Mi Patria

Sandwiched between a denture store and Michael's Craft store in the plaza behind Taco Bell in West Des Moines, is a seemingly small Ecuadorian restaurant named Mi Patria.  Once you walk inside though, you'll see that this is really a large space with ample seating for at least 25 parties.

The restaurant has a few photos and wall adornments, but pretty unassuming overall.  The smell of cleaning solution filled the air as I entered for lunch and sat at a booth to review the menu.
My server was friendly and I heard her happily giving menu suggestions to other diners.

We had been here once before and really enjoyed the Tortilla de Yucca appetizer.  They were yucca patties stuffed with beef and cheese and topped with a vegetable salad.  The tangy salad was a great mix with the savory yucca. On that trip we also ordered the Arroz con Pollo which was very filling but didn't have a lot of strong flavors shine through the rice.  We also had a marinated pulled pork dish that was very tasty.  I decided to try a few other dishes before I gave you my review and made anther visit.

During my lunch visit today, I tried the chicken stew with yellow rice and fried plantains.  The chicken was tender and the stew gravy with vegetables was a good combination.  They offered me a homemade hot sauce which I think would have added some nice flavor to the dish, but I tend not to love spicy items so I passed.  The sweet plantains were a really nice added flavor though.

Though I was pretty full from the large portion size of the entree, I was intrigued by the coconut battered and fried banana dessert with ice cream, so I went for it and it was amazing.  Warm and perfectly crisp outside shell with sweet banana filling and ice cream hit the spot.  I would order this again in a heartbeat.

Our waitress explained that everything they serve is made in-house.  She said that as we ate, the chef was preparing the dough for their popular empanadas to serve that evening.

This is truly some special cuisine that you don't find a lot of here in Des Moines.  The Ecuadorian flavors without added hot sauce are pretty mild and comfort-food-esque so don't assume you won't like it before giving it a shot.  I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Ps. They have a nice kids menu and a coupon on their website to print out and bring with you on your dinner visit (valid mon-thurs) for a free kids meal.  And it is reusable!   You can get it here.

Alba

I just love Alba Restaurant in the East Village on Des Moines Street downtown.  It's much bigger inside than it appears from the outside.


We got to interview Chef Joe Tripp as he's competing in Battledish on October 5th along with 6 other local Chefs!  He was born and raised in DSM and moved to Colorado to attend culinary school, but instead was offered a job and mentorship by Chef Alex Seidel of Fruition Restaurant.  After studying with Alex he moved back to DSM and started working at Alba.  Chef Joe is driven by new adventures everyday and growing and getting better, to be stronger and faster than the day before. Oh, and he loves to eat!


We stopped in for lunch last week and I was sad to see how slow they were. There is a lot of competition in the area now, so I hope they continue to do well.  I know the evenings are busier though.



Anyway, our server was very knowledge, friendly and eager to share the specials of the day and give recommendations.  We started out with the deviled eggs which we loved on our last visit, but they were slightly on the warm side this time so we didn't enjoy them quite as much, but they were still tasty.



We both had cups of the soup of the day which was sweet corn and we both thought it was very good.  I really loved my entree which was very creative.  It was the paella, but instead of being cooked with rice, there was a rice patty on top which you broke open over the meat and veggie mixture to eat, the seafood was blended into the sauce so it was present but didn't overpower the dish.  I thought it was fantastic.


The Hubby had the special of the day which was a braised short rib sandwich with dragonfire sauce and he said the meat was tender and well spiced and really enjoyed it.


We were also presented with oatmeal cranberry cookies for dessert, a very nice touch and though we were full to the brim ate them anyway because they were so good.

Chef Joe posing with the amazing
dining room art.  An Alba tree.

I'd suggest Alba to anyone for an upscale lunch or nice dinner out.  They use lots of local ingredients to make innovative dishes.  We love it.

This might be one to leave the kids at home and enjoy a date-night or girls night out.

