February 1, 2011
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Isla Cozumel & Plaza Acapulco Come to Des Moines
Demand for corn flour tortillas grew steadily last decade nearly everywhere except their Mexican birthplace where they have been in decline since price supports were lifted in 1999. They are now the second most popular bakery food in the US, trailing only sliced bread. Kellogg’s, Nabisco and Pepperidge Farm have joined the highly competitive tortilla market. Staying a few steps ahead of them, Gruma, the world’s largest corn tortilla maker, opened plants in China and Japan last year. In greater Des Moines, two new Mexican restaurants opened this month in rather foreign locations: Isla Cozumel (IC) took over the former Mama Lacona’s, an iconic Italian restaurant in Urbandale; Plaza Acapulco (PA) debuted in a building best known as the home of Kim Anh, one of the pioneer Vietnamese restaurants in Iowa. Both places appear to be following a time tested plan for successful Mexican restaurants in Central Iowa – give customers long menus and lots of food for very little money. With corn prices hitting record highs, is that still a viable plan? After visiting both places, the short is yes, for now.
The two restaurants had more in common than names of famous resorts. Both places loaned me a menu that rivaled “The Great Gatsby” in word count while introducing far more subjects. Both offered a number of dishes (burritos, flautas) that employed flour tortillas instead of corn. Both included breakfasts served anytime, lots of fajitas and seafood offerings, plus soups, salads, desserts, vegetarian menus, lunch specials, and dinner combo platters.
Five dollar lunch plates and $8 dinner combos were rife.
Despite all the similarities, the two places differed dramatically. IC retains much of the considerable charming ambiance of its predecessor – wall murals, large red leather booths, fireplace seating, music. It also added some Caribbean touches – Tiki-like thatch overhangs on an old bar and also on a second new bar, and a new mural with a Mexican subject. No one at IC addressed me as “amigo,” but everyone was genuinely friendly, quite well informed and helpful. I was directed to take advantage of specials that saved money. Substitutions and extra salsa were forthcoming without attitude or surcharge.
In contrast, I felt like an intruder at PA even though I was addressed as “amigo.” On one visit, I was asked three times “Is everything good?” but when I asked if I could have some salsa verde, the answer was simply “No.” When I suggested that a menu item was not as described on the menu, the response was “yes,” period. The only music there was playing in the kitchen. Furniture was less comfortable and even napkins were rationed.
Food was bargain priced, at both places – a little cheaper at PA. My IC carnitas were as good as that braised pork dish gets. Tacos were as generous with meat as they could possibly be, with all other accompaniments served on the side. IC’s chile rellenos were served with processed American cheese that oozed from a stem-on poblano like salty liquid. My PA dishes employed harder cheeses. PA’s Monday only “pollo con crema” brought back fond memories on my middle school cafeteria’s creamed chicken. Contemporary corn economics had one side effect: An order of corn tortillas cost half again more than an order of flour tortillas at IC.
Isla Cozumel
2743 86th St., 331-7675
Mon. – Thurs. 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Fri – Sat. 11 a.m. – 10:30 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Plaza Acapulco
1537 Sixth Ave., 243-4746
Daily 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Side Dishes
Des Moines’ 26th annual French chef exchange with L’Association des Cuisiniers de la Loire culminates with three dinners prepared by French chefs Gilbert Grandsire and Didier Lassaigne at the Iowa Culinary Institute January 25-27, $125 per person ($50 is tax-deductible). Reservations 964-6655… Hy-Vee Conference Center is preparing to host at least 2000 people for The Chocolate Breakfast January 28.
Comments (1)
Great job Jim.
Thanks for sharing such an amazing blog. Keep up writing.
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