By Linda Berlakovich
AmesEats Flavors Writer

Being in college is great. You get new freedoms and can make more of your own choices.  If you want to go down to the dorm kitchen at 2 a.m. and try to make a pie with bacon as the main ingredient, no one is going to stop you.  But where do you buy the bacon from?

There are a variety of grocery stores to choose from in Ames: there are two Hy Vee grocery stores on Lincoln way, one on the east of campus that is accessible with the CyRide Blue route, the other is west of campus and is accessible by the Red bus route.  Hy Vee is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and always has a reliable stock of food.

In addition to these are two Fareway stores, which run weekly ads as well as cut down prices in order to compete with specials at other grocery stores.  There is one located near downtown and is accessible via the Red bus route, and a newer one located on Stange Road and is accessible via the Brown route.

There is also a Cub Foods that too has great coupon specials and a large selection available by the North Grand Mall on Grand Avenue and can be accessed via the Red route.

Aldi, which is the smallest but has basic grocery essentials is located by the movie theater on Buckeye Avenue and is accessible with the Yellow route.

Wheatsfield Cooperative sells organic, vegan, local and other special diet foods and is located on Northwestern Avenue, near downtown.

There are a variety of specialty foods stores such as Pammel Grocery that sells Middle Eastern, African and other varieties of foods, located on Colorado Avenue and Lincoln Way that can be reached using the Red route.  AJ’s Grocery sells Latin American foods and is located in Campustown.  Also, there are various small Asian grocery stores located along Lincoln Way and around Ames.

So no matter what ingredient you are searching for, there is a store waiting for you!

By Justine Mattiussi
AmesEats Flavors Writer

Have you heard of The Café? Dublin Bay? Or even Vesuvius? Last year at this time I certainly hadn’t! Being a transfer student, I was unaware of the great restaurants in the Ames area but was interested in giving them a try. I remember wondering why there wasn’t an all inclusive dining guide focusing on amazing restaurants outside of campus dining- that would have been helpful! Unfortunately there still isn’t a complete guide, but I’m here to give you, the Flavors’ readers the inside scoop on what to eat in Ames.

The Café
2616 Northridge Parkway
The Café offers exceptional menu items utilizing ingredients from local purveyors and farmers to create their phenomenal artisan breads, decadent desserts, and distinctive entrees. The menu focuses on seasonality of ingredients which allows patrons to enjoy a multitude of menu items including some great vegetarian options throughout the year. The Flavors team suggests the spicy fish tacos with the cannoli cake for dessert which are equally mouth-watering.

Dublin Bay
320 S. 16th St.
Dublin Bay is an authentic Irish-American Pub that specializes in classics like lamb stew, Sheppard’s pie, and Guinness Beef Boxty accompanied with soda bread.  Soda bread is quite extraordinary because the chemical leavener is baking soda and the bread takes a fraction of time to prepare compared to typical yeast breads! For dinner I would suggest the smoked salmon pizza with hot pepper jack soup and soda bread; so delicious!

Fuji Japanese Steak House
1614 South Kellogg Ave.
Fuji is a great place for dinner and a show! Guests can sit around the hibachi grill and be dazzled by chefs maneuvering ingredients through the air and onto your plate. The menu has numerous menu options that will satisfy even the pickiest patron. The Flavors’ favorite is the Crouching Tiger and the Rainbow Roll which were raw sushi rolls that have a refreshingly unique flavor.

Vesuvius Wood Fired Pizza
1620 South Kellogg Ave.
Vesuvius utilizes the traditional aspects of Neapolitan pizza making, but with a modernized twist. All of their pizzas are hand crafted at the time of purchase implementing the freshest local ingredients and baked in a piping hot wood oven at 800 degrees. I would highly recommend the number seven with roasted garlic cream sauce, La Quercia prosciutto, caramelized onions, and fresh basil. The meal is fantastic!

