The Food and Drink Guy

Tag: American

  • Urban Cellar (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Urban Cellar (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    03/28/2023 Urban Cellar

    Stopped by again last night with my wife to try out the Happy Hour again and had a good time. We shared orders of Mama’s Meatballs (see picture) and a Margherita Pizza (see picture). We really enjoyed the meatballs – good flavor, not too greasy and with just the right amount of sauce and cheese. The crust on the margherita pizza was very soft if you like that and the flavor was good…we just prefer having some protein so will probably stick with the Meatballs or Salmon Cakes. The Tommy’s Margarita (see picture) was not one of my favorites…coming across a bit tart and a bit of an artificially sweetened mouthfeel.

    3/13/2023

    Have seen it numerous times and finally took the time to stop in and check it out after an appointment at Vero Chiropractic nearby. Looking for content for HappyHourDesMoines.com, my first question was whether they had a Happy Hour – and BOY did they ever! Not only did they have a GREAT Happy Hour (see pictures), but they also had a Monday Dinner Special ($60 for a bottle of wine, 2 entrees and a dessert – see picture) that I will definitely be returning to try with my wife on a later date.

    The place so impressed me, that I couldn’t leave without trying at least one drink from their Happy Hour menu. I had a seat at the bar and the bartender talked me into trying the Old Fashioned (see picture) – which was a great recommendation.

    It was so good, I decided to also try one of the 1/2 off Starters and, again based on the recommendation from the bartender, went with the Salmon Cakes (see picture). They looked fantastic when served (see picture) and tasted every bit as good! Tasty, moist yet crumbly salmon inside a crunchy crust wrapped in an awesome cream cheese tube that complemented the salmon so well.

    Not only was the food, atmosphere and service fantastic – given the Happy Hour pricing, they definitely earned a 5* rating on Value also! While chatting with a delightful lady sitting next to me (who let me try a piece of her Margherita Pizza – see picture, which was also delicious), I learned that this place has a common owner with the Urban Grill in Urbandale – another great stop. You definitely won’t be disappointed with a stop here…one of my few full 5* reviews!

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    Salmon Cakes
    Margherita Pizza
    Mama’s Meatballs
    Old Fashioned
    Tommy’s Margarita
    Happy Hour, Desserts & Specials

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  • Wahlburger’s @ HyVee (Grimes, IA) Review

    Wahlburger’s @ HyVee (Grimes, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    03/27/2023 Wahlburger’s @ HyVee (Grimes, IA)

    I’ve stopped here a few times for Happy Hour on the way home from work and finally took the time for pictures to document the trip tonight. My wife joined me and we each enjoyed a half priced tap while waiting for our food.

    We ordered the Boneless Chicken Wings in sweet chili sauce (see picture), Bone-In Wings in Buffalo sauce (see picture) and Cheese & Bacon Tots (see picture). While the chicken wings had a little more breading than I would prefer, I liked both the boneless and bone-in – with the flavor of both being great. As to the Cheese & Bacon Tots, while there weren’t that many of them – they tasted fantastic (creamy, cheesy and delicious) and were cooked perfectly.

    This place is definitely worth a stop for good food and value pricing – especially during Happy Hour!

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    Cheese & Bacon Tots
    Bone-In Buffalo Wings
    Boneless Sweet Chili Wings

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  • Lucky Horse Beer & Burgers (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Lucky Horse Beer & Burgers (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 3*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    03/15/2023 Lucky Horse Beer & Burgers

    Since finding this place in the Pub Pass last year and hearing a good recommendation on their burgers from our neighbor, I’ve been anxious to give it a try. We had the chance this week while my brother and sister-in-law were visiting, so stopped by to try out their Happy Hour.

    While admittedly it doesn’t look like much from the exterior (see pictures), the decor of the interior was unique (see pictures). They have a very good selection of tap beers (see picture) and their most unique drink was their Old Fashioned Slushy (see picture), which I ordered at the suggestion of our server and thoroughly enjoyed.

