The Unparalleled Flotsam and Jetsam: Craving Cheeseburgers and Missing Deadlines Like a Boss

Seeta Lee

10 months ago

>>Say hello in the comments, please!<<

ICYMI: Our Random Wrap has a new name! Because this section is truly about what we’re all craving: Joy. Also, I was playing with the SEO Headline Analyzer, and as an English major and writer, that was way more fun for me than it should’ve been.

Apologies for being a few days late . . .

Timely Craving: Very Serious Food Holidays and News

9/18: National Cheeseburger Day: Apologies for not breaking down the deals. I wanted to get this out before I forgot. Again.
9/22: National Ice Cream Cone Day: I haven’t seen anything yet, but I think National Cheeseburger Day is dominating the headlines right now. Baskin Robbins did something last year, so I suspect we will see deals announced after Monday.
Keep an eye out for McDonald’s pumpkin and creme pies; they’re supposedly back . . . kinda.

Locally Craving the 515: For My Desmoinians

The Eggroll Ladies are doing their soft opening today in their new storefront!
Luddy’s Tavern is opening in Ankeny where Wheelhouse Pizzeria was. I do love the idea of another German cuisine place.
Anousone Coffee, who often partners with Creme for pop-ups, is going to be operating out of the Mickle Center soon. I don’t know if that means they’ll be more regularly available though.
Either/Or is open! They already have 46 reviews on Google Maps. That means I won’t be going for the first three months. It’s my personal rule for trying new places. Let the novelty wear off, and let the crew get their feet under them. I truly don’t think reviews should be allowed in the first two weeks at least.
This pizza list has me intrigued. However, can we please remember that deep dish is not Chicago-style?
I love that The Botanical Center is the choice here.
Lola’s is continuing their efforts at hot sauce world domination. I just wish the restaurant had survived.
Guadalajara in Altoona is moving next door to the old McDonald’s space, which they’ve renovated to look pretty damn nice. They’re also opening a location in Waukee next year.
Grimes (the city, not the musician)! You’re getting a Northern Lights Pizza! You’re getting all the things. It’s a little annoying. But this one is overdue.

And a casual restaurant review . . .

We tried chain winery and restaurant Cooper’s Hawk on Friday. Mini-story: My dad loves Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, and they used to have a location in Arlington Heights, Illinois. That closed several years back, and it was replaced by Cooper’s Hawk. So, Hubster and I pass it often. They also have a ton of other locations in the Chicago suburbs. Yet we’d never gone.

I’m not sure if it’s because this new Clive location is where Granite City was or what, but we decided to give it a try. We miss GC a lot.

Anyway, my thoughts on Cooper’s Hawk:

We ordered two alcoholic beverages, two entrées, and two desserts. With tip, it came to over $100. I won’t say exactly how much because Hubster doesn’t love when I get specific about money. And he’s paying for our life, so I’ll respect that. 😀
We LOVED the interior. It was clean, crisp, minimalist, and warm.
Service was solid.
The noise level was a little scary when we first entered. The walk-in wine tasting area is super freaking popular and busy AF. But the dining area was perfect.
The food was . . . OK. I think he liked his more than I liked mine.
- He had Keaton’s spaghetti and house-made meatballs with the wine pairing. No idea who Keaton is. The meal was a decent portion, and it had a little kick. Not a bad flavor overall, but it was on the sweet side. If you like Bolognese strictly savory, this might not be for you.
- I know nothing about wine, but I sampled his, and it was better than I expected. That said, if you like wine, Cooper’s is a must. Hubster overheard a server say they’re a winery first. That’s worrisome to me.
- I had a special grilled flat iron steak with roasted broccolini and potato wedges (basically). My first bite was way too oily and salty, but it evened out as I went. I ordered it medium. I’d say it was medium well. The potatoes were kinda bland but cooked to perfection.
- He had their chocolate cake, and he seemed to have mixed feelings about the quality of the cake, but the more he ate it, the more he was like, “Yeah, I think it’s fine.”
- I had another special for dessert: Caramel apple bread pudding. This thing had so much going on that it was overwhelming. No joke: “King’s Hawaiian Bread, Bourbon Toffee Mousse, Amarena Cherries, Praline Crumble, Vanilla Ice Cream.” I didn’t taste the bourbon, which was sad, but damn the praline crumble and Amarena cherries were outstanding together. It was also huge. I ate most of it. I liked it more than my entrée.
Was it worth what we paid? I guess in quantity, but I’d say not even close in quality. I’d prefer drop that amount of money at Centro or Big Steer. That said, I’d go back just to be in that space.
Apologies for the pic quality. I hadn’t planned on sharing these.