The Flying Mango

Last dined: 12/30/08

I am a strange creature, especially in this corner of the world. I confess, I am not a barbeque fan. There! I've said it! I've never been one to get excited about big hunks of meat in general. I don't hate it, but let's say I avoid barbeque if given a choice. Hence...I have not visited one of Des Moines most renowned establishments, the Flying Mango.

I begrudgingly agreed to go for dinner recently. I was happy to find their website complete with menu online so that I could search out something on the menu that wasn't barbeque or Cajun. I was pleasantly surprised to find several selections to fit the bill. Including Latin Strip Steak with Chimichurri Sauce, Grilled Mahi Mahi, Lime and Garlic Chicken with Mango Salsa over Black Pepper Fettuccini.

The location is very odd for a hip restaurant, 4345 Hickman Road. The parking situation is deplorable. I arrived around 7:15 on the Wednesday night before New Years and the place was full, as was the small parking lot as well as the available street space surrounding the restaurant.
The inside of the restaurant is painted warm, vibrant tones. As you walk in the door, the kitchen area is to your left. If there's a wait, you wait right there where you can see & smell the cooking. That area is also not very large, so hopefully there aren't a lot of people waiting with you. In the dining area there is art hung that I understand is for sale, so the art changes frequently. The restaurant is cozy, and according to my dining partner does not belong in Des Moines. I'll disagree, I am increasingly impressed with the Des Moines dining scene and think that's an insult to Des Moines, but you decide for yourself.

We tried the chicken salad appetizer with tortilla chips. Not a lot of flavor there. Two of us at the table ordered the Latin strip steak with Chimichurri sauce, the other two the Louisiana platter which includes red beans & rice, Creole chicken & andouille sausage. I have previously tried steak with Chimichurri on a recent trip to Puerto Rico. I was hoping for a fairly authentic dish & I'm afraid they didn't really deliver. The Chimichurri sauce did not have as much flavor as I was hoping & it was a strip steak instead of flank steak or skirt steak. Chimichurri sauce is a mix of olive oil, lemon juice parsley, garlic, salt & pepper, sometimes also shallots, or other green herbs. The menu calls it Latin pesto, which is a pretty fair comparison, however in this case it wasn't very flavorful & the large cut of meat overpowered the drizzle of sauce. I will say that the steak was cooked just as I ordered & the waitress was quick to say if it was not as we wanted to let her know. The Louisiana platter was under whelming as well. The sausage was not hot, the red beans & rice didn't taste very authentic, although were better than say a box of Zataran's. The highlight was the Chicken Creole, very flavorful. The cornbread at the Flying Mango is very tasty. I am told they change varieties frequently. We had some mango in ours, as well as cinnamon butter on top. The Louisiana platter comes with cornbread, but the Latin steak did not so we ordered a side.

They had an above average selection of wines by the glass and had Templeton Rye stocked at the bar. The service was great, and many of the dishes on the menu sounded pretty imaginative. I would say that it did not live up to the hype of the recent title of Best Restaurant in Des Moines, but I would come back for a second visit if someone suggested it. I am sure that people who love barbeque would have a lot more affection for this place than I did, but I'm definitely glad I gave it a try.

http://www.flyingmango.com/
menu: http://www.flyingmango.com/restaurant-menu.html