Working at a marketing agency, there is a time and place for wining and dining clients. I haven't experienced this until tonight. After a long but extremely insightful day of meetings, a few of my colleagues and I took our two clients who were in town to the new restaurant at the Des Moines Social Club called MALO. I was about to describe the food as Mexican; however, a quick check of the website clarified that in fact the genre of food is Latin. This might explain why I found the menu wasn't traditional Mexican offerings, or the meals are just that contemporary. Either way, there are some interesting choices available from tots & shots to Texas shrimp enchiladas to paella.
My dinner party of seven didn't have one bad word to say about the food. From the sangria to salads and tacos to ice cream, we tasted a good cross section of the menu. The prices were reasonable. Many of the meals were from $10-$20 with only a few entrees going above that. Chips and salsa are included, plus we ordered guacamole and the tater tots. Holy food coma. We all left stuffed, which is why my pants may or may not be unbuttoned at this exact point in time.
If you aren't familiar with the Social Club, you should know that it recently opened after a massive remodel of the old Des Moines fire station headquarters. It's a hub for the arts, education, theater, and concerts. MALO occupies the space that used to be the fire truck bays. It's a fun and modern atmosphere that blends bright colors with a sophisticated feel. There was a steady crowd this evening, plus a large party table.