Chef Joe is excited to compete in The Battledish competion on October 5th to showcase fantastic dishes all including ingredients right from here in Iowa.  Even the cocktail will include include local beets!  

What he'll be serving up for Battle: Braised Eden Farms Pork Belly, Grade A Farms Squash puree, Charred Brussels sprouts
Cocktail : By Shannon Emerson – Bourbon Street Beet- Bourbon, Beet Juice, Beets, Ginger syrup, fresh lemon juice, Peychaud’s Bitter

Buzzard Billy's

I'm sad to report that this was only our first visit to the new Buzzard Billy's now located in the "In-Play" building off of 3rd street downtown.  

I really liked the old location on court ave, but I think they did a good job making it feel similar and the food was certainly as good.

I started out with a hurricane drink that was fruity and sweet but they were generous with the alcohol because I was soon feeling pretty good!

I was pretty exited to see that they had a B.L.T special with tomatoes grown in the owners own garden and a gluten-free cheesecake special for dessert.  

We ordered the Jambalaya which has quite a bit of heat, but so good in a rich tomato sauce with lots of sausage, ham and chicken chunks.  The Cajun B.L.T was also very good, although the hubby ordered it with regular bread instead of the jalapeno cornbread which I think would have been amazing, but he isn't a big cornbread fan.  His only complaint was that it could have used a little more tomato.  But he said the spicy bacon was awesome.

The kids meal for $3.99 was a bargain for such a huge portion that included an ice cream cone for dessert.

I couldn't pass up the gluten-free salted caramel cheesecake and I'm so glad I didn't because it was by far the best gluten free cheesecake I've ever had.

It had a nutty, cinnamon-sugar crust with creamy cheesecake filling and a layer of caramel on top.  I will need more soon.

I knew I would eat the whole slice of cheesecake so the hubby got his own dessert.  He went for the bananas foster which was fun because they made it table-side.  The server said it's their most poplar dessert and it was also really tasty.

The kiddo was happy with his ice cream cone and over-all it was a great meal.  It was great to see that even though Buzzard Billy's is a chain, they are using a lot of local ingredients.  They had Sutliff Cider on tap as well as a bunch of other local beers.  

They offer buy one get one free orders of wings on Sundays and offer free dessert on your birthday.  Our sever was very friendly, the service was fast and I was surprised to see the restaurant not too busy on a Saturday night.  

If you haven't been to Buzzard Billy's in a while, check it out!  They now offer a wide variety of gluten-free options as well as lots of your favorites from the old restaurant site.  We had a great meal and can't wait to go back soon!

Interview with Chef Sean from Proof

Chef Sean Wilson took over Proof Restaurant at 1301 Locust Street in Des Moines after a friend decided to sell the Restaurant, formerly known as....Proof.

He thought it was a great way to prove what they could do and make high-end Mediterranean cuisine accessible to everyone.

Sean grew up in a small town where everyone either went into Construction, fishing or cooking, so he knew how to cook very young, but found his calling after stints as an actuary and serving in the Coast Guard

Chef Sean believes a big part of his success is his business methods.  He treats his staff very well and in turn, they love their jobs and produce the best products.  He says they are like a family at Proof.

Chef Sean loves to have fun while creating new things.  While he isn't big into competition, he knows that his food is among the best and is excited about Battledish on October 5th to be able to show off some of his creations.

Read our full review of Proof Restaurant here.  Since our last review of Proof, we've been to two of their "Second Saturday" dinners which I discuss in the review and they were both out of this world.  Get signed up early because they usually sell out about two weeks before each event!  The pictures shown are from the last Second Saturday, a beef tartare and an iced tea cocktail.  Stay tuned to for an announcement about what Chef Sean will be showcasing at Battledish!

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!

