The Food and Drink Guy

Tag: Seafood

  • Trostel’s Greenbriar (Johnston, IA) Review

    Trostel’s Greenbriar (Johnston, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 3*

    09/23/2023 Trostel’s Greenbriar (515) 253-0124

    We have been here a few times since our move to Iowa, most recently (prior to this visit) for a financial advisor event. Tonight we met friends here as this is one of their favorite restaurants in the area. The food has always been very good. I believe that the atmosphere is getting a bit dated, with the low lighting and shadows reminding me of a 1970’s-vintage supper club / steak house. The pricing is a bit higher than I believe is justified given the rest of the overall experience. Relative to the service, that was maybe a poor decision on our part, as when we made reservations, we accepted the recommendation of the hostess to be seated in the bar area. Unbeknownst to us, our meal was in the middle of an Iowa football game with a pretty full bar area – so the server was possibly a bit overwhelmed.

    We started our meal with drinks, including a Caramel Espresso Martini (name? see pictures, one of the at-table pouring) and Autumn Spritzer (see picture) – I really enjoyed the martini and the spritzer was very light and refreshing. For our food starter, we ordered the Prime Rib Appetizer (see picture) and it was quite tasty – tender & juicy…but be forewarned, the horseradish sauce was quite strong.

    For our meals, our friend ordered the Pan-seared Sea Scallops (see picture), my wife ordered the Ribeye Steak w/ Gunpowder Crust (see picture) and I ordered the Lamb Chops (see picture). As is always the case with my wife and myself, we shared tastes of our meals and both of us liked and would recommend both plates. Possibly the best part of the experience though was the Housemade Tiramisu (see picture) – so light, creamy and delicious!!

    If you live on the north side of Des Moines and are looking for a quality steak or seafood meal, Trostel’s Greenbriar has yet to disappoint me on food quality.

    11/5/2014

    I thought this restaurant was great.  We went with a business group and had read that the reviews on Yelp (though there weren’t that many) were less than flattering.  With that said, I thought the Thai Beef Rolls and Mushroom appetizers were great and my Ribeye (medium rare) was fantastic!  I would definitely go back to this place, with the only negative being that it was kind of pricey.

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    Ribeye Steak, Gunpowder Crust
    Lamb Chops
    Pan-Seared Sea Scallops
    Prime Rib Appetizer
    French Onion Soup w/ Mushrooms
    Beef Barley Soup
    Autumn Spritzer
    Housemade Tiramisu

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  • Waterfront Seafood Market (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Waterfront Seafood Market (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    09/13/2023 Waterfront Seafood Market (515) 223-5106

    We had friends visiting from France and when asked what type of food they wanted for dinner, they suggested seafood – so we thought a return trip to Waterfront would be just the ticket!

    For an appetizer, my wife ordered the Mini Chuck Roll and Mini Godzilla Roll (see picture) on the waiter’s recommendation – and really liked both of them. My wife ordered the Seafood Scallops (see picture) with New England Clam Chowder (see picture). I sampled both and we each thought they were both delicious. I ordered the Rock Shrimp Basket Dinner to save a few dollars for our friends who were paying and although it was a more typical mass market-type fried food dish, I found the rock shrimp to be quite tender and tasty and also thought the sweet potato fries were very good.

    Our friends ordered the Halibut Basket Dinner (see picture) and the Coconut Shrimp Dinner (see picture) – and they enjoyed both of them (although it was way more food quantity-wise than they are used to eating in France).

    If you are looking for a solid seafood restaurant with a lengthy ‘fresh-catch’ Market Entrees list in the Des Moines area, you will enjoy a stop at Waterfront Seafood Market.

    2/26/2022

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    Our neighbors suggested this place and took us there last night…and oh what a treat it was!  If you enjoy good, fresh seafood – you’ll love this place, with your biggest challenge being figuring out which dish to order.  As a bonus, you can also buy fresh seafood to take home at the adjoining market – or watch your sushi being made in another area.

    Our dinner started with the complimentary sourdough bread and butter – served warm with whipped butter, smelled and tasted great.  Next, on the recommendation of our waiter, we shared an order of Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops.  As you might expect with these two great food items combined – they were delicious and I highly recommend them.

    Next, my wife enjoyed the Creole Seafood Gumbo, while I opted for the New England Clam Chowder so that we could try both.  The menu says the Clam Chowder was voted the Best Soup in Des Moines and while I haven’t tried enough soup to confirm that – I can tell you that it was some of the best Clam Chowder that I’ve ever had.

