Minnerva’s

It is our last day of Eating Sioux Land and what better what to finish the series by eating at Minnerva’s. This restaurant is well known for drink specials, fine dining, and variety of options on the menu. This is located on Hamilton near Briar Cliff College. We decided to go over during the lunch hour and enjoy drinks, appetizers, lunch specials and dessert.
I was about to start off with a typical cherry coke when I noticed another classmate ordering a peach lemonade. That sounded like it would really hit the spot so I changed my order. Then we ordered our appetizers. Like usual we ended up ordering all of the appetizers on the menu so we could share and sample with each other. I ordered the coconut breaded shrimp. The shrimp was much larger than I anticipated and they were really filling. I knew that we had found a good restaurant after becoming a little full after the appetizers. The only thing I would have deducted from the order of shrimp was the mixture of wasabi sauce. For those that are not familiar it is a spicy sauce and for me it does not leave a good taste. I was fortunate to have such a tasty drink to wash it down with and I do not regret ordering the peach lemonade. It was really sweet and reminded me of my home back down in Georgia. Another thing to like about my drink was that the outer rim of the glass was covered in sugar so that the sweet taste really stands out.

Next up was to order the main course and I narrowed it down to either the cheeseburger, grilled turkey sandwich, or the grilled ham sandwich. All of the options sounded great but I decided to go with the grilled ham sandwich as my main meal. I also ordered a traditional side of fries. When my food came to the table I was happy to see the style of bread used to make my sandwich. My first bite into the sandwich was a combination of warm melted cheese and sweet tasting ham. There was a sauce within the sandwich that made it really pop with the sweeter taste.

I thought my meal was great and I also enjoyed sampling all of the appetizers. I have no complaints about our service I feel like they handle our large group very professionally. If I ever decide to go back I would like to be accompanied by a date. It is a bit classier than your typical restaurant. I would also like to explore their alcoholic drink menu and sample them. Surprisingly I missed out on dessert. So I would also like to go back and experience some of their desserts. In all I think it is a great restaurant.

Bevs on the River

Today our eating Sioux land crew traveled to the other side of town exploring the river side. We ate at Bevs on the River I couldn’t imagine a better name for the restaurant. The view is outstanding as it overlooks the Missouri River. The restaurant’s appearance alone was very impressive. It had the combination of a classy restaurant along with being an outdoors theme. You also had the option of dining outside while enjoying the glazed fire pit and river front. Bevs also provides an up to date bar with a variety of options to choose from.
To start my meal off I ordered the appetizer of some crab cakes. This was my first encounter with crab cakes so I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect. The waitrest brought out a plate of four crab cakes with some sort of sauce that goes well with them on the side. It also came with half a lemon so you can give it an extra kick if you like. Even though it wasn’t the best appetizer on the menu I still really liked eating those crab cakes. My beverage of choice was of course a cherry coke. I have been pretty consistent with ordering a glass and they put a good amount of cherry syrup within my drink. Just remember to stir well.

For my main course I decided to order the Monterey chicken sandwhich that contained grilled chicken Monterey sauce, bacon, and white melted cheese. This was a hard decision to make because there were so many other good options I could have gone with from the lunch menu. This was probably the best lunch menu I have seen during this eating Sioux land experience. I was also debating the country fried steak with breaded steak, mashed potatoes, and white gravy, or going with the calzone. The calzone was a complete change of pace for my taste buds having a variety of meat and cheeses within a huge chunk of breading. But the Monterey was the one for me. It had me at bacon and there is nothing I love more in my food than something that will raise my fat cells a blood pressure through the roof.
The dessert menu was to die for. I would make any off season wrestle tear up a little bit. As a class we ended up ordering all of the desserts from the menu and sampling them all. They had a variety of chocolates and other cakes that were fantastic. I was truly a kid in the candy store.

Bevs on the River is a great place to dine. I feel like it is the number one place to bring your significant other on a date too. It would be much more special to bring them around dinner time so that you can enjoy the outside fire pit and night sky. This place really knows how to set the mood. If I were to have any complaints it would be the current construction going on within the restaurant. They are currently renovating a small portion of the place, but in the end it is for the benefit of the customers.

