Americana Date with the G'Rents

Earlier this week, T and I met my grandparents for dinner at the newest downtown Des Moines restaurant, Americana.

T and I loved the ambiance. I'd describe it as very 'old school classy.' Rich colors, warm lighting, leather booths, 50's paraphernalia.

I particularly loved the picture of the girl with the records. I think it would look awesome in my living room. :)

I had already checked out the menu online (because I'm a foodie like that) and was excited to try some tapas and possibly an entree.

We ordered the cheese plate to start out with.*
It had a blue cheese, aged cheddar, montengo, 2 types of brie, olive tapenade, a tomato salsa, a fruit compote and a few toasted pieces of bread.
Each of the cheeses was delicious. The aged cheddar and montengo were harder but with bold flavor. I particulary liked the brie topped with a little fruit compote.
Everyone loved the olive tapenade the best!

*We were so hungry we just scarfed the plate and I forgot to get a picture.

We each decided to order up some entrees as well.

I ordered the Americana burger. Classic bacon cheeseburger, topped with aged cheddar and friend onion rings (I skipped the rings). It also had a tomato compote and aioli that I ordered on the side. I requested marinated vegetables for my side. The waitress said the vegetables are seasonal so they can change daily depending on what came in- I liked the idea of variety!
Everything arrived looking very tasty!

T ordered the Tiki Burger and fries. It came topped with a pineapple ring and an umbrella.
The fries were seasoned with sea salt and rosemary. Very tasty.

Each of my grandparents ordered the Chicken Curry. It could be ordered spicy or sweet if requested. They didn't specify so they received a little of each. They said it has some kick, but was very tasty. I thought it looked quite delicious!!

We really enjoyed our meals and are looking forward to future visits!

After dinner, we took a stroll through the Pappajohn Sculpture Park.

This is my favorite sculpture at the park. I tried to make it the background of the blog but I guess it' too big??

After we walked my grandparents to their car, we headed back to Americana for a post-dinner cocktail.

I ordered a Whiskey Smash and T ordered a Sidecar.

The bar had a beautiful marble top and we really liked the set up.

We loved the vibe of Americana (and the food!) and will definitely be back for cocktails with friends!
We heard that later in the evening the music gets a little louder and the lights a little lower...more of a club scene. I'm looking forward to checking that out sometime!