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REVIEW: Devotay is a local, sustainable delight

By LaDawn Edwards

More than 10 years ago I reviewed Devotay for another publication, explaining the Mediterranean notion of tapas — the multiple snacks that would be served along with drinks in the afternoon. Chef Kurt Friese was among the first restaurant owners in Iowa City to focus on local and sustainably-raised food on his seasonal menu. With the town’s embrace of the slow foods movement, Devotay now has a whole lot of company providing local meats and produce raised without hormones or pesticides.

But beyond the philosophy that I wholeheartedly agree with, restaurants do not stick around for decades unless the food is something special. When my family dined there on a recent Wednesday night, we ordered one serving of tempting tapas after another, followed by surprisingly generous entrees. Needless to say, we took a lot of it home with us — but that is a happy problem to have.

When we walked into the restaurant, about the size of a large living room, our personable waitress greeted and seated us, asking “I hope you like my mix?” indicating the Elvis song that had just come on the speakers. Within moments we had vanilla berry tea and a lemonade set before us and we started our usual 20 questions routine over the fascinating menu.

When we asked for a recommendation, our waitress replied, “I’m really excited about our new menu. The scallops are amazing! And, I’ve never had anybody NOT like the bacon-wrapped dates.” Already my mouth was watering and I hadn’t even smelled the food. Thinking that Lizzy should experience a traditional tapa, we got the cheese plate and bread. Chef Kurt’s selections that night included a bleu cheese and champignon (soft cheese with mushrooms) both from France, as well as a mild Basque cheese that’s similar to havarti. They arrived with a handful of spiced roasted almonds, Greek olives and a decorative Balsamic reduction.

It surprises me to say this, but the best thing anybody ordered was the roasted potatoes with marinara and sour cream. If I lived in Iowa City I’d want it to be within walking distance of Devotay for this dish alone. Nothing like hash browns, the chopped bite-sized potatoes (possibly Yukon gold?) are pan fried in olive oil with three secret spices, then oven roasted. The tomato sauce and sour cream (my gut tells me that Chef Kurt probably goes organic or at least avoids rBGH dairy) are added just before serving to create — dut-dut-dut-DAAAAH! — heaven on a fork.

We also sampled the mussels in wine sauce with ham and bell peppers. They’re nice, but not that different from what you can find elsewhere. Our salads were notable for the thick layer of radish sprouts on top of the baby greens and brown mustard house dressing. For me, the mustard flavor was a bit too strong, but nobody else seemed to notice.

For our entrees, I was delighted to find that Devotay offers paella for one. Imagine a pot of Spanish rice that had a scoop of shrimp tossed in along with a half dozen mussels in their shells, but then the cook deciding it might be too bland so he hacks up a bit of spicy sausage and let the whole thing simmer for a few hours. I don’t understand why, but apparently cooking the seafood in the shell does something magical to the surrounding vegetables and rice. Traditionally, this dish has appeared on menus “for two,” as a special gustatory experience for couples. That always seemed like discrimination to me, especially in my single days. Kudos to Devotay for freeing paella from the constraints of a couple-focused world!

My husband ordered the lamb stew, probably expecting it to taste more of Dublin than Delhi, but the spices were all masala-inspired. The tender lamb was accompanied by couscous, zucchini and kale. My first thought when I peered into the bowl was “I wonder if they belong to the same CSA as I do?” because these veggies have been regulars in my weekly box of produce this summer. And, finally, the penne pasta with goat cheese and tomato sauce was the most mainstream dish that we ordered. The distinctive flavor of the cheese didn’t come through the sauce, so it just gave the dish some creaminess.

Our only dessert was the pear bread pudding. I’m sure there was a nut mentioned, but I can’t swear as to whether it was macadamia or almond. The texture was dense and serious, as befits such a nutritious food, with a cinnamon-clove sauce to remind you to smile.

Our server did not wear a nametag and this is definitely not the kind of place where the meal starts with “My name is ______. I’ll be taking care of you tonight.” So, although I would like to specifically praise this wonderful waitress, I can’t tell you her name. The next time you’re enjoying the culinary delights at Devotay, you’ll just have to ask her yourself.