Ames and Des Moines

[Surlymermaid 444]

Any must eat places?

[jimmyjazz 46300]

Chicago?

[Handcruser 2805]

Lol that’s Friday.

[HenryJames 66193]

@Al_4_ISU

[TexasHooch 5152]

ISU will give you the definitive suggestions, but if you want a distinctly Midwest option for lunch, the tenderloin sandwich at the Filling Station is a good bet.  It's on the edge of campus in Ames. 

[Your Mom 4856]

This is a no-shit answer. Fong’s Chinese Pizza in downtown Des Moines. Order the Crab Rangoon pizza and thank me later. Google it, it’s a thing and it’s legit.  I spend a significant part of my professional life searching out good food in shitty places and Fong’s is one of my favorites. 

[Al_4_ISU 12509]

Fong’s slams and goes hard.  I’ll add more when I get home tonight.

[Al_4_ISU 12509]

Here’s a bunch of Des Moines info I dropped during March Madness.  I haven’t been there since, so I have no additions 

 

[Handcruser 2805]

At aunt Maudie’s

[Al_4_ISU 12509]

Aunt Maude’s is excellent fine dining on old Main Street (downtown).

Cornbred is a quasi BBQ place in downtown.  Awesome setting in an old railroad depot, really good meat, top notch sides and drinks.  If you can just put aside the Texas ‘cue snobbery thing, you’ll likely enjoy a meal here, but I’m sure it’s not the best barbecue you’ve ever had.

Sweet Caroline’s is a fun place downtown. I’d call it elevated bar food.  Huge space, tons of TVs, great drinks.

I’be only had hungover breakfast sandwiches from the aforementioned Filling Station but they slam.

If I had one meal to eat in Ames, I’m going to Welch Ave Station in Campustown, and I’m getting Inferno Wings.  WAS is old.  My dad drank there in the 70’s and delivered pizza from Pizza Pit upstairs (also still there).  They’re a quintessential ISU bar with tons of old memorabilia.  Great beer selection, awesome mixed drinks.  I recommend the Bloody Mary’s, and the Pissed Off Japanese Minnow Farmer.

Cafe Beaudelaire in Campustown is an excellent Brazilian restaurant.  Not a Brazilian steakhouse, but made to order Brazilian fare.  Awesome drinks.  They won best burger in Iowa a few years back, and are deserving.

Es Tas is another Campustown haunt near and dear to my heart.  They have kick ass fluffy hard shell tacos, and then a straight bar food menu.  They have another Midwest classic, deep friend cheese curds, and a ton of beer on tap.

West Street Deli is a great lunch stop just west of Campus.  Fresh baked bread, fresh sliced meats.  Nothing fancy, just fucking delicious.

Wallaby’s way up in North Ames is an Ames staple that moved to a fancier locale.  It was Brent Musburger’s favorite stop in town, and Eustachy was a regular in its original location.

I’m probably missing a lot, but these are the places I hit up when I’m back in town.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Al_4_ISU

[Handcruser 2805]

Cool thanks man! Where do you live now?

[Handcruser 2805]

Aunt Maude’s was fantastic btw.

[Al_4_ISU 12509]

5 hours ago, Handcruser said:

Cool thanks man! Where do you live now?

NE Iowa.  Near Decorah. 

[Al_4_ISU 12509]

13 hours ago, Your Mom said:

This is a no-shit answer. Fong’s Chinese Pizza in downtown Des Moines. Order the Crab Rangoon pizza and thank me later. Google it, it’s a thing and it’s legit.  I spend a significant part of my professional life searching out good food in shitty places and Fong’s is one of my favorites. 

Des Moines ain’t exactly shitty though.

[Texzilla58 4745]

In Des Moines ( haven’t been up since 13?when I left a DSM based company but…)

801 . If it’s still the same then I consider my favorite steakhouse I’ve ever eaten at. Killer prime Iowa beef and pork, excellent seafood and oysters. It was my perfect place and I got to eat there a lot. Hope it’s the same.

Ted’s Coney Island. Great little independent like a Chicago Greek town joint. Italian beef, dogs, gyros, burgers. I’d kill for one in Ft Worth. Get a pork tenderloin sandwich.

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

On 7/24/2023 at 6:31 PM, Al_4_ISU said:

Cornbred is a quasi BBQ place in downtown.  Awesome setting in an old railroad depot, really good meat, top notch sides and drinks.  If you can just put aside the Texas ‘cue snobbery thing, you’ll likely enjoy a meal here, but I’m sure it’s not the best barbecue you’ve ever had.

The pit master (aggy, btw) came over to my table and talked to me for a good bit. His said he has tried to convince the owner to let customers choose no sauce on the meat, but they insist on slathering it on. I still enjoyed it. They have some good twists on their sides.

Edited July 26, 2023 by ImissWallyPryor

[Al_4_ISU 12509]

Just now, ImissWallyPryor said:

The pit master (aggy, btw) came over to my table and talked to me for a good bit. His said he has tried to convince the owners to let customers request no sauce on the meat, but they insist on slathering it on. I still enjoyed it. They have some good twists on their sides.

