Des Moines is treating this food lover well this weekend!
Friday night: World Food Fest
So it’s a GORGEOUS night out and the east village is packed full of people looking to expand their taste buds and listen to some sweet music (Decoy AND Cashes Rivers = greatness).
All the vendors have long lines, so after walking through the first block we spot a place that will help us not mind waiting….the beer stand!
Oktoberfest in hand we head to the Taqueria Villa stand for a Cachinita Pibil, in case you didn’t know, that’s a roast pork taco.
My dining companion opts for Pork Eggroll Shanghai from the Filipino Store. These mini rolls are tasty!
Next stop: Yanni’s Grill
for a Chicken on a Skewer taste. (So good and lemony we ate half of it before snapping a photo),
a wonderful Lamb Gyro,
and some Baklava to end our night…
…or to get it started. We headed to Court Ave to see D.D.E.P. at People’s and somehow they thought it was my birthday and decided to serenade me. Not embarrassing at all!
Jump to Saturday morning: I am up at the crack of 8:30 and ready to run. Nice jog around Gray’s and then my favorite Farmer’s Market tradition: Wheat Grass Shot.
I purchased some Garlic Parmesan Bread for an upcoming Italian night. The owner of the stand convinced me to try the Chocolate Applesauce Bread too; it weighed about 5lbs so I figure it had to be good.
But “Wait,” you say, “you haven’t actually ate yet today. You should head back to the World Food Fest!” Ok if you say so.
Alligator bites. For $1, had to try it. They say it doesn’t taste like chicken, but it kind of does.
So far our morning was pretty healthy so we decided to balance our efforts of with a Sampler Platter from Cafe Fuzion.
Eggrolls, Crab Rangoons,
and Purple Passion Rice: black wild rice steamed and blended in rich & creamy coconut milk and sugar. The rice turned out to be our favorite part of this stand.
Headed over to the Turkish American Society stand for some
Baklava (too sweet for me this morning) and Borek (finally something that could pass as breakfast food).
Everyone around us was talking up the Sarmas, so even though they look disgusting, I gave them a whirl. Meat, rice, onions wrapped in grape leaves. Surprisingly delicious!
Ok….I am full…time to head home.
No thank you, World Food Fest, thank you. Maybe I’ll see you for dinner…
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