By Jim Duncan CVFDude@aol.com

O’Charley’s on a (yeast) roll

Good bread is a most worthy obsession and no bread obsession is more American than yeast rolls. That particular manifestation of the baking arts thrives in states where baton twirling is a full scholarship sport and Hudson Cream Flour is a familiar brand name. In the heart of Dixie, people argue about the best yeast rolls like Iowans debate pork tenderloins, and a Nashville-based chain named O’Charley’s has been winning a lot of those arguments for years. Normally I welcome the opening of another national chain restaurant with the same enthusiasm I have for a new federal tax. But when O’Charley’s opened their first Iowa store on Mills Parkway, I salivated. For years I had been hearing people speak about their yeast rolls in tones usually reserved for praising grandchildren. I have traveled deep into Appalachia mainly to eat yeast rolls, so West Glen seemed relatively accessible, even without a single Ralph Lauren item in my wardrobe.

O’Charley’s has overcome some rough history, most significantly the fallout from settling a class action racial discrimination lawsuit with African-Americans. As an O’Charley’s place mat reads, quoting Sancho Panza, “All sorrows are less with good bread.” Complimentary yeast rolls were served hot from the oven, with fresh whipped butter. As soon as our table’s supply disappeared, it was replenished. They weren’t the best yeast rolls I ever had — those were made at the Frontier Nursing Service in Wendover, Ky. These were too dense and chewy, a tell tale that they were frozen and thawed before baking. They are darned good though. On each of three visits, I ate at least four rolls and also bought frozen rolls to take home, for $3 a dozen.

Free yeast rolls aren’t much of a business plan, so O’Charley’s sells a full casual dining menu. The best non-yeast roll items were from the Sunday-only brunch: fresh blueberry muffins; cranberry pecan waffles; and prime rib heavily seasoned with what tasted like celery salt.

A recommended “loaded potato soup” tasted like baked potatoes smothered in canned cheese sauce with Baco Bits. “Pretzel crunch chicken” was an interesting take on chicken fingers. My fried catfish was served dark brown, not golden as promised on the menu. A roast beef sandwich was served on a ciabatta roll that made me switch it to yeast rolls. South American herb steak resembled Des Moines’ original steak de Burgo more than a lot of local steak de Burgo recipes do. Mine was cooked perfectly to order and covered in chimichurri of garlic, fresh herbs, scallions and olive oil. Unfortunately, the steak itself was not digestible. If O’Charley’s really does their own butchering and aging, as their menu claims, someone needs to tell their butchers to remove thick tendons when cutting steaks. No amount of aging or chewing will soften them. I was curious about the menu designation “Premium USDA steaks.” Because USDA’s grading system has no “premium,” I asked two servers what it meant. One told me “I think it’s really good” and another said, “I think it means like sirloin.” Like, whatever.

Dinners came with above average salads — quite fresh greens for this time of year and generous shavings of Parmesan. Homemade dressings were quite sweet. On two occasions, salads, bread and entrées were all served with a couple minutes of each other. For a southern restaurant, side dishes were embarrassingly Yankee-like. While dealing with broccoli cheese casserole, vegetable medley and rice pilaf, I dreamed of the vegetables at Cracker Barrel, another Tennessee chain. Wine and beer lists were very short and basic. Dessert included some doughnuts that were tossed tableside in sugar and spice.

Side dishes
The Iowa Restaurant Association named Scott Carlson, owner of Court Avenue Restaurant and Brewing Co., Restaurateur of the Year. Huzzah, huzzah. … Drake University Music Department’s madrigal dinners will be Dec. 8-9 in the Olmsted Center. Reservations are $45 per person. Call 271-3841. CV

O’Charley’s of West Des Moines
6240 Mills Civic Pkwy, West Des Moines, 327-5448
Mon. - Thurs. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Fri. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Sun. 10:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

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