Palmer's

If you live anywhere near Des Moines, you've probably eaten at a Palmer's Deli by now.  

There are now locations in West Des Moines, Urbandale, Downtown, Ankeny and Ingersol Ave in Des Moines.

While I have always been a fan of their tasty soups, large salad selection and fresh sandwiches, what I'm most is excited about is that now most of their menu can be prepared gluten-free. Even the soups and sandwiches.

On my last visit I ordered the apple orchard sandwich on gluten-free bread and it included roasted turkey, provolone, granny smith apples and apple butter.  Yum!  They even had gluten-free cookies for dessert.

They also have spectacular egg salad which the hubby ordered.  Just fresh eggs, the right amount of Mayo and not too many fillers.  Awesome.

I will warn you that they get pretty busy during the lunch hour, so try to go when you can get there early or have a few extra minutes to wait in line.  Well worth the wait though.

You are sure to enjoy anything you order.  Make sure to try a brownie for dessert if you aren't gluten-free...Ah-ma-zing!

Don't forget about their breakfast!  The omelets are awesome and so is the Challah french toast!

Sam & Gabe's

It had been quite some time since our last visit to Sam & Gabe's.  It's always been a place we'd recommend for a special date-night or anniversary dinner or other celebration.  Since then there have been some mixed reviews about the restaurant on Hickman Rd in Urbandale, so we wanted to check it out again.

Sam & Gabe's has been in business for quite some time and has really become a favorite among locals.

Even though the restaurant is a good size, reservations are encouraged since thy tend to fill up quickly, especially on the weekends.

We dined early on a Friday evening and the place was already bustling.  Our server was very friendly and our salads and meals came out promptly.  We did notice that she forgot to tell us about the specials as we overheard her telling the table next to us shortly after we ordered.

I was very excited to learn that they now have gluten-free pasta available.  My husband and I ordered the linguine and Italian sausage and the beef tenderloin medallions gorgonzola to share (highly recommended to us).  We wanted to try the Italian nachos as they also came highly recommended, but we just knew we wouldn't be able to finish it all.  We have also tried the antipasto platter in the past and it was quite memorable as a nice appetizer.

The pasta sauce was very tasty and the beef medallions were full of flavor.  We did order them medium and they came out very rare though.  They were eager to make us happy though and fix it.  I think that's what matters most.

All-in-all, a nice meal.  I did catch a few things that other reviewers have noted though. For instance, they didn't have the ingredients for the drink my hubby ordered, and they did not offer us grated cheese for our pasta, but we saw the next table over being offered fresh grated cheese.

These are obviously things that shouldn't be overlooked at this price point, and are some of the things that make a meal memorable.  This was not enough to deter us from coming again though.  They did earn double points for having gluten-free pasta available and being able to order most of the pasta dishes gluten-free.  They are open for dinner Tues - Sat and they have such an impressive selection of house made dishes.  Check out Sam & Gabe's for your next date-night or celebration and let us know what you think.

Isla Cozumel

Usually when I'm in Urbandale for lunch, I end up at Sam & Louie's Pizza and a lot of times  Incredible Pizza (which has pretty good gluten-free pizza actually) because of the kiddo.  But I decided to try something new and headed over to Isla Cozumel.  It's in the same plaza as Taki in the former Mama Lacona's location.  I was struck by the sign that boasted $5.99 lunch fajitas and $6.99 dinner fajitas and I knew that's what I'd be trying.

It's easy to identify that you are in the former home of Mama Lacona's, but it does a good job making a Mexican joint too with some added decorations.

The menu was varied as most Mexican restaurants in town are and included most of the local favorites like enchiladas, tacos, burritos, etc. I always appreciate when ethnic restaurants include American choices for the kids because as much as I thought my child would be the kid that inhaled curry and exotic cuisine like it's his job, alas, he is a typical picky 6 year old who wants grilled cheese and french fries at every meal.  I digress...

My fajitas were good.  A great portion size for the price. well-seasoned chicken and your typical sides of re-fried beans, rice, salad &guac.

The service was great and fast.  Friendly waitstaff and a clean restaurant.  I'd dine again especially for their daily specials.  Kids 9 and Under eat free on Mondays.  $2.99 margarita's on Wednesdays.