    We already had plans to eat dinner elsewhere, so we just ordered Buffalo Cauliflower (see picture). The initial smell made us think that it was going to be extremely spicy but after tasting it, we found it to be a good balance and quite tasty. I look forward to the opportunity to stop by another time for a burger.

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    Old Fashioned Slushy

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  • Sherwood North (Nisswa, MN) Review

    Sherwood North (Nisswa, MN) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 4*

    03/04/2023 Sherwood North

    We stopped here for dinner this weekend while staying at a house on Gull Lake and enjoyed our stop. From the outside, it had a large log-cabin type of appearance – but the strongest feature here was the atmosphere and the beautiful lighting and stone work that awaits you when you walk through the front door. It was truly an amazing visual experience to see!

    We started with a round of drinks. I had the Old Fashioned (see picture) and was honestly quite disappointed with it as it seemed to be nothing but straight bourbon and possibly a slight dash of bitters. My wife ordered a Margarita and both of us thought it tasted quite good.

    For dinner, my wife and I decided to split the 16 oz Ribeye (see picture) while she added the salad (see picture) and we shared the Popovers (see picture). I really liked the Popovers and the flavored butter that came with them. My wife enjoyed the flavor of the salad, but didn’t like that it had to be cut at the table to eat it. The Ribeye was above average in flavor and was prepared as ordered – and the Cheesy Potatoes (see picture) were fantastic, so rich, creamy and delicious.

    Last but not least, we ordered a piece of Turtle Cheesecake (see picture) and that quite frankly was likely the highlight of my meal – I thought it was wonderful and would highly recommend that you end your meal with a piece of it yourself!

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    Turtle Cheesecake
    16 oz Ribeye
    Cheesy Potatoes
    Popovers
    Old Fashioned

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  • Captain Hook Fish & Chicken (Crystal, MN) Review

    Captain Hook Fish & Chicken (Crystal, MN) Review

    Rating: 3 out of 5.

    2.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 2*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 2*

    03/03/2023 Captain Hook Fish & Chicken

    It was a Friday during Lent so we were looking for seafood takeout options to take to our son’s place for a late lunch. This place was right along the way, so we ordered ahead to pick it up on the way by. While I love trying new places and like to support small businesses, I feel that this place is going to need some management assistance to stay alive. For starters, my wife wasn’t able to order online through their website and was tricked into signing up with a contract with another company when she thought she was placing her order for the food. Therefore, she gave up and called in instead…and while taking our order, the order-taker suddenly stopped taking our order and proceeded to yell at one of the other employees.

    Since we ordered ahead over the phone, I dropped my wife off at the door and waited outside with the vehicle running as I thought it would be a quick stop to pick up our food. After 15 minutes of waiting, I parked the vehicle and went inside to see what was going on with our order. My wife then informed me that the menu in the store was different than what she ordered based on what showed online. Beware that the in-store menu does not include beverages as is shown in their online menu and the prices are higher.

    Once the food was finally finished and we got it to our son’s house, we found the food to be relatively good. The best part in my opinion was the Hush Puppies (see picture) with the Shrimp & Fries basket (see picture) also being tasty. We weren’t as impressed with the Fish & Fries basket (see picture), as the breading was very dry and cornmeal like, with little to no flavor or seasoning.

    Bottom line is that the food was reasonable for a fast food restaurant, but the service is definitely not fast. Don’t expect that they will be organized enough to have your food ready if you call ahead – I’d order at the restaurant and make sure you have about 15 minutes available to wait for the food.

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    Hush Puppies
    Shrimp & Fries
    Fish & Fries

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  • Bleu Duck Kitchen (Rochester, MN) Review

    Bleu Duck Kitchen (Rochester, MN) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    03/02/2023 Bleu Duck Kitchen

    We came across this place somewhat by accident while staying at the Hilton Garden Inn a block up the street. The Thai Pop across the street from the hotel caught my eye, but my wife was interested in American food for the evening so I did a quick search and talked her into the Blue Duck Kitchen based on their reviews and menu items.

