dsmWeekly: April 5, 2023

Add your choice of sides at Panka Chicken, from thick-cut fries and salad to hearty rice and beans. Photo: Panka Chicken.

FOOD AND DINING

Spring Chickens: Diners Flock to 3 New Roosts

Writer: Karla Walsh

Did you know the average American eats 102 pounds of chicken every year, according to remarkable statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture?

So you might as well make those poultry pounds count. As we await the Korean fried chicken from Basic Bird’s soon-to-come spot in Beaverdale—a spinoff of Harbinger’s popular pop-up operation 4-8 p.m. most Sundays—we checked out three other new restaurants that do chicken right. They’re all good reasons to cross the road.

Chicken Wings 3 Ways at Bix & Company
This Valley Junction sports bar opened in early March and is owned by Matt McCormick, Darren Helm and his mother, Bambi Helm, whose father, Robert “Bix” Bixenman, inspired the name. The recipes come from chef Tony Formaro (yep, that’s George’s son) and honor old-school local favorites from Orlondo’s, Noah’s Ark and 4th Street Chicago Italian Beef.
Try it: Share an order of six ($12) or 12 wings ($20) tossed in Bix’s BBQ sauce, bone wing sauce or hot Buffalo sauce.
Find it: 111 Fifth St. in West Des Moines.

Mole de Pollo at Faustino’s Taqueria
It’s also all in the family at this Mexican restaurant that opened in February in Beaverdale. Husband-wife team Asael and Sky Faustino, as well as Asael’s brothers Jose and David, serve street tacos, soups, quesadillas, burritos and more. It’s all delicious on its own but over-the-top tasty with the seven-option salsa bar.
Try it: Order the mole de pollo ($12.50) for a platter that just might inspire you to book a trip to Guerrero, Mexico, where these family recipes originated. The entree includes two chicken breasts simmered in a flavor-layered mole sauce, plus a side of refried beans, rice, salad and corn tortillas.
Find it: 4944 Franklin Ave.

Pollo a la Brasa at Panka Chicken
Mariela Maya has been serving a taste of her native Peru to town since she opened Panka in 2019 on Ingersoll Avenue. In late February, she introduced a bit more street-food flair at her new poultry-focused restaurant near Drake.
Try it: The pollo a la brasa is marinated in ají amarillo, a chili pepper, and brined for 48 hours, then slow-cooked rotisserie-style. Customize your platter based on your party size ($12.50-$30) and enjoy traditional sides like thick-cut fries and a salad with cucumbers and carrots, or other options like fried yuca, coleslaw, rice or beans.
Find it: 3018 Forest Ave.

Prefer to cook at home? Our website dishes up all the secrets to re-create Mulberry Street Tavern’s roast chicken with aji amarillo sauce and grilled romaine salad, along with dsm contributor and cookbook author Wini Moranville’s delicious 30-minute chicken tarragon. Cluck here for the recipe.

"Field of Dreams" and the Varsity Cinema share some grassroots connections. Photo: Mick Haupt.

PLAN YOUR WEEKEND
If You Screen It, They Will Come

Right on time for baseball season, the Varsity Cinema is screening “Field of Dreams” at 6:30 p.m. Friday, with a special guest before the show.

Jim Vickery, a longtime Des Moines resident, will share his memories of Veda Ponikvar, the small-town Minnesota newspaper publisher whose character shows up in the book and movie to help Ray Kinsella find the long-lost ballplayer Archie "Moonlight" Graham. Ponikvar studied at Drake University back in the '40s and, in a full-circle coincidence, organized a rally at the Varsity for Franklin Roosevelt after Drake officials declined to host the event on campus.

PLAN YOUR WEEKEND

Poetry Palooza (7 p.m. Thursday, all day Friday and Saturday): The city’s first Poetry Palooza starts Thursday with the Iowa Poetry Association’s poetry slam finals featuring Cedar Rapids performance artist Akwi Nji at Franklin Jr. High Event Center. On Friday and Saturday, dozens of activities, readings and performances at Mainframe Studios include four state poets laureate—Debra Marquart of Iowa, Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg of Kansas, Christine Stewart-Nunez of South Dakota and Matt Mason of Nebraska—as well as Caleb Rainey, an Iowa City producer, performer and author of the award-winning book “Look, Black Boy.” RSVP online.

East Village First Friday (5-8 p.m. Friday): The neighborhood kicks off this year’s First Friday events on National Beer Day. So along with free curbside parking from 5 to 8 p.m., you can enjoy a variety of tastings, deals and events from participating shops. Find beer-simmered brats at AllSpice, an environmental fundraiser at Peace Tree Brewing, a “Tombstone” screening at Fontanelle Supply Co. and much more.

Chris Vance opening reception (5-9 p.m. Friday): The popular local artist Chris Vance opens a new collection of artwork at Moberg Gallery. In the new show, “Modern Restraint,” Vance explores negative space and features a few collaborations with his artist son Colton.

Album release party (7 p.m. Saturday): Celebrate not one but two new albums from the women-led local bands Abbie & the Sawyers and the Night Lights, plus a performance from Awful Purdies of Iowa City at xBk. Abbie & the Sawyers frontwoman Abbie Sawyer will pull double duty performing with her newest group the Night Lights. Both folk bands released new albums at the end of March. Get tickets online.

COMMUNITY
Big win: A skateboarding team from Des Moines won both categories of the recent Red Bull DIY Challenge. The team won over the judges—a panel that included pro skaters Felipe Gustavo, Steezus, Garrett Hill and Cody Davis—as well as the People’s Choice Award, thanks to your online votes. The honors come with an all-expense-paid trip to try out the famous skateparks of Southern California, plus $800 to spend at their favorite skate shop. Subsect shopping spree anyone? Check out their winning video.

FOOD AND DINING
Learning for lunch: Is there really such a thing as brain food? DMACC culinary arts professors and students will answer that question during a lunch and learn from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 11 at DMACC’s Iowa Culinary Institute in Ankeny. They’ll discuss the importance of diet to brain and gut health and explain which foods can increase long-term brain health and even stave off certain diseases. The event is free, but a $10 donation is encouraged. Sign up by April 7 by contacting Kristi Miller at kdmiller9@dmacc.edu, and be sure to include your name, the number of guests and any medical dietary requests.

Vana B is a familiar, and unforgettable, face at the Blazing Saddle. Photo: Duane Tinkey.

DISCOVER DIVERSE DES MOINES
Isaac Lovan’s Favorite Spots Around Town

As a member of the LGBTQ and Asian communities, Isaac Lovan’s intersectionality lends him additional perspective when it comes to local diversity. So when dsm asked him to share a few of his favorite spots around town, his suggestions touched both of his identities.

J.J. Jasmine Thai Cuisine: Tucked in the skywalk at 400 Walnut St., this restaurant offers fresh Thai dishes and other Asian favorites for dine-in, takeout and delivery. “The owner is so cool,” Lovan said. “This is my favorite Thai restaurant in Des Moines.”

The Blazing Saddle: “This is my home away from home,” Lovan said of the bar at 416 E. Fifth St. “It’s the place where I work, but also where I found my family.” Catch a drag performance, participate in trivia or enjoy various theme nights throughout the year.

Vanity & Glamour Cosmetics: The locally owned shop at 547 28th St. offers makeup and skin care products, as well as makeup application services. “I get some of my makeup from here; the service is always amazing. A few other drag queens work there, so they really know their stuff,” Lovan said.

Read the rest of his recommendations online.