Datebook Diner: Appetizers, sips best at W.D.M. Johnny’s

DJ Frank, head chef at Johnny's Steakhouse. (Credit: James D. Fidler/The Des Moines Register)

As I nibbled on a woefully timid Caesar Salad at Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse in West Des Moines, I got to wondering where all the great Caesar salads have gone. Whatever happened to those with that distinct lemony, garlicky, black-pepper-sparked bite (a bit further sharpened, in some cases, with anchovies)? With faint-hearted versions like Johnny’s becoming the norm, I’m beginning to fear a whole generation of diners will never know what a bold Caesar tastes like and why it became a classic in the first place.

While there was nothing out-and-out awful about the salad — the lettuce was crisp and judiciously tossed with the creamy dressing — it proved a harbinger of much of the food here, which was, at its best, fine but nothing special.

The look: The dining room has a clubby dark-wood appeal, with some high-backed booths for privacy.

Menu: The huge menu of steaks and chops, seafood, salads and chicken dishes covers a lot of bases.

The best: Next time I go, I’ll sit in one of the curved booths in the lively bar and order some drinks and starters. The Italian sausage-stuffed mushroom with its sheen of cheese satisfied in a pizza-flavored sort of way, and the zucchini fries — ultra-fresh summer-squash in a hot-crisp coating — delighted like nothing else on the menu. Add a cup of the decent French onion soup, and you could nibble and sip your way through a nice time here.  
    
The rest: Of the entrées, the Veal Sinatra proved best, though the gravy-like but tasty sauce could have used better shrimp, and if there was crab present (as promised on the menu), we had a hard time finding it.

The ribeye was fine, though nothing on which to build steakhouse fame. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed truly top-notch (as in rich, sweet and fresh-tasting) shrimp, and Johnny’s Crab-Stuffed Shrimp failed to break my losing streak.

Least enjoyed was the chicken piccata; while the sauce was decent, the boneless breast pieces had a strange softness and absence of flavor; they hardly resembled chicken at all (or have diners forgotten what chicken tastes like?).

Bottom line: To be fair, I found a respectable crowd across two weeknight visits, so view this lukewarm review with that in mind. If you enjoy mild-mannered food, this could be your place.

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