Susan StapletonDes Moines Register
Des Moines has its share of excellent food available from fancy dishes at upscale restaurants to comfort food favorites and everything in between. While our guide to theessential restaurantscan set you in the right direction, sometimes you just need to rediscover an old favorite restaurant, ortry something new. Here, find out about the best dishes we ate in April across the Des Moines metro.
More: The 5 best dishes we ate in Des Moines in January, from Japanese pancakes to pollo chori
Related: The 5 best dishes we ate in Des Moines in February, from spiedini to ramen
More good food: The 5 best dishes we ate in Des Moines in March, from almond croissants to lomo saltado
A memorable salmon dish
Cajun salmon, $24: I’ve been on a salmon kick lately, mainly due to a great piece of fish I had earlier in April. This version is blackened Nordic salmon served with risotto on the side and a heavenly spicy cream sauce. I could not put my fork down, it’s that good. Everything melds together in a creamy bite of umami. Hands down, this is the best salmon I’ve eaten in Des Moines.
Get it: The Stuffed Olive moved around the corner to 216 Court Ave. in Des Moines. The space is bigger, sexier and somehow keeps getting better with a patio and brunch on the way. It feels like a big-city cocktail lounge. I can picture Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda ordering cosmopolitans here. Do make a reservation; this place gets packed, and deservedly so. Bonus: The martinis.
A healthy grain bowl
Mediterranean bowl, $20: Sometimes you want to eat something that feels healthy, and this divine bowl did the trick, with plenty leftover for lunch the next day. The roasted vegetables, the coucous and the Milton Creamery quark cheese just melt together, and the Kalamata olives give it a savory and salty kick. I love the falafel with it, too, and you can take a little creamy bite followed with the crispy, nutty falafel. You can order it with tandoori chicken for an additional $9 or tandoori tofu for $5 more.
Get it: We were doing a photo shoot at HoQtail, the new cocktail lounge Suman Hoque opened next to HoQ in the East Village when I ordered this dish. Do go to the cocktail lounge; every cocktail is paired with a bite, and it’s the best thing to happen on the cocktail scene in Des Moines so far this year. And Hoque is a farm-to-table pioneer in this city. Just wait until you see what he has happening next with his breakfast burritos and sauces. You can find HoQ at 303 E. Fifth St., Des Moines.
More: Meet HoQtail, the new cocktail lounge in the East Village, where drinks come with a bite
Steak for a good price
Steak frites, $19: This one came as a surprise. I expected to be playing mini golf or duckpin bowling and instead ended up with a lovely steak frites dish. This filet comes with roasted garlic and shallot compound butter. I ordered mine with Parmesan truffle fries, and it was lovely. I mean, for $19, you cannot go wrong.
Get it: You are probably going to be shocked; I ate this at Putts & Pins, the new mini golf and duckpin bowling venue in West Des Moines, just north of Jordan Creek Town Center. I’d say if you want to have a fun happy hour with friends or work pals, this is a must-stop. On Ladies Night ("when the feeling's right." I could not help myself) on Wednesdays starting at 6 p.m., you can get the steak frites for $12.99, as well as $10 cocktails and seltzer specials. Find it at 6920 EP True Parkway, Suite 105, West Des Moines.
More: High-tech indoor mini golf, duckpin bowling restaurant opens in West Des Moines
The whole potato
Potato gnocchi, $16: This dish is something I could eat every day. My waistline probably wouldn’t like it, my doctor would kill me, but my taste buds would thank me every day. Maybe it’s the pretty potato lace tuile covering the dish. Maybe it’s the truffle beurre monté I want on every morsel of gnocchi. Maybe it’s the crispy kale. Maybe it’s because the whole potato is used for this dish. Go ahead and order two to make it a meal. Pinky swear you will not be disappointed.
Get it: It would be a lie to say that Oak Park isn’t my favorite new restaurant in Des Moines. I still want to write a piece about how to order an affordable meal at the restaurant, but I will save that for another time. But for now, slide into the bar, let bar manager Richard May suggest a cocktail, or ask wine director Sam Tuttle to recommend a glass of wine, and order the gnocchi. Find it at 3901 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines.
A savory hand pie
Hand pies, $15: I honestly didn’t know what to think when this duo of hand pies came out. Inside, a savory chickpea shakshuka awaited with a lemon tahini yogurt underneath for swirling on every bite. This was another dish I did not want to share. No crumbs!
Get it: The new Wilson’s Orchard in Cumming has Ciderhouse Restaurant inside, and it is a treasure. Right now, the restaurant is keeping the menu small as waves of diners come in, but expect sandwiches and entrees, as well as a brunch coming soon. Again, a reservation is a good idea. Find it at 3201 15th Ave. in Cumming.
More: Ciderhouse Restaurant brings Neapolitan pizzas and farm-to-table dishes to Wilson's Orchard
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Have a dish she should try? You can reach out to her onFacebook,Twitter, orInstagram, or drop her a line atsstapleton@gannett.com.