Food is a source of comfort. That’s why we incorporate it into so many events. We use food to smooth over the awkwardness of first dates or meeting our partners’ families for the first time. To celebrate birthdays, graduations, new babies and marriages. To mourn the losses of loved ones, relationships and jobs. To lull […]
LV Recommends
Posted inFood & Drink
The Takeaway: IC newbie Bollywood Grill earns its place in the local scene
Growing up in Iowa in the ’80s and ’90s, a time when the restaurant landscape was dominated by corporate chains, I didn’t have much exposure to food from other parts of the world. I tried Indian food for the first when I was in my teens and I still remember it being a transporting experience. […]
Posted inFood & Drink
The Takeaway: Dunn Brothers Coffee in Coralville gets the small things right
The Takeaway is a restaurant review series from Tiffani Green focused on the saving grace for foodies during a pandemic: takeout and delivery. Coffee shops are my natural habitat. I came of age and figured out who I was in coffee shops. I seek them out on every vacation. I have built entire friendships out […]
Posted inFood & Drink
The Takeaway: Tabooleh is a great Mediterranean takeout option
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 […]
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
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 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 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 […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Put your money where your mouth is: Black-owned restaurants in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids area
The Eastern Iowa area is blessed to be home to a plethora of businesses owned and operated by black chefs and entrepreneurs. We’ve sung their praises in these pages before, but we haven’t covered them all yet—something that we aim to rectify in coming issues. In celebration of our black community, we’ll be focusing on […]
Posted inFood & Drink
LV Recommends: La Bendición Pupuseria & Restaurante
La Bendición Pupuseria & Restaurante, a family-owned business serving food from El Salvador, opened at the turn of the new year. You can find it in the strip mall at the corner of 1st Avenue and 2nd Street in Coralville, the same building that houses the likes of Chez Grace, Global Market and the late great Nile Ethiopian Restaurant.
Posted inFood & Drink
LV Recommends: Vivian’s Soul Food
In honor of Galentine’s Day, and to cheer us up in the face of bitter cold temperatures, my daughter Isabelle and I headed to Vivian’s Soul Food for dinner. I had been once before, and was impressed with the amazing food and the warmth and attentiveness of their staff, so I was excited to check out their new space and expanded menu.
Posted inFood & Drink
Have a snack of aphrodisiacs this Valentine’s Day
As any Iowan can attest, Midwestern winters are long and bleak. After the merriness of Christmas subsides and the glitter of New Year’s fades, we are left with a damp gray-brown slog that can extend all the way until April. Add to that the emotional slog of an election year and it becomes doubly important to find an enjoyable way to fill the time.
