Last dined: 4/25/08
I have dined at the Riverwalk (at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, IA) restaurant 3 times, all before shows at Wells Fargo (as that is the only time it is open, for events). The first time was not too long before it had opened. They were doing a prix-fixe menu at this time. I remember that the food was solid, if a little pricey.
The second time was not too long ago, before the John Mayer concert. They had a menu posted on the website, and we had all perused it & found items to try. When we arrived, we were told they were only serving the bar menu because there were not enough reservations to have a full menu. We were made to choose from your typical bar fare, nachos, chicken fingers, burgers & sandwiches. It was fine, $8-12 for everything.
The third time was 4/25. I called to see what they were doing with the menu (after the last experience...). They had about 3 apps, 3 entrees, 3 desserts, none of which sounded great. Two of us ended up having the fettuccini with shrimp, and a light alfredo sauce which tasted like it should cost $7, however the price was double that. The two others in our party opted for a salad & a dessert. Also over priced. The service was terrible, many tables that ordered after us got their food before us. It took about an hour from the time we ordered. The waitress was not terribly apologetic about it either.
Unfortunately there are not a lot of restaurants within a block of Wells Fargo, so if you are with someone who cannot walk very far you don't have a lot of options. But I will say there are hot dog & pizza vendors inside, and next time I will probably be opting for that.
I will not be going back to the Riverwalk Restaurant.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Black Cat Cafe (Des Moines) - Revisited
Dined - 3/22/08
I returned to the Black Cat (on Ingersoll in Des Moines, near El Patio) one evening to meet a couple of friends in from out of town. I had already eaten dinner myself, but they went ahead & ordered a crepe to split because I explained they serve 2 large crepes per plate. They agreed one was enough & ordered one plate. When the plate arrived, it had only 1 crepe on it. Looks like they have scaled back. Unfortunately the price had not changed.
See original post: http://diningindesmoines.blogspot.com/2008/03/black-cat-cafe.html
I returned to the Black Cat (on Ingersoll in Des Moines, near El Patio) one evening to meet a couple of friends in from out of town. I had already eaten dinner myself, but they went ahead & ordered a crepe to split because I explained they serve 2 large crepes per plate. They agreed one was enough & ordered one plate. When the plate arrived, it had only 1 crepe on it. Looks like they have scaled back. Unfortunately the price had not changed.
See original post: http://diningindesmoines.blogspot.com/2008/03/black-cat-cafe.html
Friday, March 21, 2008
Azalea Restaurant (Downtown Des Moines, IA)
(last) Dined: March 17, 2008
Azalea (Located at 400 Walnut in Downtown Des Moines, in the former Kirkwood Hotel) is quickly becoming my go-to restaurant for special occasions. The food is classified as American, but there are obvious Asian & Mediterranean influences in the menu. The restaurant itself has a trendy feel, very high ceilings with exposed ducts, light woods, dark leathers.
This was my third visit to Azalea and I have never really been disappointed.
On my first visit we tried a variety of small plates. There were artichoke hearts wrapped in Prosciutto with fresh mozzarella which were tasty but a rather small portion ($10). The bacon wrapped quail with stuffing was ok, I've never been a fan of quail, and again, small portion ($12). The Zen roll is tasty (ok it isn't the healthy kind of sushi, it is the tempura kind) and on par with sushi roll prices around town ($10). I felt like the best small plate was the calamari ($8). It is a smaller portion than you're probably used to getting at other restaurants, but very tasty and not miniscule. We also had the Northern Prairie chevre wood oven pizza. It has a very generous helping of the goat cheese (so much I actually picked some off, and I LOVE goat cheese). I would try something different next time, but it was tasty.
On my second visit I just could not decide what to order. I was between the salmon & the lamb ($36). I know, not everyone enjoys lamb, but I do. The waitress said that she gets rave reviews of the salmon so I decided to order that ($26). When it arrived I was rather under whelmed and it seemed that the salmon was maybe a bit overcooked. The waitress noticed that I was picking around the fish & asked how it was. I played it off like it was ok, but she could tell it wasn't my thing. She insisted upon bringing me the lamb. The lamb was delicious, cooked to a perfect medium rare. I also tasted on that visit the house made noodles with chicken, parmesan & a white cream sauce ($15) which was so delicious, but not at all diet friendly.