    For the main course, my wife ordered the Shrimp and Scallops, while I opted for the cajun Halibut and Salmon.  We thoroughly enjoyed everything, with my lone exception to the 5* rating being the preparation of the salmon – as it was overcooked to my liking and was rather dry as opposed to soft and moist when it is cooked less.  It was definitely a great experience for my wife and I and I highly recommend it for the lively atmosphere, fresh seafood and great service.

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    Rock Shrimp Basket Dinner

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  • District 36 Wine Bar & Grille (Ankeny, IA) Review

    District 36 Wine Bar & Grille (Ankeny, IA) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    08/30/2023 District 36

    We hadn’t heard much about this place, but met some great new friends from Brazil here when they recommended it. The building was quite impressive as we walked up and the inside lived up to the promises on the building’s exterior – this was truly a memorable dinner!

    We started with drinks and some wine – see the attached menu pictures and you’ll understand how difficult of decision that in itself proved to be in the end! We then ordered appetizers to share – the Soppresatta Pizza (see picture) and Spinach & Artichoke Dip (see picture). The pizza was excellent and similar in taste to pepperoni and the spinach and artichoke dip was also very good.

    For our dinners, my wife ordered the Lemon Garlic Shrimp (see picture) and I ordered the Salmon BLT (see picture). Our friends ordered the Italian Stuffed Tenderloin (see picture) and the Frutti Di Mare (see picture). We shared tastes of the dishes and all of us really liked all of these dishes – I’d highly recommend them all. My wife also ordered the Seafood Bisque (see picture) as she had heard some great things about it from her coworkers – and it also lived up to the hype.

    This is a top-notch wine bar and restaurant in our area and although you might find it a bit pricey, our experience tells me that you will leave happy customers. If you go – say ‘Hi’ to Jacob S. from The Food and Drink Guy – he was a fantastic server, so consider yourself lucky if he is your server also!

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    Salmon BLT
    Lemon Garlic Shrimp
    Italian Stuffed Tenderloin
    Frutti Di Mare
    Seafood Bisque
    Spinach & Artichoke Dip
    Soppresatta Pizza

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  • El Barco Mexican Restaurant (Urbandale, IA) Review

    El Barco Mexican Restaurant (Urbandale, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    3.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 3*

    9/12/2021 El Barco Mexican Restaurant

    We stopped here for dinner after reading positive reviews and enjoyed our meal.  The chips and salsa were good and plentiful (an expectation at Mexican restaurants) and the Margarita was very good.

    I ordered the white fish Ceviche and found it to be some of my favorite in the area.  I really like a strong lime flavor and this definitely had that.  The white fish was firm and tasted great.

    The only negative was the service.  We wanted to order a 2nd margarita, but couldn’t get the waiter’s attention – and an attempt to ask another server to have him stop by was also unsuccessful.

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  • Sopra Bistro (Lake Geneva, WI) Review

    Sopra Bistro (Lake Geneva, WI) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    07/29/2023 Sopra Bistro

    Our friends made reservations to enjoy this place during our annual trek to visit them near Lake Geneva. Boy, do they know how to pick restaurants to impress us during our visits (we never want to go home…)! From the moment that we were seated until we left (and introducing us to the owner in between), Scot took fantastic care of us! The portions are on the small side and the prices above average…but that worked for us, as it left room for an Ice Cream stop after dinner!

    We started with a round of drinks – my wife going for the Cassandra (see picture) and myself going with the Smoke Break (see picture – a Kentucky beer and a shot of Mezcal). We both tasted each others drinks and both found the Cassandra to be delicious. I ordered the Smoke Break because it came with Mezcal and if you follow my posts or see the recipe on my site – I LOVE Mezcal Palomas in the summertime. I’m not a huge fan of sipping straight alcohol though (like it mixed so I can drink instead) and didn’t find anything special about the beer…so wouldn’t order it again, especially given the price.

    The Table Bread (see picture) was delicious along with the spread. For starters, our friends ordered the Brussels (see picture) and my wife and I shared the Beets Me (see picture). Both of these salads were unique, fresh and delicious – so I’d highly recommend them.

