Have had on my Want to Go list since Cityview listed it for best local bar food in 2022 and finally had the opportunity after the Craft Beer Festival. While we were a little leery of what it might be like near the airport, we were pleasantly surprised by the exterior (see pictures) as we pulled up…and remained positively impressed with the interior decor (see pictures).
Cityview called out their New York Steak & Peppers sandwich (see picture) and it looked great, so my wife went with that for her choice. For our second entree, I went with the Philly Chicken with Fries (see picture). As we always do, we shared tastes of each of our meals and both of us enjoyed both offerings – finding the food quality definitely worthy of the title of Best Bar Food.
If you are in the area or have a little time waiting on a flight, you won’t be disappointed with a stop at Francies.
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Stopped here while driving through Sioux Falls at dinner time and boy did it turn out to be a great stop. New, lively, open and fun atmosphere with reasonable prices and good food. We were a little disappointed with the service, but we were in a bit of a rush to get back on the road and they were busy – so we probably should have stayed at the bar and ordered there rather than being seated.
We started by ordering a Cucumber Jalapeno Grand Margarita (see picture) to go along with the free chips & salsa (see picture) – which tasted great. My wife ordered the Flauta (see picture) and I ordered a soft taco (see picture). As per our usual, we shared both dishes and both of us really enjoyed both of them.
Based on our stop, I would highly recommend this place for both food and drinks – close to the interstate, reasonably priced and an open, fun atmosphere.
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FlautaSoft TacoCucumber Jalapeno Grand MargaritaChips & Salsa
I had no idea this place had opened so close to our home. Went with a group from work today and loved it. The free soup and fried appetizer was very good, the service was friendly, the food was delivered very quickly and the entree tasted great.
For my lunch break, I ordered the Crispy Honey Chicken as Very Hot. I thought the spice level was just right (just at the point of making my nose run) and the flavor was great. I will definitely be back with my wife for dinner some evening.
Dinner update 1 week later: Was so good, I stopped back with my wife for dinner. We had a coconut mango mojito, the Surf & Turf Roll special, Panang Curry, Tom Kha Kai Soup and Mango Salad. All were very good, but I really liked the Mango Salad best of all – mango, onion and cilantro with the spicy lime dressing and fish sauce were a wonderful combination!
Update 2: Dinner last night was delicious as usual. I started with an Irish Mule and then had the Sushi Set. I really enjoyed the nigiri, which I had not eaten before. Per my request, the chef even came out to tell me what each of the pieces were. There wasn’t a lot of flavor difference between any of them, with the main difference being texture. My wife had the Crispy Shrimp Cashew Nut (see picture) and it was also delicious.
01/20/2023 Update
Yet another stop at one of our favorites last night and once again, we thoroughly enjoyed it…and left very full and satisfied! On this trip, we started with an order of Crab Rangoon, which was delicious – especially when dipped in the honey. I ordered Healthy Fried Rice (see picture) with a heat level of 4 (out of 6) and while I found it delicious, I didn’t feel it had much spice, so added more at the table. My wife ordered the Homestyle Chicken (see picture) with a heat level of 3 (out of 6) and really liked it.
5/25/2023 Update
Yet another great stop – this time we enjoyed a Pama Mama Mule (see picture), Heavenly Beef with Sticky Rice (see picture), Crispy Chicken on Ginger Rice (see picture) and a Larb Salad (see picture). As always, all of the dishes were shared by both of us, were delicious and I’d highly recommend all of them.
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Homestyle ChickenHealthy Fried RiceLarb SaladCrispy Chicken on Ginger RiceHeavenly Beef with Sticky RicePama Mama Mule
This place was recommended by some locals while we were working at the Special Olympics in Ames, so stopped by to check it out at the end of the day before heading home. It is a very unique Brazilian-themed restaurant just across the street from the Iowa State campus with a good selection of beers and Brazilian-themed foods and mixed drinks.
We started with drinks – a Pisco Sour and a Caipirinha (see picture). The locals highly recommended the Beaudelaire Bauru sandwich and while it looked delicious, we had already made plans with our wives after returning home, so weren’t able to sample it. The other item that was recommended though was the Brazilian Fries w/ mayo (see picture) and we were able to sample them. They were very good – crispy on the outside and warm and soft inside – with the mayo making a great dip pair.
I can’t wait to return with my wife sometime and give the Beaudelaire Bauru a try. You definitely won’t regret stopping here for a bite to eat or a drink – good food, value, selection and service.
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This place has been on my Want to Go list for a while and had a great opportunity to go following an after-work party of my wife’s. Along with the free chips and salsa (see picture), we each ordered our favorite drink: a Mezcal Palomo (see picture) – both the chips and Palomas were very good.
