Lunch Meeting

Big Sky Over Iowa Saturday

Saturday I skipped the usual 3GR for a meeting with a friend in Des Moines which turned into a kind of a pivotal meeting having to do with a Trans Iowa related event, which I had not intended on having happen. It was a great day because of it though.

The original intention was to meet with Sam to let him check out two Luxy Bars I had as spares. If you don't already know, Luxy Bars are off road drop bars that were once offered by Ragley Bikes and designed by Brant Richards, who is back with On One Bikes these days. (They of Midge Bar fame, amongst other things.) Anyway, you can not buy new Luxy Bars, so used ones get a fair bit of attention these days. Sam was wanting a Luxy Bar for a future bicycle build and asked to see my bars to choose one.

Sam also runs a restaurant called "Tacopocalypse"in the East side of Des Moines, so I wanted to stop by with Mrs. Guitar Ted to check that out for Lunch Saturday. We had dropped my children off along the way at Grandma and Grandpa's, so that all worked out rather well for the trip.

Order up!

We had some wet, wild weather in the Mid-West over the past few days, but Saturday was turning into a great, cool Fall day and the drive down was actually pretty pleasant. I don't often get away on simple pleasure trips like this, (which is how I was looking at this from the onset), so I was really enjoying myself.

We found Tacopocalypse easily enough at 621 East Des Moines Street. It was about ten minutes before opening time, but Sam saw us outside and had an employee let us inside. Now, I am not a restaurant reviewer by any means. No "food critic" here, but I know a good meal with great taste when I see one. My mother is an excellent cook, was a State President of the School Food Service for a while, and has taken college courses on food prep, along with her vast experience in cooking for larger groups. My Mother-In-Law is a Korean native, has worked in restaurants all her life, and makes the best Korean food I've ever had. Mrs. Guitar Ted is no slouch in the kitchen either, and we both enjoy tickling our taste buds with great cuisine when we can get it. So, I think I have more than a passing interest and experience in "finer dining". 

The "Burrito of the Day" was my choice.

Okay, first off, this is not your "typical" taco truck fare. Not at all. It is food with a Mexican base taken through an Asian filter and hit with a dose of creativity and, dare I say, "higher class", that makes it something totally new. Don't go to Tacopocalypse looking for "Mexican", because this blows most food of that type we have here in Iowa outta the water.

Mrs Guitar Ted had two different "tacos", (and I use that term loosley, because as I say, these are a level above and beyond your typical taco), and they were brilliant. My choice, the "Burrito of the Day", was looking so good on the plate, I didn't want to mess it up by eating it.

But of course, it was so good I ate it all!

Everything is hand made- no store or wholesale bought chips, as an example. They make 'em from scratch there. Just like everything else. And the flavors are rich, subtle, and balanced. I highly recommend going there, but as I say, don't expect the "typical", because it is extraordinary.

Anyway, that's my opinion. Back to bicycle related stuff!

Sam picked out his Luxy Bar, and in the meantime, Steve, who was our T.I.V7 official photographer and finished T.I.V9 this past Spring as a rider, showed up with his wife, Kathy. I brought up the deal we are working on- The Trans Iowa Clinic- which will be held sometime after T.I.V10 registration is completed, in December, or January, and we started batting around ideas, when Sam says, "Hey guys, I have an idea...."

Well, one thing led to another, and while I can not spill the beans quite yet, I think Sam's idea is going to be a capitol one, (pun intended), and I think we'll be making announcements after the registration about the clinic in Des Moines which should be pretty cool. Stay tuned......

So, I got another piece of the T.I.V10 puzzle plotted out and I didn't even plan for that! All in all a great trip and I got to see good friends and had a killer meal to boot. Thanks all!