Food & Wine
Biaggi's in West Des Moines, Iowa
On the first real spring day we dined at this popular Italian style restaurant which is part of a growing chain of mid-priced eateries (Biaggi's).
Biaggi's in West Des Moines, Iowa
On the first real spring day we dined at this popular Italian style restaurant which is part of a growing chain of mid-priced eateries (Biaggi's).
We had a reservation and were promptly seated. Many drop-ins were disappointed because the place was jam packed, a good sign in the generally down 2009 economy.
Our waiter, Joel, was well trained, courteous, and had also cooked so he understood the dishes more than any other server we've had. His recommendations were good.
The mussels were perfect and done "old school" without the crap that some chefs try to dump on this delicate dish (like BACON!). However, the mountain of bread underneath was unnecessary and left an unsightly disaster area after the mussels were consumed. In Iowa (no, in the US) there is a tendency to give people HUGE portions, so they feel they are getting their money's worth. That's ok but people who order mussels know what a dozen is and are thrilled if they taste as good as the ones we were served.
The filet special was cooked to perfection and had an elaborate presentation. The garlic mashed were great. The eggplant parmegiano was terrific a 4.5 out of 5 (and we test this dish at every Italian restaurant).
The Farfalle Alfredo was al dente and nicely sauced. This is not a pretentious restaurant, so aside from the filet, there was minimal presentation but generous portions and enough for a take-home box.
The Sangiovese di Romagna, 2004, Le More was terrific. Estate bottled. Soil: Muddy, clay marl. Fermentation and maturation are done in stainless steel tanks. This wine represents the core of the "Sangiovese di Romagna" wines whose main characteristics are fruitiness, and freshness. It was pleasant, lively and well balanced; a long-lasting and fruity taste, well matched with the bouquet. It had a clean and clearly defined bouquet, with a little scent of raspberry and other concentrated berries. Our waiter was very kind to serve this nice wine in great glasses maybe Riedel or Spiegelau glass, but we forgot to ask! In any case the delicate glass made the wine slide effortlessly from glass to lips, palate, and then beyond. It's rare to have nice glasses and we will no longer drink wine at one restaurant that has decided to serve wine in what look to be former marmalade glasses. "Lip wrestling" with a wine glass only works with a $3.00 bottle of "radiator fluid" wine. A good bottle cannot be enjoyed without a great glass.
The desserts were yummy and abundant. Sue's Chocolate Chip Banana Paradiso was beautifully designed and the combination of chocolate and banana complemented the Drambuie extravagantly. Chef Leiendecker was very kind to come to our table and proved to be a very intelligent and creative master of food with good "creative muscles."
Biaggi's is good and worth one or more trips. If you want a little more quiet come towards the end of the evening when the crowds have thinned and then move to the pleasant bar for your after dinner drink. For a reservation call 515-221-9900.
