Home > Des Moines Restaurants > Editorial Review > Editorial Juice Review: Flying Mango Restaurant and Catering

Whenever we try to think of someplace to go eat, we always forget about Flying Mango. The barbecue/Caribbean restaurant sits along Hickman Road in a spot that's not in a dining district. The food isn't so forgettable.

It's difficult to be both hip and comfortable, but Flying Mango pulls it off well. We went during the first heavy snowstorm of the year and found the parking lot was full - a great sign for this Beaverdale restaurant.

THE GOOD

When we entered the restaurant, we immediately saw the grill before we went into the dining areas. The owner chatted with the cooks in Spanish and engaged in playful banter when I went to order. The warm welcome was nice.

The place is decorated with dark wood tables and mellow orange walls. An elegant touch: salvaged tin ceiling tile condiment holders made by local artists.

None of the entrees or smoked meat meals (ribs, chops) are less than $10, but if you're not too hungry, you could split something large like the BBQ Platter (ribs, chicken and brisket). All of the sandwiches, sides and starters are less than $10.

The Pulled Pork Tacos with Orange and Red Onion Salsa includes two soft-shell tacos that are big enough for a meal. That's a bargain at $5.95. The Chopped Brisket Sandwich with coleslaw (the menu says it's owner Mike Wedeking's favorite sandwich) is huge. I always eat the Cowboy Beans, but asked for Red Beans and Rice. They had chunks of meat in them and were great, but I still prefer the Cowboy Beans with the brisket.

Bonus: There was a little of everything left over and it all tasted good cold the next day.

THE BAD

The parking lot is really small, so if you come later, you might have to park along residential Beaverdale streets and walk.

The sweet potato pancake with mango sour cream sounded exciting, but was pretty drab and the flavors didn't mesh well. The brisket sandwich is unmanageable as a sandwich. You'll have to knife-and-fork it or you'll make a mess. Be sure to ask for BBQ sauce. I like to drown my meat in the sauce, but I forgot to ask for some in a container.

BOTTOM LINE
Hearty BBQ served alongside a great wine list. This is the place you're looking for to impress out-of-town guests.

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