On my third visit, we had the misfortune of coming in later in the evening after the Smart Talk Lecture crowd and they had run out of the chicken. While I wanted to order the lamb again, I decided I should try something new. I ended up ordering Soy Sake marinated black cod with shrimp dumplings in a Japanese broth ($30 ?). The fish was amazing, seared, crispy on the outside & not overcooked on the inside. The broth was under whelming though, carrots, celery, ginger, chicken broth, little flavor. The dumplings were good but small & there were only 3 of them. I was a little remorseful that I hadn't ordered the lamb. Three others I was with ordered the Iowa chop with shrimp grits ($28 ?) and they were all extremely pleased with that. I am not a fan of pork chops but I did try the grits and they were some of the most amazing things I have ever tasted.
I'm intrigued by their lounge menu that has sandwiches, fish & chips and other lighter fare. I may have to stop in sometime just to sample that.
It is a bit on the pricey side, but usually well worth it. The service is always to the highest of standards.
See Azalea's menu at (although a bit out of date): http://www.azaleadsm.com/
Prices range from $15 - $30 except on the steaks which are upwards of $30.
Azalea (Located at 400 Walnut in Downtown Des Moines, in the former Kirkwood Hotel) is quickly becoming my go-to restaurant for special occasions. The food is classified as American, but there are obvious Asian & Mediterranean influences in the menu. The restaurant itself has a trendy feel, very high ceilings with exposed ducts, light woods, dark leathers.
This was my third visit to Azalea and I have never really been disappointed.
On my first visit we tried a variety of small plates. There were artichoke hearts wrapped in Prosciutto with fresh mozzarella which were tasty but a rather small portion ($10). The bacon wrapped quail with stuffing was ok, I've never been a fan of quail, and again, small portion ($12). The Zen roll is tasty (ok it isn't the healthy kind of sushi, it is the tempura kind) and on par with sushi roll prices around town ($10). I felt like the best small plate was the calamari ($8). It is a smaller portion than you're probably used to getting at other restaurants, but very tasty and not miniscule. We also had the Northern Prairie chevre wood oven pizza. It has a very generous helping of the goat cheese (so much I actually picked some off, and I LOVE goat cheese). I would try something different next time, but it was tasty.
On my second visit I just could not decide what to order. I was between the salmon & the lamb ($36). I know, not everyone enjoys lamb, but I do. The waitress said that she gets rave reviews of the salmon so I decided to order that ($26). When it arrived I was rather under whelmed and it seemed that the salmon was maybe a bit overcooked. The waitress noticed that I was picking around the fish & asked how it was. I played it off like it was ok, but she could tell it wasn't my thing. She insisted upon bringing me the lamb. The lamb was delicious, cooked to a perfect medium rare. I also tasted on that visit the house made noodles with chicken, parmesan & a white cream sauce ($15) which was so delicious, but not at all diet friendly.
On my third visit, we had the misfortune of coming in later in the evening after the Smart Talk Lecture crowd and they had run out of the chicken. While I wanted to order the lamb again, I decided I should try something new. I ended up ordering Soy Sake marinated black cod with shrimp dumplings in a Japanese broth ($30 ?). The fish was amazing, seared, crispy on the outside & not overcooked on the inside. The broth was under whelming though, carrots, celery, ginger, chicken broth, little flavor. The dumplings were good but small & there were only 3 of them. I was a little remorseful that I hadn't ordered the lamb. Three others I was with ordered the Iowa chop with shrimp grits ($28 ?) and they were all extremely pleased with that. I am not a fan of pork chops but I did try the grits and they were some of the most amazing things I have ever tasted.
I'm intrigued by their lounge menu that has sandwiches, fish & chips and other lighter fare. I may have to stop in sometime just to sample that.
