Portofino and The Empire are oases for bargain seekers

Portofino’s
711 South Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny, 515-630-0182
Tuesday – Thursday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

This appears to be the year of bargain stalking. It’s the No. 1 thing our readers ask about, and that’s never happened before in our 38 years on the food beat in Iowa. Young people are foregoing the old rites of youth like going out to restaurants and bars on dates, binge drinking alcohol and showing off. Their discretionary budgets are stressed by new definitions of “necessities,” which now include cell phone service, streaming platforms, internet connections, sorority rush coaches and Taylor Swift tickets. 

There is little money for the old necessities like mortgages, 401K contributions, drinking binges and eating out regularly. So, bargain stalking is a thing. We dedicate a full column to the subject in RELISH and write about it five times a week in The Daily Umbrella. Now, due to popular demand, we are honoring two places this October as “the value restaurants of the year.” 

Other than friendly prices, Portofino’s and The Empire have little in common. Portofino’s is a rare, independently owned restaurant on the chain-linked neon strip of Ankeny Boulevard. It took over a 150-seat space previously owned by Taste of Texas BBQ and India Chef. Empire is the latest restaurant of the local group Full Court Press, which has done more than anyone to make downtown Des Moines’ food scene unique and worldly while preserving historical buildings. Empire was excavated, literally after FCP moved Fong’s Pizza to a larger space. It was reborn as its “turn of the previous century” self and has a 10-seat lunch counter, four 4-tops and four tables for six. Portofino’s serves Italian fare; Empire offers an old fashioned diner menu. Portofino’s serves lunch and dinner, until 9 or 10 p.m. The Empire does most of its food business before 2 p.m.

The Empire
223 Fourth St., downtown Des Moines, 515-369-1905
Monday – Tuesday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Their commonality is most pertinent to this time in history. They offer excellent scratch-made food at the most affordable prices in their respective genres. Empire’s bargains included chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy and hot beef sandwiches for $10; breaded pork tenderloins for $8; Chicago beef or cheese steak sandwiches for $11; and a $6 sandwich menu that includes pastrami and cheese, sloppy Joe’s and ham and cheese. Breakfast deals included biscuits and gravy at $4 or $7; sausage, egg and cheese biscuits for $4 and strawberry cheesecake Danish for $4. Flatbreads cost $9-11, and cheeseburgers were $7. Even drinking was a bargain at The Empire, as specialty cocktails were $5-8 and beers $2-7. 

Portofino owner Simon Mekaj is a chef. He comes from a restaurant family that owns seven cafes in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro and one in Mason City. His recipes are exceptional heirlooms. Portofino’s veal picatta was my favorite version of the classic ever. It was generous with two slices of tenderized scallopine and lots of large capers. Its lemon-forward sauce was thicker than most. It was served on a bed of spaghetti, with a choice of salad or soup, for less than $20. Lobster ravioli, covered with shrimp and fresh garden produce in a sweet pink sauce, cost $22, the same price as Mahi Mahi or red snapper dinners with pasta and seafood sauces. 

Salads were ice cold, and dressings were original. The house vinaigrette was made with red vinegar and tasted sweeter than any I’ve tried. Complimentary bread baskets were served piping hot from the oven. Pizza were made in four sizes, and all the largest (16-inch) pies were priced less than $20. Lunch specials were all priced less than $13 and included soup or salad and freshly baked rolls. ♦

Jim Duncan is a food and art writer who has been covering the central Iowa scene for more than five decades.