Indigo Palette
Today our feasting crew of eating Sioux land ate at Indigo Palette located on 4th street in Sioux City. There seems to be a trend of goo restaurants on the street. I have driven up and down 4th street quite often but without taking this class I never would have found them. Now that I know the area better I can revisit them. Indigo Palette took me off guard when I walked into the restaurant with the overall theme. It was the combination of an antique store, coffee shop, bar, and a sandwich joint. It was a very unique set up. But it was nice to be able to admire the paintings on the wall during our meal.
I started my meal off with some water and the soup of the day. I had no idea what I was in for when I ordered it. It wasn’t bad but it didn’t compliment the sandwich that I would soon order for my main meal. The soup contained a dark brown broth with mixed vegetables, noodles, and beef. I ordered the red turkey sandwich which contained oven roasted turkey, melted white cheese, and an interesting breading choice of cranberry bread. So you can see how the soup and my main course didn’t go together very well. The soup alone was good and would have been much better if I decided on ordering a burger or some other meal that obtained beef from the menu. The sandwich was a different experience for me. I can quite simple describe it as a thanksgiving day dinner placed in between two slices of holiday breading. Over all I don’t have any complaints from the meal. I enjoyed my afternoon lunch there.
This wasn’t my favorite of the many visits we have been on but I did enjoy my experience. I believe I would have had a better time if I was wise enough to order a soup that would complement my soup rather than fight against it. I would like to go back because I feel as if I missed out on all of the different experiences at the restaurant. We dined there during there lunch hour so we only had a small taste of what the restaurant has to offer. I feel like if I want to engage in all of the experiences from Indigo Palette I would have to go several more times. I would like to explore into their dinner menu and bar. I also noticed that they have a stage in the back for a live band to come in and entertain their customers. Then there is the coffee shop side of it that I also didn’t get to enjoy. If you want to explore into Indigo Palette I recommend going more than once. They have much to offer.

El Tapatio
Our eating adventure continued on Gordon street seating at El Tapatio. El Tapatio is famous for their great Mexican food. This is a small joint that provided a nice calm atmosphere to enjoy a well cooked meal. Our group enjoyed the diversity of music in the restaurant. This was of course Mexican music. I liked the overall theme of the restaurant.
I started my meal off by sharing chips and salsa with my classmates. It is trend that you normally see at a Mexican restaurant. We also decided to change it up and order a cheese dip along with our basket of chips. It looked like your typical cheese dip until we bit into it. The warm goowy flaver enriches your mouth but it also included a hint of spice that wouldn’t over power the taste of the cheese dip. My transition to thirst was soon quenched when I decided to order a simple Coke.
The menu display of the main menu quickly captured my eye with a variety of options to choose from. I was debating on order your traditional burrito surved with Mexican rice and beans, the steak and shrimp, or the item on the menu that our class decided to call “the tower of meat”. All sounded good but I ended up choosing the steak and shrimp seeing that the first option was too traditional and the third option was chosen my several other class members. So I wanted to sample something different. I was at a surprise to see our food quick to come to our table because we had such a large group. When it did, I laid my eyes on a medium cooked steak, Mexican rice, and huge pieces of shrimp on a stick. The steak had quite a bit of gristle on the outer layer but the way it was prepared made up for it. The best part of meal would have to be the shrimp. They were relatively big portion sizes that provided a full me with a full stomach. The shrimp also had a kick to as if it was marinated in some sort of spice. It wasn’t hot but it had a lot of flavor to it. I also enjoyed mixing in the Mexican rice with my meal it added a good texture to the meal.

I had an overall good time at the restaurant. It was a good environment to have a few laughs with friends and enjoy a good Mexican meal at a reasonable price. This is a place that I see myself going back too more often. This is mainly because it is relatively close to the college and it is affordable for any college student. When I go back I would like to try this supposed tower of meat. When observing my classmates order of this I noticed it had a variety of different meats. Either that or I will go for the traditional burrito. I enjoyed my time at El Tapato and recommend it for anyone in the area.

