Origin: The genesis of High Life Lounge’s Bacon Wrapped Tator Tots began just a few blocks away in the Court Avenue district. It was 2004 when Jeff Bruning and his Full Court Press business partners opened Hessen Haus. Bruning and his brother-in-law, Kent Middendorf, were testing out recipes for the German beer hall’s lunch menu and had the brilliant idea of wrapping bacon around French fries. They tasted pretty darn good and sparked a eureka moment: to substitute tater tots for the fries.

“We were just screwing around. It was serendipity,” Jeff Bruning said. They opened High Life Lounge on Groundhog Day in 2005 and added Bacon Wrapped Tator Tots to the menu. The tasty morsels have become a fixture of the ’60s-style bar’s menu and fit right in with its retro, laid-back aesthetic. “At High Life Lounge, there isn’t anything that’s really surprising,” Bruning said.“The thing that’s surprising is that the items (like deviled eggs and Spam) are actually on the menu. We don’t have to train people. It’s the stuff people grew up on.”

Stats: The Bacon Wrapped Tator Tots are in high demand, he says.They’re so popular, in fact, that High Life Lounge burns through the equivalent of three to four laundry baskets full of the appetizer each week.“There isn’t a time you can go into our kitchen and not find someone making them,” Bruning said. They even attracted the attention of the Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food” host Adam Richman. In 2010, Richman ate his way through Des Moines and sank his teeth into the broasted chicken and Bacon Wrapped Tator Tots at High Life Lounge. Richman was complimentary of the tots both on and off camera, Bruning said. “He was really impressed and enthused with the product,” he said.

How they’re made: The process is pretty straightforward. Take a jalapeno and a Tater Tot, wrap a half of a slice of bacon around them and secure with a toothpick. Repeat 10 more times and drop them into a deep fryer for a minute, then sprinkle them with shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

Taste: The first experience is the crunch of the crispy, juicy bacon that bear-hugs each tot. A jalapeno slice is nestled in between and adds a spicy kick. Then comes the nucleus: the glistening tot, crunchy on the outside and soft in the center. Each bite is smothered in Monterey Jack cheese and served with a side of ranch. It’s creamy, cool and cuts through the heat of the jalapeno.

Why you should try it: Bacon Wrapped Tator Tots won’t necessarily help you achieve your dietary goals, but it’s the dish you’ll want to kick back and relax with. It’s delicious, no frills comfort food.

High Life Lounge’s bacon wrapped tots

High Life Lounge’s bacon wrapped tots

Cost: $6.95.

Where: 200 S.W. Second Street

Info: 280-1965, thehighlifelounge.com

Hours: 11 a.m.-2 a.m. daily. Kitchen hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.