By Devon O’Brien
AmesEats Flavors Writer

Living in the dorms as a freshman is an entirely new experience. You have to do your own laundry, wash your own dishes and do your own grocery shopping. On the same hand, you have a meal plan, so how much and what kind of food is good to keep in your dorm room fridge:

• Don’t buy bottled water. As you have probably already heard, Ames has great tap water. It is clean and tastes great too.  Therefore buying bottles of water is a waste of money and a waste of plastic.
• Do keep a pitcher of water in your fridge so you have cold water on hand, and a reusable water bottle to drink your water on the go, or at the gym.
• Don’t buy milk. If you drink milk regularly, you can get your fix at the dining center or buy a small bottle at the C-store when you want it. Milk goes bad quickly so if you buy a whole jug, it could easily go to waste.
• Do keep juice or other sports drinks. They have a longer shelf life than milk, and some don’t even have to be refrigerated if you don’t have room in your fridge.
• Don’t buy frozen meals or meats. Just like milk, meat goes bad quickly and most mini refrigerators don’t have very much freezer space. Besides, you will be eating most of your big meals at the dining center.
• Do keep quick dried meals like Easy Mac in your dorm. If you don’t have time to go to the dining center, it’s a quick fix for a meal, but it won’t go bad it you don’t use it quickly.
• Don’t keep a whole loaf of bread. Bread gets moldy or stale after a couple of weeks. With a meal plan, you won’t need much bread for snacks and will therefore waste much of it.
• Do keep lots of ready to eat, or easy to make snacks such as, granola bars, crackers, and chips. These items won’t go bad and are good for snacking while doing homework or hanging out with friends. On the go? Grab a granola bar if you get hungry on campus.
• Don’t buy fruit. Again, fruit has a short shelf life so you won’t want to buy a lot of it at once. You can however take a fruit with you from the dining center at each meal. So make sure you are getting your money’s worth at the dining center and grab an apple or banana at lunch and dinner to save for a snack!
• Do keep dried fruit, fruit cups and even a couple cups of yogurt on hand. These options are healthy alternatives to chips and cookies and won’t go bad as quickly as fresh fruit will.

Knowledge is power, knowing what you want and will be able to keep before going grocery shopping will save you some cash and save your room of some rotten food smells!

By Kelsey Bulat
AmesEats Flavors Writer

Conversations, the newly renovated dining center located in Oak Elm, is unique to the other dining centers on campus.

“Conversations was conceptualized to be unique. It was important for Conversations to not be a cookie cutter version of the other dining centers on campus,” said Conversations Manager Mary Ellen Metzger.

What makes Conversations unique? For starters, it is the only dining center on campus that has a Bakery and Coffee venue. This bakery serves Peace Coffee (Fair Trade Organic Coffee) which differs from the coffee served at the other cafés on campus. Along with many other recipes, Chef Everett Phillips helped with the recipe development of Conversations Coffee Cake, which is served solely at Conversations. The coffee cake started with a standard recipe and was altered to create the cream cheese, apple and blueberry coffee cake served at Conversations.

The Bakery and Coffee venue is similar to Panera in that it serves breakfast sandwiches and pastry bundles in the morning from 7:30 to 10 a.m. You can either take your bundle and a coffee to go or just relax and enjoy your breakfast in the comfort of the dining center.

Conversations has a unique grilling station which features three different meats a day: the grass and grain fed beef burger, chicken breast, and a vegetarian item. The grilling menu changes daily to highlight the burger. Some of the burgers include the Mexican Burger, the Mediterranean Burger and the Bacon Double Cheese Burger. On November 15^th, the Monday before Thanksgiving break, Conversations will be having a create a burger contest. The winner will then name their burger and the winning burger will be on the spring semester menu.

Conversations has a station called Creations that changes its concept daily. Some days the station has crepes and on other days there will be quesadillas or stir fry.

Don’t forget about the New York Style Deli that uses fresh baked ISU Bakery bread and 5oz of meat and cheese on every sandwich. This deli has signature subs like the Meatball Sub, the Sky High Beef Sub and a variety of Panini sandwiches.

Want a change from the soft serve ice cream at UDM and Seasons? Conversations serves eight different flavors of Blue Bunny hard serve ice cream daily.

