Restaurant Review: Oak Park
Recounting my two recent experiences at one of the most beautiful restaurants in Des Moines.
Review of Oak Park
3901 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines
(515) 620-2185
Hours: Open at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday
In my 25 years of covering the dining scene in Des Moines, I don’t think I’ve ever heard so many differing opinions about a restaurant as I have with Oak Park. When speaking of her experience there, one of my gourmand neighbors sighed, put her hand on her heart, looked upwards to heaven and said she’d never had a better meal in this city. Others whose opinions I’ve trusted have also sung praises, in print and in person.
And yet, I’ve also heard less-than-stellar reports (e.g., wine service taking inordinately long, and food ranging from mixed to meh).
A few weeks after Oak Park opened, Dave and I visited with two friends; we were all captivated by the beauty of the space and appreciated the attentiveness of the service, but found the food to be—as one dining partner aptly put it—“unspectacular.” Well, early days, I thought.
Recently, the couple we had dined with last year returned and told me their food rated “at least four stars” (out of five). Aha! I thought. Growing pains are over. It’s time to revisit.
Based on my own two recent visits, while I’ve found much to admire, I cannot rave.
The Optics Are Great. And No Stinting on the Staffing.
The restaurant’s Prairie School architecture made this Iowan feel connected and right at home; with harmony and balance, the rooms are both restful and exciting. Most dining areas offer views of the upper Ingersoll neighborhood and the oaks that give the restaurant its name; the tables are spaced far enough apart to maintain privacy, and yet the place feels snug enough to keep up a lively vibe.
Insider tip: I noticed a few seats at tables on the Ingersoll-facing side of the building had unfortunate views of the servers’ point-of-sale systems. I prefer the tables on the east side of the building—no computer screens in sight.
After dining at two shockingly understaffed high-end Des Moines venues this past summer, it was gratifying to be in a restaurant generously staffed with polished yet approachable pros.
Note: While I generally send one free post a week to all subscribers (paid and unpaid), some premium content, such as reviews of high-end restaurants like this one, are for paid subscribers only.