Hot as a ‘hiểm’ pepper!

Lux Asian Restaurant and Bar
3150 Grand Prairie Parkway, Waukee, 515-209-9999
Daily 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Sunday through Thursday, 4:30-9:30 p.m. and Friday through Saturday, 4:30-11 p.m.

Recently opened in Waukee’s Kettlestone Lakes development, Lux Asian Restaurant and Bar manifests the destiny of Vietnamese restaurants in the western suburbs. Vietnamese cafés are a bona fide treasure of inner-city Des Moines. Anthony Bourdain led off his Civic Center show in Des Moines by complimenting them.  

Their marvels have not previously translated to the suburbs. One named itself Shanghai, and others have closed in less than a year. A PF Chang’s outlet store remains the most popular Asian restaurant in the burbs. Bringing an independent Vietnamese café to southwest Waukee was a calculated risk for Tung Nguyen and partners from the nail business.  

The 50263 was virgin territory for Vietnamese restaurants, and it also presented new challenges for Waukee. Lux’s grand opening was delayed by the city because they were not prepared to regulate the city’s first charcoal-burning grill. After a delayed opening, it was forced to shut down again when the adjusted technology flooded the floor. 

That’s all history now, and the place is hot as a “hiêm” pepper. On my initial visit, we were the first customers of the evening at 4:30 p.m. By 5:15 p.m., the restaurant was completely full. Lux wears the look of luxuriance. A complex of chandeliers illuminates unique atmospheres for the bar room and the dining room. The bar itself glows with backlit, painted brick walls, glass and sleek woods. The bar emphasizes “crafted” cocktails with exotic names like “Tokyo sunset” and “blueberry passionfruit.” 

Lux’s design encourages lingering. Carry-out is done well, but it’s not part of the ethos. Lux’s furniture is quite comfortable with upholstered, oval-back chairs and large oval booths around wooden tables. (Oval chair backs have been the sine qua non of relaxed dining since they were named after Louis XVI, whose decadences inspired the French Revolution.)  

The best Vietnamese restaurants in Des Moines are all about their menus. They sell as many carryout as dine-in orders. Pho 515 caters regional specialties of all parts of Vietnam as well as Cambodia. Its dishes include things essential to their authenticity — pig hearts, fish balls, pig’s blood tofu, fish cakes, quail eggs, whole smoked ducks and noodles made of rice, soybean, mung bean and tapioca flours. French influences on Vietnamese cuisine are evident in their sizzling crepes and gumbos. Lux leaves all that to the inner-city. 

Waukee is the most Asian of Des Moines’ burbs. Waukee High School is 9 to 10% Asian. In the metro, only Hoover has a larger Asian presence. Waukee also is arguably the youngest suburb, with a median age between 33.9 and 35.0. That suggests Waukee diners probably stay out later and drink more than others. Hence, the emphasis on Lux’s bar. 

Lux’s food is excellent minus the exotic ingredients of the city. Excellent bread (Tung Nguyen used to be the baker at Pho 515) was served with both chicken pâté and a mayo/butter blend. Steaks were charcoal grilled, like they are at Prime and Providence. Salads featured the “it vegetable” of today’s heathier intentions — hard-to-find watercress, with tomatoes in an Asian vinaigrette; and wood ear mushrooms with cucumbers in a chili vinaigrette. 

Shaken beef, with wok seared tenderloin, is the best seller at Lux, served with “crack sauce” of fish sauce, chilies, lime juice, cilantro and garlic. Sides included excellent pickled things like daikon, carrots and bok choy. Huge prawns (5-6 to the pound) were served on skewers with two dips. 

Pho was served with a large bone of marrow, or with grilled short ribs, never with tendons or hearts. Short ribs with noodles, our favorite dish, was braised tenderly with wheat noodles in sesame oil and chilies. Chicken pho is also served. So are burgers and fries. Desserts were as Western as chocolate mousse and bananas Foster and as Eastern as sago boba and mango sticky rice.   

Bottom line — Lux is perfectly tailored for its zip code. ♦

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