Tag Archives: des Moines dining

February 13, 2019 · 6:26 pm

Like a return trip to Peru – dining at Des Moines’ new (and first) Peruvian Restaurant Panka

Market in Cusco, Peru 2012
Sacred Valley, Peru with Noah, 2012

 

 

 

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Well that was fun! We had an excellent dinner at Panka, the new (and we gather first) Peruvian Restaurant in Des Moines, almost hidden along Ingersoll Avenue, sandwiched between two chain restaurants in a strip mall. But the small 43-seat place has a real verve  and vibe,  with sleek modern furnishings, an open kitchen and brightly colored photos of Peru on the walls.  The place was packed last Saturday at 7 p.m. on a bitter cold February night and for good reason. The food was outstanding — and reminded us fondly of when we ate our way through Peru – – which has one of the world’s best food cultures — several years ago when our son was studying abroad during college in Lima.

We tried several of the many Peruvian dishes that we loved when in-country and they tasted very similar to what we once ate, sometimes even better. The lomo saltado, a beef stir fry with thick slices of onion and tomatoes, in particular, was better than I remembered it in Peru, maybe because the beef was so tender and flavorful. The aji di gallina, a creole chicken stew in a thick creamy yellow sauce with sliced potatoes, did not disappoint. Nor did the ceviche — there were several kinds. We went with the Peruano,  which an English guy sitting next to us recommended.  The chicharron de cerdo  (crunchy porkbelly chunks) were maybe the one weak link — a little dry and not as crispy as I’d like.

Cusco, 2012

The place felt South American lively, with the two enthusiastic welcoming owners — both women originally from Peru — helping out the servers and the chefs in the open kitchen. There are some kinks to work out, as is the case with any new restaurant. Our five shared dishes including a delicious Aguadito soup (light cilantro-laden broth with chunks of chicken)  arrived after a considerable wait and all at once which meant that once we finished the soup (which could have been warmer) the other dishes were cold. The kitchen also ran out of desserts, all homemade including a chocolate cake that several of our neighbors had (and looked great). No liquor license yet so no pisco sours but we thought to bring wine and I don’t believe there was a corkage fee.

We can’t wait to return!! Next time, we will make a reservation. We got in without one this trip but just barely…

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December 30, 2018 · 7:34 pm

Farm-to-table meal by chef at Wallace House in Des Moines

My main disappointment with the December farm-to-table meal by the chef of the Wallace House in Des Moines was that, to our surprise, the meal wasn’t held at the Wallace House, a pretty 19th century building in the Sherman Hill neighborhood. Apparently the place isn’t big enough any more for the event so it was held at nearby Hoyt Sherman Place, which was pleasant but still…I’ve been there before, for several weddings during the 1990’s and have not been the Wallace House.

From what I gather, other Wallace Center meals throughout the year on Thursdays are held at the Wallace House. Click here for details. I’ve also enjoyed meals  during the summer prepared by Chef Katie Porter at the Wallace’s old farmstead in Orient, about 45 miles west of Des Moines. (Details below. It’s closed during the winter, last I heard.) Henry Wallace,  fyi, was an extraordinary Iowan — U.S. Vice President under FDR (1941-45, until he was replaced by Truman for being too liberal) and an agricultural innovator who founded the powerhouse agricultural seed company Pioneer Hi-Brid (now technically known as Corteva Agriscience, after it was bought by DuPont, which then merged with Dow Chemical. and then spun off as a standalone company).

The food was good – honey nut squash and apple soup (that could have been hotter, but I say that about most soups at restaurants and large gatherings); beef short ribs braised in red wine with a delicious potato kale cake and grilled vegetables;  and apple ginger crisp that was a little on the dry side (more oatmeal-y, than I like) served with a sage ice cream. For the price $48, a glass of wine or can of beer could have been included. Seemed a bit steep. Nice live music by the John Krantz Duo and of course, great company with a table full of friends.

Where Farm & Table are Just Steps Apart

Friday Lunches and Dinners at the Country Life Center

The Gathering Table restaurant is located inside the historic barn replica at the Henry A. Wallace Country Life Center near Orient, IA. Open to the public on Fridays, the restaurant offers lunch and dinner menus centered around the more than 40 varieties of fresh produce grown in the 12 acre on-site garden and orchard. Seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables that are rich in flavor and beauty are complimented by beef, pork, lamb, poultry, cheese and grains. Menu options change almost weekly.

Walk-ins or reservations are welcome for lunch. Please make your reservation by 3 pm for dinner. Live music is on hand every Friday evening; call us to find out who is performing.

The Gathering Table may need to close because of private events such as reunions and wedding receptions. These dates are posted in advance. We apologize for any inconvenience. No lunch or dinner will be held on Friday, November 23 in observance of Thanksgiving. Our final dinner for the season is November 30. Lunches end for the season on December 14.

Please call 641-337-5019 for reservations or email Lisa Swanson.

