News! (Kirkwood Lounge, Bacon Fest, Chef Groben)
The question of the day around my brain is this: What the heck is going on at Locally Grown? Has focus been un-focused? What happened to all the updates and pissing-off of other people who mint words attempting to describe what the food world feels like from the standpoint of the old “hand in the bag” what’s that object trick? Here is a partial answer/cop/out: I am busy. I have been busy working a few jobs (because as crazy as it may seem I don’t make a living from being a non-anonymous interweb scribe), and the new job effectively fills almost all of the hours previously allocated to entertaining you, my Faithful Tens of readers. What is going to be done about this problem? More coffee, less television, and less laying around on the couch. This is my pledge to you.
So many subjects have been flying past my eyes…so many things to snark at. So many laughable happenings which would undoubtedly tickle your morose funny bone. Today, though, we start with baby steps. Yes, another edition of Locally Grown News. Or as I like to call it: something to write about instead of being creative.
The Kirkwood Lounge Will Be Opening In The Next Few Days
Yes, according to my sources (which for this blurb is the Craigslist Help Wanted Ads), we are about to be clobbered by a new-to-the-DMZ concept, the Gastro Pub. The Kirkwood Lounge, occupying the former Azalea space at 400 Walnut Street, will be the first restaurant to officially claim the moniker “Gastro Pub.” (Note: a Gastro Pub is a bar/meeting house which generally carries a wide beer selection, a chef-driven drinks menu, and a chef-driven bar food menu which includes twists on bar and comfort food classics. It is meant as a hang out spot with excellent food and drinks) Chef Sean Wilson has a new simplified menu of classed-up bar foods, which is indicative of the GP concept, along with a drinks menu, beer, and wine. The new concept is a much more casual venture than Azalea, but the inclusion of Wilson should assure diners and loungers that the food quality will be at a similar level. Contact the restaurant to inquire about the actual opening date, I do not have that information right now.
Blue Ribbon Bacon Fest Kicks Off Next Week
The Universe’s Ultimate Ode to Bacon, Blue Ribbon Bacon Fest is set to kick off next week, including a number of events such as Bacon Taco Happy Hour on Monday, Bacon Elegance Dinner on Wednesday, and the Big Daddy,http://www.blueribbonbaconfestival.com/blog/ Bacon Fest on Saturday. Click on the links for more information (the Bacon Taco Happy Hour features Tacopocalypse Tacos made by me, your humble cook)
Carly Groben Of Proof/Flour Up For Best New Chef Award
Carly Groben of Proof and Four restaurants has been nominated for Food and Wine Magazine’s “People’s Best New Chef, Midwest” award. I encourage you to vote for Ms. Groben, and so does F&W (one of the qualifiers for voting is that you have dined at the restaurant of the chef you have chosen). Read through the blurbs for each chef, there are some real characters up for the win, but there is only one character from Our Fair City nominated and I expect you to support the local scene and give her your vote. I already cast mine.
Cityview Best Of Awards Gala and Announcement Next Week
Weekly free-press Newsertainment mag Cityview conducts a yearly reader poll to recognize what the people of the DMZ have deemed as the Best Of Des Moines. The time has come for the results of this year’s poll to be un-sheathed and weilded mightily around the personal spaces of the general public. The Gala (invite only, you have to be named in the top three runners for a category to attend) will be held Tuesday night, with the following day seeing the release of the printed poll results to you, the reader. I am proud to say that a certain restaurant in which I cook has been nominated for no less than seven awards, and that I will be at the Gala. I will take notes and share the experience with the tens of you reading this blog.
Tens, I hope that you continue being patient with this here alleged writer and cooking machine. I have many reading pleasure units for your faces, just need to find the time to get it all out in the open.
Hugs,
The Cook
A (very) short poll-post
[Stay with me people, I have been so wrapped up in worrying about Jack Bauer that my collumn has suffered!]
I am giving serious thought to this “SkyMazeGraze” idea.
How many of you out there would be interested in an educated guide to Skywalk Cuisine?
This is a real question to which I expect tens of answers. Seriously, leave me a comment, give me some motivation to ‘get up in there’ and show you the Skywalk’s stuff.
