Maharishi U

How did a small city in rural Iowa come to host a university founded by a world-famous yogi?

The answer is simple. In 1974, Fairfield had a campus without a college, and Maharishi International University was a college without a campus.

Parsons College, a small, liberal arts school, was founded in Fairfield in 1875. After 90 years of educating students, problems began piling up for Parsons. The college lost its accreditation in the mid-1960s, enrollment plunged, debts mounted. In 1973, Parsons declared bankruptcy and closed its doors for good. Those doors reopened a year later for a very different school.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi first became well-known for developing Transcendental Meditation, which he began teaching in India in the mid-’50s. A little over a decade later, his fame skyrocketed when members of the Beatles and the Beach Boys sought his guidance.

In collaboration with some of his California-based followers, the Maharishi created a new center of higher learning in 1971 that implemented his consciousness-based education philosophy. MIU’s first home was in an apartment complex near Santa Barbara, but the new university quickly began to outgrow that location. A campus that could accommodate growth was needed. One was available in Iowa.

In 1974, MIU bought the old Parsons campus for $2.5 million and has been a part of Fairfield ever since.

—Paul Brennan

Hungry Camel

121 W Broadway Ave facebook.com/hungrycamel1

I took a solo trip in the afternoon to Hungry Camel, a six-table establishment with its entrance in an alley, adjacent to a municipal parking lot. The casual restaurant is one of the only lunch options open on the weekends, but I went a little after opening and was able to find a seat.

On the recommendation of staff, I had a Shalafel Pita, which includes both chicken shawarma and falafel in a housemade pita. The cinnamon came through nicely on the chicken, and the sandwich had a warm, nutty flavor from the falafel and hummus. The thinly sliced cabbage slaw, diced tomato and cucumber added a good crunch. There were also complimentary cups of Turkish coffee and apple tea, appreciated by all on such a cold day.

Broth Lab 641

102 N 2nd St, brothlab641.com

Across the street from Hungry Camel, tucked in a small home with a covered patio, is Broth Lab, boasting an impeccably curated menu of beers, ciders, cocktails, mocktails, wine and sake. The interior is bright and cheery with blue, pink and yellow stripes along the walls.

There are some snacks/appetizers to order; we tried the chili lime peanuts, enjoying a handful with dinner and crunching on the rest on the road back to Iowa City. The menu includes some handheld foods (bahn mi, bao and the Broth Lab Burrito), but we went with bowls. I had the No. 4: aros noodles coated in a miso ginger sauce and topped with chicken karaage, garlic chili eggplant, Szechuan broccolini, fried okra and kimchi. It was a charmer, as was Matt’s No. 3, a cashew milk paitan with Tokyo wavy noodle, braised mushrooms, citrus-sesame kale, pickled red onion and crispy tofu.

There’s a build-your-own bowl option for those who want to personalize. Both the signature bowls and BYO bowls include plenty of mix-and-match vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free broths, sauces, noodles (or rice), toppings and proteins, so it’s a great spot for folks with dietary restrictions. Meat and fish proteins are also available.

Alex and Rob usually build their own bowls and recommend the pork belly and tofu, along with fried cauliflower and okra for appetizers. Broth Lab 641 has never served them a dish they didn’t like, they emphasized.

Des Moines and Iowa City may eventually get Broth Labs of their own, as their website features a “Coming Soon!” for both cities. I can’t wait!

Bountiful Bakery

303 S Main St, bountifulbakery.cafe Bountiful Bakery is so nice, we actually went twice. On Saturday, we bought pastries for an after-dinner dessert, and we returned for a Sunday breakfast.

The cinnamon croissant with cream cheese icing went over well; the classic flavor combination makes for an unexpected but pleasant croissant. Our second item was a Cruffin (croissant dough in a vertical muffin format) with a Guinness chocolate filling. Delectable.

The coffee shop is located on the first floor of an old house with plenty of seating inside and a spacious side deck. On Sunday, we ordered brewed coffee, Matt had a hearty poppy seed bagel with cream cheese, and I opted for a silky four-cheese quiche—a decadent start to my last day in town.