Dixie Quicks
We decided to again investigate the growing food scene in Coincil Bluffs We met on a Tuesday night at Dixie Quick on Broadway in Council Bluffs. Per the website “Rules”, we had made reservations, but they really weren’t necessary on the rainy December night. Perhaps on a weekend or in the summer when they have patio seating, this would be a good idea, as the restaurant is a great find in the Council Bluffs area.
The Restaurant: Dixie Quick is a small restaurant that features a “blend of Southern Cooking with a Cajun, Tex-Mex and Southwest elements” .
The restaurant itself has about 20 tables in an open, airy, eclectic atmosphere. There are old wooden doors suspended on the celling and plastic dinosaurs guarded the poinsettia and Christmas tree. There is an art gallery on the opposite side of the restaurants.
They focus on home cooking and comfort food. Their daily specials are written on a chalk board and their menu is varied. They offer brunch/breakfast options anytime. They also have appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees. The entrée sides to choose from include mashed potatoes (really good), collard greens, black eyed peas, zucchini and cheese, Brussel sprouts (well done, delicious!), rice and beans and grits.
The Service: The friendly and efficient waitress started us out with beers (Oatmeal stout was good) and house wine. A variety of soft drinks, tea, and coffee are available. She was friendly and seemed to enjoy serving us.
What we tasted: After ordering, the waitress brought out homemade corn bread. Our critical tastes buds were not impressed with this first offering. Jim felt it was rather “blah”. Rick didn’t finish his slice (an unusual sign) and Sarah felt it needed more sugar for a more tender texture. Patty loaded hers up with butter and honey and said it probably wasn’t worth the calories.
Patty enjoyed the Dixie burger with a side of black beans and rice ($10). The ground beef burger was good and moist, well prepared and cooked to a medium perfection. The burger was served on toasted bread, sautéed mushrooms and grilled onions. Patty thought that the grilled onions were too thin and could stand some improvement on this topping. Otherwise, Patty was pleased with her choice. The black beans and rice was great, with a spicy cumin taste.
Sarah and Jim chose the grilled salmon with two sides ($12) and thought it was great, not dry and not fishy. Jim’s preference would have been to have a thicker fillet of salmon rather than two thin fillets. But they were well prepared and served with “tomato butter”. Jim skipped the tomato butter but Sarah really liked it. It was almost like a thick, creamy tomato soup sauce and was definitely better than this description sounds. Jim dared to try the potato and pickle soup, which is best described as a potato salad taste in a bowl of hot soup. Jim enjoyed it. Jim and Rick both commented on how delicious the mashed potatoes were. Sarah had the Brussel sprouts (steam and sautéed to perfection- Jim commented that if his mother had fixed Brussel Sprouts like these, he would have grown up eating them) and the black beans and rice as her two sides. She agreed with Patty that the black beans and rice had a great southern cooking taste.
Rick, who rarely complains, wasn’t as thrilled with his pork loin entrée and two sides ($12), declaring it a little dry and tough. His freshly steamed green beans and mashed potatoes were a hit. When we go back, Rick will try another of the choices.
Conclusion:
Overall, three thumbs up and one thumb down.