LV Recommends Archives - Page 9 of 15

Eat like your favorite 2020 candidate

by Emma McClatcheyJan 24, 2020Jan 24, 2020

Due to an influx of aspiring presidents every four years, many classic Iowa foods have been imbued with politics, from Iowa State Fair pork on a stick to Hamburg Inn pie shakes — even ranch! But Iowa has more to offer than the Midwest staples consumed on-camera by candidates pandering to the nation’s first caucusers. As White House

Food & Drink

LV Recommends: Get Fresh Cafe, Iowa City

by Helaina ThompsonOct 3, 2019Oct 9, 2019

Food is imperative to a dining experience, of course, but in my opinion, it’s the windows that really define an eating establishment. Hear me out: When a ray of sunshine enters through a pane of glass and accentuates the dramatic peaks and valleys of a scoop of curry chicken salad? *kisses fingertips* Perfection.

Food & Drink

LV Recommends: Laos Cafe

by Anjali HuynhSep 5, 2019Sep 4, 2026

Iowa has long suffered from a chronic lack of traditional Asian cuisine. With an overabundance of greasy Panda Express-like food and subpar California rolls, it’s difficult to find a restaurant delectable enough to satisfy the palates of true Asian food enthusiasts. However, a game-changer resides in an unsuspecting building on the fringes of

Food & Drink

LV Recommends: Edith Lucielle’s Bait Shack and Wing Depot

by Jessica CarneyAug 16, 2019Aug 14, 2019

With the casual diner aesthetics, you might assume every menu item would be served to you directly from the fryer (where it arrived straight from the freezer), but Edith Lucielle’s serves a wide variety of homemade dishes, including homemade tenderloins—something I had never heard of, even as a lifelong Iowan—and homemade tiramisu.

Food & Drink

LV Recommends: Morning Glory CSA Food Truck

by Helaina ThompsonJul 30, 2019Jul 29, 2019

“Why do farmers farm, given their economic adversities on top of the many frustrations and difficulties normal to farming?” I sit in the air conditioning, scrolling through my photos of the Morning Glory CSA food truck, and I think of this question by farmer and writer Wendell Berry.

Food & Drink

LV Recommends: Avanti Foods

by Clarissa KlostermannJun 20, 2019Jun 18, 2019

For over a decade, Avanti Foods has had a presence in Chauncey Swan Ramp for the Iowa City Farmers Market, ready to go by 7 a.m. on Saturdays with a cooler full of over 30 assorted cheeses. The Avanti booth is always well-stocked with staples — mozzarella, Havarti (try the dill, green olive or jalapeño varieties) and various cheddars and Monterey Jack cheeses.

Food & Drink

LV Recommends: Sing-A-Long Bar & Grill

by Helaina ThompsonJun 5, 2019Jun 4, 2019

The Sing-A-Long Bar is a comfort food pub at the crossing of Highway 1 and Mount Vernon’s main street. A 1910 player piano is the first thing you see when you walk in. On busy evenings, pub-goers gather around the piano as rolls of paper dotted with little holes tell the piano what notes to play. Patrons can pick a roll from the shelf

Food & Drink

LV Recommends: Mexico Lindo

by K. Michael MooreMay 17, 2019May 14, 2019

Let’s face an inarguable reality: Iowa City has a lot of Mexican restaurants, most of them very good Mexican restaurants. This article is intended in no way to disparage any of them, but rather to put them on notice. There’s a new kid in town, and this kid — Mexico Lindo (1857 Lower Muscatine Rd, Iowa City) — has come both to stay and to play.

Food & Drink

LV Recommends: Goosetown Cafe

by Zach BergMay 1, 2019May 6, 2019

Does Iowa City really need another breakfast and brunch restaurant? If it’s as diverse in flavor and subtly inventive as Goosetown Cafe, then yes. What I’ve found after repeated trips to the brunch, lunch and dinner spot that opened in Iowa City’s Northside nearly a year ago is a place that’s hugely confident, a trait not many newer restaurants have. That confidence shows in a menu and a design with contrasting characteristics, but held together by quality.

Food & Drink

LV Recommends: LP Street Food

by Jessica CarneyApr 5, 2019Apr 17, 2019

Though it opened in 2018, LP Street Food looks like it easily could’ve been in its location for 50 years. It fits seamlessly into the ever-expanding Kingston Village neighborhood just west of downtown Cedar Rapids, and the look is more cozy and lived-in than brand new. That fits well with the food, which is as messy as it is tasty.