The opening of The Other Place Sports Grill & Pizzeria in Clive ranked with the debuts of Whole Foods and Twin Peaks for creating the summer‘s biggest buzz. Since this chain’s first store opened on College Hill in Cedar Falls in 1970, it’s become part of northern Iowa mythos with six restaurants there, plus a pair in the Kansas suburbs of Kansas City. College town pizzerias and sports bars seem to forge lifelong bonds with their fans. The Other Place’s Overland Park store in Kansas was a pioneer sports bar. The Clive restaurant is a modernized, swank version of that place, with little resemblance to the original place on The Hill.
Nostalgia is as powerful an attraction as cold beer. The Clive Other Place and its super sized parking lot were filled from the day it opened and crowds have grown since then. This store is state of the sports bar art with ubiquitous large, high definition flat screens and every major satellite sports package. The crowds I observed on weekend evenings were considerably more family-oriented than anything one sees in typical college town sports bars. That might be because the food was a stronger draw than the bar. Like the finest fresh & local restaurants in town, The Other Place proudly displayed the branded icons of its suppliers. These were not the same suppliers you will see on menus at Mojo’s, Sbrocco or Centro though. Heinz, Hormel, Jenni-O, Hidden Valley, Red Bull, Pepsi and Mountain Dew represent the aegis of quality here.
Basically, the kitchen specializes in two things – scratch fried foods and pizza. Their execution of the first genre was excellent by any standards. On two visits I never observed a single order of hand breaded fried foods that were darker than light golden. Onion rings were as light and crunchy as they come. Chicken tenders, fries, kettle chips, shrimp, Mozzarella sticks, mushrooms and pork tenderloins were pretty much faultless.
Pizza weren’t for everyone. Nearly “deep dish” in thickness, these yeasty pies included excellent sweet marinara and much cheese. All pizza specials were loaded with multiple ingredients, as many as five different meats. The crusts did have crisp bottoms but each piece included as much dough as many sandwiches. After two, I could only scrape off the toppings. Salads also included copious amounts of bread and cheese. Other Place subs were oven baked on similarly yeasty buns.
The menu included some compulsory sports bar foods that were neither deep fried nor baked in the pizza ovens – Buffalo wings, nachos, spinach dip, burgers, four kinds of pasta, and wraps. There were no potato skins – I know this because their absence from the menu provoked a wild tantrum in a nearby child.
Bottom line – The Other Place will surely become The Place for sports fans to watch UNI games in the future.
Speaking of other places, the Hy-Vee on East Euclid, also known as Hy-Vee #2, is a corporate legend. This is the store where future CEO’s have been sent to cut their teeth. If they can make it there, they’ll make it anywhere. In this store, one sees plain clothed cops patrolling and electronic shoplifting sensors at the entrances. It also hosts rather amazing wine dinners prepared by Dean Richardson, whose Phat Chefs restaurant ruled West Des Moines for a decade.
A recent event included an appetizer buffet, melon-blue cheese and arugula salad,
a tomba (tuna), fresh herbs & tomato bruschetta,
braised sirloin tips with fingerling potatoes in a wine and gravy reduction, and a choice of three cheesecakes. Thirteen different wines were poured. Several prizes, including a mini refrigerator, were raffled. The charge for everything was $10. Look for similar events monthly.
The Other Place
12401 University Ave., Clive, 225-9494
Sun. – Thurs. 11 a.m. – midnight, Fri. – Sat. 11 a.m. – 2 a.m.
Something old, something new
A significant anniversary and a long awaited opening hit the metro in late July. Age before beauty. George the Chili King (GCK) celebrated 60 years on Hickman Road with 1950’s costumes, hula hoops, vintage cars, the Split Second Band and car hop service. GCK is a genuine throwback likely having undergone as little remodeling as any place its age. George Karaidos’ employees tend to hang around for decades. The restaurant only counts its age from the day the Hickman store opened. Count the predecessors that Karaidos’ father founded and the business will turn 100 in eight years. That’s when George, 79, says he will finally retire.
What’s in the name? George’s dad won a “best chili” contest instigated by reporters from various downtown newspapers back when Des Moines had multiple daily papers and chili joints. He then changed the name of his business from Coney Island Lunch. That chili recipe has remained unchanged for nearly 100 years even as most American chilies began adding tomatoes and beans. I tried chili in a bowl, on a coney island and even on a hamburger. Just like 1952.
Whole Foods opened their first area store, in West Des Moines, with two marching bands and considerable hoopla. I received a press release 20 hours before the opening that said people were lining up outside, camping and tailgating. If so they were invisible until the next morning. That should not detract at all from the grandiosity of the occasion. The place was mobbed for days after opening.
Folks flocked to its 30,000 square feet stocked without a single artificial flavoring, preservative or trans fat. Some waited over half an hour in check out lines to purchase eight different kinds of sprouted cereals, three different kinds of “grind your own” nut butters, and $30 a pound Bomba Valencia rice.
The store brings some things to town. mainly volume of choice, that one can’t find at Gateway Market, New City Market or Campbell’s. Its seafood section was stocked with the freshest looking fish I’ve seen in town – bream and snapper had clear eyes while tuna, swordfish and wild salmon glistened. Oddly, the fish at the sushi bar did not look nearly as fresh. Strauss Veal, a Wisconsin product we have touted for years, was available, as was Strauss Lamb, something new to our ken. Grass fed beef came from S&C Ranch in Fort Atkinson, Iowa, and popcorn from an 18th century seed grown in Shellsburg that is “dense sterile,” meaning it can’t be cross pollinated by genetically modified plants.
