We just got into town the night before and were looking for some place to go on Sunday afternoon when we saw this place near where we went to an afternoon Mass. While there wasn’t anything that really stood out on the exterior, once we stepped inside we were impressed with the modern decor and welcoming environment (see pictures). Then, after stepping outside on the patio with our beers and seeing the beautiful pond, we were even more impressed.
We were looking for samples of some local craft beers and something light to eat to cover us until dinner time. Patent 139 covered us very well in both areas, and the Smoked Avocado Feta Dip appetizer that we ordered (see picture) left us very impressed! We both absolutely loved it so much that we were tempted to place a 2nd order. It was so fresh, flavorful and delicious…not to mention how great it looked when it was served. Oh, and lest I forget, the beer samples were quite good also!
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After reading an article in the Des Moines Register, I was looking forward to giving this place a try for dinner. My wife and I decided to do our night out for Valentine’s Day a day early to beat the crowds and decided on the Guesthouse.
You will be impressed as you walk up to the building and step inside – beautiful, well-lit brick storefront and an excellent modern rendition of a northern Minnesota hunting lodge on the inside (see pictures). The food was also top-end (more on that to come), so top marks in both of those areas.
We started with beer and an order of the Guesthouse Ceviche (see picture). Not quite my favorite in Des Moines, but very good – a little zing along with a few pieces of shrimp included. My wife went with the Guesthouse Steak (see picture) for her main course and really liked it. For myself, I went with the Beef Short Rib (see picture) and found it very flavorful, moist and tender. Pictures of each after they were cut into are included.
The pricing was at the high end of our experiences in the Des Moines area and that, combined with the very small portions caused my Value rating to drop to average. The presentation was great possibly even in line with expectations at a high-end restaurant downtown, but now what I’d expect in a ‘lodge’ environment.
The average Service rating was not a result of our server – Lluvia did a great job of taking care of us. Rather, I was disappointed to see a 3% “Service Charge” at the bottom of our bill with no explanation. When I asked about it I was told that it was thought to be a credit card service fee and if you paid in cash, it would be deducted. Not only is this the highest fee I’ve seen for that and well above any known fees from the credit card issuers, but it is also something that I despise as a customer. It’s not as if handling cash is free (handling, counting, securing, transporting, shrinkage, etc.). Ok…rant done.
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I read about the Basic Bird opening in the Des Moines Register and immediately added it to my Want to Go list. We first stopped by on a Saturday night around dinner time and decided we didn’t want to wait in line because it was very busy. We got our chance a few weeks later by making plans to stop by before the rush…getting there before 4pm.
I liked the fun paintings on the building as we walked up (see pictures) and the interior was quite bright, lively and inviting (see pictures). If you didn’t know, the pictures will make it obvious that this is a fast-food restaurant…albeit one with high quality food and a selection of tap beer as well as other canned alcoholic beverages. Because of the fast-food format where you order at the counter and very basic (yet highly lacquered) interior, tables and chairs, I did deduct a point each for Atmosphere and Service.
As for the food, both myself and my wife really enjoyed our choices. My wife opted for the Sandwich Meal with Brussel Sprouts, Korean Potato Salad & Shishitos peppers (see picture). I opted for the 5 Piece Boneless Meal with Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage Kimchi & Korean Potato Salad (see picture). As we always do, we shared bites of each others plates and both of us really liked most all of the offerings. We both preferred the Double Dunk sauce (on her sandwich) over the Spicy Gochujang sauce (on my wings), as we didn’t think the Spicy Gochujang had much spice or flavor. The same could be said for the Shishitos, as they didn’t have a lot of flavor.
If you love juicy, crispy chicken and don’t mind a fast-food format, you will want to try Basic Bird.
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Our neighbors surprised us with a trip to the Rusty Duck on our last trip out for dinner. It was admittedly a bit of a drive to get there, but all things considered, not much longer in the car than a trip downtown and there wasn’t much traffic!
I can’t say enough about the quality of the food here – if I could give it more than 5* for the delicious steaks, I would. The service and value were also well above average, justifying the 5* ratings in each area. The only thing that was average was the atmosphere / venue, as the tables were somewhat packed into the room, not leaving much room to get around and making it a bit challenging to navigate your way through to the rest rooms or the bar. With that said, that is exactly where I want a restaurant to excel – food 1st, then service and value…with atmosphere last on my priority list.
