Bar Nico

The 36 Best Restaurants in Des Moines, Iowa | Eater

"Matt Small is a lifelong student. In college, he majored in music and education before honing in on his true passion while working at the dining hall. For five years, he then studied under a James Beard Award semifinalist (Harbinger’s Joe Tripp) and other veteran chefs while moving up the ranks at the fine dining restaurant Alba. Small took to masa specifically, eventually going on a field trip to Mexico to master nixtamalization. He capitalized on that education in 2022 with this entirely gluten-free East Village modern Mexican restaurant, where he prepares fresh tortillas every day from organic Mexican corn. Try them in tacos, alongside a zesty main like steelhead trout with mole verde, or with the ceviche sangria, where they’re the perfect fried vehicle for scooping up seafood." - Karla Walsh