Sitting inside Host, a new restaurant in downtown Des Moines near the public library, is a bit like being inside a Meredith magazine shoot – as the friend I was eating with, a former Meredith employee, remarked. Clean, open, space, cute mismatched white shabby chic wooden chairs at metal tables, pretty little mural of birds and the phrase “Excuse me while I kiss the sky” (a lyric to the Jimi Hendrix song Purple Haze, that’s been misheard by many a listener as “excuse me while I kiss this guy”). It’s a nice addition to the downtown dining scene, albeit a bit pricey (even if it offers locally-sourced fresh ingredients) – $10 for sandwich and a side. I had the excellent KPLT Rye Panini with (Iowa producer) La Quercia’s Tamworth prosciutto, leeks, tomatoes & Gruyere on excellent hearty wheat bread toast. My friend had a very tasty curried-chicken salad made with big chunks of real chicken, yellow raisins and nuts served on a brioche which she was pleased to find wasn’t sweet.
I finally tried Zombie Burger, eating on the carry-out side of the outdoor patio and I thought the place was fun and the food okay. I had the Zombie Burger – just a basic cheeseburger with the American cheese (not my fav) and zombie sauce (spruced-up Russian Dressing from what I could tell.) My husband had a double patty burger with blue cheese and carmelized onion. Even better. It’s basically a fast food burger in a less fast-food setting. (For a great burger – and one that’s prepared to my specifications, i.e. rare – I’ll still go to Star Bar on Ingersoll Ave. in Des Moines.) I had heard some rumblings about the bad fries at Zombie Burger. Not true – in my view. The fries were great – too great, actually.
I also tried Tartine in Clive again – was impressed again but still wish it was in a different location, with less of a suburban strip-mall vibe, and was open past 8 p.m. for dinner (so I could try the burgers and frites, which look really good). I had a very rich spinach and bacon quiche (which I could eat only half of) and my friend had what looked like a light fluffy “Garden omelet” with arugula, portobello mushrooms and chevre. Both entrees came with a choice of side for $8. A small selection of elegant baked goods for dessert looked delicious.
TakeBetsywithyou 