A couple sitting beside me at the bar ordered the Artichoke Dip with Toasted Bread (see picture) and it looked so good, I asked to take a picture – and they confirmed that it tasted as good as it looked! Our neighbors opted for the Blackened Top Sirloin (see pictures – one showing the beautiful medium rare cook) and Open Face Ribeye (see picture). As the pictures imply, both of them were delicious – and at 16oz & 12oz respectively, there was plenty to bring home for breakfast the next day.
My wife ordered the Ribeye Steak Deburgo with cream sauce (see picture) and I went with the Blackened Blue Ribeye (see pictures). As with our neighbors cuts – both of them were delicious and grilled to perfection…and at 16oz each, we had plenty to bring home with us also. The creamy parmesan dip was recommended to us for dipping the fries and I concur – you definitely want to order it with the fries. We found both the Homie (large, wedge cut) and French Fries to be very good, so it depends on your preference.
It’s hard to beat the quality and quantity of the steaks – at a reasonable price. You’ll find it worth your while to take the short drive West from Des Moines on I-80 and give this place a try. Make sure to call ahead for reservations though, especially on the weekends. They have an early and a late seating…and the place fills up for both!
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Blackened Blue RibeyeBlackened Blue RibeyeRibeye Steak DeburgoOpen Face RibeyeBlackened Top SirloinBlackened Top SirloinOnion RingsDinner SaladArtichoke Dip with Toasted Bread
I stopped in here doing some research for my Happy Hour site (www.happyhourdesmoines.com) several months ago and have been wanting to get back to try their food ever since. The opportunity presented itself when a friend and I met after work – deciding to give Pally’s a try.
We started with a round of drinks while deciding on food – ordering the daily special Margarita (see picture) and White Russian (see picture). Both were very tasty and a great value given their size and price (albeit the daily specials).
For our meals, my friend ordered the Frisco Burger (see picture) and I opted for the Torpedo Burger (see picture), given a strong positive recommendation from our server (who was also great – excellent service and covering the whole, packed bar by herself). We both really liked our burgers! The pictures don’t do them enough justice – they were both prepared perfectly, as per our requested level and both very flavorful. Definitely a place I’ll want to bring my wife and neighbors back to sometime in the future.
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We missed our reservation at a nearby restaurant so decided to give Samurai a try for dinner. The restaurant was clean and seemed to have an energy about it when we entered. Overall a nice atmosphere and good value, while the service and food are average.
We have both enjoyed Poke bowls before, so my wife decided to try the Poke Bowl (see picture) while I opted for the Roll B combination of rolls (see picture). Neither my wife nor myself were fond of this type of Poke Bowl. There was a creamy sauce of which we didn’t like the flavor (we like the lighter, lime-like version), there was no rice included and the portion was quite small. Both of us enjoyed the Roll B options, although ideally we would have preferred a little more spiciness.
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Almost a year since our last visit and yet another delightful experience. Tonight we started with a Mango Margarita drink while waiting up front (see picture). For our main course, my wife ordered Shrimp & Grits (see picture) with Chicken Creole (see picture) and loved them, while I opted for the Chicken Dinner (see picture). The Shrimp & Grits were quite rich and the Chicken Dinner was just plain a LOT of food, so we both enjoyed leftovers the following day. We have come to expect great food at The Flying Mango and tonight was no different!
04/06/2023
We returned with our neighbors last night, as we have both enjoyed our experiences here, so thought it would be a great place for a return visit. The atmosphere was definitely lively…to the point it was a little too loud, but we were able to visit at the table. The service was fantastic – Sara took great care of us, took the time to explain some menu options and kept our drinks full.
The food on this trip was a little disappointing compared to our last trip. I ordered the Lime & Garlic Chicken (see picture) and found the chicken and pasta to both be quite dry and lacking in flavor. My wife ordered the Half Rib Dinner (see picture) and while the corn bread was very good, the ribs were a bit too well done (although the flavor was good and they were still fairly tender) and the rice was good – with a nice spicy ‘kick’ to it.
When I go back, I will definitely stick to what they are known for (smoked meat) and order brisket, pulled pork or ribs. We still enjoy this place and did last night, I just won’t order the Lime & Garlic Chicken again.
