Resturant Review: Red's Alehouse

Red’s Alehouse

Finally made it to Red’s Alehouse and discovered what many have known for a long time, Red’s is a must stop in the Iowa City/Coralville and now North Liberty area. I would classify Red’s as a place that promotes their beer but delivers on their food. Red’s menu is dominated by flat bread pizzas and sandwiches but its surroundings and service are closer to a fine dining experience. When looking around its clear Red’s is the place to be. Our waitress was attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. Qualities that are harder and harder to find these days.  Buffalo chicken and ranch dressing are two things that I don’t particularly care for, but when I took a bite of my wife’s flat bread pizza I wasn’t sure I even wanted to try my meal. It was awesome and that’s taking into affect I went into it thinking I wouldn’t like it. The balance of flavors and heat was perfect. I would order this in a heartbeat.

 

 

My Daughter had a burger with feta and you can’t go wrong with that.

 

 

My choice for the evening was the The Braiser - pork belly, brussel sprout slaw,

aged white cheddar, smoked tomato BBQ. I mean come on, with that combination how can a guy go wrong. The brussel sprout slaw was a pleasant surprise and added a nice crisp freshness to the burger. Red’s take on coleslaw was also a pleasant surprise they use purple cabbage and a red wine vinaigrette that may not be for most but I found it a nice change to the common coleslaw.  

 

 

There are times when after a meal you just sit back and think to yourself; that is sitting just right. My trip to Red’s did just that.

 I have devised a new rating system for restaurants that I will unveil with Red’s that goes like this. I consider the meal and the experience and compare it to what it cost to what I would be willing to pay for it.   Just a word positive numbers may be rare and a 0 is not bad. I came up with this system at the last place I ate in which the entrée was $17 and I would have willing paid $10 for the meal so it earned a -7. Red’s earned a +4 on my initial visit.

 Red’s Alehouse

405 N Dubuque St, North Liberty, IA 52317
(319) 626-2100

 Price range: (everyday, a night out, a special occasion only) a night out

Overall rankings all based 1 to 5

Atmosphere:  4.5

Service:         5                                                        

Food:            5

Value:          5

Overall          5

 

Raising Idols

I had a good conversation with my friend Andy on Friday which got me thinking about how right now, not only are we a society that worships idols, but we in fact a society that raises them. I look all around me and I see grown children who are still dependant on their parents. At first glance one may think that the problem lies with the child however there may be another factor involved. I am at right around the 50 year mark and looking back our kids were raised at about the time when kids began to run the family, at time when the kids schedule dictated the parent’s schedule. In the beginning the intentions were good but somewhere something happened and sadly in many cases ones child grew into ones idol. The very thing a parent would worship the most and once an idol has a firm grasp on your life it’s tough to get rid of and even tougher to see. One of the proudest moments I have experienced as a parent was when each of our girls went out on their own and was able to thrive. I’ve had a saying for years and I’m not sure if I coined it or heard it somewhere else but for a long time now I’ve said a parent should raise their kids to leave. Sadly as I look around there are many young adults that cannot break free from the chains their parents have placed on them because quite frankly the parents do not want to lose the very thing they have been worshiping for years, their kids.

God in the first two commandments makes it clear that we are not to worship anything or anyone other than Him. Yet we used to think that idols were nothing but little statues and I think today many have come to think of idols as money, power, etc. things that we chase after. But how many have stopped to consider whether or not they are actually raising idols right in their own homes. If you are raising kids right now worship God and not your kids. If you have adult children the same thing and if you have been worshiping your young adults since they were kids consider letting them go, and in both cases teach them how to love Jesus and to go out on their own.