Rebos

There is no telling what kind of food a wrestler will devour after the wrestling season. I feel like consistency is not the key and we will always try to eat everything we had in mind during the actual season. One type of food that I have always been curious about trying is Caribbean style. I was excited to hear that on our list of restaurants to explore was Rebos. I have heard quite a bit about Rebos from some students, but that is another story. Rebos is another popular restaurant on Sioux City’s famous 4th street. It provides a unique blend of Caribbean and Mexican food. Walking into the restaurant you immediately notice is the dimmed lighting and a large quantity of creative murals to admire painted on the walls. The waitress that served our large group was on her A game being on top of every order. Her and along with the other staff members provided excellent service.
I started off with a cherry coke and then we decided to share some appetizers at the table. As we sample I discovered that I really enjoy eating humus. The other classmates thought it was good to and we were practically fighting over it. But just like any other prideful wrestler, I got the last bite. We also had a platter with some sort of teriyaki chicken that made my mouth water for days. The person next to me took a bite of it and had the expression of “wow”.
As a wrestler my eyes are always open for a large order of food. There was a large variety of things to choose from on the menu but it was no surprise when I decided to order the huge beefy burrito. I would soon realize that my stomach was outmatched by the serving size of this big ass burrito. There was no need to break out the measuring tape I just compared it to the size of my forearm. It was almost a mirror image and was slightly overwhelmed from the previous orders of appetizers. But even without eating the appetizers I will have to admit that finishing the large order of burrito was going to be a difficult task for even the hungriest wrestler. This was by far the biggest size food portion laid in front of me on our eating souix land quest.

I ended the evening with a full belly and satisfied taste buds. This was the only restaurant where I had to insist on asking for a to go box. I don’t have any complaints about this restaurant other than when you walk back outside you better be prepared to be blinded by the daylight. It is pretty dim in there. But the food and service was great and I enjoyed my time there. I recommend Rebos to anyone that likes good Mexican and Caribbean food. Whenever I decide to go back I would like to explore their bar more.

Milwaukee Wiener House vs. Connie Island

I have faced many competitors on the wrestling mat. I can respect a good rivalry, and it can be seen off the mat too. The Milwaukee Wiener House and Connie Island have carried on the great tradition of hotdog making in America. Although they both share the same love for the food that they make it has become a rivalry between to two in Sioux City. Each claims to have better hotdogs than the other. To resolute this controversy our class has decided to travel to each of these restaurants and determine which we like more.
We started our food battle at the Milwaukee Wiener house on Pearl Street. I decided to order the same meal from each restaurant which was two hotdogs one with chili and mustard and the other plain. This would be rinsed down with a Coke. Many of the other classmates decided to try the milkshakes and were very fond of them. The dog was great. It was easy to eat and I enjoyed the simplicity of the meal. The environment was quite enjoyable seeing all of the older generations come in as customers. I feel like this is a place where you could easily find an old veteran and sit down and listen to his story while eating a good old fashion hot dog. My instructor also included that it would be a great place to bring a large group or even a large group of kids. It is a simple menu for them to order from and is quick and easy food to make. The only downfall is that the restaurants building will be torn down and relocated.
Comparing my previous meal at the wiener house to the opponent “Connie Island” reveal that they share many common characteristics. Connie Island has a long family history and has been passed down to carry on its traditions for many years. Walking into the restaurant you will immediately see that they are a patriotic crew with a variety of patriotic icons. When purchasing my meal I decided against my previous rules and ordered a cheeseburger along with my hotdog with chili and mustard. The difference between the two dogs is that Connie Island has a slightly thicker hot dog. I enjoyed the patriotic environment along with the old couple’s humor behind the counter. Although I enjoyed my Connie dog the cheeseburger didn’t go down quite as well. I guess what I learned from that experience is not to order a cheeseburger from a hotdog joint.
The two restaurants fought hard and I enjoyed my visit to both of them. The had a lot of similarities, and each shared some flaws. But just like a wrestling match there can be no tie. The winner over the wieners would have to be Connie Island. It was a hard decision seeing that they both provided good food and a fun place to eat, but I give Connie Island the blue ribbon seeing that there building will still be standing in the near future. Although I have chosen The Connie it doesn’t rule out that there are other classmates that have chosen the Milwaukee Wiener House. In the end it is up for you to decide.

