Aura casts a good vibe
When Jay Wang took over the lease on what had always been Trostel’s Dish, he announced it would be his first non-Asian restaurant. The word “authentic” irks me, mainly because it [...]
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Posted October 06, 2021in Food Dude
Posted September 01, 2021in Food Dude
The Fletcher has lots going on
There is no theme in this place except that it is all cool stuff that owner Denny Elwell enjoys and likes to share. A trip to Memphis 25 years [...]
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Posted August 04, 2021in Food Dude
Classical renaissance
The slow-roasted prime rib at AJ’s was as marvelous as it gets. Some of the disappearing classics of the last century have been coming back, at least in a few [...]
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Posted June 30, 2021in Food Dude
New Flavors on Ingersoll
A Brazilian place becoming Thai makes sense to travelers. Ingersoll Avenue reflects the collective conscience of Des Moines’ westside. In the late 1950s, traditional restaurants like Sherry’s, Noah’s and the [...]
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Posted June 02, 2021in Food Dude
The Baja and the Horn
Gursha Ethiopian Grill and Baja Cocina supply the newest examples of the metro’s growing diversity. The cuisine of Des Moines continues to become more exotic. Two of the world’s greatest [...]
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Posted May 05, 2021in Food Dude
Restaurants with vibes
A friend who was back in town recently wanted to meet “someplace with a distinctive vibe, like Rusty Scupper and Lloyd’s London Grill back in their day.” I suggested Fresko, [...]
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Posted March 31, 2021in Food Dude
Mulberry Street Tavern
Mulberry Street Tavern, in the newish Surety Hotel, covers the world to provide a cross sampling of marvelous amenities from both small villages and large cities. Surety is a part [...]
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Posted March 03, 2021in Food Dude
Italian House is full of surprises
There are few restaurant genres that Des Moines expects to conform to formula. Seafood cafés here are all over the place, from the air freighted opulence of Splash to the [...]
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Posted February 03, 2021in Food Dude
Innovation in the year of the virus
“They say that time changes everything, but actually you have to change things yourself.” — Andy Warhol Business schools are already teaching classes about coping with viral challenges. This year [...]
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Posted January 06, 2021in Food Dude
New frontiers for tamales and pho
Tamales are corn’s most divine application. They are to tortillas as fentanyl is to street heroin— 60 times more potent, flavor wise, and relieving. One hundred years ago, the tamale [...]
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