Wobbly Boots BBQ: October 2015

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

13 Halloween Fun Facts

Halloween is here! All kinds of spooky fun is to be had everywhere that you look. Wobbly Boots Roadhouse loves the day that we get to dress up and eat candy. The only thing better than candy is BBQ, but we can eat that without guilt every day of the year! Do you realize that Halloween has been around for over 6,000 years? Here are 13 other fun facts about this holiday that are pretty cool to know. (Is it unlucky that we picked 13?)

1. The birthplace of Halloween is Ireland, but both Salem, Massachusetts and Anoka, Minnesota proclaim themselves as the Halloween capitals of the world.

2. The only commercial holiday that tops Halloween as the highest grossing is Christmas.

3. Dressing up for Halloween comes from the Celtic tradition when people disguised themselves to escape the notice of spirits wandering the Earth on Halloween night.

4. Black and orange are considered Halloween colors. Orange symbolizes strength and endurance and is associated with the harvest and Autumn. Black is a symbol of death and darkness. Halloween was once a festival marking the boundaries between life and death, so the color black is a reminder of this.

5. Pumpkins were not originally used to carve jack-o-lanterns. People used to make faces in turnips.

6. The jack-o-lantern got its name from a very stingy man named Jack. Supposedly, he tricked the devil one too many times and was refused entrance into both heaven and hell. This condemned him to wander he Earth, waving a lantern to lead others away from their paths.

7. The word "witch" actually comes from the Old English word "wicce" which means "wise woman."

8. If you spot a spider on Halloween, that is said to mean that the spirit of a loved one is watching over you.

9. In the UK, white cats are considered bad luck rather than black cats.

10. The owl is a favorite image for Halloween for a couple of reasons. In Medieval Europe, people thought that owls were actually witches in disguise. Also, if you heard an owl's call, that meant someone was about to die.

11. Tradition says that if you wear your clothing inside out and walk backwards on Halloween, you will see a witch at midnight.

12. In 1978, the movie "Halloween" had such a tight budget that they picked out the cheapest mask they could find for Michael Meyers to wear. Turns out, it was actually a William Shatner Star Trek mask painted white!

13. Halloween is considered the third biggest day of the year to party. The top two are Super Bowl Sunday and New Year's Eve.

Your favorite BBQ restaurant near Des Moines plans to spend a nice chunk of our Halloween watching Iowa football! The Hawkeyes play at 2:30 pm, and the Cyclones will be on later in the evening at 6:00 pm. Order up a few treats from the kitchen, have a bit or witch's brew (brew = beer), and watch the games with us before heading out for an evening of tricks and treats. Costumes are optional at Wobbly Boots Roadhouse, but they sure make the day a lot more fun!

Don't forget you can take home 16 oz. bottles of

Wobbly Boots House Recipe BBQ Sauce!!

Second Location - Same Incredible BBQ!

Open EVERY DAY at 11:00 AM!

Like us on Facebook!

Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

1301 NW 114th St
Clive IA 50325

(515) 223-5700

Friday, October 23, 2015

Wobbly Boots Harvest Meals

The best BBQ restaurant near Des Moines has a menu full of the most delicious dishes in Iowa. Our incredible Harvest Meals are a big reason why people keep coming back again and again to Wobbly Boots Roadhouse.

These four amazing meals are hearty enough for the hungriest customer, and delicious enough to soothe the pickiest. Paired with our famous signature sides, these are meals that you'll be bragging about for a long time after you're finished eating.

Roadhouse Rib-eye
Our 12 oz. Rib-eye, topped with grilled mushrooms, onions, & Provel cheese.

Breaded Shrimp Dinner
Large gulf coast shrimp hand-breaded to a golden brown. Served with a side of cocktail sauce.

Catfish Dinner
2 delicious southern-fried catfish fillets served with tartar sauce for dipping.

Prime Rib Dinner
(Friday & Saturday only starting at 5 pm)
Slow Smoked, perfectly seasoned, then hand cut and prepared to your requested degree of doneness. 10 oz. or 14 oz. cut

We like to be as helpful as possible here at Wobbly Boots Roadhouse, so our menu offers an informative guide to the cooking temperatures for your steak.

Rare:

cool center

Medium Rare:

warm center

Medium:

hot center

Medium Well:

hot through, juicy

Well Done:

Don't be like that!

All of these delicious dinners are served with Texas toast and your choice of two of our savory signature home style side dishes.

Seasoned Curly Fries
Legendary Baked Beans
Gourment Potato Salad
Creamy Cole Slaw
Green Beans w/ Bacon
Smashed Potatoes & Gravy
Cheesy Corn w/ Ham
Baked Potato
Cup of Mac & Cheese

You can also substitute the following sides for a small additional charge:

Sweet Potato Fries (+$1)
Cup of Soup (+$1)
Boat of Mac & Cheese (+$1)
Garden Salad (+$2)
Bowl of Soup (+$2)
1/2 Order of Onion Rings (+$2)
1/2 Order of Texas Fries (+$2)

This is only one small portion of the best BBQ menu near Des Moines, but it's a section that we are very proud of. These hearty Harvest Meals come out hot, tasty, and are more than enough to satisfy even the biggest hunger. Come in soon and find out which one will be your new favorite. Don't miss out on our juicy Prime Rib Dinner, only available on Friday and Saturday nights. Come in to Wobbly Boots Roadhouse hungry, and leave happy, full, and satisfied.