Da-Kao

Today our crew was introduced into a different cuisine. The restaurant of choice today was Da-Kao and they are well known for their Vietnamese meals. Da-Kao also provides Chinese on their menu but I’m not sure why anyone would want to eat certain foods out of the popular demand of what the restaurant cooks. That’s like ordering a cheese burger at a seafood restaurant. It’s just not right. I encourage everyone to step outside of their comfort zone and eat something that incorporates the restaurants specialties.
I started my meal off with a few appetizers. What wrestler wouldn’t help themselves to the meal before the meal during the offseason? My beverage of choice to start this of was a Coke, but after the funny look from my waiter and then realizing that they only have Pepsi products I just asked for a Pepsi. I ordered an egg roll and two cream cheese wontons. Each appetizer was served with sweet and sour sauce on the side. These are very familiar snacks that I use in my offseason diet, but I wanted to make sure that I had a Vietnamese meal as my main course. I felt like the cream cheese wontons were more filling then the typical one I would order from a typical take-out joint, which was great for me because I always have a hell of an appetite. I couldn’t even take the picture of the egg roll before trying it. It was much juicier than one’s I have had in the past. I tried each of them with the sweet and sour sauce but I came to conclude that I’m not a sweet and sour sauce fan.

This class is all about stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things. Like I said earlier, I really wanted to experiment Vietnamese food, so I decided to order the egg noodle soup with roasted duck, but according to the waiter that was tending to our group it was the “number 14”. When my food was brought to the table it was a big bowl of soup mixed with a large amount of egg noodles and random pieces of roasted duck. It also incorporated a variety of green vegetables. The egg noodles were much thinner then I imagined that they would be and I found it challenging to put an appropriate portion on my fork, but it was still pretty good. The roasted duck had a very familiar taste to it. It reminded me of the dark meat on a turkey. Although I enjoyed the flavor of the meat, I would much rather save that taste for Thanksgiving. What I appreciated the most about this dish was that the broth of the soup didn’t over power the taste of the roasted duck and the egg noodles. I was also surprised on how filling this over all meal was, and as a wrestler out of season it is important that I leave the table full.

The personality of the staff was fun and I enjoyed the experience. I recommend it to anyone exploring food outside of their normal comfort food.

Tokyo Japanese Steak House

Today we decided to heat things up at the Tokyo Japanese Steak House in Sioux City. This was a warm and welcoming environment from exterior and interior layout of the restaurant. This Japanese steak house comes with the concept of diner and a show. If you are not familiar with the layout of the restaurant the tables you dine at surround the grill where very skilled chefs prepare your food. So if you are ever paranoid about restraint workers doing something sketchy to you food I recommend this place because they prepare your meal right in front of you. I have never been a fan of the food channel of chef’s just cooking food, but Tokyo has added a twist to the cooking experience as they use it as a source of entertainment.

Our grouped arrived during the lunch and it was very peaceful, so if you enjoy this restaurant but want to come when it is less crowded I recommend the lunch hours of the day. I decided to order the two choice lunches special which allowed me to pick two different meats to add in with my fried rice and mixed vegetables. I decided to experience something new and order the swordfish with my course. The best way I can describe the taste of swordfish is as if you were biting into a piece of pork with fish like texture. It was very interesting and now I can say I have ate swordfish. My second meat was not as bold and I decided to stay with something that is more familiar such as the filet mignon. It was rich and full of flavor, and cooked just the way I like it. The combination of the fried rice, steak, swordfish, and mixed vegetables complemented each other very well. The restaurant is also famous for their signature sauce which is referred to as “Yumm Yumm Souce”. It was so good I decided to dump the entire sauce plate onto my meal versus dipping little bites into it. The signature sauce was so good, I asked for some to go.

I am glad to have brought my appetite today because it ended up being a massive amount of food. It was very filling but just like any other off season wrestler there was no guilty conscious for asking for dessert. I decided to split a dessert with some fellow classmates and we decided on having the fried ice cream. I am new to the world of fried ice cream and I had a hard time imagining what it would look like. When it came to our table it appeared to have a moist fried coating around a ball of chocolate ice cream. I was in heaven.

This is one of the top contenders in restaurants that have visited in this Eating Sioux Land course. I can’t find a reason why I wouldn’t go back except the price of the menu for a typical college student. But looking back at it, with the entertainment from the chef, productive service from the waiter, and the great food provided it was well worth it.