    We were impressed from the moment we walked into the place – unique, modern, clean, friendly and welcoming – with the owner floating around and making sure things were just right throughout the evening. Since we were there before official dinner hours and the dining room was still closed, we took a seat in the bar and decided to enjoy a few Happy Hour items from the sign (see picture). That brings me to the first call-out for great service – Leo was a fantastic bartender, was knowledgeable about the various drink selections and made wonderful Happy Hour food suggestions.

    I started with an Old Fashioned (Happy Hour special – see picture) and wanted some food since we hadn’t eaten lunch, so Leo suggested the Kimchi Dog (see picture) – talking about how great it was. We were a little unsure about ordering a hot dog in a nicer restaurant, but went with his suggestion – and boy were we happy that we did. The hot dog was split in half the long way, had a nice ‘snap’ skin and was made with high quality meat. That, combined with the quality bread used for the bun and the great seasonings made it a dish that both my wife and I loved so much that we ordered another – the Chili Dog (see picture), which was also delicious!

    We were then called to our table in the dining room…bringing about the 2nd call-out for great service – Alisha was quite the treat as our server. She was knowledgeable and friendly – and had great information about the menu items as well as some great recommendations! I usually don’t mention that I do reviews until after the meal is complete, but decided to flip the script tonight as there were so many things that looked great on the menu, so wanted Alisha to pick for me.

    For our dinner, my wife ordered the Chef’s Catch (see picture) and I Alisha surprised me with the Nashville Hot Frog Legs (see picture). Both of us loved our meals and as I told Alisha – while I never would have ordered the Frog Legs, I thought they were delicious. The Nashville Hot sauce was great (loved the burn) and the macaroni and cheese that they were served on was rich, creamy and tasty. I highly recommend both dishes.

    As good as everything was, we just had to try some dessert. While Alisha suggested the Strawberry Crepe Cake (as did others we met later in the evening), we were afraid that would be too much – so went with the Chocolate Chip Cookies with sea salt (see picture) and coffee. They were bite-sized, warm (fresh out of the oven) – firm on the outside and yet so soft and wonderful on the inside. The next time we come back, we will have to try the Strawberry Crepe Cake – but that doesn’t take anything away from these cookies, as they were delicious!

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    Nashville Hot Frog Legs
    Chef’s Catch
    Kimchi Dog
    Chili Dog
    Old Fashioned (sweet)
    Mezcal Paloma
    Chocolate Chip Cookies & Coffee
    Happy Hour

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  • Lachele’s Fine Foods (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Lachele’s Fine Foods (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    02/16/2023 Lachele’s Fine Foods

    Saw that this place won best Burger in town (specifically recommending the Smashburger) in Cityview, so asked our neighbors to join us and ventured downtown for dinner after the big snowstorm. Given the name, I was expecting a fairly high-end and expensive place – so was a little surprised when we walked in to see a colorful retro-diner decor.

    While one of the servers shared that a previous reviewer had made disparaging remarks about the workers appearance, I’ve shared in my online profiles that I enjoy servers with some character, opinions on the food and a story to tell. I found the atmosphere to be quite inviting with friendly and professional workers looking for ways to be of service to their customers.

    Given the award and recommendation for smashburgers, I ordered the Uncle Denny (see picture). I loved the soft, moist bun and found the Duke’s mayo & pepper jelly to be the perfect level of spice to complement the smashburger and bun. The included fries were also very good – great combination of crispiness on the outside, yet soft inside.

    My wife ordered The Big Gym with Tots (see picture) and also enjoyed it – commenting especially on how good the tots were. She liked the fact that the tots were nice and crispy on the outside and not soft / soggy. Our neighbor ordered the The Chili Charles (see picture) open-faced chili burger on Texas Toast and also enjoyed it. Admittedly, it looked so good that I think that is what I will try on our next visit.