 

 

 

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December 13, 2016 · 11:18 pm

Dining in Des Moines – good Indian and Ecuadorian!

We tried out a different (and relatively new) Indian restaurant in the Des Moines metro yesterday and it was far better than our old place – and downright good. I’d been curious enough about Persis Biryani Indian Grill to drive out to one of my least favorite places in the area – the suburban sprawl around Jordan Creek Mall in West Des Moines – and I wasn’t disappointed. The food was delicious – rich creamy sauces, quality bits of meat (not the junk that’s sometimes plopped into thick sauces as if the diner wouldn’t notice its junk), large portions, pleasant service, who could ask for more? Actually, the location is less than idea – in a bland strip mall and a schlep from our house in Des Moines but that’s a minor complaint. We will definitely return. Favorite dishes: butter chicken and chicken tikka masala. To my surprise, the saag paneer – my usual favorite (creamed spinach with chunks of white cheese) wasn’t as delicious as usual and too spicy for my taste. We went with medium spiciness for all three entrees but the only one that was too spicy proved to be the saag. (Note to self: next time try navratan korma  ( carrots, zucchini, green beans and more in a rich mustard-colored spicy peanut sauce, creamy but with a kick.) and buttery onion kulcha as recommended by Des Moines Register columnist Rekha Basu, who knows her stuff!

I meant to mention the Ecuadorian restaurant we tried out a few weeks ago (before the devastating election results…maybe I was just too depressed to write about it). Mi Patria is also in a bland strip mall – but at least it’s closer to our house – and the food reminded me a lot of the food we ate in Peru. Lots of rice and beans plus fried plantain slices, a fried egg, lettuce salad and well-flavored surprisingly tender pounded beef made up the churrasco entree. The massive entree includes a grilled skirt steak that’s topped with a fried egg, those rice and salad sides again, plus a big scoop of surprisingly complex beans and a couple crispy fried plantain slices. .  My shrimp in an oily and spicy orange-colored broth (camarones al ajillo) was delicious but, dare I say it again, way too spicy for my tastes. The llapingachos, mashed potato mounds stuffed stuffed with cheese and topped with peanut sauce were as rich as they sound. And delicious. Again, I’ll be back!

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January 31, 2016 · 9:05 pm

Trying out Roka on Court Avenue in downtown Des Moines

With all the caucuses craziness going on, I neglected to report on our recent visit to the restaurant Roka on Court Avenue in Des Moines.  The place was packed with young, attractive 30-somethings (who are these people?) when we visited on a Saturday night in January – and it was a good place for our group of seven to have drinks and share some “small plates” – highlights including pork belly tacos,  flatbread with mushrooms and goat cheese, Asian lettuce wraps and pork sliders.  I had to sit NOT facing the giant television screen behind our table or else I would have found myself completely distracted by the classic film, “Casablanca” which was on view. With all the commotion going on – when dozens of people crowd into a small cozy brick-walled bar – who needs TV screens alight with movies and ball games ( although mine is a minority opinion…)pixtoprintpatti

 

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October 19, 2015 · 4:05 pm

Trying out Lurra Cocina in downtown Des Moines

We tried out the new Spanish restaurant Lurra Cocina in downtown Des Moines last Saturday night with friends and it’s  off to a good start but could use some refinements. For starters, the “one-person” paella should be considerably bigger. Good flavor and seafood/meat in the dish but surprisingly skimpy portion.  Especially if you’re going to charge $18, there should be more rice at a minimum. I’ve never ordered or made paella that didn’t produce leftovers…But this time, I was almost hungry after I ate it. Others enjoyed their hanger steak and pork dishes.

The appetizers were good – especially the stuffed dates (and I don’t even like dates  much). And I was very impressed with the flan which wasn’t too sweet or too heavy. Crunchy churros with chocolate dipping sauce were delicious too.  Atmosphere was pleasant – a bit loud but not too and fun to have the big picture windows looking out on a suddenly hopping downtown restaurant scene!

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March 29, 2014 · 5:24 pm

Good food irritating service at the “new” Proof in Des Moines

We finally got around to trying the “new” Proof restaurant in Des Moines which has been under new ownership for some time.  The food was pretty good – especially the meat (pork, steak) which was well-seasoned and presented – but the server was way overbearing, which was irritating.

If you’re truly a sophisticated restaurant, you don’t need to point this out repeatedly to your diners. Nor do you need to repeatedly ask for feedback (i.e. compliments because really, what else will a polite diner say to the server’s question “How was it?” – although after hearing this several times, I was ready to growl.) To make matters worse, the actual serving of the dishes was slow and mismanaged – so the bread came long after the salad (which to my mind didn’t have enough dressing or dressing with flavor, although the greens were good) and the coffee was going to come so long after the excellent desserts that we cancelled it. The menu – which came in three pieces also needed streamlining. We were dining to catch up with old friends, not to do some light or not-so-light reading.

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