It is a bit on the pricey side, but usually well worth it. The service is always to the highest of standards.
See Azalea's menu at (although a bit out of date): http://www.azaleadsm.com/
Prices range from $15 - $30 except on the steaks which are upwards of $30.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Alba - First impression (East Village, Des Moines, IA)
One of my contributors shared a first impression with me of this new Des Moines spot.
Alba, located in an old car dealership in the East Village is very cool to look at, and a great place to meet for drinks.
Food wise the portions were ridiculously small, expensive, and not spectacular.
I have not visited Alba myself, but will do a full review if I do.
Alba, located in an old car dealership in the East Village is very cool to look at, and a great place to meet for drinks.
Food wise the portions were ridiculously small, expensive, and not spectacular.
I have not visited Alba myself, but will do a full review if I do.
Black Cat Cafe (Des Moines, IA)
Dined: 2/29/08
The Black Cat Cafe located at 3701 Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines is the sort of place that you probably have to set out to visit. It looks very non-descript from the outside, and with some sort of tinting on the windows, it is difficult to tell if it is open or what waits for you inside. I was fortunate to find an empty space in the small lot in back. The interior was a pleasant surprise, but then I hadn't expected a lot. The walls and ceiling were dark with charming paper lanterns dangling from above. The furniture was more like a living room than a kitchen or a bar (which is a plus in my book). There is smoking at the ventilated bar, which was fine as long as there was only one person smoking, but at one point there were several people smoking there & the ventilation didn't make a difference for the near by tables (there is a room close to the front door that would have been great, but was already taken). A jazz trio started playing around 8 which only added to the ambiance (although it made conversations difficult).
There is a fair wine list. There were many beers on display, but they seemed to be out of several varieties. We settled on a bottle of Zinfandel for a bargain price of $20, which actually was pretty fair, although the wine was very warm, much warmer than I like. Of course I drank it anyway.
The menu consists mainly of crepes (sweet & savory - around $8 per plate), pastries & frozen pizzas. If you order a crepe, each order comes with 2 crepes of the same variety. I went with a friend & we ordered a savory & a sweet crepe to share which worked well. The garden & then the simple chocolate with a raspberry sauce. The garden had feta & vegetables and was satisfactory but didn't taste like expected. The quatro fromaggio & the seafood crepes both looked markedly better. The chocolate crepe was obviously made with Nutella instead of chocolate sauce which I don't remember being specified on the menu (as I am not a huge fan of Nutella). But it was very tasty & served with a scoop of ice cream.
We had wanted to order the chocolate banana crepe but they were out of bananas and I overheard her telling a few people later in the evening that they had actually ran out of crepe batter. Seems like a big faux pas if that is pretty much your whole menu. And crepe batter is pretty much flour, egg & sugar, so that would be hard to do. I mentioned before that they had run out of several kinds of beer as well.
If you order a sweet & a savory crepe, you should maybe specify that you would like your savory crepe before you get your dessert crepe as everyone in our party got their dessert crepe first. I was disappointed with the small variety of savory crepes. The glaring exemptions of ham and cheese, and ham cheese & mushroom crepes which are standard fare on European creperie menus.
The cafe was very busy, so the service was a bit slow, but the waitress made up for that by being extremely friendly.
Bottom line is that it is an interesting addition to the Des Moines restaurant/bar scene and crepes are a crowd pleaser. Hopefully they will get better organized & will not continue to have some of the issues that I encountered on my first visit. But there will definitely be return visits.
Visit their website where you can view their menu: http://www.blackcatcafebar.com/
The Black Cat Cafe located at 3701 Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines is the sort of place that you probably have to set out to visit. It looks very non-descript from the outside, and with some sort of tinting on the windows, it is difficult to tell if it is open or what waits for you inside. I was fortunate to find an empty space in the small lot in back. The interior was a pleasant surprise, but then I hadn't expected a lot. The walls and ceiling were dark with charming paper lanterns dangling from above. The furniture was more like a living room than a kitchen or a bar (which is a plus in my book). There is smoking at the ventilated bar, which was fine as long as there was only one person smoking, but at one point there were several people smoking there & the ventilation didn't make a difference for the near by tables (there is a room close to the front door that would have been great, but was already taken). A jazz trio started playing around 8 which only added to the ambiance (although it made conversations difficult).
