By Jim Duncan CVFDude@aol.com

From the pizza fumes of the Tavern's ovens to the sesame-flavored steam from Cafè Su's woks, aromas define Valley Junction. Without its distinctive scent, VJ is just another historic Iowa "Main Street" reinvented as a strip mall of antique and specialty shops. One finds the most seductive aroma on the Fifth Street in a small cafè just north of Su's more powerful exhaust fans. With post beam construction and bricks peaking out from whitewashed adobe, Simo's Cafistro exudes hide-away appeal. Cozy booths further that impression, while bar stool tables with windows on the street offer a more public ambiance.

But scent overwhelms others senses here. Nothing in America has a richer aroma than a Cajun roux simmering with the "Holy Trinity of Southern Cooking" - onions, celery and peppers. The smell is also the surest way to tell authentic Louisiana joints from the short cutters, because making real Creole and Cajun roux, the basis of most signature dishes of the region, is an arduous process that most places skip. Stirring flour and fat constantly, for 40 minutes, wafting a spell on all noses, makes Simo's roux.

Simo's best dishes are made with different roux. The crawfish etoufee was one of the thinnest versions we have encountered, an acceptable idea considering the heaviness of the dish. On other occasions, I remember it being thicker, but inconsistency is perfectly natural with authentic roux cooking. This dish is made with a buttery white Creole roux complimenting the generous (we made two meals from our leftovers) portion of tail meat spiced with garlic and fresh scallions and served with Carolina rice in the widest soup bowl in town.

The gumbo was made with a dark Cajun roux, oilier than buttery, and deeper flavored from longer cooking at higher heat. A huge bowl contained andouille sausage, chicken thighs, shrimp and some fish. These two rather different dishes had a surprise common denominator, and a Simo's signature - both stocks were based on clam juice.

Beyond the temperamental roux-based dishes, Simo's offers more consistent bayou favorites. Red beans and rice came with andouille sausage and a house salad. Jambalaya was full of both sausage and shrimp, plus a little chicken and sassafras. In both cases, the salads should have been served on separate plates to stop them from fighting with the hot foods for control of the thermostat.

Lunch-time sandwiches were special, particularly the Cajun pork, which was wrapped in gorgonzola and cappacola, roasted in beer and served on foccaccia with caramelized onions. The muffaleta was more traditional, with a homemade tapenade spicing up the usual suspects. A smoked salmon sandwich removed a breakfast tradition from its bagel home and placed it in the foster care of foccaccia. Simo's also offers cajun reubens, grinders and veggie sandwiches.

If you can resist the spell of the roux, dinnertime has some other interesting treatments. A grilled portabello was stuffed with blue crab in garlic butter. The best appetizer was escargot, served with mushroom/crawfish accents, in a puff pastry. A swordfish filet was disappointing, too dry for even the blue crab and white wine sauce to redeem. Catfish provolone was better with grilled tomatoes, but chicken cacciatore, marinated in Jack Daniels, was better than either.

Considering the generous servings, Simo's is bargain priced. The short wine list makes everything available by the glass ($4.50 - $6) and all bottles fall in the $18-$24 range. Lunches were all under $9 and dinner entrees under $20. Aromas are free.

Simo's Cafistro,
227 5th Street, West Des Moines, 274-2463
Mon. - Fri.: 11-2
Sat.: 1-10
Wed - Thurs.: 5-9, Fri.: 5-10

Food News

Tag Grandgeorge, formerly chef at ArtHouse, has returned from a stint in the corporate world to join the staff at La Mie. Owner Joe Logsdon says Grandgeorge's main duty will be menu planning, for both the Roosevelt cafè and the downtown outlet opening in the new library.

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