Foodie alert: You can eat at a Guy Fieri restaurant without leaving Iowa

The Council Bluffs eatery dazzles the eyes and palate

Iowa has had visits from celebrity chefs and authors. But did you know you can dine at a Guy Fieri restaurant here, too?

Guy Fieri’s Kitchen + Bar Express is nestled inside the Harrah’s Hotel and Casino (1 Harrah’s Boulevard, Council Bluffs). The chef, best known for the Food Network’s TV show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” has a reputation for being flashy.

He has an interest in about 17 restaurant brands covering hundreds of properties.

It’s Iowa dining with a Las Vegas flair.

The entrance to the Guy Fieri’s restaurant in Council Bluffs. (Photo by John Naughton.)

Perhaps you’re familiar with the TV show. Guy drives across the country, stopping in at informal restaurants where the locals — and informed travelers — sit at a booth, table or counter for tasty, filling meals.

Fieri also has developed his own brand of sauces and other kitchen products.

But if you want to get a seat at his only Iowa restaurant, you’re going to have to head for Harrah’s.

Guy Fieri is a Food Network star who has a passion for food. (Photo by John Naughton.)

Fieri is one of the flashiest celebrity chefs. And bringing a bit of Flavortown to Iowa is a fun experience.

The decor is fun and whimsical. Fieri’s image is all over, from the signage to the walls to the menu.

This is over the top dining, when it comes to Fieri in neon. But that’s part of the joy, right?

The food is hearty and filling. I ordered his take on a Reuben sandwich (for those who care, the legendary corned beef on rye concoction was developed across the river in Omaha, the story goes).