06/2022
We heard about Guy’s visit and have been wanting to go here for a while. We finally did it last weekend with our son and daughter-in-law and really enjoyed the experience. Of course we watched the relevant Diners Drive-ins and Dives (DDD) episodes that weekend and loved the context.
Our whole party wasn’t all there initially, so we were asked to take a table in the entry area and ordered a drink. Given how busy they were, I understand this rule and she took good care of us, getting our order quickly and accurately.
We started in the dining area by ordering the chicken dip appetizer served with blue corn chips. All 4 of us really enjoyed it and I’d recommend it – a great balance of protein and flavor without too much grease, fat or salt.
For the main course, my daughter-in-law ordered the Shrimp Pontchartrain (see picture), my wife ordered the Duck Breast and I ordered What Guy Had. All of us really enjoyed all of the dishes. While I thought my ribs were a little over-done (and dryer than I’d like as a result), the catfish cake and collard greens were both absolutely amazing!
In my opinion, these are some of these best plates of southern food in Des Moines. The atmosphere was above average for a barbeque joint, but not a 5* restaurant. The prices were on the high side but you could argue that they are worth it. Lastly, as my profile states, I like a server with opinions and a bit of an attitude and she had neither…but the service was still great.
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Based on a recommendation from my wife’s coworker, we decided to give Nick’s Bar & Grill a try with our son and daughter-in-law. We weren’t quite sure as we pulled up to what appeared to be a strip-mall, but the storefront for Nick’s (see picture) was reassuring.
We started with a round of drinks (see pictures) and while the Tequila Old Fashioned (see picture) was unique, I wouldn’t order it again – struck me as a straight shot of inexpensive tequila.
We both really enjoyed our main course meals. My wife started with the Shrimp Bisque soup (see picture) based on her coworker’s recommendation followed by the Ribeye (see picture). I went with the Blackened Salmon (see picture) and really liked it – done just right with the perfect amount of ‘kick’ in the blackening seasoning.
Last but certainly not least (for my sweet-tooth), we shared a piece of Key Lime Pie (see picture). While our waitress was apologizing for the appearance (falling apart) due to it being fresh out of the oven – we especially enjoyed it and the warm temperature only made it taste that much better.
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My wife found this place online and wanted to stop for a meal, so we ate brunch here on the way out of town after our weekend stay in Amana. It is inside an older traditional brick building and has a lot of character, actually reminding me of walking into a centuries-old restaurant in Europe. The basic colonial decor fits the character of the 19th century Colonies theme with a penchant for the color burgundy throughout the restaurant. I gave the atmosphere an average rating – clean and historic, yet also a bit aged.
The service, quality and value of the food though is what stood out to me from our visit. Max W. was our server and he was very attentive, full of suggestions and made the experience quite enjoyable. My wife ordered the Ronneburg Melt with Fried Potatoes and I ordered the Schnitzel Sandwich with Pickled Beets (see picture below). I don’t have pictures of the meals and while I can’t seem to get it posted on the website, here is the link for the Reel on Instagram, showing food and the interior of the restaurant: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2X3ldoOvdA/ .
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We have been wanting to visit the Amana Colonies for some time and finally got the chance when Yelp hosted an event there. We paid our own way for the room and reviewed meal and really enjoyed our stay at the Hotel Millwright. The Indigo Room is just past the front desk in the hotel and offers a bar as well as an eating area.
The decor was great – a modern look in a converted factory building. It is honestly a very slow time of the year in Amana, so there is a scaled service crew and we had to go to the front desk to ask for a server when we arrived for a late breakfast. I was a little disappointed with the service, as she did everything we asked but wasn’t able to provide much insight on the menu items nor seemed willing to take the effort to answer a question about one of the desserts.
Beyond that, we loved our brunch! The food was delicious and we found the coffee to be well above average for a restaurant. Although the pricing was maybe adjusted for the slow season, the menu pricing was a good value (see picture). Rather than write a separate review for the Buffalo Wings (see picture) and Caesar Salad (see picture) we had in the bar area the night before after our arrival, I included them in this review also. They were both very good and towards the upper end of my expectations for bar food.
For our brunch, my wife ordered the Farmer’s Bowl (see picture – was recommended by the bartender the night before) and I ordered the Garden Omelete (see picture). As we always do, we both shared samples of each other’s food and really enjoyed both plates. The potatoes in particular were very good – a great crispy and delicious crust on the outside while warm, soft and moist inside.
