The wooden dragon from the old Spaghetti Works found a new home at the new Fong’s Pizza. (Photo: Duane Tinkey)
By Jason Swanson
Full disclosure: I’ve eaten my share, and maybe some of yours, of Fong’s pizza in my day. Grabbing a slice or two while working downtown was a staple of my diet for many years. The location on Fourth Street has always been within a block or two of my office, so there was a bit of sadness when they announced their pending move across the river to the old Peace Tree Brewing building at 317 E. Court Ave.
The new space definitely lacks the funk of the old one, which was located in the site of what was believed to be Des Moines’s first Chinese restaurant, King Ying Low. But the new spot’s spacious and open floor plan has tons of natural light, thanks to its walls of large windows.
It is also not without history, featuring photos and other pieces from the original location, and an impressive dragon that flies above the dining room, mounted along the wall above the booths. Its lineage traces back to a long-gone downtown staple, Spaghetti Works on Court Avenue. It’s as if the dragon has been waiting patiently to be reborn and claim a place of honor in its new home.
As for the food, all the Fong’s favorites are here, including their famous crab rangoon pizza, which our photographer Duane Tinkey sampled and declared, “It tastes like Fong’s!” (No one claims he is a food critic but he does know pizza.) They have also expanded and revised their menu to include more appetizer offerings, reimagined salads and the addition of an extensive list of mocktails to go with the standard Tiki drinks they have always featured.
There are also new pizzas, including the Moo Shu Pork and the Polynesian Sunrise, my new personal favorite. I know, I know — some people can’t get past pineapple on pizza, but the combination of Canadian bacon, bacon, Peppadew peppers and hot honey hits all the right notes, pineapple be damned!
The usual cast of Fong’s employees has made the trip across the river as they gear up for the April 1 opening. Their energy and enthusiasm for the new space was palpable. The bartender loves the extra room behind the bar, even if he still isn’t quite sure where everything is just yet, and there were several comments on how much more room there was to maneuver in both the front and back of the house.
In conclusion, an old friend got a face-lift and it suits them. And as far as the new location being slightly farther from the office, the consensus was that walking a few extra blocks to get a slice might be good for me.
Read more about the move in the Business Record.
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