If you like most of the other Mexican restaurants in town, you'll like this one too!  Always nice to have another option in Urbandale.

Hy-vee Brunch (Urbandale/Waukee)

 While checking out the new and exciting Urbandle Hy-vee, we noticed that they serve an all-you-can-eat Sunday Brunch buffet on, well, Sundays.  They start at about 8:30am and end at 2:00pm.  During that time, for $14 you can pretty much eat anything you want from the Hy-vee Chinese, Italian, home style kitchen, specialty oatmeal bar, Omelet station and prime rib station. It does not include sushi or deli-sandwiches, but it does in include dessert and gelato.  This is a really great deal for only $14 per person if you come hungry.  And the best part is that kids 5 and under eat free from the buffet!

The have an optional bloody Mary bar, but soft drinks and coffee are included in the price.  They also offer some a la cart breakfast items if you'd prefer not to do the buffet.

The new restaurant is pretty nice with servers and cloth napkins, pretty innovative for a Hy-vee.  At 4:00pm they change into their evening restaurant with a regular menu and you can't eat food items purchased outside of the restaurant in the restaurant.  You can't do this during the Sunday Brunch either, but I think it's acceptable during breakfast and lunch on other days.  We haven't eaten there for dinner yet, but we thought the brunch was really neat, especially if you are a fan of the Chinese or Italian sections.

All-in-all I really like the new concepts the Urbandale Hy-vee has brought from the specialty cheeses to the expanded health food section and gourmet prepared food offerings like a sushi bar and gelato stand.  I was pretty impressed with the Sunday Brunch and thought the service was good.  I would recommend That you order your omelet right away though as it took a while to prepare, but it was worth the wait.  Great brunch experience with a good bang for your buck (especially if you have kids under 5!).  Check it out.

Update: The new Waukee Hy-vee also offers this awesome buffet!

Cozy Cafe

You may have noticed that the West End Diner @ The Valley West Inn is now a Cozy Cafe.  These cafes seems to be popping up in former restaurant locations all around the metro.  Cozy Cafe now has spots in Clive, Urbandale, Merle Hay in Des Moines, Valley West in West Des Moines and SE 14th street in Des Moines.

While they are starting to get a little "chain-ish", they still have some great qualities.  Generous portion-sizes, good service and a menu to please the whole family.

Thursdays offer free kids meals for lunch or dinner when an adult meal is purchased

Sunday evenings are 2 for 1 cavatelli dinners.

The expansive menu offers breakfast favorites like biscuits & gravy, pancakes, omelets and more.  I got the Cozy Mess on my last visit and overall I enjoyed it.  I got the half-size and as you can see, it's pretty big.  It boasted some local ingredients, and expected Graziano sausage when it was listed in another dish, but the sausage in the mess was reheated breakfast sausage chunks that I didn't like.  But the thick bacon pieces and ham chunks made up for it.

For lunch they have soups, salads, pizza, sandwiches, pasta and more.  They really do have a good selection and a good kids menu.

For dinner, they have blue plates specials too.   I've tried their Turkey Blue Plate Special and these meals are a good deal for under $10.  It was good, but not incredible.  I think that's the trade-off with having so many menu items.  You can't possible do all of them incredibly well.  But, I think Cozy Cafe does a good job of doing a lot of menu items pretty well and makes for a great restaurant to take the whole family because everyone is sure to find something that they like.

You are going to get a good meal at a good price here.  Try it out for your next family meal out and make sure to try a dessert.  They offer shakes, floats and ice cream sundaes along with fresh baked goods.  Yum.

Hooray for PerKup Cafe!

Hooray for Perkup Cafe and hooray for another breakfast place I love in town!  I had heard rumors of a pretty good cafe in Urbandale at 7003 Douglas Ave near Merle Hay Mall and hadn't had the chance to check it out until this week.  I'm so glad I did!  Hash brown Taco?! Yes, please!

I may be a breakfast addict, but at least I admit it right?  Perkup cafe tells you straight up that your meal might take a little longer to cook since they make your hash browns fresh every time.  And they are worth the wait.  Check out my hash brown taco filled with bacon bits, green onions and sour cream. The browns are perfectly crisp and make for a perfect shell, so good! I was a little leery when I read the menu and it said bacon bits. But, these aren't from a jar, these are the real deal.

