Home > Des Moines Restaurants > Editorial Review > Editorial Juice Review: La Mie

Start eating Sunday brunch at La Mie and you'll quickly begin to look forward to this Sunday morning ritual. This is one of those places that you hesitate to brag about - you kind of want to keep it to yourself so that there will always be a seat for you.

SCENE

Eavesdropping at La Mie can be more interesting than reading the Sunday paper. The moveable tables are in such close proximity that when there's a full house (and there often is) you could reach across the aisle and stab your fork onto someone else's plate for a taste of their breakfast. The cafe is located in a long and narrow space in a strip mall. There's a pastry counter in the front where people can sit on contemporary Philippe Starck stools. A minimally decorated dining area is in the back.

FOOD

Most of the brunch items cost less than $10. After eating the French toast (four pieces topped with fresh fruit), you'll find it difficult to try anything else on the menu because it's so good (dare we say the best in town?). The cook puts the syrup on for you, so if you don't want your toast swimming (not a bad thing), ask for it on the side. Crepes covered in fresh fruit are also knockouts. Order a side of bacon - it's worth it. Most breakfast entrees come with side dishes - usually twice-baked potatoes (highly recommended) or yogurt. A mushroom red pepper quiche was a new item not yet on the menu. It was a hit, but served almost cold. One disappointment is the orange juice. Everything else here is so fresh that fresh-squeezed OJ would be better than the standard served here.

SERVICE

The service is wonderful - when you can get it. The wait staff typically seems to be one server short of the perfect number needed to attend to diners' needs. Usually that means you end up waiting just a few minutes past the point of annoyance to order your coffee. When you have their attention, they make you feel pampered. But the servers often seem rushed, which can leave customers feeling bad.

BOTTOM LINE

A sophisticated breakfast. Just learn to go during the slow hours so you can get a table.