There is a fair wine list. There were many beers on display, but they seemed to be out of several varieties. We settled on a bottle of Zinfandel for a bargain price of $20, which actually was pretty fair, although the wine was very warm, much warmer than I like. Of course I drank it anyway.
The menu consists mainly of crepes (sweet & savory - around $8 per plate), pastries & frozen pizzas. If you order a crepe, each order comes with 2 crepes of the same variety. I went with a friend & we ordered a savory & a sweet crepe to share which worked well. The garden & then the simple chocolate with a raspberry sauce. The garden had feta & vegetables and was satisfactory but didn't taste like expected. The quatro fromaggio & the seafood crepes both looked markedly better. The chocolate crepe was obviously made with Nutella instead of chocolate sauce which I don't remember being specified on the menu (as I am not a huge fan of Nutella). But it was very tasty & served with a scoop of ice cream.
We had wanted to order the chocolate banana crepe but they were out of bananas and I overheard her telling a few people later in the evening that they had actually ran out of crepe batter. Seems like a big faux pas if that is pretty much your whole menu. And crepe batter is pretty much flour, egg & sugar, so that would be hard to do. I mentioned before that they had run out of several kinds of beer as well.
If you order a sweet & a savory crepe, you should maybe specify that you would like your savory crepe before you get your dessert crepe as everyone in our party got their dessert crepe first. I was disappointed with the small variety of savory crepes. The glaring exemptions of ham and cheese, and ham cheese & mushroom crepes which are standard fare on European creperie menus.
The cafe was very busy, so the service was a bit slow, but the waitress made up for that by being extremely friendly.
Bottom line is that it is an interesting addition to the Des Moines restaurant/bar scene and crepes are a crowd pleaser. Hopefully they will get better organized & will not continue to have some of the issues that I encountered on my first visit. But there will definitely be return visits.
Visit their website where you can view their menu: http://www.blackcatcafebar.com/
Friday, February 29, 2008
Joseph's Steakhouse (West Des Moines, IA)
Dined: 2/15/08
Joseph's Steakhouse, located at 4001 Westown Parkway (former location of Mondo's, next to Carlos O'Kelly's) West Des Moines, is an upscale steakhouse offering organic Angus beef fed only vegetarian feed. The atmosphere is like nothing I've seen in Des Moines to date. Based on that (and the gift certificate I had) I decided that would be my Valentine's Day (ok, day after Valentine's Day) destination. I was assured by the person taking my reservation that they would find me a romantic table. Oooh la la.
Upon arriving at Joseph's, there was a definite difference between the current restaurant & what Mondo's had been. Ultra chic furniture adorned the area by the host stand. A peek in the bar revealed pictures of old-time hollywood stars projected onto the wall and a distant round table surrounded by white billowy sheer curtains. We were led to our table in an area of 4 tables, separated by glass & curtains. It was not nearly as cool as some of the others around us as the space was divided in half with the same billowy white sheers, but we shared that half with another table. The glass and wood walls made the area seem to echo a bit. I could hear every bit of each of the 3 tables' conversations. But it definitely was cool looking.
Our waiter arrived to describe the specials. Lobster seemed to be the theme of the night as there was lobster bisque, lobster spring rolls, and lobster to accompany the main dishes. He explained how the menu worked as well. Basically most of the entrees came with a choice of soup or salad, but no side dishes. The side dishes are served family style and seemed to feed about 3 people. He suggested ordering a vegetable & a starch, but no more than that for 2 people. We started with the lobster spring rolls, then I ordered lobster bisque for my starter and my companion ordered the chopped salad. We both ordered the filet, I with maytag blue cheese crust, my companion with the au poivre option. We both added on a South African Lobster tail for $15 and decided to share a side of the Boursin whipped potatoes.
