Des Licious

These date-worthy dinner spots boast creative menus, stylish dining rooms and enough big(ish) city vibes to tempt you west tonight.

BY MEGAN BANNISTER

Bar Nico

428 E Locust St, Des Moines

515-243-0611, barnicodsm.com

Add a little spice to your supper with Bar Nico’s modern Mexican fare. This East Village eatery is a masa-forward restaurant, meaning the focus here is on heirloom corn varieties alongside heritage-bred meat and small vegetable plates. With a menu that changes seasonally, there’s always something new to discover at Bar Nico, though you can count on a few reliable favorites as well. Staples like Nico’s chips and salsa are perfect for sharing alongside rotating offerings like sweet corn esquites, grilled octopus and ahi tuna ceviche. Whether you’re grabbing tacos for yourself or sharing some small plate with the table, this popular spot serves up an incredible selection of tasty options.

Proudfoot & Bird

1000 Walnut St, Des Moines

515-957-2400, hotelfortdesmoines.com/dining/ proudfoot-bird

Located in the beautifully renovated Hotel Fort Des Moines, Proudfoot & Bird is a fine dining experience that truly looks the part. Named after the original architects of the hotel, the restaurant serves a touch of history through its ambience and eclectic cuisine. The historic space features classic touches from bygone decades, including marble staircases, intricate gold ceiling inlays and a dazzling circular bar. The menu reflects the restaurant’s commitment to the classics with oysters and wedge salads offered alongside premium filets, pork ribeyes, fresh fish and more. Proudfoot & Bird is also firmly rooted in Des Moines, with many local producers and growers providing the ingredients that end up on diners’ plates.

503 Tasting Lab + Tasting Room

503 E Locust St, Des Moines 515-412-1001, 503dsm.com

Fans of the former Clive favorite Table 128 won’t want to miss a visit to 503 Tasting Lab + Tasting Room in Des Moines’ East Village. Chef Lynn Pritchard, bar director Jake Humburg and their team have captured what so many regulars loved about Table 128 in a new cocktail bar concept. The menu

The bar also offers a selection of beer and wine, as well as a small menu of food items like a cheese plate, Brussels sprout salad and shrimp cocktail. Creative, contemporary cocktails are where 503 Tasting Lab really shines, though; custom bitters in flavors like mole, cedar, grapefruit and more add sophistication to the rotating cocktails you’ll find here. But don’t worry, you can still find staples like a strong Old-Fashioned or a Negroni.

Barbarian Restaurant

255 NW Sunrise Dr, Waukee, instagram.com/ barbarianrestaurant

Barbarian has quickly become one of the toughest reservations to nab in the Des Moines metro. Located in Waukee’s Kinship Brewing Co., this 32-seat restaurant serves high-end New Midwestern cuisine. You won’t find standard brewery fare here. The plating and presentation at Barbarian is much more akin to that of a fine dining experience.

Spearheaded by Chef Jacob Demars, the eatery will offer a constantly changing menu that prioritizes seasonality and zero-waste cooking. Artfully decorated plates that are almost too pretty to eat make up the restaurant’s six- and even sometimes 12-course tasting menus.

A meal at this sought-after spot will require some planning, though; the eatery only offers seatings on Sunday evenings, and reservations open up months in advance.

Mulberry Street Tavern

206 6th Ave, Des Moines 515-985-2066, suretyhotel.com/ mulberry-street-tavern

Imbibe in style with a meal at the Mulberry Street Tavern in downtown Des Moines’ Surety Hotel. Housed in the 1913 Midland Building, this historically renovated property embraces the building’s vintage charm in both its aesthetic and menu items. The building originally housed the Iowa Loan & Trust Company, and design elements nodding to this banking history can be found throughout the space. Rich wood paneling, plush velvet seating and low, romantic lighting set the tone for this cool and comfy restaurant. Mulberry’s menu features rich dishes like French onion soup and mulberry pie alongside creative twists on popular dishes like bacon-wrapped dates, cauliflower steak and Skuna Bay salmon. Visiting on a weekend? Mulberry Street

Tavern is also a buzzy brunch spot for locals and hotel guests alike.

Parlor

4041 Urbandale Ave, Des Moines, 515-274-1293 parlordsm.com

Parlor isn’t your typical pizza joint. At this Beaverdale neighborhood haunt, you’ll find a large selection of beers on tap alongside seriously delectable Detroit-style pizza. With a thick, focaccia-style crust, these hefty pies are baked in a pan to give them a satisfyingly crispy crust. Parlor’s variety of mouth-watering toppings make the pizzas unlike anything else you’ll find locally. Not in the mood for a slice? Parlor also serves a variety of sandwiches, salads, grilled entrees and a delectable dessert or two. This is a popular spot, so expect a busy dining room that doesn’t overshadow the relaxed vibe of this neighborhood eatery.