For our dinner, we ordered Ceviche Shrimp (see picture) to share, then ordered Texas Fajitas (see picture) to share for the main course. We both enjoyed both meals and would recommend them…as the 4* implies, we found them better than average, but not the absolute best we’ve ever had.
Overall, we found this place to be a solid stop for Mexican food as well as the Paloma mixed drinks. In my opinion, it is in the upper third of Mexican restaurants in Des Moines and as such, would recommend it for both food and drink.
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If you follow my posts you know that I have a real sweet tooth and I eat ice cream almost every night before bed. Therefore I had been waiting to try this place for quite some time and finally got a chance on Father’s Day.
It was surprisingly busy when we got inside but we were served quickly. The selection was good and the ice cream was oh so delicious! I will definitely be back here and recommend that you give the place a try!
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This is my wife’s favorite brewery in town and we’ve been here a number of times, but finally getting around to writing a review. On this trip, it was a stop at the end of the Lemon Trail Ride, as the cold, wind and rain caused us to cut the ride a little short.
We started with an order of Exile Fries (see picture) as we have always enjoyed them on previous visits – and today was no exception, crispy and so flavorful! We also shared a Spinach & Artichoke Dip (see picture) and it to, was delicious and highly recommended!
For our meals, we ordered the Exile Burger w/ Truffle Fries (see picture) and Sweet Chili Shrimp Tacos w/Brussels Sprouts (see picture). As we always do, we shared tastes of each dish and both thought that everything was delicious. They have very good Brussels Sprouts here that we often order as an appetizer, but given the other appetizers today, we enjoyed them as a side instead – definitely try these if you haven’t already.
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We were looking for a place to stop for lunch before leaving the area and found this place. This appears to be a relatively new restaurant and I really liked the atmosphere inside and out (modern, clean and open) – and the food quality was excellent!
For my main course, I ordered the Power Bowl with Grilled Chicken (see picture) and my wife ordered the Beef & Broccoli (see picture). As we always do, we shared tastes of each others dishes and found both of them to be quite delicious – so I’d highly recommend either if you are visiting. The quinoa was so tasty and the grilled chicken was done well – with a good amount of moisture intact. The Beef & Broccoli was a bit salty to our tastes (probably from the soy sauce), but still very tasty.
I would highly recommend this place – while the value is a bit on the pricey side, if you can get past that – you will thoroughly enjoy a stop here.
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What a fantastic stop to serve my voracious sweet tooth on our last day before leaving the area! We took a stroll down the street and as the saying goes…I’ve never met a sweets shop that I don’t like. Everything about this place from the exterior to the interior decor and all the fantastic dessert creations inside the displays screams high-end, Paris-like quality.
We were in need of some additional caffeine to go along with the sweets, so ordered 3 Gibraltars and an Iced Caramel Latte – all of which were delicious. For our desserts, we shared a Little Tahini vanilla dessert (see picture) and an Opera chocolate dessert (see picture). Believe me…both were every bit as good as their near-perfect appearance and warrant serious consideration to try during your next stop.
If you like high-end, delicious desserts as much as I do, you really need to stop by and try a few of these luscious treats!
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This was the closest place to our friend’s house where we were staying and was within walking distance, so was our destination for Mass Sunday morning. The grounds around the Church were meticulously kept and the walk from the gate to the Church was a beautiful experience in nature. The Church (see pictures) was beautiful and the congregation was friendly and welcoming.
Why is there a Church review on The Food and Drink Guy? Think of it as the spiritual food and drink nourishment and refreshment needed to go back out into the world and enjoy the physical foods and drinks. It really is important.
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Stopped here while walking the street with friends after a visit to a winery…drawn in by the lively atmosphere and friendly people at the door. We had reservations for dinner later, so limited ourselves to drinks and an appetizer.
I ordered a Raspberry Lemon Drop (see picture) based on the bartender Lani’s recommendation and really enjoyed it – she was right in saying that it was delicious! We also enjoyed a Mango Cosmo and some Bombay Sapphire martinis – all served happily by our fantastic bartender. For an appetizer, we ordered a Side of Fried (Feta Garlic) and other than being a little messy…they tasted fantastic.
You won’t go wrong with a stop here for great food and drinks!
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Our friends took us here during our visit to the San Jose area and it just might be my favorite Mexican restaurant. Other than it being a little pricey – everything was some of the best we’ve experienced at a Mexican restaurant. It was so good, that we ended up shutting the place down – we were the last patrons to leave and they had already started the cleaning process.