For those of you who follow my posts, you are already aware of my voracious sweet tooth. I had eyed a Persian Love Cake slice in the display case the night before and was intrigued. Since our waitress didn’t know what it was and didn’t offer to check into it, I looked it up on Google and found that it was a rose cake with pistachios – so had to give it a try (see picture). While the pistachios weren’t super fresh (were a little soft from setting in the icing in the case), the cake was still very good. If you like the flavor of rose or want to give it a try, you will like this light dessert.
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We returned for dinner after Mass tonight and had a good experience. While it was a bit chilly in the restaurant and you shouldn’t expect a wait staff hovering over your table, the food is quite good, the service is friendly and the value is great. The menu (see picture) is very basic and reflects a value approach. You’ll need to ask about details to determine what is included in many of the dishes, but the servers are more than happy to answer any questions that you might have.
For drinks, I ordered a tall Jim Beam Fire and Diet Coke (see picture) while my wife opted for a Modelo (see picture). We started our meal with Papa’s Fries (see picture) – fried sliced potatoes served ‘wet’, with olive oil and some great seasoning, along with a side dipper of Tzatziki – which we both really enjoyed.
For our main course, my wife ordered the Gyro Wrap (see picture) and I opted for the Vegan Mediterranean Mix (see picture). The Vegan Mediterranean Mix included: Pita, Baba Ghanoush (eggplant, with a nice smoky flavor), Hummus (owner’s recipe with turmeric…quite tasty), Falafel (breaded and fried chickpea mix) and Dolma (rice stuffed grape leaves). We liked both dishes and would recommend them – and I especially liked the Mix, which allowed me to try several things on the menu.
As per my typical protocol…I couldn’t leave without trying some dessert. We opted for the Baklava (see picture), which we both found to be quite tasty – fresh, moist, crunchy and flaky all in one. We enjoyed the good food and solid value and will likely be back for more at some point in the future.
06/27/2022
I’ll preface this review by saying that we were hesitant to go in after receiving a negative review from friends who had been there for a special event that was very pricey and the food wasn’t that good. We were greeted and seated promptly, but then became impatient after the underage waitress was unable to serve alcohol and no one else came over to take our order.
After a predetermined time limit without drinks service we decided to leave the restaurant. As we were walking across the parking lot to our car the owner came out and asked if everything was okay. We said we just decided we didn’t want to wait any longer and he begged us to come in and give them another try, explaining that he was short on help.
We decided to go back in and ended up very happy that we did. We started with a couple of unique local beers suggested by the owner, then moved on to Falafel and Dolma (see picture) – all of which were delicious.
For dinner, I ordered the Jalapeno Artichoke Chicken Swarma Wrap and my wife ordered the Gyro Rice. As always, we shared our dishes and both of us really enjoyed both dishes.
Lastly, if you follow my posts you know that I have a real sweet tooth. Therefore we ordered the Baklava and Turkish coffee for dessert. The Baklava was fantastic – chewy in the middle with a light, flaky and crispy top crust. Make sure you order this to finish off your meal!
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We saw this place while stopping for gas at a nearby gas station and thought it looked good enough to give it a try. While it is an order-at-the-counter type of fast food place, the decor and atmosphere overall is quite lively and energetic. Once you get past the plastic plates and bowls, the food was very good.
My wife ordered the Texas Rice Bowl (see picture) and found it delicious. I ordered the Carne Asada & Carnitas Tacos (see picture) and was impressed with the double corn tortilla delivery and generous portions fillings, including the guacamole.
If you are ok with the fast food type of delivery and plastic bowls, plates and silverware, you will find the food to be very good! We will definitely stop again the next time we stop here for gas.
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I’ve been wanting to stop and try the food here after a visit for my other web site (HappyHourDesMoines.com) shortly after they opened. Tonight I met my wife here after an appointment and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was $12.99 Steak Night (Mondays starting at 6:00 until they are gone). This is a lively, fun place, with 80s / 90s music playing tonight and a good selection of tap and bottle beers (see pictures), including our current favorite – Barntown Brewing’s Peanut Butter and Jelly sour on tap.
By catching the end of Happy Hour and catching a couple of $3 Wells then following that up with a $12.99 Sirloin & baked potato dinner, this place deserves a 5* rating for Value. Meghan is a fantastic and attentive server, providing great insight on the menu items – also deserving of a 5* rating (be sure to tell her ‘Hi’ from The Food and Drink Guy when you stop in).