Review: Ghurtie's Gourmet Frozen Yogurt Cafe

Ghurtie’s Gourmet Frozen Yogurt Café

 I believe this is my very first non restaurant review and Ghurtie’s is good enough to warrant this. I first was introduced to this type of concept in LA at Pinkberry the standard bearer in the froyo industry. With that said there are no Pinkberry’s even close to here. Over the years various copy cats have popped up in Iowa, all coming up very short, until I discovered Ghurtie’s this place is just as good and it not a chain. The toppings available are extremely fresh and plenty to choose from. The staff is friendly and the place is clean and inviting. It is a little out of the way for the average visitor to Iowa City but it is worth the trip. You have to check this place out. I’m even giving you directions!

 Hours & Location

Monday-Saturday
11:30am - 10:00pm
Sundays
12:30pm - 9:00pm
Location

Ghurtie's is located in Oakdale Park at the intersection of 12th Ave and Oakdale Blvd.

2180 Norcor Avenue, Coralville, IA 52241

Directions

From Hwy 965: Head East on Oakdale Blvd. (through the U of I Research Park). Take a right on 12th Avenue and then a quick left to reach the Ghurtie's parking lot.

From Hwy 6: Head North on 12th Avenue (the Applebee's intersection). Turn right into Oakdale Park (before reaching the12th Ave./ Oakdale Blvd. intersection).

For I - 80 Travelers take either Coralville exit:

1) Coral Ridge Mall exit will allow you to head North on Hwy 965 and then follow the 965 directions (above).

2) 1st Ave. exit will require you to head North on 1st Ave., follow Holiday Rd. as it circles West off of 1st Ave. Take a right at the 12th Ave. stop and head North to Oakdale Park and Ghurtie's.

 

Updated Resturant Review: Throttle Down

Throttle Down was a place that I promoted heavily when it first opened. I now have to take back all of the good things I said. Please don’t go there because of any of my past recommendations. Throttle Down has been on a consistent downhill spiral for some time now. It’s one thing to write a bad review after one bad visit but I’m up to three now and there won’t be a 4^th.  In my original review I said that they should concentrate on being a restaurant and not a bar because the food was that good. It is evident that after I believe was a change of ownership it’s all bar. Perhaps if one would drink enough the poor food and service would not be noticeable. I really pains me when a place that you loved becomes a place you can never go again.

BBQ Review: Bubba-Q's Ottumwa Iowa

Bubba Q’s  **

Full service, dining full menu, nicely decorated

Sauces: Only one to choose from and it was not good

Pulled pork: No smoke, no flavor, chopped way to fine and very dry

Ribs: very small ribs which in the end turned out to be okay because they were not good, however they were cooked well.

Burnt ends: I love burnt ends these were good but still not great

Sides: The sides were all good many to choose from but the John Deere corn was amazing. It contained corn, lime juice, cilantro, mayo, and cheese by far the best thing I had all night.

Overall: The best thing about Bubba Q’s was their website. I was convinced it was going to be good and whoever designed their site needs to be commended because they fooled me. If I were to return I would have to try something on the menu other than the BBQ.

Minneapolis Food Recap

Here is a food recap of our quick trip to Minneapolis.

Tilla’s

Our first stop was for brunch and we stopped at a place called Tilia’s. A very what I would call an artsy type place located in an old building with an old world feel. One interesting side note they served the water in old wine bottles. It was neat to see an open kitchen where you could watch the chef created your meal. The presentation of the food was amazing for breakfast items. Below is what we had at our table.

Slow-Poached Eggs in Parmesan Cream – Caramelized tomatoes, tarragon & grilled bread pretty tasty for a poached eggs

 

 

Smoked Soft-Boiled Eggs – Buttermilk biscuits, sausage & sawmill gravy. When I saw smoke I was in. The most interesting and best biscuits and gravy of my entire life, the smoked soft boiled eggs were a nice touch.

 

Coconut Brioche French Toast – Charred pineapple, coconut milk whip & maple beurre fondu. French toast without maple syrup it can be done. The charred pineapple was the highlight of this dish.