    For our dinners, our friends ordered the Sausage & Peppers (see picture), my wife ordered the Greatest Of All Time (see picture) and I ordered the NOLA (see picture). We all shared tastes of each others dishes and I assure you that there was a lot of “that’s delicious” after each bite! You absolutely won’t go wrong with any of these dishes!

    We had our hearts set on Ice Cream up the street for dessert and Scot even had a good recommendation for a new gelato store just 2 blocks away (the next review…). You will love a stop here for dinner – just make sure that you make reservations…and say ‘Hi’ to Scot!

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    Sausage & Peppers
    NOLA
    Greatest Of All Time
    Beets Me
    Brussels
    Table Bread
    Smoke Break
    Cassandra

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  • Fleming’s at Jordan Creek (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Fleming’s at Jordan Creek (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    07/18/2023 Fleming’s at Jordan Creek

    I’ve always known Fleming’s to be a top-notch restaurant, have visited at least one other location and justified the cost by celebrating our wedding anniversary. Thinking we could save some money while gathering information for HappyHourDesMoines.com, we decided to go early and take in their Social Hour.

    For Social Hour cocktails, we enjoyed the Olive A Martini (Dirty – see picture), Time is Honey (see picture) and Tequila me Softly (see picture). All of them were very good, but the Olive A Martini (Dirty) is what we went back to for our final selections. In addition to the cocktails, we also ordered the Tuna Wontons (see picture) and REALLY liked them – delicious light guacamole topped with some raw tuna!

    For our dinner, we took advantage of the Taste for Tuesday 3-Course Menu for Two special with the Tomahawk option. The flavored butters that come with the table bread (see picture) are very tasty. We went with the Lobster Bisque (see picture) and Wedge Salad (see picture) for our salads, shared them and found both to be excellent. For our sides, we went with the Sauteed Mushrooms (see picture) and Fleming’s Potatoes (see picture) and both were quite the treat.

    Lastly (and most importantly for my sweet tooth), my wife ordered the Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake (see picture) and I ordered the Olive Oil Cake (see picture). I don’t believe I’ve ever had an Olive Oil Cake before, but it was light, spongy and delicious. Of course we shared and it probably goes without saying given the name, but my wife really loved the Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake and I agreed.

    Given the cost of dining here, this place will remain on our Special Occasions-Only list, but if you are looking to make an impression with an important person or group…this is the place to go!

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    Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake
    Olive Oil Cake
    Sauteed Mushrooms
    Fleming’s Potatoes
    Prime Tomahawk
    Wedge Salad
    Lobster Bisque
    Table Bread & Butter
    Olive A Martini (Dirty)
    Tuna Wontons
    Time is Honey
    Tequila me Softly

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  • Laughing Crab (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Laughing Crab (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    3.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 3*

    03/06/2023 Laughing Crab

    We stopped here shortly after moving into the area 2 years ago and had the opportunity to go back tonight while celebrating Birthdays of our son and daughter-in-law. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the smell when you walk in and thought the food was above average, the value and service only rate average to me.

    We started with a round of drinks – and since the Tequila Sunrise (see picture) was the special for the night, we each ordered one. We decided to order Crab Rangoon (see picture) as an appetizer and thought they tasted quite good. For our main meal, we ordered the Family Platter (see picture) and added 1/2 pound of sausage. While the butter and seasoning flavors were great, I felt that the seafood and sweetcorn were over-cooked and a little tough / rubbery as a result.

    While it can be tough to rate the quality of the food for a place like this, I landed on a 4 based on the taste being good but the cooking time being a bit too long. Given how messy it is to eat, this likely isn’t a place where you take a first date nor wear your Sunday best clothes. Relative to this type of food, this is a reasonable place to enjoy some good Cajun seafood and seasoning.

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    Family Platter w/ 1/2 lb Sausage
    Crab Rangoon
    Tequila Sunrise
    Birthday Shot

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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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  • Kathmandu (Windsor Heights, IA) Review

    Kathmandu (Windsor Heights, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 3*

    02/11/2023

    Update: We stopped back again last night with our son and again enjoyed the experience. I’m also happy to report that they made improvements following my initial review regarding poor lighting (and clutter) in the restaurant. The lighting was much better, enabling me to take some better-quality pictures (see below). From this, I increased the Atmosphere rating to a 4*.