Illumifest

Illumifest held on September 28th, 2013 at 4200 Mills Civic Parkway (West Des Moines City School Campus) is A Fall Festival of Light. It offers a variety of activities and events for people of all ages!  The excitement begins Saturday afternoon with the inagural edition of the Illumifest Car Show.  The carnival rides and games will open Saturday morning and run throughout the day, and well as a wide variety of food stands.  Saturday evening will feature many of the Illumifest events that have made this festival the fastest growing community event in West Des Monies. 

*all information taken directly from Illumifest website.

Schedule of Events 4200 Mills Civic Parkway Saturday - September 28, 2013
Illumifest Car Show Registration	11:00-2:00pm
Carnival/Food Vendors Open	1:00pm
Illumifest Car Show	2:00-4:00pm
FREE Paddle Boat Rides	3:00-8:00pm
Chinese Association Displays and Exhibits	4:00pm
FREE Lantern Making (Limited to first 1,000 people)	5:00pm
FREE Hot Air Balloon Rides (Rides are limited  & allow only two people per ride, riders must meet height restriction to ride)	5:30pm
FREE Facepainting by Library Teen Board in the    WDM Library Cafe.	6:00pm
FREE Outdoor Movie - Disney's  "Brave"	7:30pm
Fireworks Extravaganza over the Campus Pond	9:00pm
Festival Concludes	9:15pm

The hands-on lantern making activity starts at 5:00 pm.  Get creative and decorate a paper lantern to light the night!  Each lantern comes with its own LED light to illuminate your creation!  Supplies are limited to the first 1,000 people, and when they are gone...they are gone.

FREE Disney/Pixar movie "Brave" will be shown on a HUGE outdoor screen Saturday evening!  Bring your blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy this fun movie on the lawn of the WDM Library at 7:30 pm.

FREE hot-air balloon rides will be available Saturday evening starting at 5:30 pm.  Three balloons this year for shorter waiting lines!  Weather can play a huge role in the number of rides available.  Rides are limited to only 2 people per ride, and riders must meet a height restriction in order to ride.   

Interview with Chef Sam from Tacopocalypse

<------  Just take a look at Executive Chef Sam Auen from Tacopocalypse and you can clearly see he's ready to battle.

After getting its start at the Cumming Tap three years ago, Tacopocalypse is already ridiculously successful in its new location in the East Village.

Sam and his crew serve hundreds of hungry customers, innovative taco, burrito and nacho creations each day.  If you've read my blog before you know how awesome I think Tacopocalypse food is.  You can read our review about Brunchpocalypse here.

But his story doesn't begin there.  He's been cooking for himself since he was a little kid.  However, a bout of the stomach flu kept him away from eating tacos for about 5 years!  I couldn't believe someone who stayed away from tacos for so long can cook up some of the best around.

Chef Sam has chosen to compete in Battledish Des Moines 2013 because he has no doubts that his food can stand up to the best.  He is also excited to try some new recipes out on the Battledish attendees.  There are no guarantees, but Battledish goers might just get a chance to sample some of the first Tacopoca-noodles!  (I just made that name up, but I think it's pretty ingenious.)

Sam is a pretty interesting guy.  For a long time he was Vegan. He had a big impact on the Vegan restaurant scene in Des Moines as he worked in a ton of local restaurants and introduced his creative elements to lots of them.

Sometimes Sam is underestimated, like when he was hired at Centro to be a salad guy and was promoted within weeks to Sous Chef because they admitted they made a mistake.  But Sam has a style of his own.  He taught himself to make sushi and was highly successful as Executive Chef at Zen until its closing.  He didn't last long at Miyabi 9 though because he just wouldn't conform to someone else's style of doing things.  Sam feels that the best food isn't going to be found in the most expensive restaurants, but maybe in a gas station in Louisiana, or a taco stand at a bar in a town of 50.

I asked Sam where his drive comes from to take Tacopocalypse to such a high level in such a short amount of time and to open two restaurants at the same time.  Sam says he's just crazy about food.  He just can't stop thinking about it.

We can't wait for the battle!  But if you can't wait either, you can always stop into Tacopocalypse on E 6th street in the East Village any day of the week!