Jersey Guys

Finally got my first taste of Jersey Guys Pizza in Beaverdale.  I've heard a lot of good things about it being pretty authentic to Jersey.  The owners are young guys straight from the East Coast.

I'll start by saying that being from Boston, my hubby and I have been trying unsuccessfully to find New England House of Pizza-style pizza since we moved here.  There is definitely a difference between Jersey-style and what we've been searching for, but this is the closest we've found.  And don't get me wrong, head downtown to Pizzeria Regina in the North End in Boston and this is exactly what you'll find.  But hey, this is Jersey Guys and not Mass guys, so we weren't expecting it to be exactly the same =) 

The Greek-style which is what you'd find in a House of Pizza is more of a crunchy and buttery on the bottom and chewy on the top crust, but the toppings were close.  This pizza was mighty fine though.  This style is also very popular in Italian restaurants that aren't House of Pizzas in Boston and they hit it right on.  Their sauce it excellent and makes a difference in the taste of everything they make, not just the pizza.

What stuck out to me were the hoagies.  Perfect mixture of seasoning, cheese and the most awesome tangy marinara sauce.  I prefer an actual fried chicken breast as opposed to chicken fingers to be used in my chicken Parmesan subs, but that was a small detail.  It was the best chicken parm I've had since I've been in Iowa.  And it was HUGE, easily sharable by two people with big appetites.

I also liked the pizza fries.  They didn't just put sauce and cheese on top, but they made the effort to make a few layers so there was sauce and cheese on each fry.  A creative dish.

All-in-all this was a great meal.  The have a lunch special that includes two slices of pizza (with a select topping) and a can of soda for about $4.25. Great deal if you just want to try the pizza.  But I'd recommend giving a sandwich and pizza fries a shot too.  Good stuff.

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!

Saraj

We really enjoyed our lunch at Saraj Restaurant the other day.  It's located at 1300 50th street, right off of 235.  

Saraj offers Bosnian food, but there is definitely something for everyone.  In addition to their traditional Bosnian dishes like Sirnica and Zeljanica (Phyllo dough stuffed with cheese or cheese and spinach) they have a variety of American items like onion rings and kids options to please everyone.

 We opted for the Bosnian Gyro which has the same fillings as a Greek Gyro you might be used to on Greek-style pita bread, but uses the thicker Bosnian bread and the chicken kebab.  Their tzatziki sauce was very good.  I was not a huge fan of the meat used in the beef gyro and will order it with the kebab chicken next time since the tender chicken was the highlight of the meal.  It had great spices and was really good with the fresh veggies and sauce. 

The fries came out hot and crispy and were a hit with all of us.

No worries bringing kids and/or picky eaters here, they offer hamburgers and chicken nuggets too.

They also carry a number of fresh bakery items like baklava and oblatne (thin wafer cookies with caramel or chocolate).  That was what we got as you can see in the photo.  Very good if you have a sweet tooth.  Make sure to save room for dessert.

They also offer freshly made cabbage rolls, but only on Friday nights, so I can't wait to go back to try them since I'm a big fan of cabbage rolls.

Definitely give Saraj a shot for something different.  It's in a convenient location and the service was good.  It wasn't lightening speed fast, but I'm willing to wait a little for cooked to order, hot food.  We'll be back soon!

Ps. They also have a location in Urbandale!

Viva La Bamba

I'm hard-pressed to pass up a fajita Friday.  So fortunately, Viva la Bamba (this time the location on Grand Ave, there is also one in Urbandale) stood up to the challenge.

Unfortunately, Viva La Bamba is one of the restaurants losing a lot of business because of the bridge closure at 63rd and Grand since it's location just over the bridge, on the Des Moines side.

Another interesting tid-bit is that, this summer a chain in Chicago called the owners and told him the name was infringing on their Mexican food chain's name copyright and he had to change it.  They agreed to change the name to just "Viva Mexican Restaurant", but the signs still boast Viva La Bamba for now.

So, today, I took detour around the construction and it was totally worth it.  I just love the Mexican restaurants who serve bean dip along with chips and salsa for an appetizer.  Honestly, I could probably just eat the whole basket of warm chips with their chunky (and very fresh) salsa and bean dip for lunch and be a happy camper.