The Food and Atmosphere ratings are where things get tougher for me as a reviewer. While the Sirloin steak (see picture) was very tender and flavorful (with my wife claiming it was possibly the best she’s ever had), as the pictures show, they are served on disposable plates. While I have no issues with this and actually enjoyed the homey / family feel of the whole experience – it is hard to give this the same rating as a high end steakhouse experience with linen napkins and high quality serving plates.
With all of that said, I personally liked the build-your-own salad and foil-wrapped baked potatoes and agree that the Sirloin steak was one of the best I’ve eaten – even if it was all served on disposable plates and bowls. Therefore, I’m going with 4* ratings for Food and Atmosphere. Given the choice, I’m fine with a top-quality steak served on paper if it saves me a few dollars. And its hard to beat a hands-on owner that stopped by our table several times to assure that everything was ok with our experience.
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My wife and I stopped here for a quick dinner before another event downtown last night and the food was again very good. This time, I ordered the Undead Elvis burger (see picture) and my wife ordered the Raygun burger (see picture), which we complemented with a side order of fries (see picture).
The burgers were both great…greasy and messy, but oh, so delicious. The fries were also very crispy on the outside, yet tender on the inside…just the way I like them. I found the requested side of ranch for dipping to have an excessive amount of garlic…so beware if you aren’t a garlic fan. We sat at the bar this time and while the service was good after we were served, it took 5-10 minutes before someone showed up behind the bar to take our order.
07/20/2023
A group of business visitors were in town for the day and wanted to try Zombie Burger. Rather than have it delivered, we opted to delay our lunch until just before they left town so that we could enjoy a fresh, hot meal as well as the well-known ambiance of Zombie Burger in person.
For starters, we ordered Fried Cheese Curds (see picture) and 3 Pigs Nachos (see picture) to share. The Fried Cheese Curds were above average and I found the 3 Pigs Nachos to be some of the best nachos I’ve had – fresh, crispy chips with excellent smoked pork, cheese and other toppings make this a solid appetizer.
For my meal, I ordered a Poultrygeist with a side of Sweet Potatoe Fries (see picture). Yeah, I know, my wife made fun of me also for ordering a chicken sandwich in a place known for its burgers…but my strategy was to eat a little lighter so that I could sample one of their shakes. The Poultrygeist was delicious – crispy on the outside, very juicy on the inside and quite tasty! The same can also be said for the Sweet Potato Fries – they were cooked to perfection and quite tasty.
The only disappointment was the service, as it was average at best. It seemed that we were waiting to order and looking to catch someone’s attention when we wanted something. Myself and a co-worker had empty water glasses for 5-10 minutes and finally had to catch a server walking by to ask for more water to finish our meals.
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Undead Elvis burgerSide of FriesRaygun burger3 Pig NachosPoultrygeis w/ Sweet Potato FriesFried Cheese Curds
Stopped again after attempting Happy Hour at a nearby restaurant that was already full. This place always seems to be packed and tonight was no different – around 5:30 on a Friday. We were able to get a table right away, but there were a number of people standing and waiting when we left. I always enjoy places with free popcorn and G. Migs had that – although it so salty, we couldn’t each much.
Once again, our meals were fantastic – each of us ordering one of the specials for the night as they were both highly recommended. My wife ordered the Shrimp Risotto (see picture & video) and I ordered the Prime Rib (see picture & video). The shrimp, prime rib and shrimp were all cooked to perfection, as was the asparagus. The dishes are a little pricey and you’ll likely find yourself bumping elbows with the other patrons and staff, but the food is very good.
02/03/2023
This was on my ‘Want to Go’ list and we had the opportunity last night when we joined our son and daughter-in-law and they suggested it based on a friend’s recommendation. Although it is a bit of a ‘dive’ (that isn’t a negative for me) and was quite packed when we walked in around 6:30pm on a Friday night, we were quickly seated and our server (Carolyn C.) was very helpful and attentive.
We started with a round of drinks…they had a reasonable selection of various tap beers to satisfy most with a thirst for taps – all reasonably priced. For our dinner, I ordered The Pride of Iowa Wrap (see picture) with the pasta salad and my wife ordered the nightly special – Prime Rib (see picture) with asparagus and mashed potatoes.
