Heeeeeeere's Johnny's!

6075 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines, IA 50266

Mrs. Red: "Pocket Redheads here for another exciting adventure of good eats and great company. Sorry for the delay in getting this blog out. Truthfully, we haven't visited any review worthy places recently."

Mr. Red: "What about Ohanas? We were there a few nights ago."

Mrs. Red: "I'm not sure the world is ready for the hilarity of our adventures at Ohanas just yet. But soon!"

                                         Mr. Red: "How about when we hit 500 views? Last I checked we're at just under 300. Could make a big thing of it - I'm thinking...VIDEO!" 

Mrs. Red: "Yeah, we'll talk about that again when we get a little closer to our goal. I have, however, been craving some juicy, yummy, tender - "

Mr. Red: "Not to mention rare..."

Mrs. Red: "-wonderful, bloody...wait. What?"

Mr. Red: "Oh nothing!"

Mrs. Red: "Steak! So, when I get the steak craving, Mr. Red and I typically agree on Johnny's Italian Steakhouse. What I love about this restaurant is how private it is, and how intimate it makes your dinner date feel. It has the laid back feeling of casual dining with superb decor that shoots you right back into the Rat Pack era of the 60s by featuring music and photos of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Norman Fell."

Mr. Red: "I really like this place, because when I'm playing dinner music at a wedding reception this is exactly the kind of music to set the mood for a gathering. It's nice, relaxed, romantic, it's just - a warm feeling. The music isn't overwhelming or too loud but it's just enough for background noise where if you're quiet you'll hear it. Perfect."

Mrs. Red and her SHRIMP ON A STICK!

Mrs. Red: "I went on a google hunt to try and find some background on this place - maybe see if the owners had any kind of history with this famed generation of musical genius, but I was very disappointed to come up empty handed. That doesn't stop us from LOVING the food, though."

What We Ordered:

Mrs. Red: Filet mignon with grilled shrimp skewer, side of deburgo sauce, and steamed broccoli

Mr. Red: Pasta minelli with shrimp

NOM!

    

Our Take:

                                  Mr. Red: "Like always, it was very nommy. Normally I get the crispy dill tilapia which is also very tasty, but I admit it's not for everybody. This time, I was feeling bold. I was feeling...dangerous. So I got a little ducky *DARKWING DUCK!*, and decided to eat noodles with garlic sauce and shrimp."

Mrs. Red: "What's so adventurous about a classic Italian meal, at a restaurant featuring Italian inspired cuisine?"

                        Mr. Red: "Don't ask questions. I know that this meal was very tasty, it wasn't very memorable. It didn't have the greatness that sticks with you. My best description would be that it was...garlicy. The shrimp was well cooked and not overdone. Noodles were perfect, not too mushy and not too firm. The sauce was saucey - you get the idea. When a place does everything right, it's hard to find something to talk about."

Mrs. Red: "I hear you there. I fell in love with steak deburgo here at Johnny's. Deburgo is really just a fancy garlic and herb cream sauce featuring spices like: basil, oregano, and parsley. There are variations out there but I find this sauce really gives the steak a nice punch of flavor which when you're eating a very lean piece of steak like filet mignon that hasn't been cooked wrapped in fatty bacon - it's almost a necessity. Typically they serve steak deburgo with top sirloin but if there's one thing I can't stand it's steak fat, so I tend to splurge for the good stuff. But! I don't have to miss out in the end, I just order the sauce I want on the side. The filet usually comes dressed with a wonderful smokey demi-glaze featuring a robust red wine as the base. I highly suggest giving it a try at least once. Definitely worth it."

Our Waiter/Waitress:

                Mr. Red: "This guy was quick, up until the end, which was also about the time the rest of the restaurant started filing up with guests so I can't entirely blame our long wait for our check on him."

 Mrs. Red: "During the meal though he was a frequent visitor - patient too - while Mr. Red and I argued about whether or not we wanted wine and dessert. I have no complaints about the service we received and I never do. Even when this place is busy their staff is helpful, knowledgeable, and customer service oriented. They make you feel at home. Two thumbs up!"

Mr. Red: "I'm not surprised by this though, since this restaurant is on the bottom floor of a hotel."

Observations:

Mrs. Red: "If you haven't been to Johnny's in the last month or so, I strongly suggest going! The inside is totally different now after they did some very smart remodeling.When you get into the back, the booths are all together right in the middle of the room with high walls around you for privacy."

Mr. Red: "They really lightened the place up. Before, you felt like you were walking into a cave. There was barely enough light to see the floor, let alone the person sitting across from you.  Now there's a nice warm glow from a series of new chandeliers they've installed."

Mrs. Red: "I absolutely have to comment about how nice they keep their dining room. There are usually staff members running around everywhere during the busy hours, but I have yet to come in and not find all the tables bussed, clean, and prepped for customers. I can always count on Johnny's to be welcoming."

Overall: 

                                                           Mr Red: "Good like always. Food was well made, atmosphere was comfortable, steaks rare - but that's how my wife likes it."

Mrs. Red: "Johnny's come with my stamp of approval and I highly suggest this place for a nice quiet sit down romantic meal with your significant other. Other than being a little on the pricey side, they offer a wonderful selection of food and drinks including a wonderful wine selection. I hope you all get a chance to visit it at least once."

Review:

On a scale of 1-10

Food: 8

Service: 9

Cleanliness: 9

Atmosphere: 9

Until next time! Happy Eating!

- Pocket Red Heads

Do I have something stuck in my teeth?