Des Moines, an up-and-coming city full of life and experiences, has seen a recent abundance of growth within its community and businesses. Like any major city on the map, it profits most from its work and large variety of restaurants. Almost every road you go down is marked with a chain restaurant, and as I have come to learn, even the small look-alike businesses are inadvertently chains.
Despite this, the diversity and culture of Des Moines thrives from the smaller, local, hole-in-the-wall restaurants sprinkled throughout the city. They offer you a unique and homey environment that corporate chains can only try and emulate..
I had the privilege to experience the wonder that is the Á Đông Restaurant. The restaurant has been a Des Moines staple since February of 1989, when the family-owned and operated business first opened. Located on High Street, the restaurant is only a six-minute drive from campus.
Not only does the drive take you through Des Moines, but it also displays the large array of residential life. On the way over, you are met with an abundance of trees and parks framing the unique structures of housing and apartments you typically don’t get to experience around Dogtown.
The building itself is tucked away just outside of the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, giving those who visit a wonderful exposure to the visual arts that Des Moines has to offer. Despite Á Đông being just outside of downtown, the location itself is a stark contrast to the overwhelming hustle and bustle of city living. Finding parking was effortless. There were no reservations, no parking meters and definitely not any passive-aggressive driving to hunt down the one perfect spot.
Greenery and life decorated the outside, so much so that the door was not abundantly apparent. In this regard, Á Đông became a stark contrast to the tall and imposing buildings of downtown. It was as if you were given a small breath of fresh air and could feel the amount of love owners put into their craft.
Once inside, I was welcomed with a low-cast, warm lighting that somehow brightened up the white walls of the restaurant. Various artworks, sculptures and fresh fruits lined the entryway and the tables. The restaurant carried itself with a certain level of elegance, yet you didn’t feel the need to come dressed in your finest clothes. Everything felt very open. The tables were full, while simultaneously being comfortable and inviting. Conversations both amongst patrons and servers filled the air. It was as if Á Đông brought you into their home and welcomed you with warm food.
Á Đông was voted best local Vietnamese restaurant according to the 2024 CityView Magazine’s “Best of Des Moines,” and understandably so. The menu varies widely from rice dishes to soups to noodles. Better yet, all appetizers and entrees have a vegetarian option listed to accommodate different dietary needs in order to make sure that everyone can eat.
Each dish within its own category, whether it was soup, vermicelli or rice dishes, was distinctly different from the other meals listed. What surprised me the most while eating here was that each dish was priced no more than $18, making the meal not only delicious but affordable for any college student. While there, I ended up going with their Bún Riêu, a shrimp and crab soup with noodles. I had never had crab in a soup before, but I have to say I was far from disappointed. The soup itself was warm in both taste and aroma. The flavors blended nicely with the shrimp and crab, which made you want to never put the dish down. There was no part of the meal that overpowered or felt like they were trying to overwork a flavor into the soup. At the same time, the portions were large enough for you to feel full without feeling bloated.
Á Đông is the type of place where the food makes you want to take it home and enjoy it for a second time, yet you will never have the strength to resist the urge to keep eating. It provides a unique presence within the fabric of Des Moines that knits itself into a welcoming little pocket within the city.