    The pricing, including $5 tap beers, seemed reasonable and the burgers were top-notch. A great retro-diner experience that you will want to try!

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    The Uncle Denny Smashburger
    The Big Gym Smashburger
    The Chili Charles

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  • Star Bar (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Star Bar (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    3.67* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: n/a

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 3*

    02/10/2023 Star Bar

    My wife’s co-worker recommended this place, so we stopped for a quick drink after our dinner on the way out of the area to check it out and gather information for happyhourdesmoines.com.

    We liked the atmosphere and the value for the drinks seemed in line with other similar locations. The service at the bar was average but the Salty Pretzel (see picture) was good, although a bit salty. We will have to stop back to try the food sometime.

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Backpocket Pin & Pixel (Johnston, IA) Review

    Backpocket Pin & Pixel (Johnston, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.67* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: n/a

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    01/24/2023 Backpocket Pin & Pixel

    Stopped here to meet a friend after work this week and was impressed with the beers and the atmosphere. If that isn’t enough to capture your attention, they also have an attached arcade area with lots of fun entertainment.

    The beer selection is good, it is served cold – and if you like sampling different beers, their beer Flight is a pretty good value (5 samples for $9). This place is definitely worth a stop after work or for a casual stop out before or after dinner. The have a pretty good selection of ‘Bytes’…so will have to try the food during a future stop.

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Flix Brewhouse (Urbandale, IA) Review

    Flix Brewhouse (Urbandale, IA) Review

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    3.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 3*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 4*

    01/22/2023 Flix Brewhouse

    We stopped here primarily to use our Pub Pass for a free beer, then ended up utilizing their $2 Off Iowa beer special instead and ordered some food. The beer selection is good and the Pork Quesadilla (see picture) that we ordered was better than we expected – it was very good.

    While it is a very casual, open and loud atmosphere adjacent to the movie theater in the mall, the beer and food are better than average and I’d recommend it for a stop after work or a casual night out.

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Trailside Tap (Ankeny, IA) Review

    Trailside Tap (Ankeny, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 4*

    01/22/2023 Trailside Tap

    We stopped here for lunch while in the area as we had stopped before but hadn’t eaten – just had taps. An initial disappointment was learning that they no longer were a part of the Pub Pass in 2023 (as they were in 2022), so we wouldn’t be able to enjoy a complimentary tap.

    Even without the Pub Pass, we ordered a Bloody Mary (see picture) and Tip the Cow w/ Vanilla (see picture) as a starter…and enjoyed both of them a lot. For our meals, my wife ordered the Steak Sandwich (see picture) and I ordered the Cubano (see picture). My wife enjoyed the cheesy Steak Sandwich and having just returned from Tampa and some great Cuban sandwiches, this one here in Ankeny held its own – quite authentic with the pork, mustard and great bread. Maybe the best part though was the french fries – I really liked the thick, crunchy coating and they were fried to perfection (see picture).

    While I found it to be a bit on the pricey side with $16 sandwiches, the food taste and quality were good and worthy of a recommendation.

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Steelbach (Tampa, Florida) Review

    Steelbach (Tampa, Florida) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 5*

    01/16/2023 Steelbach

    Stopped here for dinner during our last night in town with our son based on one of his co-worker’s recommendations. It is a beautiful restaurant in the Armature Works building and the food & service were great – just be aware that it is a bit pricey.

    We started with drinks and an order of Buffalo Cauliflower (see picture) – it was delicious and I’d highly recommend it! For dinner we shared a 20oz New York Strip (see picture) as well as a Sweet Potato (see picture) – all of which was as good as you would expect from a place that looks this good.

    I would highly recommend this restaurant if the high prices don’t scare you, as the experience was great. As to our server, she was top-notch – shout out to Charesse and her great service!

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    Buffalo Cauliflower
    Sweet Potato
    20oz NY Strip

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  • Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill (Clearwater Beach, FL) Review

    Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill (Clearwater Beach, FL) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    01/14/2023 Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill

    This was my 3rd visit to Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill – all with my son while visiting him in Tampa. This time, we have a VRBO and stayed on Clearwater Beach within a mile of the restaurant.

