G Mig's 5th Street Pub

Originally from Revere, Massachusetts, Chef George Migliero moved to Iowa and was the head Chef at the Wakonda Country Club for years before taking the plunge into his own place located on 5th street in Valley Junction, aptly named G. Mig's 5th Street Pub.  They are open seven days a week with hours posted on their website.

So what's different about this pub? You aren't going to find traditional bar food here.  The appetizer menu boasts New England Crab cakes and Mexican Shrimp Cocktail. Soups like New England Clam Chowder are made from scratch (are you seeing the East Coast flair here?) and sandwiches include Pastrami and Philly Bombs

They also serve weekend breakfasts which include typical favorites like Pancakes, make your own omelets and Eggs & Bacon.  But the highlight of the menu (and my meal) was the breakfast burrito (Aka Migsie's Burrito).  Stuffed with andouille sausage, avocado, hash browns, cheddar jack, poblano peppers and more, it was really amazing.

We had a great breakfast and can't wait to try some other meals here a G. Mig's.  Chef George is one of the nicest guys around and truly enjoys making people happy with food.

I love that he brings a little bit of the East Coast here to Iowa and includes a bit of his style in every dish.

Every day boasts a special and you can count on everything to be high quality and delicious.

Check out G Mig's for lunch, dinner, weekend breakfast/brunch with a Bloody Mary or Mimosa or some late night munchies with drinks.  This cozy pub will have you coming back for more.  Just ask the regulars!

Cooper's on 5th

We had a great meal at Coopers on 5th in Valley Junction the other day.  We needed some lunch, were in the area and heard some great things about this cozy eatery.  
I was excited to learn that they make an egg roll of the day everyday and today's was Chicken Parmesan.  Chunks of white meat chicken hand rolled and deep fried, topped with tangy tomato sauce and cheese.  They were wonderful and I can't wait to try more of Chef Coopers egg roll creations in the future.  I overheard him telling another patron that he had made Reuben egg rolls that had come out really well too.  Yum!We also ordered the chicken salad sandwich and it didn't disappoint either.  The chicken salad was chock full of cranberries and celery with a nice amount of mayo and was very tasty on the toasted, buttery bread.  They boast a specialty meatloaf that they also serve for lunch sandwich-style that I'm going to need to try in the near future along with yummy looking burgers. Our waitress was exceptionally friendly and went out of her way to honor special requests for my picky kid.  Coopers is casual enough for a family meal, but nice enough for a business lunch, date-night or friends-night-out.  I really like this locally-owned and operated restaurant and think you will too!  They have an great drink selection, free wi-fi and an awesome $3 chocolate cake.  What's not to love?
 

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.

The Taverns: I, II, and South

We celebrated my father's birthday last night at the Tavern in West Des Moines. There are three Tavern's which are located in Valley Junction, the south side, and West Des Moines. We ate at the one on 50th Street between University and Westown Pkwy. This restaurant is part of Des Moines history. It was founded in the Great Depression, transferred owners just a few times, and is still serving authentic Italian today.  This isn't our first (or second or even third) visit to this pizza place.  We've been enjoying the crispy crust for years now! 

Tavern's crispy crust pizza
has been popular for years! 

I LOVE thin crust pizza. So much so that I skipped my normal Paleo-ish lifestyle to eat a cheese & tomato thin-crust pizza. It was delicious! I took advantage of the Daily Special which was a 7" pizza, salad, and drink for $8.95. This worked well for me since I'm the only one that loves tomato pizza. My husband and boys shared a large sausage and they devoured that one very quickly. They do have a kid's menu but our boys just ate the regular pizza. 

There was a group of 12 of us and we were sat quickly at a long table. The kids had a fun placemat to work on while the grown-ups had salads before the meal. We also checked out the assortments of gelato "ice cream" before we left but didn't order any. We were too full and decided that would be a "must" on our next trip. They also have sandwiches, pasta, burgers, and more if you aren't in the pizza mood. 

The Tavern II in West Des Moines has a large party room too! Be sure to add The Tavern, The Tavern II, and Tavern South to your next must-try pizza places! 

Carefree (but not calorie free) cupcakes!

If you haven't checked out The Carefree Patisserie  in Valley Junction.  I suggest you do!  Man, these cupcakes are good.  I've seen them at the Valley Junction farmers market on Thursday nights, but had never visited the store until the other day.

What a cool place!  They have some tables set up so you can enjoy a cupcake and a drink (they sell soda and juice, etc.). They also sell bake ware and other decorating supplies and cute cake-related gifts.

The prices are similar to the other cup-cake bakeries in town at about $2.75 per cupcake.  Their hours are a little more limited though, so check the hours before you head over.

I didn't know that they offered decorating classes and do birthday parties as well!  What a fun kids birthday party to decorate and eat cupcakes together.  They also do full-sized cakes for weddings and other events.

They have fun flavors that change weekly.  I got to try vanilla malt, peanut butter cup, mint and one with a peep on it (I forget which flavor that was) and they were all fabulous.  Not overly sugary and they definitely tasted home-made.  The frosting was perfect, especially the peanut butter.

They also sell pet cakes!  If you need a birthday cake for your dog, they've got you covered.

Stop in for a fun treat any day, take a class or have a kids birthday party here.  Very cool place with very good cupcakes.  Check it out!

Be Green in Valley Junction

Green Grounds Cafe in Valley Junction is a really cool place.  Not only do they serve up coffee, breakfasts, pastries and lunch sandwiches, they sell a bunch of locally made accessory items as well, from hats and gloves to scarves and jewelry, art and even baby items.

Grab a latte and check out the store.  I'm not going to lie, the menu items are a bit pricey because they use all local and/or organic ingredients.  But the best deal there is the breakfast special.  For $3.99 you get scrambled eggs, bacon and toast.  Makes a nice little breakfast and you can sit and enjoy the quiet atmosphere to chat with friends or use the free wi-fi and browse the quaint shop items.  They also have a stage area in the back of the shop which would be a perfect venue for a small concert, coffee house style =)

The staff is really friendly, but it can take a while to get your order sometimes, so don't go when you're in a rush.  They also partner with 515 Gluten-free bakery and carry gluten-free bread for all of the sandwiches and cupcakes.  The bread was great.  The cupcakes were slightly on the dry side, but I suspect it is because they are refrigerated at the store and not restocked daily.

They also encourage small business owners to leave business card and they have walls full of them!

Check out Green Grounds for something different.  It isn't the cheapest place around, but it is pretty hip and I love supporting local businesses who support other local businesses.