But, alas, it was Friday (so fajitas were a must) and they'd probably not appreciate it if I only ate the free stuff and left.

Anyway, These were some darn good fajitas.  A huge portion of good quality chicken and fresh veggies accompanied by the familiar rice, beans, salad and tortilla that most restaurants serve.

A solid fajita Friday at Viva la Bamba.  Give them some love, especially since the bridge will now be closed until at least the middle of December.  Prices are great and they have margarita specials often!  They need our support!

Mandela African Restaurant

I kept driving by this restaurant named Mandela African Restaurant on Douglas Ave, just up the way from Taco Casa and knew I needed to try it.  Googling it didn't give me much info and no one I asked had tried it yet.  So today, my friend and I went to check it out.

We were greeted by the very friendly owner and had a seat of our choosing.  The restaurant is pretty small, but it was pretty slow over the lunch hour too.

We were given a menu, but were really encouraged to try the fried rice and wakye.  The fried rice was tasty mixture of rice and vegetables in savory spices.  It was very good and served with a piece of fried chicken and salad.  My friend ordered the wakye and it was also a flavorful dish of rice and beans also served with fried chicken and salad.

My friend and I both agreed that the chicken was excellent.  A crispy outside with a juicy inside and the seasonings in the fried rice were very good.  It must be tough for them to keep a full menu going when it is slow at lunch time, so they have a limited menu.  I'd love to come back and try some of the African specialties like fufu.  A dough ball that you eat in pieces after dipping in soup.

Owners Bright and Caroline Atubra were happy to share their story of coming to America in search of greener pastures and living their dream of opening up this restaurant to bring authentic food as well as the message of peace.  They named the Restaurant Mandela's after Nelson Mandela so that his message would be present here in Iowa.  Before becoming a US citizen, Bright served in the US Navy in California before moving to Iowa, becoming a citizen and opening this restaurant in June.

The Atubra's enjoyed lots of customers when they first opened, but said once the excitement died off, people are forgetting about them and advertising is very expensive so they are relying on word of mouth right now.

They would love to cook for you these popular meals inspired from Ghana where they are from, so please visit them and show them some love!  The restaurant is very casual and they cook each item from scratch, so give yourself some extra time and don't expect them to have every menu item for lunch until business picks up.  But you will enjoy friendly service, huge portions and good authentic African food here.  It's certainly family-friendly (they even have Mandela fries on the menu).  Try them out!

Fong's Pizzeria

If you've been to Des Moines, you've probably heard of Fong's Pizzeria.  It's an Asian restaurant turned pizza joint.  Well, I guess I can't really say "turned" since the menu, including the pizza, is mostly Asian inspired as is the decor of the restaurant still.

With pizzas like Thai Chicken, Fongolian, Beef, Happy Family and even Crab Rangoon (which is wildly popular), you'll think you are ordering off a Chinese food menu, but what you get is truly unique. You can also get most pizza's gluten-free by the way!

On my latest visit, I tried the Kung Pao Chicken.  It was really very tasty.  Not overly spicy, but it definitely had a kick.  Picture a plate of Kung Pao Chicken in a zippy sauce with veggies, but on a pizza crust instead of served over rice.  My dining partner had the veggie taco pizza and was also pleased.

Even though it was 11am, it's hard to resist Fong's tiki drinks, so we didn't!  My friend ordered her go-to drink, the Mai Tai and I chose the Bahama Mama.  Really, I ordered it just because of the cup it is served it in.  ---->

The menu has an array of salads, sandwiches, appetizers, pizzas and even desserts.  The bar is well stocked and the atmosphere is fun.  They are also one of the only places to get some late night slices in the Court Ave area downtown.  They are open til 2am most days!

They offer lunch and happy hour specials as well and you get a good bang for your buck here.  The restaurant is quite family friendly for lunch and dinner and turns more into a bar in the late hours.  They of course have more traditional pizza and sandwiches if you aren't feeling so daring, but check it out and try something new!  You might be pleasantly surprised at how good crab rangoon on your pizza is!

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.