    We ordered Lamb Curry (see picture), Chef Special Grill Platter (see picture) and Coconut Chicken Curry (see picture) along with Garlic & Butter Naan (see picture). We really enjoyed all of them – with the Chef Special Grill Platter providing the most food (including full chicken drumsticks) and the Coconut Chicken Curry having the best flavor (even though it my son ordered mild and I prefer spicy). I ordered the Lamb Curry as Hot on the spicy level and my wife ordered the Chef Special Grill Platter as Medium…but I’m suspicious that they mixed those two up, as hers was the spiciest at the table and I ordered extra spice for the Lamb Curry.

    Service was good for drink orders and food orders as well as a follow up shortly after we were served to check on spice level (and bring more spice…). Following that though, we ran out of rice and wanted another bowl but after unsuccessfully waiting for our server, I walked over to the kitchen area and asked for another bowl.

    Overall was still a very good experience and we really liked all of the food, so I wouldn’t hesitate to return and would recommend it as one of the better Indian / Himalayan restaurants where I’ve eaten.

    11/09/2022

    My wife and I stopped here for dinner to give it a try and are sure glad that we did.  While the service and atmosphere were average, the food was all delicious!

    We ordered plenty of food, expecting to take the extra home with us for later meals at home…so enjoyed several meals.  For the main course, we ordered Coconut Chicken Curry, Lamb Biryani & Shrimp Fried Rice (see pictures of each…poorer quality due to lighting).  For sides, we ordered Tandoori Roti (found it to be dry), Cheese Naan & Raita along with Rasmalai for dessert (pictures of each attached).

    We ordered each of the main dishes medium to medium-hot spiciness and really enjoyed all of them!  Don’t leave without trying the Rasmalai for dessert – described as cheesecake soaked in a sweet milk, it was delicious and not overly sweet!  We will definitely be back!

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    Lamb Curry
    Chef Special Grill Platter
    Coconut Chicken Curry
    Butter & Garlic Naan
    Basmati Rice

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  • Bahama Breeze (Tampa, Florida) Review

    Bahama Breeze (Tampa, Florida) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 3*

    01/17/2023 Bahama Breeze

    We have enjoyed the Bahama Breeze in Lutz, Florida so thought we would stop by this one on our way to the airport to fly home from vacation. The experience was very similar and we enjoyed this location just as much as Lutz.

    We started with a Cuban Mojito and Aruba Red beer (both hit the spot), then moved on to our main courses. I ordered the Tropical Fruit Chicken Salad (see picture) and can’t express strongly enough how much I enjoyed it – light, refreshing and so tasty! My wife ordered the Fish Tacos (Blackened) with a side bowl of Seafood Chowder (see picture) – both were delicious and are highly recommended.

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    Tropical Chicken Salad
    Fish Tacos (blackened) with Seafood Chowder bowl

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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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  • Columbia Restaurant (Clearwater Beach, FL) Review

    Columbia Restaurant (Clearwater Beach, FL) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    01/14/2023 Columbia Restaurant Sand Key

    We ate at the downtown Tampa location on an earlier visit and liked it so much that we sought it out for lunch during our stay in Clearwater Beach. Similar to our earlier visit, we thoroughly enjoyed the stop and would highly recommend it to anyone in the area looking for some great Spanish / Cuban food in a luxury atmosphere with a great view.

    We had not ordered a pitcher of drinks before, but since we had 4 people in our party, we ordered the Mojito Pitcher and enjoyed the preparation performance as well as the drinks (see pictures). Given our previous experience with the 1905 Salad made at your table, we ordered it again and enjoyed the waiter’s performance (see pictures).

    We initially enjoyed the complimentary table bread (see picture) – but be forewarned, it is very crumbly so it is hard not to make a mess eating it. My wife enjoyed a side salad (see picture). For our meal, I wasn’t very hungry so ordered the Empanadas de Picadillo (see picture) and would rate them highly. My wife ordered the Filet Steak (see picture), my Mom ordered the Shrimp & Yellow Rice (see picture) and my Dad ordered the Salmon Aurora (see picture). We exchanged tastes and all thought each of the dishes was delicious.

    Lastly, no meal is complete without dessert. We ordered Cafe con Leches (see picture) and an Espresso (see picture) to enjoy with the main course – the Bread Pudding (see picture). All of them were delicious…but keep in mind that the Bread Pudding is very heavy and dense – so you’ll want a few people to help eat it or a box to take the extra home!

