“Harbinger is all about Iowa, the wonderful place we call home. We strive to support local, not just with our food, but with the soap we use in our bathrooms, the candles burning in the dining room, and the art upon our walls. Iowa-based artisans give our space its character. A Des Moines company made our bar of barnwood reclaimed from one of our favorite farms – after it was paved over by the state for a new road. Its presence continuously reminds us of the importance of supporting and strengthening our Iowa community.”

Smoked sablé banh xeo, a reimagined Vietnamese crêpe made with local dark rye flour, smoked sablefish, capers, and cultured cream; crispy pig face, a breaded torchon of pork with house-preserved last-summer tomatoes, with Chinese mustard, blistered cabbage and preserved mouse melons; asparagus chawanmushi: custard of asparagus broth and egg with roast asparagus, fresh asparagus, morel mushrooms, yuzu vinaigrette, and brioche furikake.

An artful spot. Iowa’s best barprogram is here, and they turn the pits of stone fruits into unique bitters. Acclaimed Chef Joe Tripp translates his love of southeast Asia through his own heritage and memory, serving it all in local artists’ handmade ceramics, in a dining room likewise abundant in local makers’ ambitious projects.

Semifinalist: Best Chef – Midwest. James Beard Foundation