Raul's

I drive by Raul's Mexican Restaurant on 8th Street in WDM all the time and finally stopped in.  The sign out front for the lunch buffet sign caught my eye.  Tuesday thru Friday they offer an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet from 11-2 including salad, corn and flour tacos, enchiladas, pizza, rice and beans and more.  For $7.95 it didn't look like a bad deal.  But since it was my first visit I wanted to order something off the menu.

The decor was impressive and the restaurant was bigger than I'd expected from the outside.

I was greeted by a friendly server and presented with warm tortilla chips and salsa.  It wasn't my favorite salsa, but I was hungry and it was good with the warm chips.

The owner also stopped by to say hello and make sure my drink order was taken.  I definitely felt welcome.  The were a lot of "Regulars" that came in for the buffet since I heard a lot of statements like "good to see you again" and "back again!"  It was nice to see that the staff appreciated their customers.

I was excited to see that they offered a full gluten-free menu and they had kids meal specials on Tuesday and Wednesday nights where kids eat for $1.95.

I ordered the 1/2 order of chicken fajitas for $7.95.  The chicken was sauteed with plenty of fresh veggies and came with rice, salad, sour cream and gauc and tortillas.  Everything was very tasty.  I especially liked the fresh gauc.  Even though I like guac, I often skip it in restaurants because of the sketch factor.  but not here, I happily applied it to my tortillas and enjoyed.

I'd certainly return again to try some of their other menu items.  I was totally stuffed after my fajitas so I didn't get a chance to sample more, but I'll update you when I do!  I'll be back.

Sakari

I'm officially on a Bento Box kick.  I love the boxes at Miyabi 9 and recently had a great one a Sakura Sushi in West Des Moines and Wasabi Chi on Douglas near Merle Hay Mall, so I decided to go for it at Sakari Sushi Lounge on Ingersol.



 The first photo is someone else's meal  I just had to snap a shot of since they were making it right in front of me at the sushi bar and it looked cool.

This place was busy!  Definitely a fun atmosphere and the chefs were were having a great time behind the bar.

The bento box was $12 which is a little more expensive than the other restaurants in town, but instead of the standard 1/2 roll you usually get, this included your choice of any of the special rolls they offer.

The menu said you could get a salad or miso soup, but I didn't specify and it came with a house salad which was fine.

While I prefer all white meat, the chicken teriyaki was very tasty and a good portion.  The highlight of the box though was the dynamite shrimp.  I have found a new addiction.   These are shrimp and cream cheese lightly tempura battered and fried.  OMG.  Amazing!


All-in-all I loved the fun atmosphere here.  I can see having a great time with friends eating sushi and drinking some cocktails.  The bento box portions were slightly larger than others, which was good because of the increased price and the dynamite shrimp was worth every calorie!  The sushi was beautifully presented and fresh.  Great meal!  And if I had any room left I would have went for the green tea cheesecake.  Next visit.

Goodsons-Beaverdale

 I had a chance to catch up with my good friend who lives in Beaverdale over lunch at GoodSons, a popular Beaverdale restaurant.  


I had only been there for drinks and appetizers before and enjoyed the hummus plate and friendly service.


They offer a selection of panini's, salads, cold sandwiches and desserts.  Appetizers are only $5 on Monday's.



The restaurant was pretty empty at lunchtime on a Wednesday afternoon, but half of the parties there had kids along.  GodSons doesn't offer a kids menu but a grilled cheese panini is on the menu and if your kiddo isn't picky could easily share.  The tables are actually chalk boards and they have chalk available to go to town on the tables with. That really helped to keep my friend's kiddos entertained while we ate.  They also didn't mind that we brought along some snacks from home for the kids.  


While it took a little longer than we hope for our meals to arrive, it was worth the wait since they both came out hot and fresh.  My vegetarian friend was impressed by the uniqueness of the veggie panini. Lots of fresh roasted veggies with a good amount of heat (spicy) and very filling.  I really liked the cheeseburger panini with lots of gooey cheese.  The crunchy panini crust was a welcome change from a normal bun.  The potato salad wasn't particularly noteworthy, but it was cold and tasty and went well with our panini's.  At around $8 for a panini it was nice lunch and would make a great dinner as well.   Check it out and don't be afraid to bring the kiddos along for lunch.