The Cave DSM

1437 Walnut St, Des Moines 515-244-3061 thecavedsm.square.site

From the outside, The Cave looks like any other unassuming brick building in Des Moines’ Western Gateway. But inside this cozy bottle shop and wine bar, you’ll find not only an impressive collection of natural wines but also a warm, inviting atmosphere like no other. While natural wines have been having their moment the past few years, the definition of what it means to sample a “natural wine” can vary. At The Cave, all of the shop’s wines are naturally fermented without manipulation in the fields or by the winery (think additives, pesticides, filtering and more). As you sip, snack on a selection of the bar’s food items from freshly baked baguettes to perfectly savory olives and Marcona almonds. If you find a wine variety you like, The Cave is also a bottle shop, so you can easily stock up to enjoy your newfound favorite at home.

Wyse Guy

Sitting down with online food influencer and cookbook author Kaleb Wyse.

BY MADELYN ORTON

Kaleb Wyse has made his Mt. Pleasant kitchen, garden and farm internet famous.

The third-generation baker, cook, gardener and canner spends his days creating content full-time for a following of over 300,000 across social media platforms, as well as an email newsletter and website, wyseguide.com.

Short-form videos are Wyse’s specialty, and typically show him preparing a new recipe, offering how-to gardening tips or walking you through the renovation process for his farmhouse. No matter what the topic of the day may be, Wyse’s enthusiastic, joyful personality manages to cut through cacophony as you scroll through Instagram or TikTok.

How did you get started as a digital creator? I obviously have a yard, and I knew I was always going to be working in it! It was around the time of blogs being really popular, but I was feeling trapped in the feeling of a blog. I also felt that video was a much better way to get my content across, and being on camera always felt very natural to me.

I started in 2013, but it wasn’t until 2019 that I really felt like I knew what I was doing and how to express it. At first, my following was just a few thousand, and I was discouraged by not growing fast enough. I wanted to prove that I could exist in this space and do this.

I took some time off in 2019, but I never gave up my commitment. I started to mimic what I thought people needed. I found that using the story feature felt more informal and allowed for a more personal connection, so I started to create much more casual-style videos. Facebook was the first to take off. During the pandemic, I think people were really interested in farming and having space and being outdoors. From there, it became a snowball effect. As I got more and more comfortable sharing and explaining, I just got more excited and my followers grew!

Where do you find inspiration for your recipes? I find inspiration from seasonal ingredients, and since I want my content to be relatable, I try to use what people can find in the grocery store. I also have a sense of nostalgia surrounding food, so I want the food to be recognizable for people, just with more flavor and freshness!

What challenges do you face as a digital creator? Social media is constantly changing, and it’s truly a mental game every day to be, and stay, relevant on social media. I am confident in what I’m doing, yet still trolls and outside pressure can be tough to handle. It’s important to get over the things that don’t matter, and I definitely will not let them ruin my day, but it can be a challenge. It’s all about managing the mental game.

How do you plan your content? I place high emphasis on the story feature and I try to form content around a question. I also have seasonal planning and typically post three videos a week. Reels are seasonal, and I try to stay two to three weeks ahead, except for holidays which I plan out far in advance.

What is something you didn’t expect to learn or gain as you developed the Wyse

Olive Oil Zucchini Cake

For the cake:

2 large eggs

1 cup white granulated sugar

⅔ cup olive oil

¼ cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp almond extract

1 tbsp orange zest

2 cups shredded zucchini

2 ½ cup allpurpose flour

½ tsp salt

¾ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

For the glaze:

½ cup sifted powdered sugar

1-2 tbsp orange juice

½ tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a nineinch round cake pan, fit parchment in the bottom, grease the parchment and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Whisk in the sugar until the mixture becomes slightly thick and pale yellow, 2-3 minutes. Add the olive oil, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, almond extract and orange zest. Whisk to combine and fold in the shredded zucchini.

Guide? I didn’t expect to learn how to teach and relay information to others. Presenting and teaching happened naturally, but I wasn’t intending to do this. I have learned how to present and teach to people.

Are people surprised when they find out you live in Iowa? Yes. However, I find that there are lots of people with connections to Iowa. Urban followers are often shocked to find out I’m located in Iowa!

What’s next from Wyse Guide? Where do you hope the Wyse Guide goes? I have a cookbook coming out, and I am also working on a holiday guide. I love that I am in control of what I do, and I am very selective about changing that course. It’s all in-house, and everything is photographed in-house. Someday it may become bigger, but for now, it gives me creative control and I love that aspect.

What is one piece of advice you’d give to folks who want to garden/produce their own food? Always start with the food that excites you! Don’t try to do everything at once. Gardening is a privilege, but it’s also work, too.

What are your top three recipes? Oh, this is so hard! My top three recipes have to be pork with squash with apples, beef and noodles, and raspberry crumb bars. I also love my butterscotch pie recipe.

Next, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Use the whisk to combine gently, allowing the wet and dry ingredients to fall through the tines of the whisk until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the batter until even on top. Place in the preheated oven and bake until the top is golden and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean, 50-60 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and set it on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Once slightly cooled, remove the cake from the pan and allow it to cool completely.

Prepare the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, orange juice and vanilla extract until smooth. Add more orange juice to thin or more powdered sugar to thicken. Slowly pour over the cooled cake and spread evenly on top. Slice and serve.