Trostel's Dish

Trostel's Dish is an upscale "small plate" restaurant in West Des Moines.

Every time I come here I find 1-2 ridiculously amazing dishes and 3-5 "ok" dishes. Most of the food here is very heavy on oil/starch and they are not very vegan friendly. But definitely sample some things and you will find something great.

Drinks here are excellent. There's a large beer/cocktail/wine menu and the bartenders know what they're doing. I've never had a bad martini at Dish.

Sometimes Dish has live music, which can be a bit obnoxious (when seated nearby the band), but overall the atmosphere is great.

For a big group, this is a perfect spot. For a small group, this is a perfect spot. The ability to try multiple menu items and share without seeming weird is a niche that was lacking until Dish and Dish has managed to keep the food fresh. I only dock it a half a star because it was much better when it first opened and I'd like to see new items more often or daily specials that aren't typically on the menu.

I truly LOVE this restaurant! It reminds me of a place I'd find in New York or San Francisco, but with Des Moines prices (OK, maybe a little high for Des Moines, but definitely fair prices). Their small plates, which are the star of the show, run the gamut from New American to Asian to Continental to modified tapas. It's best enjoyed in a group, as you can order lots of different plates, taste a little bit of everything, and leave stuffed for a reasonable price.

I also like that the food comes out in flights, so that you can slowly enjoy the meal without feeling rushed.

The cocktails are nothing special, but they have dozens of mixed drinks so you won't go thirsty. And I'm not really sure, in this day of "everything's a Martini", how you can stand out in this department anyways.

The service is smooth and friendly. The servers look very NYC, which is fun to find in an area that was a cornfield not too long ago. I only wish they took reservations (but the waits are never too long).

Definitely worth a trip!

I really like this place. I have now been there 3-4 times over the past 6 months and each visit left me impressed with food, the service, and the atmosphere.

The service is usually quite fast and courteous, which is always a great start. I have visited with a group of 20 and they were very efficient in taking care of us. I was quite impressed - it compared most favorably to almost any similar-sized dining experience I ever had.

The food is the obvious star though. The menu primarily consists of appetizers, great-tasting appetizers at that, ones that combine to make a wonderful, flavorful meal. The menu is arranged by flavor regions - spanish, latin, american, european, asian, pizzas, desserts - and every one of them offers something original and wonderfully unexpected. By now, I have tried almost every item on the menu and while some dishes are better/tastier/more original than others, all of them were quite good.

The other great thing about this place is the atmosphere. You would think that a place with aspirations towards haute cuisine might be stuffy and pretentious - not this one. The settings, the food, the great wine and beer selections all combine to make it a place where people appear to truly enjoy themselves in a nicely relaxed atmosphere.

I loved the atmosphere. I have been there a few times and loved it. The music was awesome. Mason Greve is a must hear, very talented. His voice and guitar skills are fabulous.

We finally found a restaurant in Des Moines worth raving about! The bar, furnishings, lighting, and overall atmosphere at Trostel’s Dish is very chic and romantic. The wine list is impressive (even the wines offered by the glass are a diversion from the ordinary chardonnays and merlots), and the specialty martinis and sparkling cocktails all look divine.

I love tapas, and Dish does not disappoint. It’s menu offers culinary variety that matches the most upscale and trendy restaurants in Minneapolis and Chicago. I just wish that my date and I had come with a large party so that we could sample more of the menu.

The service was excellent…our server was helpful and attentive and didn't miss a beat. We started with the tuna (melt-in-your-mouth sushi grade w/ a slightly spicy black bean sauce and edemame, and then tried the sausage cracker crust pizza (good, but as another reviewer mentioned, there are much more exiting things on the menu). Next we had the very decadent mac & cheese (to die for!) and the tilapia (the fish was seasoned and prepared wonderfully, the sauce original).

The two of us were too stuffed to attempt even a bite of dessert, but next time we will be sure to save room. The prices are so reasonable that we will be back again and again ($60 for two beers, a glass of wine, and all of that food, what a deal!).

This will be the place I take my out-of-town friends when they come to visit. Excellent value, service, food, and atmosphere.

Simple, elegant and outstanding. This seriously describes the food, the drinks and the ambience of Trostel’s Dish. It is by far one of my favorite restaurants here in the Des Moines area. I sampled around 8-10 dishes, including starters and dessert and everything was fabulous. Not to mention a extensive cocktail/wine list. We were there on Friday night and the live music act was perfect, not too loud to end conversations, yet kept us entertained. And as mentioned from a previous reviewer, they take reservations!

What about the musician's at Trostel's Dish, people? No one ever mentions the wonderful back ground music playing while enjoying all the fabulous and creative dishes. Paul Johnson is a must hear .... the food is a delight and the staff are friendly. Check it out!!!!! YUMMMMMMMMM

Beautiful atmosphere, great bar selection, incredible food. Every dish I've sampled thus far has been a hit. The cracker-crust pizza is good, but really there are far more interesting things on the menu. I had no interest in the white truffle mac & cheese, but it's a new addiction. Not a pork lover, but the pork loin is incredibly good. Excellent seafood - love the havarti shrimp and calamari.

My only "could have been better" thoughts are the creme brulee and the tiramisu, but not a big deal. Also, TAKE RESERVATIONS!

We've spent many evenings enjoying the inventive "small plates" at Trostel's Dish. Service is attentive but pacing is key here. Iif you order more then 5 dishes at once you can build up an overflow of piping hot foods that chill as you try to sample as much food as possible. Better to order 2-3 entrees at a time, and more as the evening goes on.
We like that the menus change seasonally but that some favorites stay; macaroni and cheese, pommes frites,spinach salads, etc..(Winters Veal Osso Bucco disappeared quickly in summer).
Dish recently opened for lunch but seems to be struggling for
business, there were only 4 tables filled during the lunch hour of 11:30 - 12:30 on a recent Wednesday.
Also the young staff could use some tact when it comes to overcharging for a dessert sampler. Do not say, "the lunch menu is old, "I'll see what I can do about that"...because next time I will see what I can do about your tip young man.

Wow! This is a restaurant that has all five of its stars already in place. The decor is Chicago chic . . . even New York chic. The service is excellent. The bar is alive and exciting.

But . . . the food gets the top billing at this unique palace of gourmandise. The array of tapas is bountiful and highly original. The dishes and presentation live up to the eponymous name of the restaurant. And then there are the flavors . . . Superb culinary creations of flavor-induced masterpieces of fresh ingredients conducted by a master chef and assembled into delights that dazzle on the plate and the palate.

The wine list is a Des Moines treasure. Even the little-known Los Rocas de San Alexandro, an obscure Spanish wine to which Robert Parker gave a 93 rating, stating "maybe one of the best wines in my experience." The Fess Parker sirah is out of this world . . . and the prices are fair and reasonable.

Perhaps the best part (at least an attractive part because everything here is "Best") is two people can share six or seven incredible tapas selections, several great wines, a very generous desert (try the chef's signature chocolate cake), all served with professional attentiveness without obsequiousness or banal chatter . . . and spend about $70-80 . . . absolute top value!

This is a restaurant to sample liberally and frequent often. There is energy and joy and superb food; clearly management is totally dedicated to the customer having a great experience. This is restaurateuring as it should be done . . . and to have this delight in Des Moines is a diner's delight and privilege.