January 11, 2011
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Best & Worst of 2010 in Des Moines
Restaurateurs of the Year – Shad Kirton & Darren Warth of Smokey D’s
These partners grew their barbecue business the slow, smart way. They built a client base catering from a virtual shack in Saylor Township, where alcohol licenses are relative bargains. Then they opened a skywalk venue, later a second downtown store while establishing their brand on the competition circuit. This summer Warth completed his personal grand slam of winning all four categories at the American Royale, the U.S. Open of competitive barbecue. Kirton then won the largest prize in competition history, a $100,000 Grand Master award on national TV.
After that, the partners moved their mother store two blocks, into a sprawling three room, 500 seat restaurant on I-35/80. From Day One, that place was so busy that demand kept three 1000 pound smokers operating around the clock. That meant that smoked meats were always sliced fresh, never cooled and “re-thermaled.” Kirton and Warth added a talented full time pastry chef. Their biggest problem now is parking as truckers and Tweeters spread the word about this magnetic restaurant.
Most amazing of all, these guys have done it all without incurring any debt!
Chef of the Year & New Restaurant of the Year – David Baruthio & Baru
Soon after Baru’s opening last spring, this reviewer compared owner-chef David Baruthio to the holy trinity of Alsatian culinary genius in America (Vongerictern, Keller and Joho) and wrote that his palate, and Iowa’s first Pacojet, coaxed amazing textures out of foams, mousses, terrines and ice creams. Since then, things have gotten even better. Rising star Andrew Newburg has been promoted to Chef de Cuisine and Jessica Dunn to Pastry Chef.
They have taken on more challenges, freeing Baruthio and partner Sara Hill to explore new territory. They teamed up with Sunstead Farms in a very French manner. Instead of having deliveries made, David goes to the farm and does his own harvesting. Hill, an accomplished artist, began cutting granite to adorn Baru’s stunning dinnerware repertoire. Baruthio made trips to Alsace to keep up with the evolving gastropub scene there. He also tweaked his menu to Iowa tastes, adding home cured Speck (juniper cured ham) and Alsatian sausages among other things.
“Iowa is a challenge. Sweetbreads wouldn’t sell till we mixed them with escargot. We could not sell squab. It was a fabulous dish, boned and cooked sous vide, but no one would order it. On the other hand, we can’t get enough pheasant. Iowans loves steak so much we had to add more,” he explained.
Restaurant of the Year – La Mie
Joe and Christina Logsdon’s French patisserie has long been serving fresh artisan breads and pastries that can take one’s breath away. They break their own butter and fold it in, carrying their dough from sheeting to usage – a two to three hour process that few American bakeries bother with anymore. They also hand roll baguettes and practice true lamination – two other lost arts. That’s been enough to make La Mie one the state’s favorite spots for breakfast and lunch.
This year, the Logsdons added a dinner service that perfectly fit the spirit of 2010 and filled two local voids in the food scene: for healthy, low priced bistro fare; and for pairings geared to white wine drinkers. Dinners began with exquisite, complimentary bread service that might include French cheeses, tapanade, or seafood spreads. Starch options introduced healthy things like “teff with sunflower and flax seeds plus rye berries,” “buckwheat groats,” “savory oatmeal,” or “delicata of squash.” Most seafoods were poached in bone stocks and, as a balm to the year’s hard times, they cost only about $15, while most other dinners were priced $10 or less.
Zeitgeist of the Year – “What recession?”
2010 was a year of defiance when brave souls opened new restaurants three times the pace of the previous year. Many brought first of a kind experiences to town. Zingaro became Des Moines’ original pop-up café, Africa Cuisine introduced Somali – Kenyan menus, Baru debuted Alsatian cuisine, Babylon became the first Iraqi café, Open Sesame the first Lebanese, Pollos Rostizados brought our first charcoal fired rotisserie chicken shop, Accordion introduced live accordion music, and La Paris Café became our first Indo-Chinese café-French Bakery-sports bar-espresso house hybrid. Saraj Restaurant & Bakery, Red, Copa Cavana, Pad Thai, Bagni di Lucca, Mullet’s, Big City Burger & Greens, Tres Hermanos, Bagni di Lucca, Flour, Oasis, Ray Earl’s, Sonora Tacqueria, El Blue Burrito and Tamale’s Industry also made impressive debuts.
Best Move – Smokey D’s
Wellman’s Pub, El Chisme, El Rey Burrito, Gino’s, Village Bean, Raul’s, Jethro & Jake’s, and Mama Lacona’s all successfully upgraded to grander venues but Smokey D’s move, only two blocks on the ground, augmented their brand and their business by an exponential factor.
New Store of the Year – All Spice
Rare spices, vinegars and oils attracted many of the top chefs in town to East Village.
Design of the Year – Mullet’s
Big City Burger & Greens, Red, Jethro & Jake’s, and Copa Cavana all came online with stunning designs but riverfront Mullet’s hooked this prize with the best patio in town.
Best New Product – Madhouse Brewing Company’s Pale Ale
In a great year for Iowa beverages, Madhouse edged out Templeton Rye’s new batch of whiskey and Olde Main Brewing’s hard cider.
Farm of the Year – Fox Hollow
Tai Johnson-Spratt expanded her heritage bird farm by a dozen new breeds for local restaurants and farmers market shoppers.Sandwich of the Year – B&B’s Pork Tenderloin
This southside legend won an eight week bracket style poll as the city’s best.
Best New Non-Traditional Venue Restaurant – Graziano’s Sausage and Tommy Farrell’s Italian Beef concession at Welss Fargo Arena.
Hottest New Chain – Trader Joe’s
At last, the ultimate store for bargain hunting status seekers.
Top Political Player – Farm Bureau
Their candidates kicked butt across the board in November elections.
Trend of the Year (national) – tie: food trucks & limited time releases
Food vending trucks became so popular that national chains Qdoba, Sizzler, Dairy Queen and Gold Star Chili jumped into the market. Limited time releases (original recipe Pepsi, McRib, etc.) created artificial urgencies that drove consumption.
Trend of the year (local) – desperate landlords
Mama & Sons, Two Rivers, Grandma’s Apron, Beefburger Barn, India Grill, Ciao, Corigliano’s Big League Pizza, and Fourth Down all opened and closed within a year‘s time.
Thanks for the Memories
La Pizza House, Jimmie’s American Café, QV’s Cavatelli, Phat Chef’s, Los Compadres, Winston’s Pub & Grille, Café Su, Battani’s, Simo’s, Grand Piano Bistro, Le Jardin, Something Good Soul Food, Pho All Seasons, Cecil & Rosie’s, Pad Thai, Richard Mosqueda, Stella’s Blue Sky Diner, Royal Grill
Dinner Entertainment of the Year – Thankful Dirt
Kudos to Fire Creek Grill, El Bait Shop, Royal Mile, and AK O’Connor’s for bringing this talented couple to the dinner scene.
Cookbook of the Year – “One Big Table” by Molly O’Neill
A veritable encyclopedia of American home cooking, this will become a classic.
Best Advertising (national) – “The Storm of 1781”
Jameson Irish Whiskey’s improbable commercial, about an octopus and a funeral, won critical acclaim and pushed market share every time it was re-released.
Best Advertising (local) – Mullet’s tie-ins with baseball
Grand slam product placement.
Worst Advertising – “Quiznos‘ Singing Kittens”
So annoying they beat a McDonalds’ ad that used an overweight, sickly looking actor as spokesman for coffee.
