As an annoyingly inquisitive child with parents who encouraged critical thinking, I struggled to believe in God. We still went to church on Church holidays, though — not out of a sense of obligation, but out of an appreciation of ritual. The multisensory stimulations of Catholic mass enchanted and mystified me, with the silk and […]
Courtenay Bouvier
Posted inBread & Butter Dining Guide
Recipe: Puttanesca sauce to inspire passion
You may have heard about pasta puttanesca, or “whore’s pasta,” as it is so problematically translated, with its legendary history as a bordello staple that served as both aphrodisiac and restorative. The truth is that no one knows precisely why puttanesca is so named, just like no one knows exactly how factual any folktale is. […]
Posted inFood & Drink
LV Recommends: Rodina
Now is the time of year for comfort food. As I write this, Iowa City schools face their eighth snow day of the year, my driveway is impassable and the bright red boots I bought to infuse winter with a little joy are stained with salt and dirt. I take infinite solace in eating from […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
An Anthony Bourdain tribute dinner brings together St. Burch Tavern’s chef and IWP writers
Bourdain died by suicide on June 8 of this year, leaving us — his restaurant kin, writers, travelers, chefs and eaters — to celebrate him, and to continue to celebrate other cultures, with our own meals, travels and words. It is in this celebratory vein that Gabe Branch, chef de cuisine at St. Burch Tavern, will collaborate with four writers from the University of Iowa International Writing Program for a Parts Unknown tribute dinner, part of the lineup for this year’s Witching Hour festival.
Posted inFood & Drink
LV Recommends: Szechuan House
Maybe you were terrified, as I was, for those few weeks this summer when Szechuan House was suddenly closed, with no warning. How could we gird ourselves against the upcoming Iowa winter with none of the now-familiar comfort of our favorite delicacies? With what would we fend off fall’s hangovers if not with the delivery of spicy and sour garlic chicken? What on earth would we do?
Posted inFood & Drink
Farm Cycle 2018 continues the Rad Tour tradition
If the weekend forecast is accurate, this Sunday, September 16, will be a perfect day for a late-summer bike ride. Conveniently, Iowa City Bike Library Director Audrey Wiedemeier has already coordinated the local bicycling and culinary event of the season, Farm Cycle — formerly known as RadTour.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Dumpling Darling, Banh Mi Amore take home Top Chef: Downtown 2018 top savory honors
Sponsored by the Iowa City Downtown District, the eighth annual Top Chef: Downtown event sold out quickly once again, packing the Hotel Vetro on Feb. 26 with revelers who relished food and drink from 24 Iowa City food and drink establishments. This year, there was balanced representation from food trucks, higher-end restaurants and smaller, more casual eateries, offering a spectrum of gustatory delights and creative cocktails.
Posted inFood & Drink
Iowa City RadTour heads out Sunday, Sept. 10 for 43 miles of culinary delight
Iowa City Rad Tour convenes at New Pioneer Co-Op — Sunday, Sept. 10 at 9 a.m. This year’s Iowa City RadTour, formerly known as the Iowa City Culinary Ride, will welcome riders Sunday, Sept. 10 for a 43-mile ride around area farms, featuring local chefs cooking even-more-local produce. RadTour promotes the local-food movement and celebrates […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Mother Lovers Ride takes bicyclists on a gastronomical tour of Cedar Rapids May 14
On Sunday, May 14, RadTour LLC will host the Cedar Rapids RadTour Bike Ride (formerly known as Culinary Ride), a 52-mile bicycle tour and celebration of farms, food and fermentation.
Posted inDining Recommendations, Food & Drink
LV Recommends: Caucho
Tacos are perfect, no matter what form they take: Whether hard shell or soft, spicy or mild, meaty or vegetarian, a taco’s deliciousness and convenience are peerless. I’d argue that, like sex, even a bad taco is still pretty damned good.
A margarita, on the other hand, is easy to ruin. Too often, the flavor of tequila is barely discernible in the too-sweet tang of frozen sour mix, and the whole thing amounts to nothing more than a mediocre Slurpee. A middling margarita can dull the shine of even the most stellar taco.
This is part of why Caucho is such a gem: Their margaritas are perfection. Whether delivered as a mixed-from-scratch top-shelf cocktail rimmed with smoked paprika salt, or as a frozen, blended house margarita straight from a machine, the drink combines perfectly with their fresh, farm-to-table, eclectic selection of Mexican favorites.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Top Chef: Downtown Iowa City wows the crowd at Hotel Vetro
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] More than 350 foodies and bons vivants indulged in succulent fare and creative cocktails from 24 area bars, cafes and restaurants at Monday night, Feb. 27’s seventh annual Top Chef: Downtown event, hosted by the Iowa City Downtown District at the Hotel Vetro. Attendees sampled an array of tasty treats, most of which highlighted […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Kitchen witches: The Women on Fire weave culinary magic
On Monday, Sept. 26, Pullman Bar & Diner hosted Women on Fire, touted as a “farm-to-table dining experience designed and executed by local female chefs, growers, organizers and mixologists.” The event featured five courses of locally-sourced food, with beverage pairings, exclusively prepared by female artists and artisans from Pullman and Clinton Street Social Club. Also, […]