The lobster spring rolls arrived. There were 2 of them, cut in half, with some sort of creamy drizzle on the plate for dipping. They were absolutely delicious. The spring rolls were followed by our starters. The lobster bisque was average, not enough flavor or bits of lobster for my taste. The chopped salad on the other hand was outstanding. Eggs, bacon, avacado and other delicious bits all chopped up and tossed with the ranch dressing. It was a stand out. When our main dishes arrived, my companion's filet didn't resemble the normal thick, round filet as mine did. His looked more like a New York Strip. The waiter assured us it was not. Both of our steaks were done to our specifications and were juicy and melt in your mouth. The lobster tails were TINY and maybe had 4 bites a piece and they seemed like they were just a little too done. The Boursin whipped potatoes were a disappointment. They seemed to be whipped potatoes just topped with a small dollup of the herbed cheese as there was not much extra flavor. Although for standard whipped potatoes they would be fine. Unfortunately we were unable to try dessert as we were completely stuffed.
The wine list seemed extensive & on par with other restaurants in the area as far as price. We had a decent bottle for around $36.
Overall, the food was solid and the ambiance was definitely a plus. The steaks and the chopped salad were as good as any I've had.
Here's the "but"... We are used to going out & splurging on dinner. It is not a rare or unheard of experience. That said, the bill here was a bit harder to swallow than the red wine. The special lobster spring rolls were a whopping $12, for 2 (which they do not tell you up front), and there was not THAT much lobster in them. We were charged for both the lobster bisque and the chopped salad because the waiter failed to mention when he was recommending those selections that they were not one of the options for the included accompaniments. Those three items alone cost around $25. The miniscule lobster tails cost a total $30, even in Des Moines, Iowa you don't expect to pay $15 for a couple ounces of lobster. The steaks were over $30 a piece & didn't even include any sides.
The bottom line is that you are definitely paying for the ambiance here. And while sometimes that is what you might be after, at least now you can make an informed decision. For this kind of meal I'd rather go to Azelea, where the food is at least that good & probably a better value. Neither one of us is planning on a return visit, for dinner anyway. My next visit will be for brunch.
To see Joseph's Steakhouse menu: http://www.josephssteak.com/WDM/index.html
http://www.josephssteak.com/WDM/index.html
Joseph's Steakhouse, located at 4001 Westown Parkway (former location of Mondo's, next to Carlos O'Kelly's) West Des Moines, is an upscale steakhouse offering organic Angus beef fed only vegetarian feed. The atmosphere is like nothing I've seen in Des Moines to date. Based on that (and the gift certificate I had) I decided that would be my Valentine's Day (ok, day after Valentine's Day) destination. I was assured by the person taking my reservation that they would find me a romantic table. Oooh la la.
Upon arriving at Joseph's, there was a definite difference between the current restaurant & what Mondo's had been. Ultra chic furniture adorned the area by the host stand. A peek in the bar revealed pictures of old-time hollywood stars projected onto the wall and a distant round table surrounded by white billowy sheer curtains. We were led to our table in an area of 4 tables, separated by glass & curtains. It was not nearly as cool as some of the others around us as the space was divided in half with the same billowy white sheers, but we shared that half with another table. The glass and wood walls made the area seem to echo a bit. I could hear every bit of each of the 3 tables' conversations. But it definitely was cool looking.
Our waiter arrived to describe the specials. Lobster seemed to be the theme of the night as there was lobster bisque, lobster spring rolls, and lobster to accompany the main dishes. He explained how the menu worked as well. Basically most of the entrees came with a choice of soup or salad, but no side dishes. The side dishes are served family style and seemed to feed about 3 people. He suggested ordering a vegetable & a starch, but no more than that for 2 people. We started with the lobster spring rolls, then I ordered lobster bisque for my starter and my companion ordered the chopped salad. We both ordered the filet, I with maytag blue cheese crust, my companion with the au poivre option. We both added on a South African Lobster tail for $15 and decided to share a side of the Boursin whipped potatoes.