We love mezcal palomas (see picture), so that is what we started with. Given that I’m a bit of a mezcal paloma snob, I asked the waiter if the bartender knew what he was doing with making them. Boy did he ever know what he was doing, as these were probably the best mezcal palomas that we’ve had – and the presentation was great also!
For appetizers, we all really like ceviche, so ordered the Crab Ceviche Tostada (sorry, no picture) and Guacamole. The chips (see picture) were so fresh, light and delicious. My belief is that chips are only the delivery system for dips and toppings – and they tasted great together with the guacamole and ceviche.
For our main courses, I ordered the Chile Relano (see picture), my wife ordered the Enchilada de Camaron (see picture), our friends ordered the Pesca del Dia (see picture) and Ensalada de Cesar with Shrimp (see picture). Our friend recommended each of these dishes and all of them were delicious – I’d highly recommend each of them.
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Take a bite of the Pesca del DiaEnsalada de Cesar with ShrimpPesca del DiaChile RelanoEnchilada de CamaronMezcal PalomaChips
Our friends picked this place during our visit to enjoy on a sunny afternoon in California and we all really enjoyed the experience. As a matter of fact, our friends liked it so much that they ended up signing up for the Wine Club – so they will get to enjoy the place during new releases throughout the year.
For starters, we shared the Baked Bourbon Brie Cheese and all of us found it delicious – the bourbon and brown sugar sauce drizzled over the top was so tasty!
For our ‘main course’ we each enjoyed a Wine Tasting (see picture) – samples of 5 different wines, served in a metal ‘tower’. The presentation was unique and each of the wines tasted great. We enjoyed the 2021 Estate Rose best of the whites and the 2020 Estate Merlot best among the reds.
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Our friends brought us here while we were visiting them and boy, was it a treat! While I’ve previously experienced some Persian food, it was not to this level of quality nor was it with a guide who was Persian and could give us additional background on the various dishes. While the food wasn’t high on the spiciness chart (I’m told most Persian food isn’t), the flavors were oh, so wonderful along with the preparation and presentation (see pictures).
We started with a bottle of white wine and a trio of appetizers – Kashko Bademjan, Nan-o-Sabzi and Masto-Mooseer (see picture). I have a real fondness for Middle Eastern and Indian yogurts, with their tangy yet light taste – and the Masto-Mooseer did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend this for an appetizer – especially if you like yogurt. Sorry for not having pictures of the others, but they were equally delicious.
For our main course, we ordered 2 Barg-Joojeh-Koobideh Kababs (see pictures), as they were highly recommended by our Persian friend. There were 2 different grades of beef and chicken breasts – and oh, were they delicious!
A lasting memory from the meal was learning the traditional way to eat the rice and kababs. Our Persian friend and host started with showing us how to place some butter in the middle of the rice plate, then let it melt while stirring it into the rice. Then, once the rice and the meat from the kabab were on your plate, he showed us how they traditionally eat it – using only a fork and spoon. First, you use the edge of the large spoon as a cutting utensil rather than a knife. Next, you use the fork to fill your spoon with the delicious rice and pieces of meat. The method worked quite well given how tender the meat was and enabled you to easily fill the large spoon without pushing the food around on your plate.
Lastly (and most importantly given my sweet tooth), we finished the meal with a couple of delicious desserts – the Bastani (see picture) and Faloodeh (see picture). I first experienced rose (yes literally from the rose flower) in ice cream during a visit to India and enjoyed the crisp and unique flavor. The Bastani ice cream’s rose flavor was a little more subtle than the Faloodeh, which had a stronger and more distinct rose flavoring as well as a sweeter taste. I found both to be delicious, so finished them both off after the others at the table were full and would highly recommend both of them.
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Stopped here with friends on the way home after visiting the Santa Cruz beach area. The area was bustling with activity and was set up to give an almost small town vibe – with other shops, restaurants and food trucks making it a great place to stop and spend some time.
After going up the stairs and inside, you order your beers at the counter and then find a place to sit either inside or at a number of tables in the shade next to the building (see picture). It was a fairly busy time when we arrived and was a bit hectic to find the counter and order our beers – but the beers (see flight picture) all tasted very good.
Definitely worth a stop for a drink and bite to eat on your way home from the beach.
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Stopped in with friends while visiting the area and really enjoyed our stop. It is located in a very nice area and is very open, modern and clean.
The beer selection was great (see picture) and we each enjoyed a shared Flight (see picture) with our spouses. We also ordered a salted pretzel with mustard sauce (sorry, no picture) and all of us would recommend ordering one to enjoy with your beer – very tasty and a good, savory complement to your beer.
