528202 Wed Jun 11 16:11:38 -0700 2008 13 8 Midwest 0 3771842 I'm doing a cross-country road trip and I have one night in Des Moines. I'm wondering if any one can suggest a good place to eat dinner for a tasty and truly Iowan experience. My budget's good as long as I don't have to pay French Laundry prices. I do plan on experiencing the pork tenderloin, but I figured I'd probably do that on the road. Any help would be great! Wed Jun 11 16:11:38 -0700 2008 199924 munchiegirl 1 3772096 I don't know about the following as a "truly Iowan experience," but I can highly recommend Lucca in downtown Des Moines for a tasty experience. It's Italian, and the gnocchi is wonderful. www.luccarestaurant.net Wed Jun 11 17:54:54 -0700 2008 3771842 196217 Brad Ballinger 1 3776297 A truly Iowan experience. I've thought about what that means for a while now.Normally, I'd think Tenderloin, but you already addressed that. Make sure you get a good one. They aren't all good. I'm going with places that do the best at using mostly local ingredients. Sage, in Windsor Heights. You'll be happy. Everyone that eats at Sage is happy. Thu Jun 12 20:31:53 -0700 2008 3771842 10737 Bobfrmia 1 3776312 I just noticed your request for SD dining. You are taking an interesting route cross-country. May I ask where you started, and where you're ending? Thu Jun 12 20:36:19 -0700 2008 3771842 10737 Bobfrmia 2 3777901 I'm starting on vancouver island in Canada and driving through the topmost states then to halifax, NS, then back through some midwest states. We just didn't want to take the same route twice I guess, that and my boyfriend really wants to see Devils Tower in Wyoming. Fri Jun 13 10:37:03 -0700 2008 3776312 199924 munchiegirl 1 3777462 The Iowa experience for myself would be Michaels ,Christophers,Latin King,or Ginos in DesMoines.Surrounding area The Big Steer in Altoona or Rubes Waukee. Fri Jun 13 08:49:01 -0700 2008 3771842 47334 iowan 1 3778491 Hi! When are you going on this trip? I just read in the paper that they are evacuating Des Moines because of the flooding. Sadness :( Fri Jun 13 13:12:49 -0700 2008 3771842 196043 seahag 2 3779044 Not until August. I'm hoping most of the places we're going won't be underwater by then. Eeep!! Fri Jun 13 16:27:13 -0700 2008 3778491 199924 munchiegirl 3 3779306 The floodwaters should be long gone by then, but some places may be too damaged to reopen. Fri Jun 13 18:38:50 -0700 2008 3779044 13777 Jordan 2 3781338 While not trying to minimize the damage that the flooding has caused, other than some major traffic problems, the majority of the city is unaffected. While some nice dining spots, and great bars, are located in the flood zone, there are enough good places in Des Moines to handle things. Sat Jun 14 20:18:49 -0700 2008 3778491 10737 Bobfrmia 3 3782810 I'm wondering how our riverside hotel I booked fared. I saw some footage last night. Wow. Sun Jun 15 16:50:03 -0700 2008 3781338 199924 munchiegirl 4 3782997 Must be the Embassy Suites. They should be OK. A levy upriver broke Saturday morning, and flooded a large area North of downtown. Probably relieved pressure on the downtown area. By the time you come through, you'll probably not notice anything ever happened. The help from around the country has been nothing short of incredible. I would just ask people coming up from the south to help, bring some nice regional dishes, and let me know how to contact you. ;-) Sun Jun 15 18:18:34 -0700 2008 3782810 10737 Bobfrmia 1 3780649 Lucca is certainly a great spot. Also Django - a brand new french spot modeled after Balthazar in Manhattan is fantastic. Plus next door is Raccoon River Brewery which shares owners in Django. So you can try local brew and a great restaurant. For Italian - I would without a doubt say Cafe di Scala in Sherman Hill. Romantic and won't break your budget. Also, the best wine list in town - 100% Italian and obscurely wonderful. Sat Jun 14 13:12:45 -0700 2008 3771842 72219 evoo 1 3780652 Also - I did the trip you are doing last year - 22 cities across America - and I ate my way across the country. I'm from NYC and moved to DSM partly because of the restaurants. Check out www.zacksblog.subjectivetheatre.org - posts on restaurants all across the country on a budget. Sat Jun 14 13:14:11 -0700 2008 3771842 72219 evoo 2 3787733 Thanks! Tue Jun 17 10:21:56 -0700 2008 3780652 199924 munchiegirl