Here’s a fun game for you to do while you ponder whether or not this Cook should eat his way around the Maze for your benefit. I like to call this the Tour De Pizza. See how many places on the skywalk you can hit for one slice of pizza in one lunch break. It is a fun game.
And seriously, I want some answers.
Stay tuned for my ‘coverage’ of last week’s Cityview awards and the upcoming Beloved Blue Ribbon Baconfest (an event which sold out in 25 minutes. Paul McCartney didn’t even sell that fast last time in town.).
The Cook
Locally Grown 
Filed under: Local Food Commentary | Tags: bacon fest, Blue Ribbon, Carly Groben, Cityview, Food & Wine Magazing, tacos
The question of the day around my brain is this: What the heck is going on at Locally Grown? Has focus been un-focused? What happened to all the updates and pissing-off of other people who mint words attempting to describe what the food world feels like from the standpoint of the old “hand in the bag” what’s that object trick? Here is a partial answer/cop/out: I am busy. I have been busy working a few jobs (because as crazy as it may seem I don’t make a living from being a non-anonymous interweb scribe), and the new job effectively fills almost all of the hours previously allocated to entertaining you, my Faithful Tens of readers. What is going to be done about this problem? More coffee, less television, and less laying around on the couch. This is my pledge to you.
So many subjects have been flying past my eyes…so many things to snark at. So many laughable happenings which would undoubtedly tickle your morose funny bone. Today, though, we start with baby steps. Yes, another edition of Locally Grown News. Or as I like to call it: something to write about instead of being creative.
The Kirkwood Lounge Will Be Opening In The Next Few Days
Yes, according to my sources (which for this blurb is the Craigslist Help Wanted Ads), we are about to be clobbered by a new-to-the-DMZ concept, the Gastro Pub. The Kirkwood Lounge, occupying the former Azalea space at 400 Walnut Street, will be the first restaurant to officially claim the moniker “Gastro Pub.” (Note: a Gastro Pub is a bar/meeting house which generally carries a wide beer selection, a chef-driven drinks menu, and a chef-driven bar food menu which includes twists on bar and comfort food classics. It is meant as a hang out spot with excellent food and drinks) Chef Sean Wilson has a new simplified menu of classed-up bar foods, which is indicative of the GP concept, along with a drinks menu, beer, and wine. The new concept is a much more casual venture than Azalea, but the inclusion of Wilson should assure diners and loungers that the food quality will be at a similar level. Contact the restaurant to inquire about the actual opening date, I do not have that information right now.
Blue Ribbon Bacon Fest Kicks Off Next Week
The Universe’s Ultimate Ode to Bacon, Blue Ribbon Bacon Fest is set to kick off next week, including a number of events such as Bacon Taco Happy Hour on Monday, Bacon Elegance Dinner on Wednesday, and the Big Daddy,http://www.blueribbonbaconfestival.com/blog/ Bacon Fest on Saturday. Click on the links for more information (the Bacon Taco Happy Hour features Tacopocalypse Tacos made by me, your humble cook)
Carly Groben Of Proof/Flour Up For Best New Chef Award
Carly Groben of Proof and Four restaurants has been nominated for Food and Wine Magazine’s “People’s Best New Chef, Midwest” award. I encourage you to vote for Ms. Groben, and so does F&W (one of the qualifiers for voting is that you have dined at the restaurant of the chef you have chosen). Read through the blurbs for each chef, there are some real characters up for the win, but there is only one character from Our Fair City nominated and I expect you to support the local scene and give her your vote. I already cast mine.
Cityview Best Of Awards Gala and Announcement Next Week
Weekly free-press Newsertainment mag Cityview conducts a yearly reader poll to recognize what the people of the DMZ have deemed as the Best Of Des Moines. The time has come for the results of this year’s poll to be un-sheathed and weilded mightily around the personal spaces of the general public. The Gala (invite only, you have to be named in the top three runners for a category to attend) will be held Tuesday night, with the following day seeing the release of the printed poll results to you, the reader. I am proud to say that a certain restaurant in which I cook has been nominated for no less than seven awards, and that I will be at the Gala. I will take notes and share the experience with the tens of you reading this blog.
Tens, I hope that you continue being patient with this here alleged writer and cooking machine. I have many reading pleasure units for your faces, just need to find the time to get it all out in the open.
Hugs,
The Cook