Beef Stroginoff in West Des Moines
Make it a double for Irina Khartchenko.
At the end of the month, the namesake and co-owner of Urbandale's beloved Russian-American Irina's Restaurant & Bar is opening a second location in West Des Moines with her husband and co-owner Dmitri Iakovlev.
Sitting in West Glen Town Center at 650 S. Prairie View Drive, Irina's Steak & Seafood will embrace an elevated, fine-dining atmosphere compared to the Urbandale location, where in-house specials include beef stroganoff, a Moscow filet, Wellington salmon, and pork shashlik.
The corner lot in West Des Moines formerly housed a Bonefish Grill that closed in 2021. Owned by Outback Steakhouse's parent company Bloomin' Brands, Bonefish no longer has a presence in Iowa and loyal customers will have to travel to Omaha to visit the nearest chain seafood restaurant.
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The new Irina's location came at the right time
Irina's second location is a homecoming of sorts for Khartchenko and Iakovlev. The duo have resided in West Des Moines since they first moved to Iowa and they opened their first iteration of Irina's in the metro's second biggest city back in 2006. The couple, who immigrated to Canada from Russia, landed in Iowa because they had friends here.
Khartchenko said that before the onset of the coronavius pandemic in March 2020, they were searching for a space to open a second restaurant. When Bonefish Grill closed, the couple said the timing felt right.
"I think we can deliver that great experience to West Des Moines as well," Iakovlev said. "We've always been thinking about opening a second location but it was never the time. The longer we wait… we're not getting younger."
"Whenever you can see an opportunity you need to go and move on with it," Khartchenko said. "If you like what you're doing, you just have to move on with that. There was such a big competition for how many people were trying to get in that space, but we got it."
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Irina's new location's menu features favorites and newcomers
Tapping into their more than 16 years of experience in the restaurant industry, Khartchenko and Iakovlev said the two Irina's locations will feature separate and unique menus with a few overlapping popular dishes like the bang bang shrimp appetizer with a zip and salmon au poivre, a tender salmon filet coated in peppercorns with a cognac cream reduction, asparagus and lobster sweet potatoes.
Coming to the new restaurant's menu is a horseradish-encrusted 16-ounce New York prime steak with whipped buttermilk potatoes.
As food and operational costs skyrocket while inflation hits new 40-year highs for five months straight, Iakovlev said he's already changed Irina's menu three times this year to adjust dishes and prices.
"If I buy beef tenderloin for $12 to $13 and it goes to $20 plus… how can I explain to people that prices go up?" Iakovlev said. "But you're paying for quality. I'm not trying to bring you an average, Hy-Vee-style steak. I'm bringing you steak you can't buy in the store."
Iakovlev said he sources prime cut Iowa beef that's processed under 100 miles from the state's borders and he purchases American wagyu beef — a flavorful, highly marbled beef with a high fat percentage — from Snake River Farms.
Irina's brings the vodka to West Des Moines
And don't forget the vodka.
Touting the largest vodka selection in Iowa, Irina's iconic spirits menu will be available at both locations. With more than 100 labels of the liquor, Iakovlev said picking a favorite is like choosing among different varieties of wine.
"You can say you like certain kinds, red or white depending on your feeling but it's the same as vodka," Iakovlev said. "Especially today. They make vodka from rye, wheat, potatoes, grapes, corn."
Irina's is currently hiring for more than 15 positions across both locations. Call 515-331-0399 for more information.
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Hannah Rodriguez covers retail for the Register. Reach her at herodriguez@registermedia.com or on Twitter @byherodriguez.
Source: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/entertainment/2022/04/18/irinas-restaurant-bar-west-des-moines-second-location-new-opening/7206927001/
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