Susan StapletonDes Moines Register
Des Moines has its share of excellent food available from fancy dishes at upscale restaurants to comfort food favorites and everything in between. While our guide to theessential restaurantscan set you in the right direction, sometimes you just need to rediscover an old favorite restaurant, ortry something new. Here, find out about the best dishes we ate in May across the Des Moines metro.
January's best eats:The 5 best dishes we ate in Des Moines in January, from Japanese pancakes to pollo chori
Best dishes from February:The 5 best dishes we ate in Des Moines in February, from spiedini to ramen
Best bets from March: The 5 best dishes we ate in Des Moines in March, from almond croissants to lomo saltado
April's good food: The 5 best things we ate in April in the Des Moines metro, from Cajun salmon to hand pies
Homegrown for brunch
Avocado toast, $12: I love avocado, so when I can find it on a menu, I like to order it, especially when it takes center stage. I loved the combination of red peppers and grape tomatoes on top of a whole grain bread. The eggs — yes, I like to order mine scrambled — were a nice touch, along with the fresh fruit. We started with a brown sugar cinnamon tart for $4.50 for something a little sweet that the table can share.
Get it: Homegrown has become one of Des Moines’ favorite places for breakfast. My Mom and I checked the location in the Crescent Building at 555 17th St., Suite 102, Des Moines, but Homegrown just opened a second spot in West Des Moines at 950 Jordan Creek Pkwy., Suite 1130, West Des Moines, 515-978-1948. Call the Des Moines location at 515-348-4094. The restaurant serves brunch daily.
Hot tip: The restaurant can have a wait for a table, so sign up for the waitlist ahead of time. Our wait on a busy Memorial Day weekend Saturday was less than five minutes.
More: 31 great brunches to try in the Des Moines area right now, including Early Bird, Eatery A
Truman’s for breakfast
Loaded hash brown skillet, $12: Breakfast is my favorite meal to eat at a restaurant, and perhaps I was too hungry when I ordered breakfast here. The hash browns have a starring role instead of the eggs, even though I ordered them scrambled. The hash browns come with onions and green peppers. I ordered mine with sausage, but you can get bacon or chorizo, too. I’m also a sucker for a biscuit.
Get it: I’ve been a longtime fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, so I thought I should check out Truman’s KC Pizza Tavern, 400 S.E. Sixth St., Des Moines. I love all of the memorabilia on the walls and tables. I went on Mother’s Day weekend with my Mom, so it was a bit noisy, but once the big table left, we could hear ourselves talk. Check it out at 515-214-2759 or trumanstavern.com. The restaurant serves breakfast daily, and you can make reservations online.
More: Here are 16 of the best restaurants in Des Moines' East Village
Lunch at Lucca
Cracked pepper pasta, $19: Sometimes simplicity is the best way to go. The spaghetti comes with a light coating of garlic olive oil and cracked pepper. It’s almost too perfect.
Get it: I spent some time in the East Village early in May, so I got to rediscover this gem from Steve Logsdon. Lucca gives you just the right serving size for a lunch of pasta. Check it out, or rediscover it, at 420 E. Locust St., Des Moines. Call 515-243-1115.
Hot tip: Order a salad. Mine with cucumbers, carrots, and tomatoes had chicken, bacon, and feta cheese on top, tossed in a creamy Parmesan dressing. I’ve been trying to eat two salads a day.
More: A comprehensive guide to finding James Beard Foundation-nominated chefs, restaurants in Iowa
Lunch at Django
French dip, $18: I notice patterns in my eating habits, and a good French dip is certainly one dish I always gravitate toward. This one comes with braised beef, Swiss cheese and caramelized onion on a South Union Bakery baguette with jus on the side. So soft. Such a nice combination of creamy and savory and umami. It’s my new favorite.
Get it: The perfect day in Des Moines involves lunch at Django and that view of the Pappajohn Sculpture Park. The kids weren’t out of school yet but on a field trip, scampering through the sculptures. It made me feel younger. The restaurant only recently reopened for lunch every Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Check it out at 1420 Locust St., Des Moines. Give the restaurant a call at 515-288-0268.
Pro tip: Consider the soup instead of salad. French onion is an option.
Dessert at Clyde’s Fine Diner
Foie French toast, $19: Honestly, I came for the Caesar sprouts and mojo pork sandwich (always order the pork) and left with this unexpected delight. Heavenly bites of foie gras on top of brioche French toast give a sweet taste to this dessert. And what a decadent dessert it is. James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef Midwest Chris Hoffmann tops the foie gras with vanilla apple butter and maple gastrique. It curls your toes, it’s so good.
Get it: Has Hoffmann kicked up his game since he earned that JBF nomination? No, he’s just that good. Make Clyde’s Fine Diner, 111 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines, a regular stop on your dining rotation. Still smart to make a reservation; it gets packed. Call 515-243-3686 or visit clydesfinediner.com/reservations.
Pro tip: That mojo pork sandwich may have been my favorite dish of the whole month. The pork shoulder is slow-braised after it was marinated in citrus. Crunchy cabbage slaw and a Fresno chili vinaigrette only add to the dish. Worth it for $16.
More: Meet James Beard Foundation semifinalist Chris Hoffmann, the owner of Clyde's Fine Diner
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her onFacebook,Twitter, orInstagram, or drop her a line atsstapleton@gannett.com.