I'm pretty sure they put sauce on the side nowadays.  Not sure how long ago you've been.

The sides and setting all take it up a notch.  I do like the meat, but it's a "whole experience" type of place for me.

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

I think it was 2019, the year that it snowed a couple of days before the game. 

[Al_4_ISU 12509]

Not the highest quality pic, but this is from ‘21. Meat not pre-sauced. Although I do think the ribs still are

[Royalfan5 2355]

If you like eating German stuff, I really liked Hessen House in downtown Des Moines. You can get a pork shank and liter of beer for a fair price. 

[Al_4_ISU 12509]

2 minutes ago, Royalfan5 said:

If you like eating German stuff, I really liked Hessen House in downtown Des Moines. You can get a pork shank and liter of beer for a fair price. 

And it’s home to the Iowa Polka Hall of Fame

[RPM 26368]

Des Moines? What were you convicted of?

[MNLonghornFUKM 8823]

Usually I pour a glass of water when I visit that town. Crack a smile and drink it down it’s the cleanest around

[castolon 193]

I have a low level obsession with the mucky duck in Ames.

[Al_4_ISU 12509]

1 hour ago, castolon said:

I have a low level obsession with the mucky duck in Ames.

Great establishment in a shitty location.  I always kinda forget about it.

[Covri 6253]

On 7/24/2023 at 4:02 PM, Your Mom said:

This is a no-shit answer. Fong’s Chinese Pizza in downtown Des Moines. Order the Crab Rangoon pizza and thank me later. Google it, it’s a thing and it’s legit.  I spend a significant part of my professional life searching out good food in shitty places and Fong’s is one of my favorites. 

There is a place called Skakiri Sushi Lounge on Ingersol that has a crab Rangoon dip appetizer, it was really damn good. Some king of fried pita bread or naan with a baked cream cheese crab Rangoon dip. The rest of the food was good, but it stood out for how good it was and different take on a crab Rangoon.

 

[Covri 6253]

On 7/25/2023 at 8:41 AM, Texzilla58 said:

Ted’s Coney Island. Great little independent like a Chicago Greek town joint. Italian beef, dogs, gyros, burgers. I’d kill for one in Ft Worth. Get a pork tenderloin sandwich.

This. Get a gyro and a pork tenderloin, make only one a basket (half onion rings/half fries, coleslaw). Share between two people.

Edited July 26, 2023 by Covri

[Bozo_Casanova 26582]

The 801 Steakhouse is very good, I'm a big fan of Jesse's Embers as well, and I like drinking at El Bait Shop and The High Life Lounge.

Edited July 26, 2023 by Bozo_Casanova

[Al_4_ISU 12509]

Don't know about food, but I like drinking at El Bait Shop and The High Life Lounge.

The food is good at both, but yeah, no visit to Des Moines is complete without getting beers here.

[Bozo_Casanova 26582]

Just now, Al_4_ISU said:

The food is good at both, but yeah, no visit to Des Moines is complete without getting beers here.

I just thought of Jesse's Embers. Love that place. My friend lives around the corner and likes to eat solo there when he's had enough from the family. 

[Mo Horn 8866]

48 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

The 801 Steakhouse is very good, I'm a big fan of Jesse's Embers as well, and I like drinking at El Bait Shop and The High Life Lounge.

I know 801 is a chain, but the steaks are some of the best around... at least the ones in this area. 

[Al_4_ISU 12509]

5 minutes ago, Mo Horn said:

I know 801 is a chain, but the steaks are some of the best around... at least the ones in this area. 

I think it originated in Des Moines, as it's in the 801 Grand (aka Principal) building.

[Surlymermaid 444]

Handcruser has moved on to Illinois now but appreciates all the input!

[Texzilla58 4745]

I know 801 is a chain, but the steaks are some of the best around... at least the ones in this area. 

I’ve eaten at practically every top steakhouse thru the years and worked for a company in Des Moines from 07 thru 12, and ate at 801 probably 20 times, so unlike most steakhouses I was able to really explore the menu. Back then they only had the second one in Omaha, so I’m not sure about them now that they have a bunch of Midwest locations.

That being said, it might not have been the best steakhouse I ever ate at, but it’s up there, and it’s certainly my favorite. The best oysters Rockefeller I ever had, incredible corn fed prime beef, old timey high end fatty pork, and surprisingly good seafood. They did a blackened prime rib, which was like a reverse seared steak, which took their remarkable prime rib, then seasoned it and blackened it and served like a steak. And a Tuscan ribeye that was killer. A steak with a platter of fried shrimp was a great dinner. And it’s a casual place, not all uppity.

[Bozo_Casanova 26582]

On 7/26/2023 at 4:47 PM, Al_4_ISU said:

I think it originated in Des Moines, as it's in the 801 Grand (aka Principal) building.

This is correct. I think it’s top notch. 

[Your Mom 4856]

21 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

This is correct. I think it’s top notch. 

No, Top Notch originated on Burnet Rd.