Forks ready? John's Iowa food review for 2023
A look back at some of my favorite restaurant meals from river to river
What was hot in Iowa dining trends this year? For me, it was sizzling steaks, lip smacking birria and dazzling desserts.
Last week, I wrote a roundup of my favorite food adventures across the country. I received some great feedback (ha, get it?) from that column. Now it’s on to Iowa dining.
And what a great year it was during 2023. Iowa’s palate continues to diversify, as restaurants serving new dishes and experiences continued. Let’s get started.
Birria ramen at A Pinch of Love in Fort Dodge blends Mexican flavors with Asian noodles. (Photo by John Naughton.)
Hottest New Food Trend: Birria.
The most common version of this Mexican dish you’ll find in Iowa is beef slow cooked in a pot with lots of seasoned liquid until the meat falls apart. The beef is frequently placed in tacos. The liquid, known as consomme, is used to dip the tacos.
Imagine your grandmother slowly cooked a large roast with spicy seasonings. It’s similar to a South of the Border beef stew without the traditional vegetables.
Birria can be used in tacos, as a pizza topping, or in burritos. And then there’s the fusion dish: Birria Ramen, as served at A Pinch of Love Cafe in Fort Dodge. There are ramen noodles and beef served with the consomme, which has a soup-like texture. The chipotle spices are a great counterpart to the meat and noodles.
The filet at Ruth’s Chris ion West Des Moines is an outstanding cut of beef. (Photo by John Naughton.)
Hottest New Restaurant: Ruth’s Chris.
It took years for the steakhouse Ruth’s Chris to arrive in Iowa. But when the West Des Moines location announced it was the biggest restaurant in the national chain, things got serious.
I visited Ruth’s Chris in October and you can read my view here.
Is it worth spending, on average, $125 per person to enjoy a feast? Perhaps. I found the filet to be well-prepared, tender and full of flavor. Side dishes are deliciously decadent. Iowans are enjoying this restaurant that served up a lot of hype when it opened.
Delicious tamales (with rice) from Hot Tamale Catering were a welcome newcomer at the Downtown Farmers’ Market. (Photo by John Naughton.)
Hottest New Downtown Farmers Market Stand: Hot Tamale Catering.
Angie Ramos, the owner and main cook at Hot Tamale Catering, has long served the best tamales in Des Moines, in my view. She also prepares a fluffy rice that is the best I’ve eaten.
Ramos began serving her homemade tamales this past summer at the farmers market. They were a hit. The meat is tender and savory and rolled up in a delightful corn masa.
If you don’t want to have to wait until summer to taste Angie’s tamales, you can contact Hot Tamale at (515) 402-7167 or hottamalecateringia@gmail.com to order by the dozen. I refuse to accept responsibility if you become addicted.
The magnificent pork tenderloin sandwich with waffle fries at Chuckies food stand at the Iowa State Fair. (Photo by John Naughton.)
Hottest State Fair Sandwich: Chuckies Tenderloins.
The Iowa State Fair is always a great feeding frenzy to mChuckies’ pork tenderloin sandwich is sensational, especially when sided with crispy waffle fries. Meals are served out of a mobile trailer and the consistencyof the food is outstanding.
Hagar’s Hoagies was a welcome newcomer at the Fair. The former owners of Des Moines’ renown Manhattan Deli have a winner. The most popular item on the Fairgrounds was likely Peachy’s doughnuts, another new stand. (Side note, Peachy’s was even more popular at the Minnesota State Fair in late August and early September.)
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews offered a great birthday freebie in 2023: A burger loaded with bacon, with unlimited fries. (Photo by John Naughton.)
Hottest Birthday Freebie: Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews.
You may know I put a lot of effort into discovering birthday freebies, the annual specials restaurants offer to try to entice your loyalty and regular visits. I wrote about freebies in March.
One of my annual favorites is the free birthday burger from Red Robin. There are a lot of options, and I make sure to stop for the delicious burgers and bottomless steak fries.
From Red Robin’s website: A $4.99 minimum purchase is required to get your birthday burger. Why this isn’t a “freebie” completely, it’s definitely worth using your special reward for a nice meal.
Birdsall’s Ice Cream in Mason City offered a seasonal delight: A hot fudge sundae with mint chocolate chip and peppermint ice cream. (Photo by John Naughton.)
Hottest Ice Cream: Birdsall’s Ice Cream.
Birdsall’s was founded in 1931 and delivers some of the state’s best ice cream.
The Mason City spot has a huge menu. I recently had a hot fudge sundae with mint chocolate chip and peppermint ice cream served in a waffle bowl. Sensational.
The owners will be closed for the rest of January, but will reopen the shop in February.
I hope your eating adventures were great in 2023 and I wish your bellies a wonderful 2024.
You are making me go to Mason City come February for this ice cream dish at Birdsall’s! Nothing about going to Mason City in February for ice cream makes sense. But there I’ll be! You got me.