Red Bones Café
Typically, the first thing that I always like to eat after a wrestling season is some of my mom’s homemade southern cooking down in Georgia, but I have recently found a more convenient place to travel to satisfy those cravings. The Red Bones Café is the only place in Sioux City where you can find food for your soul. The owner of the restaurant has brought the southern cooking tradition of “soul food” all the way from Tennessee to Sioux City Iowa. This a great opportunity for anyone that lives in the Mid-West to experience a taste of some southern comfort food.
It was hard to decide on what I was going to order from there menu. They offered a good variety of common foods that I was used to seeing back home. I knew you couldn’t go wrong with the choice of southern fried chicken and some sweet tea. On my plate laid two pieces of fresh fried chicken, mac and cheese, black eye peas, and some good old fashion cornbread. This was of course accompanied with the fresh beverage of sweet tea. The view of this meal would leave any southern mother satisfied that there baby is well fed.

Before my plate was laid on the table I couldn’t help but notice the odor from the fried chicken that just made my mouth water. The first bite of that fried chicken yearned my taste buds for more, and before I knew it I was eating the bone dry. The cornbread was very moist and complimented the fried chicken and sides very well. I ended up mixing my black eye peas and mac and cheese together making and ultimate southern side concoction. The meal all came together when I could wash all the food down with some sweet tea.
Not only is the food great but so is the service. I felt comfortable talking and having a conversation with the waitress just as if I have known her for quite some time. While observing the prices of the meals there I noticed that it was very affordable and gave generous proportion sizes within the meal. Despite the outer portion of the restaurant, it had a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The walls were red and the hard wood was more of a tea stain brown that gave it that country welcoming texture.
Growing up in the south we were raised believing that it was an insult to not clean your plate after someone cooked you a homemade meal. But with the food being so good, I didn’t have to worry about leaving leftovers on my plate.

If you are looking to explore a different type of your ordinary food then I would highly recommend experimenting with southern comfort foods. I believe Red Bones Café is the place that will satisfy those cravings. Now knowing that my mom’s home cooking is just on the other side of town I will be going there more often.

House of Q
After a long and exhausting wrestling tournament our priorities quickly transition from winning your matches to consuming a massive amount of food. In the moment we tend to put a good quantity of food on our plate versus taking the time to search for tasteful quality. During the process of “cutting weight” in wrestling season I find myself hard to not fantasize what I would like to eat after a tournament or even the season. This offseason I have taken the opportunity to take a May term course that will help me create these food fantasies into a reality.
The first place I would like to talk about is the “House of Q”. This restaurant doesn’t need a big and flashy sign out in front of it for anyone to know its location. Word from the locals and its reputation alone will tell you where it is. The “Q” has a reputation of some good old fashion barbeque and having their customers leaving happy and full.
Entering the Q parking lot I immediately noticed the rich smell from the barbeque being cooked in the kitchen. As I walked inside the building I realized that it was a nice calm environment where everyone can enjoy there meal. I have been told that students and faculty from Morningside College often come down there to enjoy a meal and continue their studies or paper work. They also provide free Wi-Fi so it makes it that much more convenient to complete an assignment and turn it in online.
During my time at the House of Q I decided to order the “Carnivore Platter”. Seeing that I was going for the combination of quantity and quality I thought this was appropriate order to satisfy my hunger cravings. This also allowed me to sample a variety of what they have to offer at the House of Q. This platter contained a small rack of ribs, pulled pork, and brisket on a bun. The bun helped target the meat within the sandwich emphasizing pork or beefs flavor and left a sweet after taste making you crave another bite. The combinations of each food provide me a full stomach with satisfied taste buds.

I was a big fan of their signature sauces. My favorite was the honey barbeque flavor that put just the right amount of sweetener in your food. Besides the honey flavor I sampled all of the other sauces that will add a kick to your meal.

One thing that I always like to sample in restaurants in the northern area of the country is there tea. I am from Georgia and if there is one thing that you will always see at a restaurant down in that territory is “sweet tea”. What I have found is the further north you travel, the less sweet the tea. In the northern portion of the country it is typical to drink iced tea versus in the southern areas it is a norm to drink sweet tea. I was in shock to finally have found a place to satisfy my need for some southern comfort. The tea was so good, I even mad a cup to go.

I thought this was a great place to eat. It satisfied my taste buds and I left full. My classmates were talking about coming back more often as we were eating our meals.