February 24, 2011

• Lepinja Quest: Proof x 3

  

  Bosnian cuisine can be as confusing as Bosnia & Herzegovina, a unique Balkan nation where ethnic identities are trumped by regional ones even though Herzegovina has no defined borders. In Des Moines, Bosnian restaurants have been unsettled and resourceful, like refugees of a diaspora: Jasmin Mrvoljak opened Saraj on Douglas then sold it to Fuada Aljic who moved it to West Des Moines; The superb Old Castle restaurant took over a Five & Diner and changed little, other than installing a dance floor and a walk-in rotisserie big enough to roast three sheep at the same time; Some of the best Bosnian food around comes from Ankeny’s California Pizza; Royal Grill built a reputation around exquisite cakes and pastries; Euro Bar converted an annex to one of the metro’s oldest motels into a pub that would fit right in to suburbs of Sarajevo. Sadly, Royal Grill and Old Castle have gone out of business and Euro Bar has been closed for remodeling. That prompted some readers to ask for guidance on their quests for cevapi, lepinja, lovacka snickla, and sampita.

  Kula Grill & Cafe moved into the old Heavenly Ham in Urbandale. Don’t expect to find any pork on the menu though. An L-shaped bar, an outdoor patio and a parking lot full of cigarette butts testified to its authenticity. A waiter said that the owners Mirsad Causevic and Ramiz Dogic previously ran Old Castle and that a serious rotisserie was being planned. For the time being though, gyros (chicken and beef) were pre made and pre sliced products reheated on the grill. He touted the lovaca snicla and I am quite grateful.

  

  A candidate for the ultimate chicken fried steak, this hand-tenderized beef loin was breaded and pan fried crisp and golden before being topped with an excellent mushroom demiglace. A second version (becka snicla) was seasoned with fresh lemon juice.

  

  Cevapi (sausages) made out of veal lacked the spiciness of those at Euro Bar but compensated with a generous side of (red) ajvar, a Turkish invention that substitutes a puree of red bell peppers, chilies and eggplant for its namesake (caviar). Cevapi were served on lepinja from California Pizza – ten beef sausages on a whole loaf of one of the world’s most challenging breads. Also known as “three rise bread,” lepinja differs from other Mediterranean flatbreads in its spongy, English muffin-like interior, the result of the dough’s three proofs, and/or a small dose of baking soda or baking powder. Many burger snobs think lepinja makes the world’s best burger bun. They don’t count calories, though. French fries and onion rings were not remarkable but tart cabbage salad,

  

  sampita (meringue topped sponge cake), and a marvelously creamy espresso were.

  Saraj Restaurant and Bakery moved into the old Phat Chef’s, handsome as ever with blond woodwork and modern furniture. Cabbage salad here included carrots and peppers.

  

  Greek style salads were covered in Feta. Cevapi were also on the mild side and served on similar bread to Kula‘s.

  

  Gyros excelled. Saraj also bakes excellent stuffed breads: burek (ground beef), sirnica (cheese) and zeljanica (spinach). Kebabs and racks of lamb enticed with their aromas while tahrana (tomato dumpling soup), janjece potkoljenice (braised lamb shanks, served only on Wednesdays) and homemade baklava cranked the kitchen up to the level of bargain fine dining, with nothing priced over $17. Grah (beef and beans), sarma (cabbage rolls), and goulash added hard to find comfort foods to the menu.

  Side Dishes

  Trostel’s Greenbriar began a Saturday dinner special that offers a “bottomless glass of wine” for $8… Hy-Vee Conference Center recently served fabulous micro greens from Organic Greens of Kalona, a fresh product consisting of fresh snow pea tendrils, sunflower greens, daikon greens, China rose radish micro greens, and red cabbage micro greens. Owner James Nisley said that Loffredo distributes his greens but mostly in the Quad Cities.

  Kula Grill & Cafe

  2819 100th St., Urbandale, 252-2884.

  Daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

  Saraj

  1300 50^th St., West Des Moines, 255-1133

  Tues. – Thurs. 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Fri. – Sat. 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

  Euro Bar & Grill

  7625 Hickman Rd., Urbandale, 334-4298

  Reopening soon

  • 1:07 pm
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