 

Chilequiles with Poached Eggs – Carnitas roasted pork, charred sweet corn, avocado, salsa verde & queso fresco. Probably the best looking dish at the table

 

 

The Blue Door Pub this was from Diners, Drive in’s and Dives

Home of the blucy lucy any time you cook the cheese inside it’s a win plus they use Tillamook cheese one of my favorites. I would consider this place a bit of a disappointment.

 

 

Glam Doll Donuts 

This was an impulse stop that paid dividends. Upon entering the place it looked like you stepped back into the 50’s it was tough to tell if the employees were in uniform or that is the way they look all the time. I am going with all the time. The five of us ended up ordering a dozen donuts and practically finished them as you can tell. Here are some of the donuts we ordered. I can sum this stop up in two words show girl, or perhaps it’s one. The maple bacon long john was amazing.

GLAM DOLL • signature donut

SHOWGIRL • maple icing & bacon

CALENDAR GIRL • salted caramel & chocolate

MISFIT • orange, ginger & cinnamon infused glaze

FEMME FATALE • fresh raspberry curd & vanilla icing

FLIRTY FRENCHIE • espresso cream cheese

PUCKER UP • lemon cream cheese

 

 

Psycho Suzies

The  last and best stop of the trip. The place looked like one big tikki hut we enjoyed a nice afternoon sitting outside with a view of the Mississippi river. As usual I asked the waitress what she recommend and she said the Plymouth Prowler which was Pulled pork, melted swiss, honey ham, house-made pickles, red onion, and mustard sauce. She could tell I was a little leery of the red onions so she said go with the pizza. Someone at the table took her recommendation

Brown Sugar Babies  Bacon wrapped smokies in a brown sugar & bourbon reduction.

 

 

 

We can't foreget everyone's favorite Pinkberry

 

 

Pizza rankings update

Thought I would repost as #2 and #4 are two new addittions to my top 5 pies.

1.       Pizano's Pizza (Chicago)

 A thin crust pizza in Chicago tops the list of my favorite pizza, strange coming from the deep dish capital of the world. The crust is the best part, I swore there was cornmeal in the crust but they assured me there was none, still puzzled by that. The décor was kind of neat felt like a gangster could have walked in at any moment.

 

2.       Psycho Suzies  (Minneapolis)

Sometimes it’s all about the crust and that is the case here; a great corn meal crust combines with the house chunky sweet tomato sauce. A great place to build your own pizza while enjoying a view of the Mississippi.

 

3.       Wig and Pen (Iowa City)

The flying tomato pizza and the onion rings are out of this world. Not sure if they serve anything else. That is all I’ve had and don’t plan on trying anything else.

 

4.       Gusto Pizza Co. (Des Moines)

All I can say is fresh, quality ingredients, incredible marinara and unique and interesting pizzas.

 

5.       Breadeaux (Mount Pleasant, IA only)

I’ve had other Breadeaux’s but none compare to the one in Mount Pleasant not sure why? I have said it before that I think Roger has some special ingredient that makes you eat the pepperoni until it’s gone. If I’m ever in a pizza eating challenge this is the one I want.

 

6.       Giordanos (Chicago)

Even though I am more of a thin crust kind of guy now the deep dish monster here is delish.

 

7.       Pagliai's Pizza (Iowa City)

An Iowa City Tradition I have an aunt and uncle that live outside Tucson Arizona that bring a cooler the size of a coffin with them and fill it with pizza from Pagliai’s to take back with them.  

 

8.       Bordenaro’s  Des Moines

 

This is one of those places that the normal person would drive right past not much for looks but some good pizza. The pepperoni had just the right bite to it and the taco was good as well. A not so much crisp but what I would call a firm crust. Firm enough to pick up everything piled on the taco pizza. Saw some onion rings delivered to a table as we were leaving, looks like a must have next time.

