Carefree Café
Center Court of Valley West Mall,
1551 Valley West Drive, West Des
Moines, 223-9553
Mon. - Sat. 10 a.m.- 9 p.m., Sun.
11 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Black Cat Café,
3701 Ingersoll Ave., 255-9895,
Mon. - Thurs. 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.,
Fri. - Sat. 10 a.m. – midnight
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Coffee:
Not just for breakfast anymore
The corporate coffeehouse industry
is “restructuring.” Starbucks’
stock plummeted so much last year
that founder Howard Schultz came
out of retirement to save his
company, saying that Starbucks
needs to focus on good coffee
instead of selling more merchandise
and cellophane-wrapped, processed
foods. He criticized Starbucks
instant espresso machines, which
replaced baristas with cashiers.
Schultz also wants to quit opening
so many stores that they cannibalize
each other’s sales. Corporate
coffee’s No. 2 player, Caribou,
began emphasizing overseas expansion
after new stores in the Midwest
met some hostile receptions. One
in St. Paul, Minn., was greeted
by egg-throwing protestors holding
“Corporate Scum” signs. That was
in the company’s own backyard.
Blessed by corporate neglect
until a few years ago, Des Moines
developed an original coffeehouse
culture that kept faith with Schultz’s
ideals while his company lost
its way. When the big corporations
finally found us, Java Joe’s,
Zanzibar and Grounds for Celebration
all had loyal followings for their
fresh roasted beans. Even when
the corporate steeds finally rode
into town, new local independents
like Mars Café, Amici Espresso
and Ritual Café were undaunted
by the competition. With the corporate
armies retreating, I went looking
for the state of the local coffeehouse
scene and found two places that
defy logic. Both open for business
at 10 a.m., after most people
have already consumed their daily
coffee ration.
Carefree Café sits in
the heart of Valley West Mall
surrounded by enough corporate
branding power to bake a cake.
In a mall with neither a Starbucks
nor a Caribou, this is a coffee
drinker’s oasis. Three different
baristas pulled perfect drinks
for me. I also enjoyed the best
hot chocolate I’ve found all winter.
The biggest treats were more substantial
foods, especially soups. Owner-chefs
Jennifer Strauss and Christine
Boelman are slow food, scratch
cooks who insist that stocks begin
with bones and shells, not mixes.
I tried four different soups and
all rank with the best in town.
With a panini-press and baby
greens, sandwiches and salads
were above average deli fare,
Jennifer’s chicken salad was way
above average. Her non-liquid
specialties were more decadent.
Strauss is an academy trained
pastry chef who was battle-hardened
in Chicago’s catered wedding wars.
I found good quiche and cheesecake
but Strauss’ signature has the
shape of a cupcake: “cassis kir
royale” was a black currant and
champagne cake with champagne
ice and orange zest; “black &
tan” was a marble cake made with
Guinness and Bass ales; “nutella”
was a chocolate cake filled and
iced with chocolate-hazelnut butter
cream.
The newest member of the Ingersoll
coffeehouse club is Black Cat
Café (BCC). I first heard
of them when an excellent Brazilian
jazz combo playing the Des Moines
Art Center mentioned that BCC
was their weekend home. While
that beats the hell out of Starbucks’
“world music,” BCC’s homemade
crepes brought something even
better to the table. From a menu
of three savory and nine dessert
crepes, I chose the classic. Crepes
Suzette, orange zest’s finest
application, delivered a power
plate of two extra thick crepes
filled with orange and caramel
and paired with vanilla ice cream.
Pastry and pizza are also available.
Owners Maria Cosmo and Oz Kapic
have created an Eastern European
ambiance with free wireless Internet,
hanging lanterns, mismatched furniture,
cozy nooks and a Europe-heavy
wine and beer menu. Customers
have responded making this the
most cosmopolitan coffeehouse
in town. Cityview readers touted
BCC in multiple categories in
this year’s Best of Des Moines
poll.
Side dishes
Anderson-Erickson announced they
would demand their raw milk suppliers
quit shooting cows up with added
bovine growth stimulants. A-E
said they’re responding to customer
demands. Industry followers say
that big dairies have been losing
market share to local, all natural
dairies such as Pickett Fence
and Cloverleaf in Central Iowa.
… Tarracino’s Ankeny coffee store
closed after 11 years. CV
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