dsm Dish - January 24, 2025

At Ted's Coney Island, find Greek heritage in the heart of Iowa

By Mary Jane Miller

When immigrants settle into their new homes, their cooking usually evolves to make use of the ingredients at hand and the new flavors they encounter. Their homeland favorites aren’t forgotten, but they often change.

So the gyro you enjoy here in Des Moines, with its tangy tzatziki sauce, is different from the pork-stuffed pita you’d eat in Greece, but it’s just as delicious. The overstuffed pita sandwiches at Ted’s Coney Island are a testament to that.

The original Coney Island was founded in the early 1950s by Ted Velman and his brother John Economos. The menu’s centerpiece was a Coney Island-style hot dog topped with housemade chili, mustard, chopped onions and a pickle nestled to one side. Many other Greek Americans opened similar Coney Island shops across the Midwest after World War II.

Here in Des Moines, the first Coney Island opened downtown at First Street and Grand Avenue, then later at Fifth and Mulberry streets. Every day it filled up with a mix of shoppers, office workers and lawyers from the county courthouse across the street. Ted, in his white shirt and tie, held court behind the counter while waitresses circulated among the booths. Instead of writing down orders, they just shouted them to the cook. It was a convivial place, and Ted built a number of lifelong friendships. (He still remembers my dad.)

In the 1970s, Coney Island relocated to a space across from the new Ruan Center and stayed put until 1985, when the city decided it was the perfect spot for a parking garage.

So Ted struck off on his own. He moved the business to a former IHOP in an A-frame on Ingersoll Avenue, added his own name to the sign out front and updated the menu with nods to his Greek heritage, including gyros and salads. (Back then, gyros were still rare in Des Moines, but you could find them at the Iowa State Fair.) The pita wraps caught on with ’80s appetites, so Ted added other options — and, eventually, a second location. In 2005, Ted’s son Johnny opened Ted’s Coney Island West on 86th Street in Urbandale. Ted's other son, Stacy, now owns the shop on Ingersoll.

At both places, the gyro meat is a blend of beef and lamb that’s seasoned to appeal to Midwestern tastes. The tzatziki is still made in house, with half a case of fresh cucumbers in each batch. Ted’s version is unique because he adds a touch of sour cream to the yogurt, with plenty of garlic and onion.

As with many successful family businesses, the other key ingredient is hard work, which seems to be in the Velman genes. When I stopped by a few weeks ago, Ted’s grandson Ariston teased him a bit and noted that, “grinding the cucumbers was his favorite job growing up in the restaurant.” Ted himself cut every dill pickle into the familiar slender wedges until 2019. He even worked for free for his last 25 years on the job, coming in every morning to enjoy a cup of coffee with his son before getting to work. He’ll turn 90 in April and still pops in from time to time, just like old times.

More than 70 years after the first shop opened, the business still serves Coney Island hot dogs. But with 10 pita sandwiches, a big Greek salad and pastry case full of baklava, the Greek influence on the menu is as impossible to miss as Ted’s gentle accent.

Quick Bites

Pop-up dinners: Chefs are feeling experimental these days. Several are offering special meals at their restaurants or off-site spots in the next few weeks, according to a tempting list Susan Stapleton rounded up for the Des Moines Register.

Fresh lettuce: The first leafy harvest of hydroponic greens from YSS Rooftop Gardens is now available at the Hy-Vee stores on Mills Civic Parkway and East Euclid Avenue. Proceeds benefit programs for homeless and at-risk youth.

Basic Bird: The Korean fried chicken spot is rebuilding its nest in Beaverdale after a car crashed into it last week. Fans pitched in more than $20,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to support the restaurant during its upcoming repairs. Until then, it’s open for business.

Simon's says “welcome”: The cozy restaurant on Merle Hay Road is one of just 20 restaurants in the country to receive a nod for Outstanding Hospitality from this year’s James Beard Awards. The only other Iowa contender is Best Chef nominee Andy Schumacher at Cobble Hill in Cedar Rapids.

Events

Today and Saturday: Splurge: Wine, Cheese, Chocolate and More offers all kinds of delicacies at West End Architectural Salvage. Tickets are $50 online or $60 at the door.

Saturday: Indulge: A Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Affair moves this year to a bigger venue at the River Center.

Feb 6: Winefest’s Assemblé dinner event is a collaboration with Ballet Des Moines. A three-course dinner curated by chef Aaron Holt of Doolittle Farm includes wine pairings and two preview performances of Ballet Des Moines’ upcoming “See the Music” program.

Feb. 7: A Galentine’s Party at the Rollins Mansion seems like a good excuse to round up some friends for a night on the town. Tickets are still up for grabs.

Feb. 8: I’ll Make Me a World in Iowa, the state’s flagship African American festival, features soul food, barbecue, a health and wellness expo, and more at the Horizon Events Center in Clive.

Brain food: Five tips for smarter eating

By Jody Gifford

In early 2023, Dr. Yogesh Shah, chief medical officer at Broadlawns Medical Center, contacted chef John Andres with an idea. Research had shown a correlation between diet and brain health, and he wanted to spread the word.

Shah and Andres, who directs Des Moines Area Community College’s Iowa Culinary Institute, collaborated to create the “Brain Food Lunch and Learn” event that emphasized healthy eating to boost brain health. There were tips on eating smarter, with a lunch that included leafy greens, berries, fatty fish, nuts, grains and other beneficial foods.

With that in mind, Andres offered a few tips to eat healthier in the new year, whether to boost brain health or feel better overall.

1. Eat more fruits, vegetables and natural foods that give your body the nutrition it needs to function at its peak. “The more leafy greens you can get into your diet, the better.”

2. Planning can be fun. Plan meals for the week or buy premade meals from a local business. And focus on fresh foods. “Chefs love to cross-utilize ingredients. If I buy a larger container of celery, it becomes a challenge: How many different dishes can I use celery in throughout the week?”

3. Portion sizes are important, especially when dining out. “As a society, we’ve learned that dining out is ‘splurging,’ so if you do eat out, you need to choose restaurants where you can get a variety of different and healthier foods.”

4. Snacking can be healthy. Fruits, nuts and seeds are all good snacks. Peanut butter can be a good thing in moderation. There are different nut-butter alternatives out there, too. “Switch it up so you don’t fall back on something that satisfies but has no nutritional value.”

5. Consider a filler before a meal. “My dad has to have his ‘rabbit food’ before every meal. He’ll eat a plate or a small container of cauliflower, broccoli, snap peas, cherry tomatoes, carrots or whatever may be available. It helps to curb his appetite so he’s able to control his portions.”

Andres’ best piece of advice? “Everything in moderation.”