Checkout Conversations Monday-Friday between the hours of 7:30am and 10pm to have a unique ISU dining experience.

By Devon O’Brien
AmesEats Flavors Writer

The Grove Café, open with the same name since 1949 is a popular breakfast joint in downtown Ames, on Main Street. Although the restaurant has an extensive menu they are known mostly for one thing, their famous pancake. This giant, plate-sized cake is fluffy and delicious topped with butter and their homemade syrup, it is perfect for any sweet tooth. After one bite of a famous Grove Café pancake, it’s clear why the restaurant was featured in the August edition of the Food Network Magazine for the best breakfast in Iowa. But it doesn’t stop there, the Grove Café has been featured on TV, on the radio, in various publications and most importantly in Roadfood: The coast-to-coast guide to 500 of the best barbecues Joints, Lovster Shacks, ice cream parlors, highway diner and much more by Jane and Michael Stern.

“This is where this is probably where most of the credit should be,” said owner Larry Goodale.

Roadfood was the first to mention the famous pancake when it wasn’t nearly as popular as it is today. Since then the restaurant has become so much more. When Goodale bought the restaurant in 1997 he kept many of the recipes and added new ones. Every weekend The Grove Café features a special flavor of their pancake such as pumpkin spice, raspberry rhubarb, peach, etc as well as a unique flavor of omelet such as taco, corned beef and cabbage, gyro and many more that Goodale, wife and employees have dreamed up.

“When it gets slow we’ll mess around (with new recipes), or someone will think of a good, new idea, then there will be eight to ten customers in here that will try it,” said Goodale.

Just like the restaurant’s wall says, “The Grove Café: Just like home you don’t always get what you want.” Jokingly of course, but like home none the less, with excellent service and a random assortment of coffee mugs that have been collected over the years.

“As soon as there was one stray one up there, someone would bring them in and we would use them. I like ones that have to do with Ames and Ames businesses. I haven’t bought a coffee mug since I’ve been here,” said Goodale.

Being named the Food Network Magazine’s best breakfast in Iowa was a big accomplishment for the Grove Café.

“Every weekend since then people have mentioned it, it definitely helped business and brought in more tourists,” said Goodale.

Being in Ames there is no excuse not to try this “Must Eat”. Plus, just tell your waiter that you are a first time customer and they will make you feel right at home, and coming back for more.

By Emma Partridge
AmesEats Flavors Writer

It’s the start of a new school semester and you are no longer living in the dorms.  Not only is this a good way to become more independent, it also means cooking for yourself and not relaying on the dining centers to provide you with all of your meals.  Here are a few tips on surviving in an apartment and making that transition.

The first step is to think about what foods you enjoy.  You can think of what they served at the dining centers and what other foods you enjoy.  It is good to buy foods that you like and that fit into your budget.  Make a list before going to the store to reduce money on items that you don’t really need.  Another good idea is to shop with your roommates and split the cost of items that you can share.  For example, instead of each of you buying a half gallon of milk, buy a gallon, and trade off who buys it each week.

Some foods that you had in your dorm room are also good to have around in the apartment setting such as food that can be eaten on the go or just as snacks, like granola bars, fruit, and popcorn.  Also, cereal, is a great thing to have around for a meal that is ready-to-eat.  Remember having cereal at your apartment, you will not have as many options, so buy cereal that you won’t get sick of, and change up the kinds you buy each week to get the variety that you had at the dining centers.

When you go shopping look for coupons, this can add up and could save you a lot of money in the end.  Also, if there is a special deal that day, buy it, but only if you know you can eat what you bought before it goes bad.

I like buying multiple packages of pasta, rice, cereal, and pasta sauce, to have on hand that way when you go to the store you can concentrate on buying foods that will not last as long.

A good idea to keep in mind is that not everything in the store is a buffet, meaning you can’t get everything at once.  When buying food items alternate to every other week, to add more variety to your meals.  Just like how the dining centers can get boring, so can buying only the same things each week.

