Written by Madison Stano, Des Moines Girl Fall Intern
“Des Moines’ most anticipated new restaurant of the year” – Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register.
Patrick Bateman endures psychological torture when he can’t get a reservation to the coveted New York fine dining establishment, “Dorsia”. Well, we’d like to hope that this isn’t necessarily going to be the case with Oak Park. So, let’s not go all “American Psycho” on one another, just because it may be difficult to snag a table right now. However, Oak Park will be ready to serve you whenever you get the chance to dine with them, elevating the definition of “Iowa nice” with class and poise. In the meantime, here’s what to expect, our experience and our overall first impressions.
Our “Oak Park” First Impressions
The “Dorsia” of Midwestern Fine Dining
Oak Park is a newly constructed building right on Ingersoll Ave., boasting a beautiful dark wood and brick design with light furnishings to brighten the interior of the space. Along the windowed perimeter of the interior is a long dining room, where white table rounds are placed evenly and serving stations are neatly tucked into the walls with freshly shined glasses. At the bend of the hall, sits french-style white doors, opening to a new area of the dining room.
The “hub” of the building consists of a vaulted ceiling and space for a bar with additional booths, giving this space a cozy feel with the dim lighting and darker surroundings. The hanging fixture brings an elegant brightness, highlighting the panel of intricate prairie-style wallpaper along the wall. In the hall connecting the kitchen to the dining room, boasts a large wine wall lit up for viewing.
Something to Sip
Oak Park serves cocktails, beer, and an extensive wine selection. They have a great variety of unique N/A drinks for those who wish to partake as well. Starting off, we ordered a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc (Astrolabe, Marlborough, New Zealand), a Penicillin cocktail, and a glass of Sangiovese. To our surprise, upon asking for water, we were given the options between San Pelligrino or Fiji (just to name a couple), but settled on the delicious notes of Des Moines tap water.
A Small, But Mighty, Complimentary Bite
Once drinks and dinner had been ordered, we enjoyed conversing. Our waiter came back to our table with little pedestals of a yellow curry potato “croquette” to start off for the night. This was a complimentary surprise, perfectly placed, rich and warm with those savory curry flavors.
Diversifying the Palate
I am a self-identified “I will try anything once” kind of person when it comes to cuisine. There’s only a small handful of foods I don’t particularly care for (and I’m 99% sure I can list them all only using two hands). Don’t worry, nothing at Oak Park made it on this docket.
Bring On the Bisque
Oak Park’s Butternut Squash & King Crab Bisque caught the eye of a few of us. After all, it is fall and butternut squash is abundant— we had to give it a try. Waiters brought out each individual bowl with only a lump of crab in the middle, then almost like magic, they brought out small sauce pourers, gently pouring the bisque into each bowl as if it were choreographed. This rich, creamy dish was a perfect balance of buttery crab and spiced flavors.
Entrées That Exude Elegance
The Skate Meunière piqued my interest as both a fan of seafood and one for culinary intrigue. This entree is “pan seared skate served with a champagne beurre blanc, lemon confit, and endive salad”. After Googling what kind of fish Skate was, and hearing our waiter’s raving review, I had to order it. This thin, flaky, buttery whitefish was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The beurre blanc and lemon confit gave it a soft and tangy finish. I would not recommend it enough.
Along with my Skate, the following entrees were ordered at the table; Bacon Glazed Chop (pictured below), Salmon, and Charcoal Spaghetti & Wagyu Bolognese. There were resounding positive remarks over the food, how well the flavors blended together as well as the overall incredible innovation of each dish. They listed local partners they work with to ensure the freshest ingredients, from Iowan meat producers, local breweries, and even their backyard garden.
Handcrafted Confections to Ultimate Perfection
Going into this experience I wasn’t planning on ordering dessert. However, the mix of external peer pressure and a nasty sweet tooth makes for an internal voice that is hard to say no to. I ordered the Poached Pear Sorbet, defined on their menu as, “Poached pear sorbet, dairy free almond thyme ice cream, poached pears, red wine reduction, and gluten-free cinnamon sugar crunch”. Now normally I’d order anything that was chocolate, but I was craving something with a bit of spice and a nod to the autumnal weather- this was definitely it.
The pear sorbet was smooth, especially mixed with the almond thyme ice cream. The poached pears in red wine reduction made for a sweet finish. Can we admire the craftsmanship on this little dessert? Other desserts ordered at the table were the Chocolate Cake and Oak Park Doughnut, both of which were given the utmost positive reviews for their rich, sweet flavors.
Our First Impressions
Oak Park is definitely a “can’t miss”. From their beautifully designed building, to the delicious locally-sourced cuisine (and all the details in between), Oak Park has truly brought a new “never-before-seen” experience to the Des Moines area. There is no official dress code, but we’d definitely recommend dressing up for this occasion. After all, who doesn’t love an excuse to get fancy from time to time? (FYI I know I mentioned in my last article that I’m trying to “ball on a budget”, but hey- treat yo’ self!)
Best For
Date night, special occasions, or dessert & drinks. This upscale establishment is giving all the classy, “old money” vibes.
Our Favorite Part
The service. It’s not everyday you go to a restaurant where they continually change the silverware for each course as well as offer wait staff to present each dish, consistently stopping by to check in and give recommendations.
We Have a Crush On
Did we mention they have a private chef dining experience? If you’re a fan of “The Menu”, this would be any food-lover’s dream (with a happier ending of course).
Keep Up With Oak Park On Social & Book Your Reservation!
For updates, restaurant news, or possible future events, make sure to give Oak Park a follow! Stay up to date on their current availability and book your reservation. (P.S they may have last minute cancellations every now and then…do with that information what you will 😉 )
Where Should Des Moines Girl Go Next?
Is there an under-hyped food or drink spot you absolutely love? Got the inside scoop of a new bar or restaurant opening up in the area? Or, perhaps there’s somewhere you’ve always wanted to go but are waiting for the perfect opportunity. Let us know!
