Datebook Diner: Dos Rios: Good respite from Iowa winter

Marinated Skirt Steak: $22
(Credit: Andrea Melendez/The Register)

On one of the coldest, snowiest, blowiest nights during the recent post-holiday letdown, I headed out as part of an intrepid foursome to take another look at Dos Rios. While I’d experienced a few disappointments here, the restaurant snagged the No. 10 slot on Metromix readers’ list of the top 100 restaurants in Des Moines. Clearly, it deserved another look.

Ambiance: The atmosphere inside is everything the weather outside is not: warm, vibrant and alive. With its dashing and contemporary Latin furnishings, including star-punched lanterns casting a sexy glow on diners, the place feels a little like a sophisticated hacienda.

Menu: Our initial escape-from-winter lift only got better when we ordered our drinks. Admirable $6 house margaritas ($4 on Thursdays), and the stellar Jalapeño Margarita — a head-turning mix of sour, sweet and heat — got us off to a thrilling start, especially served alongside a generous bowlful of super-fresh guacamole, made tableside.

If you’re going to charge $22 for skirt steak, which you can get for $10.95 at Mi Mexico, it had better be a one memorable steak. Surprisingly tender (for this cut) and infinitely flavorful, with a sprightly chimichurri sauce and a bonus of earthy roasted mushrooms, this one came very close. 

Arriving with a slightly crusted over layer of sauce (as if it sat under a heat lamp too long), the Devil Shrimp would win no beauty contest, yet after a few bites, it became the night’s winner, thanks to a mix of admirably fat and flavorful jumbo shrimp and some baby shrimp in a red-hot tomato-based sauce.

Close, but no cigarro: While the Mahi Vera Cruz brought an excellent piece of fish, there was just something unsatisfyingly sloppy about the overall dish. Sure, one could argue that a Vera Cruz dish is often a saucy mishmash, but for $22, I was hoping for a little more sparkle and precision.

While the quesadilla and tamales were solid and filling, I guess I’m expecting more than just solid and filling food at a place like this.   
    
Service: Our warm, personable server missed only one beat: We simply do not expect to save our forks when we spend more than $20 for an entrée.

Bottom line: This was my most successful visit yet, but it’s still not a four-star spot.