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Saw this place after dropping my wife off for shopping and given my voracious sweet tooth…I had to check it out! Since Bubble Tea was in the name I had to try it, going with a recommendation with half the sugar from my server. The bubble tea was very good and I’d recommend it – there are flavors and sweetness levels to suit any taste buds.
I especially enjoyed the sweet breads from the display case. I brought danish-type of bread with peach filling and another with coconut filling to a party and everyone who tasted it liked it and asked where I got it. In addition, I bought a loaf of the Coconut Sweet Bread and brought it home – it had great coconut flavoring with just the right level of sweetness, making great sandwiches for several days. While I didn’t try any on this trip since we had just eaten lunch, they also offered a number of single-serving savory offerings, which would be great for lunch.
Definitely a place that you’ll want to try if you like Bubble Tea or sweet breads!
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We were in the mood for Mexican while visiting our son so met him here based on a recommendation from one of his coworkers. While the communication with our server was a little challenging (I view that as a positive by the way…more authentic experience and potential indicator of more authentic food), the food, value and atmosphere were all above average.
We started with a couple of Large Margaritas (see picture) – which are highly recommended, as they tasted great and were well worth $10. We also ordered a small Guacamole Dip to complement the complimentary chips and salsa (see picture). The chips were light, tasty and crispy and the complimentary salsa was also very good, with a good taste of cilantro.
For our main course, my wife and I shared Street Tacos (see picture) – Asada, Carnitas, Grilled Chicken and Pasto. We love street tacos and really liked the taste of all of them, so would highly recommend them for your next visit. My son ordered the Large Chimichanga (see picture) – we all tasted it and enjoyed it, so would also recommend it.
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Large MargaritaChips & SalsaStreet TacosStreet TacoLarge ChimichangaTres Leches
Our son recommended this place for a Good Friday dinner of fish. He made reservations online for us, only to find out upon our arrival that they ignore the online reservations on the weekend. They were quite busy and we ended up waiting 20 minutes for a table. The good news is that they have a good selection of Irish / British tap beers, so sipping on them helped pass the time while we waited. The neighborhood was average – some boarded up businesses but generally clean and we felt safe during the dinner hour.
Once seated, we first ordered appetizers to share – a Basket of Crisps (see picture) and a Cauliflower Bites (see picture). The Basket of Crisps were tasty – light and quite crispy, with a delicious accompanying sauce. The Cauliflower Bites were also quite tasty – crispy outside and a little crunch left on the cauliflower inside, with just the right amount of buffalo sauce.
For our main courses, most of us ordered the British Fish & Chips (see picture), which had the fish pieces tossed in vinegar and wrapped in paper. I found the 2 piece to be more than enough to eat, especially after sharing a couple of appetizers – but also enjoyed the added cole slaw on the side. My wife stuck with the Yankee Fish & Chips (see picture), unwrapped, crispy and not tossed in vinegar. We thought that both versions of the fish tasted very good – so it depends on whether you like vinegar or not when you make your selection.
Service was average, as we found ourselves looking for our waitress a few times for water, silverware and condiments, but will admit that it was also packed for dinner – so she was quite busy.
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British Fish & Chips w/ Cole SlawYankee Fish & ChipsCauliflower BitesBasket of CrispsWater Pitcher
Several friends had great things to say about HomeGrown, so we took the opportunity to go there this weekend with our son and daughter-in-law. The decor is modern and yet country-like (see pictures) and the restaurant had great lighting with glass on 2 sides.
We started with drinks and an appetizer to share – I ordered the Vietnamese Coffee (see picture) and we shared 2 homemade Pop Tarts (see picture). I really liked the Vietnamese Coffee (how can you go wrong adding sweetened condensed milk to cold press coffee?) and the Pop Tarts were great also.
For our meals, I ordered the Salsa Verde Pork & Eggs (see picture), my wife ordered the BLTA&E (see picture) and my son ordered the Biscuits & Gravy (see picture). We each tasted each others dishes and thoroughly enjoyed all of them. The pulled pork in the Salsa Verde Pork & Eggs was moist, the eggs were done perfectly as ordered (over-easy) and the potatoes were done just right with some great seasoning. The BLTA&E was tasty and we all commented that the Biscuits in the Biscuits & Gravy were very light and crumbly.
You won’t go wrong with a stop here for Breakfast or Lunch – but I would recommend that you make a reservation, as they are very busy.
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Homemade Pop TartsSalsa Verde Pork & EggsBLTA&EBiscuits & GravyVietnamese Coffee
