January 27, 2012
-
A “Мама и Nапа” in Urbandale
Irina’s Swagger
Holidays always seem to reveal something about the local restaurant business. This New Year’s Eve I ran into three of the city’s top chefs at Dahl’s on Ingersoll. All were scrambling for supplies because they shared a common problem – overbooked reservations. Like airlines, restaurants figure that a percentage won’t not show up. Just in case though, these chefs needed to overstock their kitchens. Every restaurateur I have talked with said New Years 2012 brought a perfect storm for business in town. It fell on a weekend, in lovely weather, at the height of the caucus frenzy. It even began with both Iowa and Iowa State playing bowl games.
For diners, Christmas Eve played famine to New Year’s feast. I fielded half a dozen inquiries about dining that night, particularly dining after 7:30 p.m. which is the cutoff for a few places (Noah’s, Chuck’s, etc.) that traditionally serve on that evening. Thanks to the miracle of social media, I learned that Irina’s was honoring their usual Saturday hours.
“Where else would we be on Christmas Eve? We spend so much time here that the restaurant is our real home,” explained Irina Khartchenko.
I first wrote about Irina’s when it opened in West Des Moines in 2007, labeling Khartchenko and partner Dmitri Iakoviev “the new Johnny and Kay (Compiano).” Upscale mom & pop restaurants were becoming extinct and this couple had defied that trend. Since then they moved their restaurant to an older neighborhood in Urbandale before their roof collapsed, closing them for six months. The entire place needed to be gutted and refinished before re-opening recently. Khartchenko’s decorating flair still leans toward Black Sea opulence, with spectacular flower arrangements, a fireplace and a back lit bar that changes colors like a Vegas stage show.
That bar deserves such attention. Dmitri collects rare vodkas like others collect wines. Besides the brand names of upscale martini bars, Irina’s carries many small batch imports, several exclusively.
One hand painted bottle wholesaled for more than $1000. Dmitri, Russian by birth, is open-minded enough to tout Polish, Ukraine and even Texan vodkas. plus a Japanese single malt Scotch. Vodka shots were served with pumpernickel and pickle. Beers included ten kinds of Baltika, Russia’s most popular beers. Daily happy hours (3 – 6 p.m.) delivered $2 well drinks and $3 Baltikas.
Appetizers were designed to pair with drinks. Wings, calamari and onion rings were hand made from scratch. Shrimp were served three ways,
mussels two ways,
and clams in a heavenly Chardonnay garlic butter.
Salads were Russia-sized, a steak salad included an entire sirloin steak and an egg.
The sensible menu offered just six pasta ($14 – $17) and six entrees ($16 – $21). Pasta dishes included mussels or cioppino with fettuccini in the aforementioned Chardonnay butter, as well as stroganoff with penne. Salmon was cooked a la Wellington, in a puff pastry with chevre.
Shashlik delivered a huge pork kebab with mixed vegetables and wild rice.
The star attraction was a lamb chop special that delivered six perfect bones on mashed potatoes with grilled vegetables plus a marvelous side of marinated carrot relish
and a special sauce.
Dmitri’s carrot cake is deservedly famous with rich cream cheese layered between moist crumb infused with two liquors, most obviously Grand Marnier, served on a plate dusted with cinnamon and accented with two carrot dollops built from a reduction of grated carrot and caramelized powdered sugar.
Bottom line. Irina’s is an old fashioned, scratch cooking restaurant with Black Sea style and mom & pop hospitality.
Irina’s
2301 Rocklyn Drive Urbandale, 331-0399,
http://www.irinasrestaurantandbar.comMon. – Sun.: 5 p.m. – 2 a.m., with Happy Hour 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. with $2 well drinks and $3 Baltikas.
Side Dishes
Dom Iannarelli, Don Hensley and Chuck Fuller lead an impressive lineup of chefs in the Annual Chili Cook-Off Benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Jan. 20 at Des Moines Golf & Country Club, $10… A.J.’s at Prairie Meadows is now open daily.