I enjoyed both the pasta salad as well as the wrap (2016 State Fair Award Winning). The pasta was a nice balance of sweetness, pasta & veggie crunch – and the wrap had a great tasting filling along with a unique wrap shell that was thin, soft, crunchy and tasty all at the same time.
My wife’s Roasted Prime Rib was also delicious – from its preparation (did a good job delivering it as ordered – medium rare) to the sides. Although out of season, the asparagus was cooked to perfection – retaining a little crunch along with a soft interior. The mashed potatoes were also great (although a little strong on the garlic…if you don’t like that) – as they retained some of the peelings and had a few lumpy bits.
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We have been wanting to get here to try their martinis for quite some time and although we missed Happy Hour to do it, we found out that their food is quite good also! We stopped here for dinner last night and while the portions were a little on the small side for some of the dishes (see pictures), the quality of both the food and martinis were excellent (see pictures). Turns out, not only do they make great martinis, the food is definitely worth a try also!
We started with a Funky Martini (see picture) and Redwave Martini (see picture). While my wife really enjoyed the Funky Martini, I will probably not order the Redwave Martini again. While it was quite spicy (which I like), the unique combination of spices used for the rim was not one of my favorites.
We followed the drinks up with a Zucchini Fritters appetizer (see picture) and both of us really enjoyed it – the fritters tasted great and the sauce that came with them was a great complement. For our dinners, I ordered the Seared Ahi Tuna – Kamikaze / blackened style (see picture) and my wife ordered the Chicken and Spinach Risotto (see picture).
While my wife was a bit disappointed with the portion size on hers, we both really enjoyed the Ahi Tuna – the blackened pepper crust was very good and the Brussels Sprouts and other vegetables were flavorful and cooked to perfection. The white horseradish-tasting dipping sauce was also very good on the tuna…even though the flavor of the tuna was so good that it really didn’t need anything else.
We topped off the meal with what else but a couple of sweeter martinis – I opted for the Espresso Martini (see picture) while my wife went with the Dirty Banana Martini (see picture). Both were excellent in their own categories, with the espresso being a strong coffee liqueur flavor and the Dirty Banana full of sweet chocolate and banana deliciousness.
Maybe most important is the service that you receive while dining. My wife and I were both very impressed with our server, Alexis! Not only was she friendly and personable, she gave us space (time) when we needed it and had excellent opinions to offer when asked. It was clear that she knew the menu items (food and drink) quite well, was willing to share her knowledge and really enjoyed her work. When you go, please be sure to say ‘Hi’ to Alexis from The Food and Drink Guy. We will definitely be back…
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This place was recommended by a work colleague for my visit in Davenport. This place has hospitality down right. Employees were constantly greeting me, making me feel quite welcome and showing true appreciation that I was there to try some of their BBQ.
For my meal, I ate quite light – opting for only the 8oz of Smoked Turkey with a side of cornbread (see picture). While the turkey was a little on the dry side, it was late in the evening, still tasted great and gave me the opportunity to try all of the hot sauces at the table (see pictures).
Definitely a solid BBQ stop in Davenport…and I loved the support and appreciation that was shown to our military throughout the restaurant!
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Stopped back again when our son and his girlfriend were visiting and had another great experience. The main additions from this visit were the Boom Boom Bao appetizer (see picture) and the Kimchi Fried Rice (see picture). The Boom Boom Bao was SO good – I just loved the soft, warm bread-like bao with the juicy and flavorful inserts. It is a little pricey, but the food is quite good.
09/09/2023
We have been to Korean BBQs before and have enjoyed them – and our son and daughter-in-law recommended this place. We finally got a chance to try it ourselves last night and enjoyed our experience.
We arrived a little early for our reservation, so joined Katie at the bar for a drink. She is a fantastic bartender with excellent recommendations – so when you go, say ‘Hi’ to her from The Food and Drink Guy. She recommended the Grapefruit Soju Margarita (see picture) for my wife and it was delicious (she gave me a taste).
When I saw the Shanky’s Whip on the shelf I asked her what she could make with it, since I just had it the night before and liked how smooth, sweet and creamy it was. She recommended a Shanky’s Whip Old Fashioned (see picture) and she nailed it with the recommendation – it was so good that even my wife (who isnt a big whiskey fan) found it to be quite tasty!