 

9.       Bambinos West Des Moines

A great pie with a West Des Moines where you drive out in the country past cows to get there. Thought it was funny that the lady that owns the place has a business across the street that is in Norwalk. 

10.    Torino’s (Fairfield IA.)

A good what I call greasy pizza, but not in a bad way. The highlight Torino’s is the free ice cream that comes with the meal. Not only is it free it is possible the best soft serve ice cream around.

11.   Dino’s Washington IA.

An old standby that introduced me to the thin crust world.

12.   Mazzios’s Burlington IA.

The best Canadian and sauerkraut going, I really appreciate the owner and the way he has taken care of me over the years.

 

Resturant Review Gusto Pizza Co.

Gusto Pizza Co.

 

Made a stop at Gusto Pizza Co. in Des Moines and had some great pizza I had no idea what to expect and was pleased. I was encouraged to try the meat balls and I’ll be honest I am (was) not much of a meat ball guy but Gusto has changed that, can’t wait to have some more. Here they are in all their glory.       The marinara Gusto serves is awesome and came with the meatballs and with the cheese bread, It just plain tastes fresh. The pizza had a good crispy crust and topped with what you could tell were quality ingredients. I ordered the “The Duke” which consisted  of Russ & Frank's Sassy BBQ sauce, smoked brisket, mozzarella, colby jack, red onion and cilantro. When I saw brisket I was sold, because I love brisket. Personally I like barbeque sauce less and less and could have used less of the Russ & Franks but overall some good brisket and a great pie.

Besides the meatballs the Spartacus was the surprise of the night is came with  a Red sauce, Graziano's Italian sausage (yum), pepperoni, mozzarella ,and banana peppers.

 

 

This was my favorite of the two. Overall a great place for pizza that has made my top 5 pizza places I’ve ever been.

Service is hard to rate due to the fact you order at the counter but overall a place I’d go back to in a heartbeat.

Gusto Pizza Co.
1905 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50309
515-244-8786

Price range: (everyday, a night out, a special occasion only) everyday

Overall rankings all based 1 to 5

Atmosphere:  4

Service:         4                                                                                   

Food:            5

Value:          3.5

Overall          4.5

 As far as a pure pizza place goes I would give it an overall rating of 5 out of 5

 

Resturant Review: Cosi Cucina

Cosi Cucina

 Made a second trip to Cosi Cucina in Clive and was shocked to find out that I had not reviewed it the first time. Cosi Cucina has a very nice atmosphere, sophisticated but not stuffy, romantic yet not sappy. The service the first time was exceptional, this time a little let’s say weird. The waiter was trying to be funny and failed, and included himself in a toast due to the fact it was national wine day. But as far as service goes he was good. As far as the food goes it is as good as it gets, whenever a person can go to a place and say that they just had the best of something they have ever had that’s good, but when a person can say they just had the best two that’s great. Not too often I would get excited about a salad but the Candied Almond salad left a lasting impression with its feta cheese, blackberry vinaigrette dressing and oh yes the candied almonds. I am a true meat eater but it would not take much to convince me to just have the salad. One of the dishes at the table was the Balsamic Chicken pictured here.

 

It was as good as it looks.  The green beans were amazing! The other dishes were the Ziti Cucina and a tomato linguini both excellent but the dish of the night right shown here

 

 

is causing me to have dreams at night. The Potato Ravioli is the best pasta dish I have ever had. It included bacon and steak tips in a rich brown sauce. I wish I could have more. Overall the serving sizes were generous and when you include the price with the quality of the food the overall value it outstanding, possibly my favorite restaurant in all of Iowa right now.

