Top 4: He Ate/She Ate

Continuing our birthday celebration with another Top 4 list. Please find the Top 4 list from HE and SHE below:

HE and I are eaters, and we are readers.  Those two factors, along with the many dining options our fair city has to offer, made our HE ATE/SHE ATE column so much fun to write.  We’d like to think our posts represent a nice little cross-section of what Des Moines truly serves up to food-folk like us. So we’ve happily chosen a few reviews to repost in the spirit of celebrating DMINB’s fourth birthday.

1. He Ate/She Ate: Americana Restaurant & Lounge  First up is our brunch review of Americana. Still one of the best deals in town, Americana has started dedicating one brunch a month to a worthy local non-profit. The combination of philanthropy and food makes us proud – and hungry. Saturday August 4^th, brunch at Americana will support Anawim Housing, a community leader in providing affordable homes to DSM families. Go. Eat. And feel good about it.

He Ate They have Flamin Hot Cheetos. At the bloody mary bar. Say no more.

She Ate 

There aren’t very many brunch places in the metro that provide an all-you-can-eat option, and even fewer who offer all-you-can-drink. I’m a fan of both concepts. 

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2. He Ate/She Ate: Centro  For our second selection, we went with Centro. An anchor of the Western Gateway and the flagship of Orchestrate Management (ok, enough boat metaphors), Centro remains one of – if not THE – best example of how to run a restaurant right in a city like Des Moines. From menu options, to service, to atmosphere, Centro just gets us. And the feeling is still mutual.

He Ate

What can you say about Centro that has not already been said? Quality food and ingredients prepared in a casual yet precise fashion? Check. 

She Ate 

It’s the holidays. We are all running around like crazy people, trying to finalize our never-ending to-do lists. There are holiday parties to attend, cookies to bake, gifts for undeserving family members that must be wrapped.

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3. He Ate/She Ate: Skip’s  In the third spot, we have Skip’s. Because we fancy ourselves restaurant critics, we wanted to repost a restaurant that we actually criticized. In many ways, the Des Moines restaurant scene has changed leaps and bounds in the last few years. And in other ways, it will never change.

He Ate

This post is longer than most, so apologies up front. I need to get something off my chest.

I want to make it clear that I am using Skip’s as a metaphor. As a basic restaurant that has been around for decades, Skip’s is a reliable place to find mediocre food, a warm atmosphere, and dreadful table service (the bartender, on the other hand, was just fine.)

She Ate

HE let me know ahead of time that He would be using up a good deal of my word count… so I’ll keep my review brief.

Skip’s Restaurant is a Southside institution – and as a born-and-raised Southsider, I was almost ashamed to admit I had never eaten there.

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4. He Ate/She Ate: Proof  Last up, Proof. As Restaurant Week again approaches (August 17-26), we want to remind DSMers that this week-long foodapalooza provides ample opportunity to enjoy the finest and funnest eateries in town. From brunch to lunch, to dinner and dessert – get out there Des Moines! There are deals and meals to be had! So eat, drink, and be awesome.

She Ate

I look forward to Restaurant Week all year. When the menus are posted, I pour over them, hungrily deciding exactly where to go and when.

He Ate 

SHE gave you the restaurant week rundown, so I’ll just dive in here with what was on the plate, in the glass, and served as almost every restaurant in this town does, without a tray.

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“HE” and “SHE” sincerely want to express our thanks to Pete and the DMINB team for letting us chronicle our dining adventures in 2011. Maybe – if we ever find a babysitter – we can fill in as guest bloggers.  Cheers to desmoinesisNOTboring.com!  Wishing you a very happy birthday …and many more!!