Posted April 03, 2013in Featured Story, Food Dude
From a bird’s eye perspective, the great story of 20th century Iowa was the movement of people from farms all over the state to a few cities and many suburbs. One-seventh of the way through the 21st century, nothing brings out suburban Iowa’s inner farm child like the opening of
Read More →
Posted March 27, 2013in Featured Story, Food Dude
Disembarking from a flight in Des Moines a few years ago, I observed a lady behind me being greeted by two children and an older woman. As soon as they saw her, the kids ran up enthusiastically proclaiming, “Mommy, Mommy, guess what? Grandma gave us chicken that had bone in
Read More →
Posted March 20, 2013in Featured Story, Food Dude
The old fashioned bar and grill has become an endangered species in Iowa. After industrialized farming changed the state’s demographics (most Iowa counties peaked in population more than 100 years ago), towns became too small to support stand-alone restaurants. So taverns added flat-top grills, deep fryers and sometimes full kitchens
Read More →
Posted March 13, 2013in Featured Story, Food Dude
One Hispanic restaurant owner tells about a pet peeve: “Time after time I will meet someone at an event, and they will ask me what I do. I say that I own my own restaurant. They say they never heard of it, and they tell me about their favorite Mexican
Read More →
Posted March 06, 2013in Featured Story, Food Dude
Not too many years ago, Des Moines scrapped its motto “the surprising place.” At the time, people complained that outsiders would swallow it with a spoonful of sarcasm. In the culinary realm, it’s been a long battle to convince national, even regional, media that we have surprising things to offer
Read More →
Posted February 27, 2013in Featured Story, Food Dude
With federal financial aid, C Fresh Market opened recently on University. Besides bringing a supermarket to an underserved part of the inner city, it fills several niches in the city’s appetite for exotic foods and bargains. Reminiscent of the Ranch 99 chain in California, the store’s fresh fish section provides
Read More →
Posted February 20, 2013in Featured Story, Food Dude
During the four decades I’ve been writing about the local food scene, a few new places brought transformational upgrades to Des Moines. The all-prime 801 Steak and Chop House saved downtown dining. Bistro 43 precipitated a rebirth of fresh, seasonal and local menus. South Union and Basil Prosperi bakeries gave
Read More →
Posted February 13, 2013in Featured Story, Food Dude
Readers frequently ask questions that begin, “Who makes your favorite…?” Answers, being a matter of taste, can start arguments. That’s why I appreciate tips from folks who believe they’ve discovered a new favorite of anything. Recently I received a tout for Hong Kong’s Chinese buffet. Most Chinese buffets here seem
Read More →
Posted February 06, 2013in Featured Story, Food Dude
The 20th-century Italian restaurant culture in Des Moines was sustained by a mythic cult of personalities. Many cafes went by first names only — Babe’s, Vic’s, Rocky’s, Noah’s, Chuck’s, Gino’s, Gianni’s, Johnny’s. Everybody knew those owners because they all greeted their customers every night. Restaurateurs Linda Bisignano (Chuck’s) and Jerry
Read More →
Posted January 30, 2013in Featured Story, Food Dude
Bacon Week is Des Moines’ Lupercalia, or more literally, our Fastnacht — a series of pig-outs preceding the fasts of Lent. Iowa celebrants are more apt to wear hog costumes than goatskins, but the soft underbelly of this state’s most plentiful mammal provides inspiration for a week of excess and
Read More →