Remember that occasionally you can go back, and eat in the dining centers, if you need a break from cooking your own meals.  The transition gets some used to getting used to but in the end, you will always know that you will be eating something you enjoy.

By Gina Garrett
AmesEats Flavors Writer

Wouldn’t you like to know what the freshman fifteen means before you hear about it from your family doctor after the fact? The freshman fifteen (or 5, 50, or -10) are the weight changes that students sometimes experience due to changes in their routine as they transition to college. Perhaps you have just moved out of your parents’ home, and you don’t know how to cook, or maybe you live in the dorms, and you have access to amazing buffets. This doesn’t affect every student, but there is a reputation that precedes your arrival on campus. If you start college life in a healthy way, this does not have to be your fate.

The “fifteen” implies an average gain for first year college students, but some gain more, and some students, I am sure, actually lose weight. WebMD cites that one in four students gain an average of 10 pounds. Before you worry about this issue, you should certainly talk to your doctor and know what your appropriate weight range is so you can stay healthy. Any unwanted pounds you gain are hard to lose, so here are a few tips to keep you from being a statistic:

• You can take a nutrition class at ISU, like FSHN 167, so you know healthy eating basics.

• Access the Dining Centers’ nutritional info at their website www.dining.iastate.edu.

• Ask your parents to help remind you of the healthy habits they taught you.

• Ask a relative for recipes and cooking lessons (they will love that, by the way!).

• Make sure you take advantage of the Lied Recreation Center for some physical activity, which is already included in your school fees.

• Many dining areas on and around campus feature fresh fruit and veggies, so it is super convenient to eat your daily amounts.

• Remember, you don’t need to clean your plate! Stop once you are satisfied.

• Drink plenty of water and get plenty of sleep so your energy doesn’t dip.

• Don’t get caught up in the latest fad! If you hear about a unique way of eating, check it out with a nutrition professional before you jump on board.

• Take advantage of reputable websites for more information on nutrition, such as: the USDA Food Pyramid website at www.mypyramid.gov or the ISU Extension website at www.extension.iastate.edu.

For more information about the freshman 15 visit: www.webmd.com.

By Justine Mattiussi
AmesEats Flavors Writer

This summer I embarked on a culinary adventure where I experienced amazing cuisine and paramount service from local restaurants in the Ames and Des Moines area. The tour began with a list of critically acclaimed restaurants that I’ve always wanted to dine at. I’ve highlighted my best dining experiences, and challenge the Flavors readers to check out these outstanding establishments. My culinary journey is by no means complete I will continue to indulge in exceptional cuisine and experiment with new favor combinations all the while informing the readers with my information.

Alba
Des Moines, IA
Alba is a fantastic American cotemporary restaurant that specializes in the unexpected. The menu has classics like deviled eggs but with a spicy twist. The atmosphere is upscale and funky with doors suspended from the ceiling as you dine. I enjoyed the Pork Loin Dou accompanied with chorizo, Yukon potatoes, and fresh tomatoes. For dessert I marveled over a homemade chocolate soufflé with buttermilk ice cream; so scrumptious!

Azalea
Des Moines, IA
Azalea is an extraordinary restaurant in the heart of downtown Des Moines that specializes in classic American cuisine with Mediterranean and French inspiration while emphasizing local and organic producers. I devoured the garlic-thyme rubbed steak with roasted new potatoes, tomatoes and bacon-blue cheese creamed spinach which was heavenly combination. For dessert I ventured outside my comfort zone and tried goat cheese sorbet which was incredible blend of sweet and salty! Accompanying the sorbet, I also enjoyed the dark chocolate mousse with Chambord whipped cream which was delectable.

Baur 66
Windsor Heights, IA
Baru 66 is a classic French restaurant focusing on fewer menu items while incorporating fresh seasonal produce. The service was phenomenal with unexpected extras like a goat cheese filled profiterole and coffee crème brulee sampling. For dinner I tried the exceptional rosemary basted rack of lamb with potato and chive croquettes and sautéed summer vegetables which was tasty.
For dessert I enjoyed a trio of delectable delicacies from port soaked cherries, chocolate soufflé with caramel sauce, and pineapple-basil salad with vanilla sorbet. Baru has a cozy environment with chic touches from white tablecloths, dark woodworking, and fresh flowers on the tables.

