He Ate/She Ate: Court Ave. Brewery

He Ate

Indecision’s on where to eat come up often at our house. Des Moines has lots of culinary options, but only one in the excellent category of each cuisine. However, the cuisine where Des Moines excels (or rather, has the most currently in business) is Pub Food, and Court Avenue obviously boasts the high-density mark.

Like I said, we’re indecisive, and often with a toddler. Therefore we aim for the restaurant that can not only handle a 2-year old throwing food everywhere, but one that has lots of menu options. And beer. Lots of good beer. We end up at Court Avenue Brewing Company quite a bit.

Let’s start with the beer. Of all the Iowa craft brewers, CABCO is second to none. The only other brewery that comes close to their right balance of flavor, hops and body is Peace Tree, but I’ve never been lucky enough to actually drink their beer from a tap, so the freshness is off. My standby is CABCO’s White Ale, and they are doing some amazing things with the cask ales. A few visits ago I sampled their blend that is brewed in old Templeton Rye barrels, and let me tell you, I had a very difficult time stopping at four glasses.

So for artfully crafted hometown beer, there is no better venue. I wish I could say the same about their food. The indecision we feel when choosing a restaurant is brought about by our inability to decide what our mouths are salivating for. I feel the same way when I look over the CABCO menu. Nearly everything on it sounds appealing, but nothing ever jumps out at me. It’s not that the menu is uninspired; it’s rather interesting for a Brew Pub menu. The problem is that when the beer is so good, I really need something of the same caliber to go with it. After tasting over 50% of their menu, it’s rare that I find something that I would order again.

The burger is good. The steaks are good. The jambalaya is good. The prime rib sandwich is good. The pizzas are good. The only thing that ever stands out to me that I would not expect is the vegetarian burrito – it kills El Bait Shop’s. In fact, I’d put it up there as one of the top 3 burritos in Des Moines, vegetarian or not (after Cuatro and El Patio). The appetizers bore me, and the fish in chips pales in comparison with The Royal Mile. The service, on the other hand, is typically outstanding, with servers and bartenders who know the beer and food menu inside out and can make recommendations without blinking an eye. I love that.

CABCO is one of the most inspired and intriguing breweries I’ve ever been to. I want to slap anyone who orders a Bud Light; the fact that they even have to carry it is a testament to how our culinary world still has one foot in the dark ages.

She Ate 

Because there are only so many snack options at Monkey Joe’s, HE and me decided to take our two year old out to dinner last week at a place that (legally) serves alcoholic refreshments. We were not alone in this endeavor. Two of our couple-friends brought their children as well. Were it not for the wonderful waitstaff at Court Avenue Brewing, we would have been tragically outnumbered. They were also able to accommodate us with a large semi-private table. The table, directly positioned in front of the plate glass window facing Court Ave, gave others a chance to get a glimpse at urban parents in their natural habitat. Note the all-terrain jogging strollers, and ingenious use of baby slings…

Dinner wasn’t all about the kids, however, it was also about the brews. CABCo is a topnotch microbrewery, with an always revolving selection of casks and seasonals, along with several delicious staples…and a never-evolving menu of pub food. From pizza and sandwiches, to spring rolls and jambalaya, they do a lot. But they don’t do any one thing particularly well; unless of course it’s made with malt and hops. I face the same two quandaries every time I go to CabCo.  Which beer should I order first? And what meal will I settle for? Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t characterize any of it as bad. Everything I’ve ever eaten there tastes fine. But nothing ever jumps off the page at me…or the plate for that matter.

I started with the Belgian White – crisp, delicious, and refreshing – not easy considering the temp was roughly 120 degrees that day. For dinner I went with the Spinzaa, a pizza with spinach and grilled chicken over an artichoke sauce. The pizza was eerily reminiscent of something I ate once at an Okoboji Bar and Grill (an experience that, until biting into the Spinzaa, I had thankfully managed to block out of my memory).  HE and I frequently switch dishes  midway through the meal. Usually it’s because we are both eager to sample some variety. Sometimes it’s because one of us can’t make it through our own entrée. Unfortunately for the Spinzaa it was the latter. Although, the Ragin’ Cajun HE ordered didn’t quite hit the spot either.

Overall, this was a fairly successful outing for all the fams involved. I think the little ones would even agree – no one bit, hit, barfed, or tantrumed.  But the foodie in me wasn’t very satisfied. Luckily, CabCo sells growlers…a super-sized sippy cup for the grown-ups.