Cheese selections weren’t as impressively local. Whole Foods stocked two kinds of Italian robiolas but none of Dairy Aire’s, the award winning Iowa robiola one finds at Cheese Shop of Des Moines. The olive bar had 20 choices but no lucques, the king of olives which are often sold at Gateway. No one was stirring pans on the hot buffet as film skimmed on the tops.
The salad bar selection was much better, including multiple kinds of quinoas, edamames and roasted peppers. Pizza were quite good and were sold by the slice. Pepperoni were the size of hockey pucks. Giant cupcakes appeared to be on organic steroids.
The city’s lone remaining daily paper headlined an editorial page column “Opening of Whole Foods shows D.M. has arrived.” If so, then we’ve arrived in “Portlandia” (a TV comedy about an Oregon subculture in which everyone flocks to the same trendy place convinced it makes them unique).
Side Dishes
The Triangle in Waukee has begun selling fried pies on Wednesdays, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., fresh fruit pies as well as savory ones like Philly cheese steak.
George the Chili King
5722 Hickman Rd., 277-9433
Sun. – Thurs. 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m., Fri. – Sat. 10:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Whole Foods
42nd and University Ave., West Des Moines, 343-2600
Daily 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
The menu included some compulsory sports bar foods that were neither deep fried nor baked in the pizza ovens – Buffalo wings, nachos, spinach dip, burgers, four kinds of pasta, and wraps. There were no potato skins – I know this because their absence from the menu provoked a wild tantrum in a nearby child.Bottom line – The Other Place will surely become The Place for sports fans to watch UNI games in the future.Speaking of other places, the Hy-Vee on East Euclid, also known as Hy-Vee #2, is a corporate legend. This is the store where future CEO’s have been sent to cut their teeth. If they can make it there, they’ll make it anywhere. In this store, one sees plain clothed cops patrolling and electronic shoplifting sensors at the entrances. It also hosts rather amazing wine dinners prepared by Dean Richardson, whose Phat Chefs restaurant ruled West Des Moines for a decade.
A recent event included an appetizer buffet, melon-blue cheese and arugula salad,
a tomba (tuna), fresh herbs & tomato bruschetta,
braised sirloin tips with fingerling potatoes in a wine and gravy reduction, and a choice of three cheesecakes. Thirteen different wines were poured. Several prizes, including a mini refrigerator, were raffled. The charge for everything was $10. Look for similar events monthly.The Other Place12401 University Ave., Clive, 225-9494Sun. – Thurs. 11 a.m. – midnight, Fri. – Sat. 11 a.m. – 2 a.m.Something old, something new
A significant anniversary and a long awaited opening hit the metro in late July. Age before beauty. George the Chili King (GCK) celebrated 60 years on Hickman Road with 1950’s costumes, hula hoops, vintage cars, the Split Second Band and car hop service. GCK is a genuine throwback likely having undergone as little remodeling as any place its age. George Karaidos’ employees tend to hang around for decades. The restaurant only counts its age from the day the Hickman store opened. Count the predecessors that Karaidos’ father founded and the business will turn 100 in eight years. That’s when George, 79, says he will finally retire.
Folks flocked to its 30,000 square feet stocked without a single artificial flavoring, preservative or trans fat. Some waited over half an hour in check out lines to purchase eight different kinds of sprouted cereals, three different kinds of “grind your own” nut butters, and $30 a pound Bomba Valencia rice.The store brings some things to town. mainly volume of choice, that one can’t find at Gateway Market, New City Market or Campbell’s. Its seafood section was stocked with the freshest looking fish I’ve seen in town – bream and snapper had clear eyes while tuna, swordfish and wild salmon glistened. Oddly, the fish at the sushi bar did not look nearly as fresh. Strauss Veal, a Wisconsin product we have touted for years, was available, as was Strauss Lamb, something new to our ken. Grass fed beef came from S&C Ranch in Fort Atkinson, Iowa, and popcorn from an 18th century seed grown in Shellsburg that is “dense sterile,” meaning it can’t be cross pollinated by genetically modified plants.Cheese selections weren’t as impressively local. Whole Foods stocked two kinds of Italian robiolas but none of Dairy Aire’s, the award winning Iowa robiola one finds at Cheese Shop of Des Moines. The olive bar had 20 choices but no lucques, the king of olives which are often sold at Gateway. No one was stirring pans on the hot buffet as film skimmed on the tops.
The salad bar selection was much better, including multiple kinds of quinoas, edamames and roasted peppers. Pizza were quite good and were sold by the slice. Pepperoni were the size of hockey pucks. Giant cupcakes appeared to be on organic steroids.
The city’s lone remaining daily paper headlined an editorial page column “Opening of Whole Foods shows D.M. has arrived.” If so, then we’ve arrived in “Portlandia” (a TV comedy about an Oregon subculture in which everyone flocks to the same trendy place convinced it makes them unique).Side DishesThe Triangle in Waukee has begun selling fried pies on Wednesdays, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., fresh fruit pies as well as savory ones like Philly cheese steak.George the Chili King5722 Hickman Rd., 277-9433Sun. – Thurs. 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m., Fri. – Sat. 10:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.Whole Foods42nd and University Ave., West Des Moines, 343-2600Daily 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
