By Jim Duncan
CVFDude@aol.com
Spaghetti’s
 |
Spaghetti’s
1111 E. Army Post Road
Des Moines, IA
(515) 953-1700
Open 7 Days A Week
Restaurant Hours: 11:30am
to 9pm Sun-Thurs and 11:30am
to 10pm Fri & Sat
|
When Merle Hay Mall was transforming
Iowa’s shopping habits in the
1960s, its Bishop’s Cafeteria
was the busiest sit-down restaurant
in the state. With long lines
extending outdoors, even in bad
weather, Bishop’s was the perfect
fit for the state’s first mega-mall.
Merle Hay was asking small-town
Iowans to desert their Main Street
merchants and trust the big-city
folk. Nothing sold trust better
than Bishop’s see-what-you-get
food, cheerful tray carriers and
“no tipping” policy. After the
conquest of small- town souls,
malls sacrificed cafeterias to
brand-name franchises and fast-food
courts. Mall dining entered its
Reconstruction Era dominated by
corporate carpetbaggers.
Today’s shoppers expect more
than food courts, but the hottest
corporate restaurant chains are
only interested in the hottest
real estate. So, new places like
Jordan Creek now overwhelm older
malls, most of which make do with
lesser brand names. Southridge
Mall has taken a bolder initiative,
recruiting a successful independent
restaurant from Oskaloosa to a
prime spot just inside the main
entrance. There’s a lot to like
about Spaghetti’s, beginning with
its unpretentious name.
I first visited their Oskaloosa
store soon after it opened three
years ago. Angela Harrington and
Steve Howard built a family-friendly
atmosphere around free arcade
games for kids and an old-fashioned
long bar for adults. The Southridge
store has no arcade, but its bar
uses a neighborly rectangular
design, like Maid-Rite’s used
to have. That small-town touch
tips others. Spaghetti’s menu
evolved through customer influence.
For instance, “RJ’s sweet steak
pasta” began when a waiter brought
the recipe to chef Rod Marshall
on the occasion of proposing marriage.
The tomato of his eye said “yes,”
and Harrington decided the happy
news should be commemorated with
permanent menu status for the
dish. This grilled flank steak
with roasted peppers in a teriyaki
sauce has been surprisingly successful,
too.
Otherwise, the Italian menu
maintains two philosophical stances:
Marinara should be made of tomatoes,
vegetables and olive oil, with
no sweeteners added; and no deep
frying — ever. The Oskaloosa restaurant
has been using nearly a thousand
gallons of olive oil and a thousand
pounds of garlic a year, making
red gravies from scratch. Some
variations are creative, from
the chile-spiced, cheesy arriabatta
(which Harrington says is her
best seller in Des Moines), to
the vodka-drenched “ubriaco” (which
does not include the cheese of
that name). Others preparations
are classic, like Alfredo and
Florentine (“Toscano”).
Refusing to deep fry means Spaghetti’s
calamari (small rings, no heads,
with undistinguished breading)
were pan-sautéed in olive
oil. Bruschetta was also off-beat,
amounting to toast, with balsamic
salsa on the side. The same toast
was better served with “Amy’s
Spin Art Dip,” a good recipe from
a restaurant manager’s family.
“Portabella stars” were cheese-stuffed,
grilled and served with balsamic
drizzle, reminding me of a wonderful
mushroom tart the Oskaloosa restaurant
served. Harrington said that labor-intensive
dish died for lack of interest
but will return as a special in
Des Moines. Unusual pizza was
the best first course — medium-thick,
hand- rolled dough that was grilled
before being finished in a convection
oven.
Two entrees stood out: spaghetti
and meatballs (made with panko
breadcrumbs and Parmessano), and
a seafood “Bolognese” with the
ubriaco sauce. Steaks employed
the under-appreciated skirt and
sirloin. Sausage was from Graziano’s,
a change influenced by Des Moines
customers.
The dessert menu was short and
standard, while the wine list
featured Iowa wines, particularly
Summerset’s. There’s a full bar
with lots of unobtrusive TVs.
Seniors and kids are given bargain
deals, but no full dinner ever
costs more than $16.
Food Skinny
Baker’s Cafeteria closed in October,
the last of a great Des Moines
tradition. The store began in
Dogtown in the 1950s, and it anchored
Sherwood Forest since the 1970s.
Baker’s hosted dozens of civic
service organizations and a legendary
Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
A cup of kindness yet, for auld
lang syne. CV
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