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Hacienda Vieja (Grimes, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 3* (loud)

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    We stopped here because my wife read that they had the best margaritas in the area…and I’d have to agree after having one.  The flavor was great…the sweetness was not overpowering and it didn’t leave that ‘fuzzy / SweetTart’ taste in your mouth.

    My wife ordered a Michelada and it was also very good – spicy yet ‘light’ (see picture).  The last strong point was the queso and salsa – both tasted great, although I prefer a less-watery mix of salsa.

    As to the food, I was less impressed.  The chips (although complimentary…) tasted powdery / floury to me (see picture).  Not sure if this had to do with being undercooked or something else.

    I ordered the ceviche appetizer with shrimp and fish.  Although the quality and quantity were good, I thought it tasted bland (I like a distinct taste of lime and cilantro, but struggled to taste anything for seasoning).  My wife ordered a taco with shredded beef (see picture) and while the flavor was ok, the beef was dry and tough…took a lot to chew it up.

    UPDATE:
    We have stopped here before after hearing they had the best margaritas in the area and have never been disappointed.  Last night was no different – we stopped after dinner to have 1 margarita (which turned into 2 and both were delicious).

    Ozzie was our bartender and was fantastic, first recommending the Shaker Margarita with salt rim, then making the Laurie Special (my wife’s favorite) – a Mango Margarita with Jalapenos and a salt rim.  You won’t find it on the menu (because my wife named it), but if you like a good spicy / sweet combination, you will love this!

    Update 2 (new location):
    This is one of our favorites for Jalapeno Margaritas and Mezcal Palomas (ask Jorge at the bar, it isn’t on the menu)…which we had again on this visit.  This time we had dinner – the chips tasted better and I would recommend the Enchiladas Bander.  The only negative…the boxy industrial atmosphere made it very loud inside and hard to carry on a conversation with someone beside you.

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  • Taps Fish House & Brewery (Brea, CA) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    We enjoyed dinner here with a business group on a recent visit.  It was near our hotel, had a good selection of tap beer and everyone at the table enjoyed the food.

    For dinner, I kept it light and ordered the Beet and Goat Cheese salad (see picture) and would highly recommend it!  For dessert, several of us shared a creme brulee…and it is also highly recommended!

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  • 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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  • Metropolitan Grill (Springfield, MO) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    Stopped here for dinner with a business group and left totally impressed.  The bar area is impressive (see picture) and the service was great!

    I ordered the Thompson Tenderloin and was impressed with how tender, juicy and tasty it was.  If you are in the area and hungry for a steak – you won’t find a place much better than this.

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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

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  • Magee’s Irish Pub & Eatery (Ankeny, IA) Review

    Magee’s Irish Pub & Eatery (Ankeny, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.33* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: n/a

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    06/25/2022 Magee’s Irish Pub & Eatery

    Had some time while in the area and this place looked interesting, so my wife and I stopped by to have a Harp and a Guiness. We sat at a table outside to enjoy the summer warmth. We had just eaten, so will have to stop by for a meal on another day.

    The exterior was very inviting (see pictures), the beer selection was good and the bar looked great (see picture). I recommend a stop to whet your whistle…and the food looks great also!

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  • Simon’s (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    We have heard so many good things about this place and finally got a chance to go there for dinner.

    Arrival was a little awkward, as there isn’t a hostess and no indications of who to see to get on the wait list.  We worked out way to the bar in the back corner and finally interrupted one of the workers to ask what to do.  They referred us to the owner (working behind the bar) who told us it would be about an hour wait and asked if we’re wanted a drink.  He never wrote anything down or asked for a credit card, just told us we could wait in his new suite a couple of doors down.  It was neatly decorated, had lots of seating, games and had a rest room…and the owner would occasionally show up to get the next party (all by memory, nothing written down).

    Following the waitress’recommendation, we started with an order of Mushroom Crostini (see picture) and boy was that good…so rich, creamy and flavorful!  For our dinner, my wife ordered the Lamb Chop (see picture) and I ordered the Pork Deburgo (see picture).  We exchanged samples (as we always do) and really liked both dishes – presentation, juiciness and flavor were all to our liking.

    Finally, it was topped off with the famous complimentary Red Velvet Cake.  Admittedly, it wasn’t quite everything I had hoped for (I like it a bit more moist with a bit more frosting) but it was still very good and just the right size for the two of us.

    You won’t go wrong stopping here for dinner!

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