China Cafe

Upon recommendation from a friend, I headed to Johnston to check out China Cafe.  China Cafe is definitely a favorite for lunch in the Merle Hay area since it filled up quickly.  The friendly staff was very efficient though and meals came out very fast.  

When I first perused the expansive menu I was nervous that this was going to be just another so-so Chinese place when I saw that meals were only about $5 and included soup, a spring roll, entree and rice.  But much to my delight it wasn't so-so at all.

The hot and sour soup was tasty and not overly-salty.  I requested an order of crab rangoon and was asked if I would like a half order since I was alone which was lovely since I didn't need 6, and I didn't know you could get half-orders.  I was super impressed that upon receiving two crab rangoon, my server informed me that another was being cooked for me since one of my three fell on the floor in the back.  How honest!  I wonder how many restaurants would have just wiped it off, plopped it back on the plate and called it good.  Especially where they were so busy and they were freshly cooked.  They were some of the best crab rangoon I've had in Des Moines to boot.  Sweet and creamy and fresh out of the fryer.  Perfect.


For my entree, I ordered the cashew chicken.  I was shocked to see that all of the veggies were fresh.  With the one exception that I would have liked to see all white meat chicken, this was a fantastic meal.  And my total bill with a diet coke...$8. I'm impressed.  Check out China Cafe if you get a chance.  I give it an "A" for value, quality and service.  

Two people just this week have suggested I try China Cafe (not knowing I was already there last week) =)  They say it's just as good for dinner or take-out.  Check it out!

Mars Cafe

In my mind it had only been a few months since I had last visited Mars Cafe.  Mars Cafe is in the Drake neighborhood right across the way from the college.

In my grad-school days we'd often come over to the cafe for a snack and a coffee while studying like many other students do and it was really the coolest place around to hang out.

Well, unfortunately I realized that it's now 2013, and I graduated from grad-school in 2008.  bwah-bwah......Fail.  It's now been upwards of 5 years since I've last visited the cafe.  But the good news is, it's gotten even cooler since then

I met a friend for breakfast and my has their menu grown!  From breakfast sandwiches like peanut butter and nutella and vegetarian wraps to breakfast quesadillas and more, this menu was awesome!  They carry paninis and other specialty sandwiches and lovely salads and snacks.  Awesome menu for a "coffee shop" type of cafe.  Of course they carry the caffeine-filled stuff, too. =)

Come in to the cafe to catch up with an old (or new) friend, get some work done or bring your little one in for a special breakfast.  This cafe is very welcoming, inexpensive (my quesadilla was $4.99), laid-back and tasty!  Try it!

Trostel's Greenbriar

Funny story...It's 2005, I had just moved to Iowa from Massachusetts weeks before and it's my birthday. It's July and my boyfriend makes a reservation at Trostel's Greenbriar in Johnston for my birthday dinner.  Dinner was lovely and it was almost time to order dessert (hey, it was my birthday), but I had to pee.  I told Josh that if the server came by to order me a slice of cheesecake.  I got back to the table and sitting in front of me was a huge piece of tiramisu....TIRAMISU?! I wanted cheesecake!  That lousy S-O-B! He doesn't even pay attention to what I want!  Well, after a few choice words and the silent treatment, I decided the wrong dessert was better than no dessert and looked down in my tiramisu to find this...

If it's hard to read, it says "Marry Me".  Sorry, my camera in 2005 may have been one of the first ever invented. So after feeling bad for a few minutes that I was so mean and had a temper tantrum about Josh's dessert choice for me, I got over it and said "yes".  

So thank you Chef Troy Trostel and the beautiful Greenbriar restaurant for hosting my engagement meal and for the lovely dinners we've had here ever since.

For example, we attended the Templeton Rye dinner in June and loved every course from the tuna to the best lamp chops we've ever had that were roasted in a Templeton Rye Whiskey barrel with herb roasted potatoes.

Monday nights boast Burgers & Brew for $10 that includes a burger with salad or fries and a beer.

You can't go wrong with anything on the menu, although I love the prime rib and anything eaten on the beautiful patio seems to taste that much better with one of their great cocktails.

The restaurant is casual enough for a family lunch or dinner.  But nice enough for a business lunch or even a lovely dinner to get engaged over!  