The lobster spring rolls arrived. There were 2 of them, cut in half, with some sort of creamy drizzle on the plate for dipping. They were absolutely delicious. The spring rolls were followed by our starters. The lobster bisque was average, not enough flavor or bits of lobster for my taste. The chopped salad on the other hand was outstanding. Eggs, bacon, avacado and other delicious bits all chopped up and tossed with the ranch dressing. It was a stand out. When our main dishes arrived, my companion's filet didn't resemble the normal thick, round filet as mine did. His looked more like a New York Strip. The waiter assured us it was not. Both of our steaks were done to our specifications and were juicy and melt in your mouth. The lobster tails were TINY and maybe had 4 bites a piece and they seemed like they were just a little too done. The Boursin whipped potatoes were a disappointment. They seemed to be whipped potatoes just topped with a small dollup of the herbed cheese as there was not much extra flavor. Although for standard whipped potatoes they would be fine. Unfortunately we were unable to try dessert as we were completely stuffed.
The wine list seemed extensive & on par with other restaurants in the area as far as price. We had a decent bottle for around $36.
Overall, the food was solid and the ambiance was definitely a plus. The steaks and the chopped salad were as good as any I've had.
Here's the "but"... We are used to going out & splurging on dinner. It is not a rare or unheard of experience. That said, the bill here was a bit harder to swallow than the red wine. The special lobster spring rolls were a whopping $12, for 2 (which they do not tell you up front), and there was not THAT much lobster in them. We were charged for both the lobster bisque and the chopped salad because the waiter failed to mention when he was recommending those selections that they were not one of the options for the included accompaniments. Those three items alone cost around $25. The miniscule lobster tails cost a total $30, even in Des Moines, Iowa you don't expect to pay $15 for a couple ounces of lobster. The steaks were over $30 a piece & didn't even include any sides.
The bottom line is that you are definitely paying for the ambiance here. And while sometimes that is what you might be after, at least now you can make an informed decision. For this kind of meal I'd rather go to Azelea, where the food is at least that good & probably a better value. Neither one of us is planning on a return visit, for dinner anyway. My next visit will be for brunch.
To see Joseph's Steakhouse menu: http://www.josephssteak.com/WDM/index.html
http://www.josephssteak.com/WDM/index.html
Monday, February 25, 2008
Lemon Grass (Clive, IA)
Dined - 2/23/08
Lemon Grass, at 12871 University in Clive (behind the Anglo International building) is on my short list of go-to restaurants in Des Moines. The restaurant is at the former location of the Belwood Cafe (French deli) which is no longer there & has no affiliation with the owner of the Belwood. Lemon Grass serves Lao & Thai cuisine. The first time I ate there I learned from the waitress that the owner or chef used to work at Cool Basil.
Lemon Grass' interior is warm (ok, it was chilly when I was there, but it looks warm & inviting). Warm tones of red & gold dominate. The dining area is small, probably around 12 tables, about the size of a larger Asian carry-out place. And while it seems they do a lot of take-out orders, the food is far from take-out quality.
Lemon Grass has a solid menu & the staff is nice, if not terribly formal with their customers. I have tried several things from the menu, including Larp, Ou Larm, Angry Fever (yes, the 5 chili version), Egg Rolls, Crab Rangoon, Curry Puffs, Seafood Asparagus, and Panang Curry.
The Ou Larm was really a soup, although they don't really specify that. It was very liquidy and not terribly flavorful. Seafood Asparagus was kind of run of the mill Asian flare, not a stand out.
The Angry Fever, and I just had a bite, was like eating a jalapeno pepper. There was some underlying flavor, but even with just one bite I could just feel & taste the heat. If you're a fan of that, by all means go for it. But the Angry Fever "Club" punch card is kind of a rip off: clean your plate of Angry Fever plate 5 times to earn a free beer, 11 times to earn a free entree.