This cute little cafe is open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday and has an expanded menu on the weekends including fresh baked biscuits.  They are pretty busy on the weekends, but we enjoyed a quiet midweek breakfast with good service.

After seeing the amazing looking salads on the lunch menu, I can't wait to visit again for lunch in the near future.  And take a look at the dessert menu! Yum!

And if you're into coffee, they have an impressive selection of Intelligentsia coffee drinks/lattes available.  Can't wait to try some other offerings here!  Do you have a favorite?

Hangin' out at the Corner Cafe

Katie and I got to have breakfast together at the Corner Cafe last week.  Corner Cafe is on 100th street in Urbandale and has been around for just a few years now.  

It's fun when we get to try new paces together!  I had been there a while ago, but it was Katie's first visit.  

There were plenty of seats available on a Tuesday morning, and the waitresses were friendly and attentive.  We both had bacon and eggs and I ordered a half portion of the breakfast special which included the hugest mound of hash browned potatoes I had ever seen on one plate.  And that was the half order!  

Katie's hubby also joined us and said the breakfast burrito was really good.  He even joined us late and his order was brought out quickly.

The lunch menu was also recommended by a friend.  They serve a variety of soups, salads and sandwiches and the portions are huge!  Comfort food for sure with items like hot roast beef sandwich's and chicken & noodles over mashed potatoes.  

The back wall is adorned with photos of various visitors.  It was fun to pick out the famous diners and guess who the others may have been.  

There aren't a ton of options in that area for a good breakfast since Stella's in the same vicinity closed a while back, so Corner Cafe is a nice addition.

We'll certainly be back for breakfast and surely to try lunch!  Any recommendations of what to order next visit?

The most delicious shed in town...

One of the first places I recommend for Des Moines area visitors to check out, is the Machine Shed Restaurant.  It's in Urbandale, right off of Hickman road.

What an awesome place to give visitors a taste of Iowa.  Tractor rides, farm-fresh food and Iowa souvenirs all in one place.  You can of course make this your meal break on a trip to Living History Farms too since it's right next door.

The family-friendly restaurant has something to please everyone.  It's not your typical fare either.  Breakfast specialties include over-sized cinnamon rolls, carrot cake pancakes and much more.  If you tell them that "You love eggs" they'll add in an extra egg to your order for free.

They do a fantastic weekend brunch that is only about $11 and includes endless hash-brown casserole (amazing), bacon, eggs, sausage, waffles, pancakes, pastries, fruit, etc. Kids are a reduced price.

The from-scratch gravies, sauces and sides for the lunch and dinner items make them extra special.  Look for Iowa-chops and beef entrees. The salad bar is good and heck, everything is good!  Ultimate comfort food.

 If you want to impress visitor for a casual, Iowa-inspired meal, take them here.  We've never had a bad meal at the Machine Shed.

PS. They've also just started doing cooking classes for adults and kids!  The kids classes are FREE and the adult classes are only $20 and includes dinner!.  They look super fun!  Here is the info.

Sam & Louie's, More than Just Pizza

One of our favorite Pizza joints in town is Sam & Louie's Pizzeria on 86th street in Urbandale in the Cobblestone Plaza.  Not only do they have great (and gluten free) pizza, it seems like they always have a Groupon, Deal Chicken or Living Social deal available to get a great deal.  They have lunch specials and kids meals and is overall a clean, family-friendly place with really good food.  



The staff is really friendly and they are happy to honor special food-related requests.  The restaurant is spacious and has never been overly-crowded when we dine.





The have a good selection of beer and wine and lots of appetizer, sandwich, salad and pasta options in addition to the pizza.  They even have some fun options like fried pickles.  Check out the lunch specials too.

We also love the party-room in the back of the restaurant for special events/meetings and birthday parties!  They actually do an awesome job with kids birthday parties for a very reasonable price.  

You get the whole whole party-room to yourselves, the kids get to make their own pizza slices, goodie bags are included and you are assigned a host for the whole event. The host plays games like bingo with the kids, takes care of the details and makes it an overall fun time.  We would totally recommend this as a place to have a kids birthday party.



We really like Sam & Louie's!  We think you will too!