Well, I don't usually extol the virtues of restaurants on the pages of the Gotmead forum, and I certainly don't have much to speak glowingly about from most of what I've found in restaurants in small towns throughout the Midwest, but I have to make an exception in one particular case. As many of you know, I've been working for the past several months on a field assignment at the University of Iowa, in Iowa City. For most of you, I suspect that this is merely a place that you blow past on your way to somewhere else while trying to forget about how much time you're wasting as you traverse I-80. I'd like to give you a reason to stop in Iowa the next time that you are passing through.
If you have the time and the inclination to seek out fine cuisine in the middle of the heartland, I encourage you to have a meal at the Chef's Table in Iowa City. The proprietor and executive chef of the establishment, Eric McDowell, is one of the most gifted culinary artists that I have had the pleasure of meeting, and I say that not only because he was willing to prepare a multi-course meal specifically configured to accompany my meads (although, admittedly that did have something to do with it!
), but also he is wonderfully adept at marrying the techniques of classic French cooking, with with the incorporation of native North American game, and with the ability to take advantage of seasonally available local ingredients, to execute a gastronomique tour de force the likes of which I have not encountered outside of the finest establishments in the largest cities here in North America. This guy is truly passionate about food, and great at what he does with it. Here's a link to his website: http://www.chefstableiowacity.com/index.html
But truly the words and pictures don't come close to doing justice to the place. If you have the opportunity, I encourage you to check it out. If you are a fan of classic French cooking (with some creative new spins on traditional methods thrown in just to keep your interest piqued) you will not be disappointed. Their wine cellar isn't too shabby, either, although they are still notably lacking in mead selections - I'm currently working on that.
And if anyone is interested in what foods he paired with the mead selections that I brought out here for the occasion, PM me and I'll tell you all about them! ;D
If you have the time and the inclination to seek out fine cuisine in the middle of the heartland, I encourage you to have a meal at the Chef's Table in Iowa City. The proprietor and executive chef of the establishment, Eric McDowell, is one of the most gifted culinary artists that I have had the pleasure of meeting, and I say that not only because he was willing to prepare a multi-course meal specifically configured to accompany my meads (although, admittedly that did have something to do with it!
), but also he is wonderfully adept at marrying the techniques of classic French cooking, with with the incorporation of native North American game, and with the ability to take advantage of seasonally available local ingredients, to execute a gastronomique tour de force the likes of which I have not encountered outside of the finest establishments in the largest cities here in North America. This guy is truly passionate about food, and great at what he does with it. Here's a link to his website: http://www.chefstableiowacity.com/index.htmlBut truly the words and pictures don't come close to doing justice to the place. If you have the opportunity, I encourage you to check it out. If you are a fan of classic French cooking (with some creative new spins on traditional methods thrown in just to keep your interest piqued) you will not be disappointed. Their wine cellar isn't too shabby, either, although they are still notably lacking in mead selections - I'm currently working on that.
And if anyone is interested in what foods he paired with the mead selections that I brought out here for the occasion, PM me and I'll tell you all about them! ;D
;D )