Here's what does stand out: Crab Rangoon, yes you can get this anywhere, but rarely do you find this much cream cheese in the middle, also a little hint of peppercorn. The Panang Curry is a great curry with rich coconut milk and a hint of heat. Great flavor.
But in my opinion, the best dish on the menu is the Larp with ground chicken. It is the epitome of freshness with onions, scallions, cilantro, and bean sprouts. It is like eating spring. The sticky rice is not everyone's favorite, but it has grown on me. When I was there last, it was not warm enough temperature wise, and I asked them to heat it up. He said that it would hurt the flavor to cook the veggies all the way thru. I've had the dish many times & never had it this cool, but I didn't argue, but it wasn't as good. But that won't keep me from coming back.
http://lemongrassclive.com/
You can find a copy of the menu for Lemon Grass (Clive, IA) at: http://lemongrassclive.com/LemonGrassMenu.pdf
Lemon Grass, at 12871 University in Clive (behind the Anglo International building) is on my short list of go-to restaurants in Des Moines. The restaurant is at the former location of the Belwood Cafe (French deli) which is no longer there & has no affiliation with the owner of the Belwood. Lemon Grass serves Lao & Thai cuisine. The first time I ate there I learned from the waitress that the owner or chef used to work at Cool Basil.
Lemon Grass' interior is warm (ok, it was chilly when I was there, but it looks warm & inviting). Warm tones of red & gold dominate. The dining area is small, probably around 12 tables, about the size of a larger Asian carry-out place. And while it seems they do a lot of take-out orders, the food is far from take-out quality.
Lemon Grass has a solid menu & the staff is nice, if not terribly formal with their customers. I have tried several things from the menu, including Larp, Ou Larm, Angry Fever (yes, the 5 chili version), Egg Rolls, Crab Rangoon, Curry Puffs, Seafood Asparagus, and Panang Curry.
The Ou Larm was really a soup, although they don't really specify that. It was very liquidy and not terribly flavorful. Seafood Asparagus was kind of run of the mill Asian flare, not a stand out.
The Angry Fever, and I just had a bite, was like eating a jalapeno pepper. There was some underlying flavor, but even with just one bite I could just feel & taste the heat. If you're a fan of that, by all means go for it. But the Angry Fever "Club" punch card is kind of a rip off: clean your plate of Angry Fever plate 5 times to earn a free beer, 11 times to earn a free entree.
Here's what does stand out: Crab Rangoon, yes you can get this anywhere, but rarely do you find this much cream cheese in the middle, also a little hint of peppercorn. The Panang Curry is a great curry with rich coconut milk and a hint of heat. Great flavor.
But in my opinion, the best dish on the menu is the Larp with ground chicken. It is the epitome of freshness with onions, scallions, cilantro, and bean sprouts. It is like eating spring. The sticky rice is not everyone's favorite, but it has grown on me. When I was there last, it was not warm enough temperature wise, and I asked them to heat it up. He said that it would hurt the flavor to cook the veggies all the way thru. I've had the dish many times & never had it this cool, but I didn't argue, but it wasn't as good. But that won't keep me from coming back.
http://lemongrassclive.com/
You can find a copy of the menu for Lemon Grass (Clive, IA) at: http://lemongrassclive.com/LemonGrassMenu.pdf
Friday, February 22, 2008
Welcome
Welcome to my new blog. I am a foodie in my 30s & am frustrated when I am unable to find information on new restaurants in the Des Moines area. My friends & I like to dine out often and we'd like to share our experiences with you.
I am going to try to categorize them on the side bar so you can look at different cusines (Asian, Mexican, American), by price for an average entree (Under $15, Under $30, Upwards of $30), and by "best bets" or my personal favorites.
Check back soon (and often) for information on local establishments.
I am going to try to categorize them on the side bar so you can look at different cusines (Asian, Mexican, American), by price for an average entree (Under $15, Under $30, Upwards of $30), and by "best bets" or my personal favorites.
Check back soon (and often) for information on local establishments.
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