Gilded Emporium, the Louisianan developed a loyal following by giving locals an every-day-is-Mardi Gras experience, and by playing with more decadent flavors than are generally permitted to walk the streets of Iowa after sundown. But reputations for boldness are served on double-edged razors. They can encourage the creative juices to overdose on qualities that are best used with restraint: Consider what happens to "edgy" TV shows like "Nip/Tuck" or "Six Feet Under" after a couple seasons of continuous edge-sharpening.

Mojos on 86th is Beasley's largest restaurant, occupying the former Foxboro Grill as well as the Foxboro bar. It's also his best-appointed, as cherry tables and chairs attest. Every room is painted macho burgundy and the walls are covered with large paintings by Scott Allen Wright, a Des Moines painter whose colors are as many-splendored as Beasley's spice rack. Wimps, of any kind, enter at their own peril.

The wine list is accommodating, with lots of $5 "by-the-glass" options. Bread and butter tip off a new direction. Beasley now bakes in-house, and his table butter has added "five new herbs and spices," including some chile, to what was already the most complex in town.

Lunch offered good options between comfort foods and minor Beasley exotics. Soups were great, including lobster bisque, a roasted garlic and a seafood variety. All delivered deep flavors cut with scratch stocks. Chicken & dumplings and macaroni & cheese found Beasley at his best. The first used free-ranged chicken, shiitakes and caramelized onions in a heavily seasoned stock, with wow-factor, herb-infused dumplings. The latter mixed local chevre with Chihuahua, white cheddar and Asiago cheeses, plus pancetta, eggs and fresh herbs. The soft chevre solved one of the great dilemmas in all cooking - how to give mac & cheese a good texture without using the dreaded American cheese.

Good sandwiches included: muffaletta, which used Niman Ranch's excellent pastrami, ham and roasted pork loin; a hamburger, which, because this place is not for wimps, was cooked medium rare on request; and, especially, a signature cashew-crusted fried cat fish.

Dinner was far more adventurous. A Cajun chile relleno, an "appetizer" larger than most entrees, was served on top of blue corn onion rings, stuffed with lobster and crab meat, and smothered in crawfish-Asiago cream sauce. The best appetizer stuffed smoked pork shoulder and chevre, with renegade spices, into a puff pastry, which was plated with chile verde. There was also a charcuterie plate that was kind to vegetarians.

Entrees partied like tomorrow was Lent. Steak de burgo, with potato cakes, came in the most buttery and garlicky of its versions. A Niman Ranch pork chop was sliced into four pieces, looking so handsome on the plate, but not the best way to eat a bone-in chop, as part of the pleasure is watching the juice sluice when sliced. Bourbon Street Beef is the most indulgent dish in town. It's a shoulder cut, dry-aged and rolled in Cajun spices for a perfect sear on the open grill, then served over mashed potatoes and covered with crawfish-Asiago cream sauce. As a decadent departure from mundane existence, it was king of the carnival.

Dessert is more classically themed, except for one offering that appears on the entrée menu. "Banana's Foster French Toast" included cinnamon bread soaked in vanilla cream custard, covered with a banana and rum coulis, itself covered with candied pecans, bacon and shaved chocolate, then topped with whipped cream.

Mojos competes with no one, but itself.

Food news

Michael Leo, former owner/chef at Salzburg Cafè in Altoona, says he is
planning a bakery/cafè in the Jordan Creek area, in collaboration with George Formaro of Centro. Look for a mid-year opening. CV

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