If the Templeton Rye dishes look good to you, you can find some of the Templeton Rye inspired dishes on their every day menu as well, like Templeton Rye marinated grilled Elk.  

Of course we love Greenbriar for sentimental reasons, but we think you'll like it too.  Check it out!

Did you Declare Ham Independence?

So, this really fantastic, Norwalk, Iowa based company called La Quercia, that makes the most fantastic Acorn Prosciutto (among other fantastic cured meats), came up with this fun idea to celebrate Ham Independence all over the country.  

These celebrations include local retailers putting together a series of classes, tastings, parties, etc. to celebrate, well, ham! The best display presented will win the grand prize of a whole Acorn Berkshire Prosciutto.  This is a big deal people!

For the Des Moines celebration.  Local stores like Gateway Market, The Cheese Shop, 515 Brewing, Juan O'Sullivans, Centro, Confluence Brewing Co., Creme Cupcake and more set up grand displays of amazing food and beer at Grade A Gardens in Johnston.  Grade A Gardens is this fantastic farm proving local produce right from the gardens in their backyard.  You can find their offerings at the Downtown Farmer's Market.

All of this amazing food, like cheese, bacon cookies, relish trays, pork sandwiches and so much more was enjoyed along with live music, all for just a donation.

What a great way to gather some of the best of Des Moines' local businesses for a great cause (Donations went to the Practical Farmers of Iowa) to have a fun time.  One of the best events of the summer so far!  Almost $2,000 was raised for the cause.  

Thanks to all of the participating businesses for a fantastic and delicious event!  Can't wait til next year!

Fun at The Farmer's Market

The Farmer's Markets in town kicked off their seasons this week!  It might have been a chilly start, but better weather is in sight!  If you want the freshest local produce, prepared food and specialty items, the Farmer's Market is where to get them.  

How awesome is it that we have such great Farmer's Markets in the area.  Where else can you find such a wide variety of ethnic delicacies alongside the best of Iowa.  The Downtown Des Moines market is the largest one, followed by the Valley Junction one.  It's wonderful because Downtown includes Breakfast burritos, breakfast pizza, pasties along with BBQ, Indian, Moroccan, Bosnian (and many more!) delights for lunch.  Valley Junction will take care of your dinner and you can buy the baked goods and pastries to take him for breakfast the next day!

Two of my "must haves" at the market are 1. A cutlet form Saloo's India (a potato cake filled with meat or veggies-gluten free) 2. A breakfast burrito or bowl from Farm Boys. YUM! 

Oh, and of course it's not all about the food.  Vendors also have handmade items of all kinds like clothing, jewelry, soap, decorations and much more.


Here is a list and info from their websites for some of the larger local ones.  Check your town to see if they host one too. I know Waukee, Johnston and many others have them too!


Ames: Saturdays, 8 a.m. - 12 noon Starting May 4 

Fresh fruits, veggies, meats & breads. Hand crafted goods. Family entertainment. The Ames Main Street Farmers' Market has it all!  www.amesmainstreetfarmersmarket.com

Ankeny: 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays beginning May 18. Uptown Ankeny. The Uptown Ankeny Farmer's Market vendors provide a wide variety of products to the public. In the past, the market has seen everything from fresh seasonal produce, home-made baked goods, specialty food items, BBQ cooked on-site, perennial plants, hand-made items, and much more.www.uptownankeny.org.

Downtown Des Moines:   7am-noon (8am-noon in Oct.) Support local agriculture and buy direct from Iowa farmers while shopping the Downtown Farmers’ Market – presented by UnityPoint Health – Des Moines. The Downtown Farmers’ Market presents Iowa producers from 51 counties across Iowa, offering fresh fruit, vegetables and so much more. You’ll find fresh herbs, beautiful flowers, farm fresh eggs, local wineries, a delicious assortment of goat cheese, an endless selection of baked goods, and many varieties of Iowa raised meat such as beef, pork, chicken, lamb, buffalo, ostrich, and tilapia. http://desmoinesfarmersmarket.com

Southridge Mall: Mondays 3:30 to 6:30pm, Meet us in the parking lot North of Sears every Monday for fresh produce, yummy treats and MUCH MORE! http://www.shopsouthridgemall.com/events/Details/164417?startDate=4%2F13%2F2013

West Des Moines: 4-8 p.m. Thursdays, Valley Junction. Farmers Market is home to over 100 weekly vendors selling fresh produce, baked goods, plants and flowers, arts and crafts and prepared foods. Join your friends and neighbors. www.valleyjunction.com.