For our dinner, my wife ordered the Beef Bulgogi (far side in picture) and I ordered the Picanha Cut (near side in picture). While both were very good, the Beef Bulgogi was definitely more tender and more flavorful – so it would get my stronger recommendation. The Kim Chi Fried Rice was a good complement to the rest of the provided sides. My wife and I both like our food on the spicier side and it was recommended that we ask for extra spice, but unfortunately we forgot to do so and did find the food overall to be a bit bland to our liking.
If you enjoy the grill-it-yourself Korean BBQ experience, you will enjoy a stop at DZÔ Korean BBQ – and if you’d rather not grill it, they will grill it for you.
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Wanted to give this place a try after seeing an ad following their opening in the old Grumpy Goat location. We had our opportunity when we invited our son and daughter-in-law to join us for dinner – and enjoyed our experience. An above average pub experience with reasonable value and great service.
A special call-out to our server Kathryn (Katie), who was fantastic! She had opinions on everything we asked about the menu, with solid details to share about each of them. One of her best suggestions was to upgrade to the Parmesan Fries – you will see them in each of the pictures and while they were a significant additional cost, they were delicious! If you are lucky enough to get her on your visit – be sure to say Hi to her from The Food and Drink Guy!
For our meals, I ordered the Fish & Chips (see picture), my wife ordered the Classic Cheeseburger (see picture) and my son ordered the French Dip (see picture). We found all of them to be very good – definitely above average for pub food…topped by the Parmesan Fries!
Possibly my favorite part of the stop though came after our meal and was a bit unexpected. If you follow my posts, you know how much I love good desserts. Tonight, I chose to take my dessert in liquid form and ordered a Chocolate Martini (see picture). Not only was it one of the better martinis I’ve consumed, the pricing put it in the upper echelon of value for martinis in the area. You will definitely want to give one of the martinis a try when you stop for a visit.
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Classic CheeseburgerFish & ChipsFrench DipChocolate Martini
Another great stop for dinner after Mass with friends. Stayed light tonight with the Spicy Tuna Roll, but splurged for a dessert and tried the Mango Japanese Mochi (see picture).
08/05/2023
Another great stop for dinner this evening – and this time we were fortunate enough to have the owner (Mandy) as our server. She was such a delightful person, a great server and full of great suggestions! With each delivery of food to a table, we marveled at the exquisite presentation of the food – a testament to Mandy’s experience in the industry.
This time we started with a Sapporo (see picture) and a Hana White Peach Sake (see picture). Mandy suggested the White Peach flavor and boy was it delicious…none of the harsh alcohol flavor that I’ve associated with sake and more of a semi-sweet fruit juice feel that was similar to a white wine.
For our dinner, my wife ordered the Chicken Katsu Cold Noodle (see picture) because she enjoys ramen and thought it looked interesting. At Mandy’s suggestion, I ordered the Spicy 2 in 1 Roll (see picture) and found it absolutely delicious. Even though it was shown as spicy and included jalapeno slices on each piece, I did not find it to be that spicy – but it was very flavorful!
We topped off the meal with a delicious dessert (again at Mandy’s suggestion) of fried bread with powdered sugar and a decadent condensed milk-like dipping sauce (see picture). If you like fried bread, you will love these!
12/11/2022
Based on a recommendation from a friend, we stopped here for dinner after church on Saturday night and enjoyed the experience. The building is a modern decor – albeit with a strip mall feel (see pictures), the presentation of the food is great (see pictures) and they have a friendly and helpful wait staff. In addition to an extensive menu, they had a decent selection of cocktails, wines and beers (see pictures).
We started with a glass of pinot grigio and a can of Sapporo. For an appetizer, we went with the Philadelphia Roll (smoked salmon, cream cheese & avocado – see picture) and thought it was very good. You can’t go wrong when it includes cream cheese!
For our main meal, my wife ordered the Chicken Ramen (see picture) and I wasn’t very hungry, so ordered the Spicy Yellowtail Roll (see picture). We both tried both dishes and liked them very much – would definitely recommend both of them. The only negative to our visit was that our table was near the front door and we got a nasty cold breeze every time the door was opened. I’d suggest asking for a table away from the front door.
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Spicy 2 in 1 RollChicken Katsu Cold NoodleEdamameFried Bread (Thai Donuts?)Chicken Katsu Cold NoodleMango Japanese MochiSapporoHana White Peach Sake