 

1975 NW 86th St Clive, IA 50325
(515) 278-8148

 

Price range: (everyday, a night out, a special occasion only) a night out

Overall rankings all based 1 to 5

Atmosphere:  5

Service:         4                                                        

Food:            5

Value:          5

Overall          5

Resturant Review: Waveland Cafe

Waveland Café

 

Visited what could possibly be a Des Moines institution, The Waveland Café has been voted the best breakfast in the Metro for like 16 straight years. I’ll say not much for looks but that’s part of its charm. When we arrived the line was almost out the door I asked a regular if we needed to give our name to someone he said no seating is just kind of on the honor system. For a minute it was kind of nerve racking but in the end it just again added to the charm, along with the 80’s rock music playing in the background. I’m not really sure how to best say this but the appearance of the wait staff would make you wonder. But it was some of the best service I’ve had anywhere and they knew how to get people in and out while busing their own tables. Proves you can’t judge a book by its cover. The bacon left a little to be desired, and not often I say this but the eggs really had good flavor. The highlight was definitely the hash browns, not sure how they cook them but they were the best I’ve ever had. They were crisp on the outside and the insides literally melted in your mouth. I can’t wait to go back. The Waveland café just solidifies my phrase if there is not a wait, keep the plate.

 4708 University Ave Des Moines, IA 50311
(515) 279-4341

 

Price range: (everyday, a night out, a special occasion only) everyday

Overall rankings all based 1 to 5

Atmosphere:  5

Service:         5                                            

Food:            5

Value:           4

Overall          5

Resturant Review: Centro

Centro

I recently was able to have a meal at Centro in downtown Des Moines which has been consistently voted the number one restaurant in the capital city. The atmosphere is what I would call sophisticated but not stuffy.  Our waiter was attentive and very friendly and outgoing. However he did not know the soup and everything just happened to be his favorite. I didn’t buy it for a second but overall he was pretty good. We were started off with some bread and oil which was very good.  It was followed by the Centro salad the toasted pecans and the gorgonzola was a refreshing touch. The potato leek soup was full of flavor and something I would definitely have again. The main dishes at our table were all very good. They included Chicken Francese, Ricotta Gnocchi, Chicken and Prosciutto all very good, the Gnocchi was probably the least favorite of the three. But the best dish at the table was the Parmesan-Encrusted Halibut which included a lemon butter sauce, buttermilk mashed potatoes, and grilled asparagus. The lemon butter sauce turned what would have been just another piece of fish into a memorable meal. My next statement in many cases would not be seen as a positive one but the best thing of the night was the buttermilk mashed potatoes. Wow, the best mashed potatoes I have ever had. They were creamy yet had chucks of potatoes in them, not sure how they did it but I’m glad they did. Besides the small disappointment in the waiter the biggest let down was the fact that the online menu did not match what they actually had. Still everything else made up for it. A good place to go on any special occasion.

 

Centro
1003 Locust St Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 248-1780

Price range: (everyday, a night out, a special occasion only) special occasion only

Overall rankings all based 1 to 5

Atmosphere:  5

Service:         4

Food:            5

Value:           4

Overall          4.5

Utter fools

I was looking at a Calvin and Hobbs cartoon the other day after spending time with someone who just didn’t have all of their facts quite right, realized that Calvin  (not John) had just reminded me about some Biblical truths.

Have you ever had to sit and listen to that person that will not shut up? Then to top it off they so far removed from the truth they don’t even realize it. The problem is rooted in Romans 1:21-25.

²¹ Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. ²² Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. ²³ And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. ²⁴ So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. ²⁵ They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

To top this off those who are the most ignorant of the truth are the most convinced they are right and try to convince everyone else they are right. This is covered in Romans 1:32

³² They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.

The ESV study Bible says this

Rom. 1:32 People do not generally sin in innocent ignorance, for they know God’s righteous decree (at least in an instinctive way) that their evil deserves condemnation. Indeed, the evil goes further when people give approval and applaud others for their sin, probably because having others join in their sin makes them feel better about the evil course they have chosen.

Sometimes those who claim to be wise are just utter fools and deep down all they are doing is justifying to themselves the evil that they do. Calvin is correct from the world’s perspective when he says “the secret to happiness is short term stupid self interest”