Free Summer Bowling for Kids!

Have you heard about the Kids Bowl Free program?  All around the country, you can register your kids (15 and under) to get 2 free games of bowling, every day, all summer long.  

Just go HERE to find the bowling alley closest to you and get your kid registered.  Just remember that your vouchers will only be good at the location that you register at, so choose wisely.

In Des Moines, you can choose from Air Lanes, Bowlerama Lanes, Plaza Lanes or Warrior Lanes in Waukee.  There are also locations in Ames and Norwalk.

BTW: It will give you the the option to purchase an adult pass for $24.95 to use for the summer, but if you'd rather not do that, just click the "no thanks" button.  You can purchase one game at a time for adults.

That's it. Log-in to your account every weeks to print your free games coupons.  Have fun!

Ps. shoe rentals rates do apply.  You can also purchase a summer pass for that or just pay by the day.

Bandit Burrito: Nothing Sneaky About Great Food

We recently stumbled upon this Mexican gem in Johnston, Bandit Burrito. This "fast food" restaurant is similar to other Mexican restaurants like Panchero's or Chipotle but has completely different choices. It's located just a couple of blocks north of I-80/35 on the west side of the road. 

Burrito Bowl: Lettuce, Tomatoes,
Shredded Beef, Cheese, Wild Rice,
Sweet potatoes. 

You can choose from many different flavors of burrito shells like Spinach or Jalapeno Cheddar. If you are looking for something a bit smaller you can order a Slim Burrito. I personally like the burrito bowl--all the good stuff without the shell. You can also order a salad or nachos as well. 

Their choices for toppings are great--grilled veggies, fresh veggies, corn, white or wild rice, black or pinto beans, peppers & onions, salsas, and a seasonal vegetable. They have five choices of meats and I highly recommend the shredded beef! It's so moist and seasoned perfectly. 

Kid's Meal!

One of our favorite features of Bandit Burrito is the Family Meal Deal. For $20 you get two adult burritos and 2 kids' meals (quesadilla, burrito, etc.) and drinks for all. They have always been so flexible with our choices too--I get the burrito bowl instead of the full burrito. 

Our family of 10
all fit into one area!

Another great feature is their online ordering. You don't have to register for account or anything fancy like that. You just visit their online ordering page, click your choices, and pick it up at the register. We've used this feature now a few times and LOVE it! 

Our next meal at Bandit Burrito is going to be breakfast! Their breakfast burrito sounds awesome. 

Give Bandit Burrito a try today! 

The Garden Grill

We don't often venture to Johnston during the lunch hour, so I was excited to try out The Garden Grill, just off of 86th street near the movie theater, for lunch last week when we had a meeting out that way.  Honestly, I didn't know what had gone in here after the diner closed.

The first impression was really nice.  White linen table cloths and a kids coloring page with a nice variety of kids meal selections.  We were seated immediately and the waitress was attentive.  There were a lot of lunch menu choices from salads to sandwiches to pasta dishes.  It was almost hard to decide.

Unfortunately, we waited a pretty long time for our entrees to arrive, at least 30 minutes and were we only had an hour for lunch, we probably wouldn't return if we were crunched for time again.  The restaurant was busy, but not enough that it would warrant that kind of wait.  I appreciate the menu selection and that they made items fresh though.

The food came out hot and looked great, but my prime rib sandwich (minus the bun) was just ok.  The seasonings were good and the horse radish sauce certainly helped, but the meat was a little tough. The sweet potato fries were very crispy and nice though,

Josh said his chicken fajita wrap could have used more seasoning.  Nathan's chicken strips were good quality and he liked the fries.

Over-all I appreciated a large menu selection, the attentive staff and hot food.  I wouldn't recommend it for a quick lunch, but would certainly go back for a relaxing meal and to check out their dinner menu.  The martini specials looked good and I would have tried one if it wasn't waaay before 5pm!  I have also been told that their Sunday brunch buffet is very good too, so if you try it out let us know what you think!