Foodie 515: Des Moines Restaurant News, 12/11/23

Welcome to Foodie 515, where you can find delicious Des Moines, Iowa food news!

You won’t miss any news if you subscribe!

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you opt to purchase something after clicking a link, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Des Moines Openings, Closings, and Such

• Now Open
  • Scornovacca’s has a new location in Urbandale.
    • That puts them at five metro locations if you count their bakery (and I do). Their other locations include the original, Altoona, and Waukee.
    • Am I the only one who thinks they’ve been super stealthy about this expansion? Isn’t it also strange that I’ve never been to any of them?
      • That reminds me of a recent Reddit thread. Check that out in the Recs section below.
• Coming Soon
  • I don’t know anything about Ta’Chido Cantina except that it’s opening downtown.
  • Monarca Paletas is opening a second location. This one will be in Waukee.
  • A new food truck named Taco Meza is or will be out there somewhere.
  • Another pop-up in Kitchen Spaces called Everything Beef’s passed their inspection. I love that name, by the way.
  • A home bakery named Lulu’s Delicacies passed their inspection.
  • KPOT, a hot pot chain, is opening a location in the Jordan Creek mess. While we do already have hot pot, it’s nice to see more of it popping up, even if it’s a chain. (Via Wini Moranville)
  • Basic Bird will open for limited service in December and fully in January. Their little bird logo could not get cuter! Tripp fam, sell all the merch!
  • Cinnaholic, like most chains, is opening a location in Ankeny. That’s their second in the metro. (Via Wini Moranville)
  • Raising Cane’s is opening a location in DSM proper on the Southside.
  • Popeye’s in Ankeny passed their inspection, which means it should open soon. Will Ankeny soon hit their chicken max?
• Moving
  • Curbin’ Cuisine is moving to Ankeny, and their Beaverdale location is for sale. Thanks to Reddit for this tip. I have some thoughts on this one in the WTF, Des Moines section below.
• Expanding
  • Trailside Tap in Ankeny is getting bigger on the inside (and the outside).
  • Did Plain Talk Books and Coffee expand? Did this happen forever ago? Did they not expand, and I’m just imagining it? Someone help me here.

Please support my chai habit and this blog!

Recs! Recs! Recs!

• It’s not food, but a delicious read from an Iowa-based author is The Fastest Way to Fall by Denise Williams! I wanted to consume this book in one sitting, but I paced myself, and I’m glad I did. It was one of my favorite reads of the year. Gimme Wes and B forever!
• I’ve not been to Chain and Spoke yet (friggin’ parking), but I love this 12-Days Passport they’re selling! Creative food-and-drink pairings are severely underutilized outside of wineries.
• Did you know the famous Fairy Tale Cotton Candy is a Des Moines-area business? It’s a part of Chocolate Storybook in West Des Moines, which has been in business since 1985. I mention them because, for the second year in a row, I bought a custom pack of cotton candy for the fam’s stocking stuffers. It was a hit last year, so I’m making it a tradition. Granted, they’re actually too big for some of the stockings, but who cares?
• Speaking of chocolate, my friend Canadian Chocoholic shared tips for buying sustainable, high-quality chocolate, and I’m going into 2024 with this energy. After I learned this bit about Hershey’s, I realized I’d been ignoring my dislike of certain flavors in chocolate.
• I’d love your thoughts on this Reddit thread! If you’re on Reddit, please comment there. If not, please comment below!
• I’m bringing back the Black-Owned Business List, and I’d love your help! Please see the link!
• If you have a place you want me to feature, hit me up!

---

WTF, Des Moines?

• Kinship’s saga continues
  • Two weeks ago, they announced they were partnering with two food trucks. But now, they’ve announced that their closing the taproom until May. Does that mean their dog park is still open? Does that put the food trucks out? Are they still hosting private parties? Mind you, there’s no update on whether their former employees have been paid. I just have so many questions.
  • Here’s an interesting take on the whole thing.
• Curbin’ Cuisine’s unnecessary drama
  • When Curbin’ Cuisine’s owners announced they were moving to Ankeny, some folks did not take the news well, as demonstrated in the comments. Putting aside that this is Facebook, so drama is a given, it’s a tough situation. It’s understandable that the owners got frustrated with what they dubbed “negative” comments. However, it’s also understandable that some folks in Beaverdale are displeased. Plus, I don’t know a lot of people who feel positively toward Ankeny, and that includes people who live there. I deeply hope Curbin’ succeeds in Ankeny, but I’m also quite sad to see another local place leave DSM for the land of Beige and Mama Bears.
• Whiskey River loves the worst kind of Cheetos
  • Ankeny recently hosted a Trump rally with The Orange Nightmare himself giving a speech. Do with that information what you will.
  • Personally, I’ve wanted nothing to do with Whiskey River for some time. When they opened on Ingersoll, I thought their big-ass neon sign was hideous. Then, they had a shooting at their bar, and the owner blamed it on Des Moines. The owner’s exact words were: “It’s not worth us coming to Des Moines or being anywhere near Des Moines since they can’t control the violence. I’m out of there and I’ll go to back to my peaceful areas.” By “peaceful areas,” he means Ankeny. I find that laughable because, at the time, Ankeny had just had bomb threats and several abducted kids. Meanwhile, Noah’s Ark and Thai Flavors have never had violence issues.
  • Add Wannabe Dictator to Whiskey River’s dossier, and I couldn’t be less interested.
• Vague Snark
  • Does anyone else experience schadenfreude when a restaurant (owner) you dislike has more inspection violations than most? Or is that just me? No, I’m not naming them.

---