Biaggi’s
5990 University Ave., West
Des Moines, 221-9900
Mon. - Thurs. 11 a.m. -
10 p.m. , Fri. - Sat. 11
a.m. - 11 p.m., Sun. 11
a.m. - 9 p.m. |
Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano
Headquartered in Bloomington,
Ill., Biaggi’s has 21 outlets
compared to 72 for Bravo/Brio
and 675 for Olive Garden. Biaggi’s
has slowed down expansion, opening
just four new stores in the last
four years, following 17 launches
the previous four. It’s usually
a good sign for diners when a
company begins refocusing on its
base. In Biaggi’s case that includes
the six-year-old West Des Moines
restaurant, a handsome place with
dark wood, tall ceilings, a huge
built-in wine cabinet, fieldstone
walls and fireplaces, plus a marvelous
private wine room for parties.
Best of all, it looks like an
urban restaurant, not a theme
park ride through faux ruins.
Like most big restaurants, Biaggi’s
must appeal to many types of diners.
Yet its staff seems to always
seat people with the care of a
wedding planner — all the hyperactive
children in one area and the hand
holding couples in another. My
servers were reasonably acquainted
with the recipes and when mistakes
were made, the head chef himself
came out to make sure they were
fixed satisfactorily. That has
never happened to me in another
Italian chain restaurant. Unlike
some chains, Biaggi’s is unafraid
to recreate its menu. I visited
recently with out of town Iowans
who had been dreaming for months
about Biaggi’s grilled calamari,
lamb and veal chops. Alas, none
of those dishes were on the current,
magazine-sized menu. The couple
was appeased though with a three-course
summer special that cost just
$15. Other aspects of service
have slipped. During one recent
visit, I was seated in a window
booth with Venetian blinds so
dirty that I moved my food as
far away as possible. On two occasions,
servers failed to tell me about
the summer special, or about daily
specials.
The food was still more authentically
Italian than that coming from
Olive Garden’s heavily marketed
“Tuscan culinary academy.” Breadbaskets
included onion foccacia, crusty
ciabatta and sweet-nutty whole
grain. Pizza was thin crusted
and perfectly crisped. Bruschetta
came with fresh tomatoes and herbs
with balsamic on the side. Carpaccio
was divinely textured and served
with superb caper berries. Homemade
Caesar salad had a strange, runny
dressing. Fried calamari rings
were a sad reminder of their former
grilled version.
Crab and lobster al forno, a Biaggi’s
signature dish, included artichoke
hearts, spinach and restrained
use of marscapone. Overall, a
light hand with cheese distinguishes
Biaggi’s from other “Italian”
chains. Even the three-cheese
lasagna avoided the globs of melted
cheese that characterize most
chains’ recipes. A Bolognese included
the subtlest Parmesan-Reggiano
treatment, in a red cream sauce
with two kinds of pork. Gorgonzola
sauced pork chops al forno, another
signature dish, didn’t receive
the subtle cheese memo. Excellent
squash ravioli were served in
brown butter sage sauce, with
toasted walnuts. Scallop pasta
special disappointed, offering
no visible scallops in its blended
sauce. An iron-seared sea bass
was marvelously moist and well
complemented by roasted red pepper
cream and mashed potatoes. A side
of spinach desperately needed
an acid kick.
Desserts servings were huge. Whipped
toppings and ice cream overwhelmed
both a heavy, stuffed crepe (bananas
foster) and a rather stale cake
(banana paradiso). Biaggi’s offers
a mostly Italian and American
wine list, priced $20-$45. Half
pans of restaurant specials (pork
chops al forno, rigatoni Bolognese,
etc.) can serve a dozen people,
for $55-$80. My carryout service
was prompt and impressively packaged.
Bottom line: More of a restaurant
than a marketing gimmick, Biaggi’s
is the best Italian restaurant
chain operating in Greater Des
Moines.
Side dishes
Cheesecake Factory was the top
restaurant chain in America last
year in per-store sales. Their
average sales were double those
of its closest competitor. … Des
Moines’ Raw Food Meet Ups recommence
Sept. 8 at East Village Books.
Contact Summer Hines, 279-2922.
CV
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