Café Shi
Ames, IA
Café Shi’s menu items draw inspiration from places all around the world. The service demonstrated at Café Shi was outstanding, definitely the best of all the restaurants I toured this summer! After the waitress’ glowing recommendation I sampled the Vietnamese duck curry which exceeded my expectations and trampled over previous versions at other restaurants. For dessert I indulged in a
red velvet soufflé with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce, which was absolutely amazing! Café Shi’s atmosphere was comfortable and lively with a mix of conversation and good times. I can’t wait to try more of their delicious cuisine!

Lucca
Des Moines, IA
Lucca is an Italian restaurant with influences from the Tuscan region of Italy but is conveniently located in the East Village. Lucca features creative interpretations of classic Italian dishes with a French twist too. The menu is unique in its vague choice of wording, but allows the patron to discover further on their own. Upon investigation the menu is comprised of a two course meal. I
delighted in the rigatoni with bacon infused tomato sauce which was absolutely delightful. For my second course I had sautéed scallops in a red pepper coulis with summer squash, zucchini, and carrots which was cooked to perfection. Lucca is warm and inviting with the elaborate bar area and minimalist style.

By Kelsey Bulat
AmesEats Flavors Writer

As I sat pondering and prodding my best dining experience of the summer, I realized I was focusing primarily on times I’d eaten out. After broadening my gaze to the numerous times I ate in, my best dining experience of the summer became apparent.
On a casual Wednesday evening, my boyfriend and I decided to make dinner. After a quick trip to Wheatsfield Cooperative Grocery, we began to prepare my favorite dining experience of the summer. We baked chicken, Parmesan rosemary polenta, a salad topped with tomatoes and cucumbers tossed in mustard vinaigrette, and vanilla bean ice cream with blueberry sauce. The chicken was massaged with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt and baked to perfection — juicy succulent meat with salty crackly skin.
The polenta had a powerful, yet subtle, taste of rosemary and the texture was smooth and creamy. The salad was crisp and acidic, which balanced the creaminess of the polenta. The Breyers vanilla bean ice cream went perfectly with the simple, homemade blueberry sauce, which contained blueberries, water and sugar.
I’ve learned that making delicious food can be very simple, as well as rewarding. Making the food adds to the dining experience, and allows the preparer the ability to feel and smell the food during the cooking process.
The next time you’re thinking about dining out, try eating in for the ultimate food experience.

By Kelsie Geiger
AmesEats Flavors Writer

Cheesecake is one of the most popular desserts in the U.S., and definitely at The Cheesecake Factory, which has a selection of cheesecake flavors varying from Original to Kahlua Cocoa Coffee Cheesecake. This summer, while eating at The Cheesecake Factory with my family, I decided to try a new flavor of cheesecake.

After looking over the menu for far longer than is normal, I chose the Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake. When the waiter brought us our cheesecake orders, I could tell right away that mine was going to be very rich tasting.

All four layers of the Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake were dark brown, topped off with a Godiva Chocolate square and two dollops of whipped cream. I made sure to add an even amount of whipped cream and the cheesecake to my fork for my first bite.

Rich does not even begin to describe how it tasted. The cheesecake had a mousse-like texture, with each bite full of decadent, dark chocolate flavor. If you are a chocolate enthusiast, this is the cheesecake for you. But the deliciousness didn’t stop there; I was able to sample the Chocolate Chip Cookie-Dough, Lemon Raspberry Cream, Tiramisu and Chocolate Raspberry Truffle. None were as rich or as good as the Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake, but it was a great experience all the same.

Being a college student, I found this to be a great deal. For around $7, I received a slice of cheesecake that was the size of two slices, so I was able to enjoy the wonderful richness of Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake later the next day at home. That said, my trip to The Cheesecake Factory this summer will not be my last, especially since I have 45 more varieties of cheesecake to sample.