    We started with an order of General Antonio bacon wrapped Scallops (see picture) – have enjoyed them before and once again, they did not disappoint. My wife ordered a bowl of the She Crab Soup (see picture) that we shared and both found to be delicious (very thick and rich).

    For the main meal, my wife and I shared The Three Kings pan sauteed grouper (see picture) and found it every bit as good as the description. My Mom ordered the Seafood Pot Pie (see picture) and loved it, while my Dad had to be talked into the Old School grouper sandwich instead of the hamburger he wanted…but really liked it.

    For dessert, we shared a piece of Keylime Pie – and I’d highly recommend you have a piece before you leave on your next visit. As you can tell from our multiple visits, we really enjoy this place and would highly recommend it for anyone looking for dinner on the beach.

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    General Antonio Scallops
    She Crab Soup
    Seafood Pot Pie
    The Old School Fried Grouper Sandwich
    The Three Kings

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  • Fat Charlie’s Tavern (Urbandale) Review

    Fat Charlie’s Tavern (Urbandale) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: n/a

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    01/06/2023 Fat Charlie’s Tavern

    Stopped here on our way home from dinner for a drink as we had not yet been here since their opening. We seated ourselves at the bar and were impressed with the decor and Signature Drinks (see picture) – as well as the fact that they had a Happy Hour to add to HappyHourDesMoines.com.

    I ordered the Smoked Maple Old Fashioned (see picture) and my wife ordered the Chile Lime Mango Margarita (see picture). Both drinks tasted very good and based on a quick look at their food menu on the way out, we will be stopping back to try their food at a later date.

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    Chile Lime Mango Margarita
    Smoked Maple Old Fashioned

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  • Dino’s Bar & Grill (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Dino’s Bar & Grill (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    3.66* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: n/a

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 3*

    We stopped here to try out their Happy Hour and left wanting to come back for a meal. While it had a bit of the ‘strip mall’ feel on the outside (see picture), the inside was very modern and had the feel of a higher-end restaurant.

    Was slightly disappointed by the greeting – partially a result of Reserved placards at all but one table that forced us to sit right next to (and very close to) a couple of loud and talkative ladies…making it difficult to have a conversation ourselves. On the positive side though, that indicates the food is good enough that people are making reservations at a rate almost equal to capacity.

    I ordered the Gin-Berry Mule (see picture) and my wife ordered a Vodka Martini. Both were very good and well worth the $5 Happy Hour price. Definitely worth a try for Happy Hour…and we plan to stop for a meal another time.

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    Gin-Berry Mule

  • Christopher’s (Des Moines) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 3* (cc fee)

    Service: 4*

    We hadn’t been over to this part of town, but were looking for Italian and this was one of the very few that was open on a Monday evening so gave it a try.

    Finding the front door was the first challenge from the large parking lot on the north side.  There were several signs about surveillance cameras on the building, but nothing directing you to the front door – and a Pilates studio on the front of the building to further confuse you.  Both outside and inside, there was nothing exceptional that really stood out about the building.  If you’ve read my reviews though, that isn’t my main concern…I’ll take food quality and service over atmosphere any day.

    Craig was our waiter and did a good job of taking care of us.  Once he mentioned Garlic Chicken Linguini as both recommended and spicy, I was sold and ordered it.  It was indeed spicy and had a very unique flavor – maybe best described as olive oil with a pepper burn.  My wife ordered the Pasta Prima Donna (see picture) and both of us really enjoyed it also.

    Lastly, we finished the meal with a shared piece of Tiramisu, as we find it hard to leave any Italian restaurant without trying a piece.  It was very light relative to others we’ve had and tasted good, although it seemed to have come out of the fridge or freezer and still had several cold spots within it.

    Update:
    Stopped again for dinner last night and enjoyed everything except the non-cash fee to use a credit card (as you can tell, I’m not a fan of restaurants that do this).

