Like many during this pandemic, my boyfriend and I have a lot of time on our hands and are spending 90 percent of it at home. One way we’ve been breaking up the sameness of every day is by ordering takeout and delivery from restaurants we always meant to try but for some reason never […]
Food & Drink
Posted inFood & Drink
LV Recommends: Crab Attack Cajun Seafood
Opening a seafood restaurant in a landlocked Midwestern state in the midst of an unpredictable pandemic sounds like a near mythical feat. But that’s exactly what the owners of Crab Attack Cajun Seafood did, and with delicious results. Owners Stephanie Johnson, Nichole Davis and Gerald Seals wanted to bring something different to Cedar Rapids. Johnson […]
Posted inCommunity/News
National Czech & Slovak Museum hosting virtual cooking classes featuring traditional Czech foods
Aspiring chefs have a chance this Saturday to join a cooking class from the comfort of their own homes hosted by the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML). Saturday’s cooking class will teach attendees how to make traditional Czech open-faced sandwiches. The class is one of five offered from Chef Tom Slepicka, who […]
Posted inBook Reviews
Book Review: ‘Iowa Supper Clubs’ by Megan Bannister
One never knows when the inspiration for an unforgettable road trip might happen. But you will most likely experience many of those unignorable “let’s go right now” moments while you read Iowa Supper Clubs, released in August 2020 from The History Press. Megan Bannister adds the historical flavor to these iconic Midwest restaurants with her debut […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Booze and boos: Local beer to pair with your favorite horror movie
Haunted by a fridge full of boring beer? Creep over to the store and pick up an Iowa brew to pair with your favorite horror subgenre. Supernatural Horror The Exorcist (1973), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Ringu (1998), The Babadook (2014) Drink: Electric Banshee American Stout (ReUnion Brewery, Coralville) Electric Banshee is a pleasant, […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Recipe: Iowa Pork Fries
No matter what you call it (pork fries, cowboy caviar, Rocky Mountain oysters, prairie oysters), or how you prepare it (broiled, smoked, fried, accompanied with a variety of sauce options), at the end of the day, you’re eating a testicle. Rocky Mountain oysters were one of the first “exotic” foods I tried. I was 14 […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Wilson’s Orchard evolves their image with a focus on new crops, sustainability
Since Wilson’s Apple Orchard first opened to the public 35 years ago, the visitor experience has been centered around exactly what you would expect: apples. Over the last four decades, thousands of visitors have journeyed to the orchard in autumn to pick apples, sip apple cider slushies, eat apple turnovers and buy Wilson’s merch featuring […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Barbecue to the rescue: Willie Fairley plans to feed derecho victims ‘until everyone’s back on their feet’
Willie Fairley’s phone has not stopped ringing. Fairley told Little Village he’s gotten calls from “all over the world” letting him know they appreciate the work he’s doing and asking how they can support him. Fairley, owner of Willie Ray’s Q Shack in Cedar Rapids, has been making hundreds of free meals for people impacted […]
Posted inCOVID-19
Reynolds: Bars in Johnson and Linn County must shut down due to COVID-19 spike
Downtown Iowa City bars that saw dozens of college-age patrons line up outside their doors just days ago must close up by 5 p.m. this Thursday, by order of the governor. In a new proclamation of disaster emergency Gov. Kim Reynolds signed on Thursday morning, the state is requiring “bars, taverns, wineries, breweries, distilleries, night […]
Posted inFood & Drink
LV Recommends: E’s Gluten Free Bakery
Maybe I’m not the best person to review a gluten-free bakery. My body does not seem to have an adverse reaction to gluten. I have not suffered countless loaves of bread that taste like cardboard boxes. I haven’t choked down gritty, hard-as-rocks cookies in pretend enjoyment. But maybe because I haven’t tasted exactly how terrible […]
Posted inCommunity/News
El Banditos is moving in with Billy’s High Hat Diner
Iowa City’s Northside Neighborhood has seen a number of changes recently, from the establishment of a temporary mini pedestrian mall to the debut of a racial justice-focused mural on the side of the new Market House building on North Linn Street. On Wednesday, a Northside business announced another big change. Mexican restaurant El Banditos is […]
Posted inFood & Drink
LV Recommends: Rodney’s Jamaican Jerk & BBQ
There is a mystique to food truck dining that’s difficult to describe. If you’re a food truck fan, you know what I mean. It’s an adventure, a quick stop for lunch more satisfying than fast food. Often messy to eat, food truck fare brings us together in the dark after an evening with friends or […]
