In response to an earlier question about Lebanese restaurants in Cedar Rapids, Peachie reports there is one but the food is bland and over priced. I would not call the Lebanese food here bland. While the average Iowan wouldn't have any idea what lebnah, moutabal, or babaganoush is, if the menu had descriptions and pictures I think there are plenty willing to take the plunge.
Twenty years ago I volunteered for Dukakis. His office was, appropriately, next to the Vernon Inn - Cedar Rapids' Greek restaurant. I ate at the Vernon Inn many times and liked the food. Then a Coe grad moved to Chicago and when I'd visit we'd go to the Greek area of Chicago. The food was very different. As I have returned to the Vernon Inn I realized that they simply toned down the Greek flavors.
Why, I ask you, WHY?
I don't know but it is a good question! The Mexican restaurants are the same way. If you go to San Antonio, everything is MUCH spicier. Whereas in Iowa, I would always need to ask for EXTRA spice, in San Antonio I found myself asking occasionally to have the spice toned down a bit.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I would add that I found Pei's Mandarin restaurant to have quite a bit of spice (or maybe I asked for more - it's been a while!). I do remember having lunch there with you one time and consuming a gallon of water because of something we ate!
Yeah, Pei's used to be great. Then they went buffet style and now they are as western as Mickey D's.
ReplyDeleteI thought of using the Mexican restaurants as an example in my post but I think everyone knows Taco Bell doesn't really represent a run for the border. I agree that the Mexican food I've had in San Antonio and Corpus Christi are very different from Iowa... I simply can't understand why we can't have both: Real Mexican food and American Basteredized Mexican food.
I think there's a market for both.
Seriously? They went buffet-style? It's been a while since I've been there obviously.
ReplyDeleteFor Mexican food I was more thinking of Carlos O'Kelly's and Gringo's. Both of which I liked fine - and then we moved to Texas and I discovered how much I liked REAL Tex-Mex. But, I still like both of those restaurants. Is Gringo's going to be able to re-open by the way? I just got sick when I saw footage of it under all that water... We had just been there the year before and had smothered chicken - still my favorite dish and one I have tried to do myself. The last time I tried, I was pretty close!
Gringos reopened... surprisingly, the water only affected the lowest part of the restaurant. How the water went as far up as Mercy yet only flooded a small part of Gringos is hard to grasp.
ReplyDeleteI think most ethnic restaurants assume people in places like Iowa won't like the food if it is too spicey or too true to the culture. My daughter and her friends like Hacienda Las Glorias for Mexican. I find their food kind of boring. I loved it when they first opened on the west side.....but it is just blah now. And I wish we could ind a decent Chinese restaurant here. They all taste the same. A new 'upscale' (and pricey) Chinese restaurant has opened out in the far NE side, but I haven't been there yet. Our Indian and Thai food is pretty good, and they will spice it as much as you want. I haven't been to the Vietnamese place, tho.
ReplyDeleteIn more culturally diverse cities (i.e., in Texas, Arizona, etc.), I think the food tends to be more authentic because there are a wider variety of people eating it.
If you want good Czech food, Zindrick's is top notch. Their Sunday buffet is fan-freakin'-tastic!! We went there after Coe graduation a few years ago, and the place was packed. I think they have reopened since being flooded.
ReplyDelete