    Started with the bread and salad (see picture) and both were fresh and delicious.  For my entree, I ordered Penne Diavolo (see picture) and my wife ordered Pasta Fresca with Shrimp (see picture).  The Penne Diavolo was advertised as spicy and was just perfect to my taste (I highly recommend it – a nice ‘kick’ without too much burn).  Compared to it, the Pasta Fresca was bland, but still very tasty.

    Unfortunately, they were out of Tiramisu…so no dessert for us…

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    For the best Happy Hours and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

  • Fresko (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Fresko (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    3.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 4*

    We have been wanting to go here for some time and finally had the chance to go for my wife’s Birthday this week.  The atmosphere and service were above average and the complimentary Birthday cake was clearly the highlight – fantastic presentation and great taste!

    My wife ordered the Hanger Steak and while my taste of it left me feeling that it was a little tough / chewy, the flavor was very good.  I ordered the Lava Roll and thought it was very good.

    My wife also ordered a Lavender Butterfly and Paloma and liked both of them.  Clearly an above average restaurant that we would return to on another date.

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    For the best Happy Hours and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

  • Fried Green Tomatoes (Galena, IL) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    We really enjoyed our stop here for dinner last night.  We started with the namesake Fried Green Tomatoes and boy were they good!  Melted cheese on each and the tasty marina sauce made them melt in your mouth.

    For our meal, I ordered the Steak Martini and was impressed with the presentation and taste.  Mashed potatoes in the bottom of the martini glass, topped with gravy and chunks of steak – tasted great and left room to order dessert.  My wife ordered the Seafood Aglio and loved the spicy kick.

    For dessert, we shared a piece of Tiramisu and all of us thought it was delicious – we even converted a friend who hasn’t had it before and loved it!  Make sure you save space to finish your meal with a piece of this tiramisu!

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    For the best Happy Hours and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

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  • Pier 290 (Williams Bay, WI) Review

    Pier 290 (Williams Bay, WI) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 5*

    07/31/2022 Pier 290

    Our friends set us up for dinner here one day during our visit and what a great place!

    For starters, we ordered the Ceviche with chips (see picture) – and it was oh, so delicious! For our meal, I ordered Atlantic Salmon (see picture) and my wife ordered the Chilean Sea Bass (see picture). As per the usual, we both shared with each other and both of us absolutely loved both dishes. The fish was cooked to perfection, the couscous quinoa was light and clean and the flavors were fantastic!

    If you follow my posts, you also know that I love ending the meal with dessert, so we couldn’t pass up sharing the Cobler of the Week (see picture) with the group at our table. Warm, crumbly cobbler and cold creamy ice cream – what a way to finish a fantastic meal!

    While it is admittedly pricey, the view of the lake, atmosphere and service are fantastic! Not something most of us can afford on a regular basis, but highly recommended to try on your next special occasion.

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    Cobbler of the Week
    Chilean Sea Bass
    Atlantic Salmon
    Ceviche

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Motley School Tavern (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Motley School Tavern (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 4*

    07/22/2022 Motley School Tavern

    We were intrigued by the name when we saw it in a restaurant search, so had to give it a try. We went last Summer and while we found it a little pricey, we really enjoyed each of the plates we ordered.

    As a starter, we ordered the Chorizo & Potato Empanadas (see picture) and would highly recommend them. Next, my wife ordered the Grilled Hanger Steak (see picture) and I ordered the Fried Bologna Sandwich (see picture). As an ‘After School Snack’, the Fried Bologna Sandwich was relatively small – but was very tasty. My wife really enjoyed the Grilled Hanger Steak – it was juicy, cooked as ordered and the sauce and toppings tasted great.

    If you are in the area, this is definitely a place that you’ll want to give a try. There are so many unique menu items that you are bound to find one that you will enjoy.

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    Chorizo & Potato Empanadas
    Grilled Hanger Steak
    Fried Bologna Sandwich

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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