Don't forget you can take home 16 oz. bottles of

Wobbly Boots House Recipe BBQ Sauce!!

Second Location - Same Incredible BBQ!

Open EVERY DAY at 11:00 AM!

Like us on Facebook!

Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

1301 NW 114th St
Clive IA 50325

(515) 223-5700

Thursday, October 15, 2015

An Iowa Favorite - Peace Tree Brewing Co.

The best bar near Des Moines loves to feature Iowa breweries in our selection of 18 beers on tap. One of these home-state selections is Peace Tree Brewing Co. out of Knoxville, Iowa. Wobbly Boots BBQ would like to introduce you to the handcrafted, full-flavored brewhouse that is very passionate about what they create.

Their name, Peace Tree, comes from the historic grand sycamore that grew near the town of Red Rock. Today, that town is covered by Lake Red Rock. In the 1960's, Red Rock Dam was built, surrounding the then 500 year old tree. Ever since that time the Peace Tree has been nobly rising out of those waters.

Originally the Peace Tree was a meeting place for many generations of Native Americans, and later became a meeting place for fur traders as well. Treaties were negotiated here, and some say that it marks the Red Rock line. Drawing from this past tradition, the Peace Tree Brewing Co. hopes that the beer made under the Peace Tree label will, "be shared with friends and strangers alike and act as a catalyst for conversations, new friendships and important agreements – in line with the lore of the Peace Tree of Red Rock."

photo courtesy of www.peacetreebrewing.com

A former Nash Rambler car dealership has been the home of Peace Tree Brewing Co. since 2009. Within a month of their March, 2010 grand opening, they were producing and bottling their very own beers and hand-delivering them all over Iowa. Today they have doubled in size and production, and even branched out into Nebraska.

The names of their beers come from memories and places in their past that have special meaning, along with special places in the community and our great state of Iowa. The following three can be found all over the state year-round.

Blonde Fatale

This Belgian-style Blonde Ale is surprisingly smooth. It is hopped with Styrian Golding and Celeia, giving it a medium aroma with a crisp, refreshing bite. Hints of a fruity complexity come from the Belgian yeast. It is 8.5% ABV.

Red Rambler

The deep red color and malty flavor of this beer is a popular one in the tap room. It is named in honor of the Nash Rambler car dealership that used to inhabit the building. Three varieties of hops balance out the malt character of this 5.8% ABV brew.

No Coast IPA

Loads of hop flavor and tons of bitterness describe this big American IPA. Amarillo, Citra, and Simcoe hops are present with big piney and citrus notes. Its golden color comes from the variety of pale malts that are used to make it. It is 7.25% ABV.

Peace Tree Brewing Co. currently has 11 other varieties listed on their taproom website, including some delicious seasonal choices. Stop in to your favorite BBQ restaurant near Des Moines and see which of these incredible beers that we are featuring this month. Nothing goes better with Wobbly Boots BBQ and Iowa football than a good ol' Iowa-brewed beer!

Don't forget you can take home 16 oz. bottles of

Wobbly Boots House Recipe BBQ Sauce!!

Second Location - Same Incredible BBQ!

Open EVERY DAY at 11:00 AM!

Like us on Facebook!

Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

1301 NW 114th St
Clive IA 50325

(515) 223-5700

Friday, October 9, 2015

How To Teach Your Kids To Appreciate Great BBQ

It's tough for parents to enjoy dinner out with the family when the kids can never agree on a restaurant. You want to eat at your favorite BBQ restaurant near Des Moines, but all of those sauces can be intimidating for young palates. Here are a few tips on how to change those turned up noses into eager smiles when you mention Wobbly Boots Roadhouse for dinner.

Start them out with an old favorite.

We have a great menu just for kids here at the Boot. They even get their very own special kid's cup along with their meal. Make sure you take it home with you and let them use it often, reminding them of what a great time they had while they were here. We offer some kid-friendly favorites:

Kids Burger with fries
Grilled Cheese with fries
Mini Corn Dogs with fries
Mac & Cheese Boat

Once you lure them in with one of those, maybe next time they will be brave enough to try our not-so-common kid's choices:

Pork Sliders with fries
Boneless Wings with fries

Give them a taste of your favorites.

The next step really depends on your child's personal style. If they are competitive, challenge them to taste one thing off of your plate each time you visit. You can even entice them to dip their own food in a bit of our house-recipe BBQ sauce. (Kids LOVE dipping!) If they are easily distracted, sneak a bite or two onto their plate while they aren't looking. They will be happily surprised with the new, delicious flavor before they know it. Pretty soon, you'll have to convince them to order off of the regular menu so they stop eating off of your plate!

Let them get messy.

This is the best way to get a kid to eat BBQ - give them free range to get as messy as they like. (Although, we do prefer you keep it contained to your own table.) The taste of incredible BBQ is just part of the joy. The experience of getting a little on you adds to the fun. Where do you think the phrase "finger-licking good" came from? If they aren't constantly having to stop between bites to clean up, they can really dig in. Don't worry, we've got wet wipes here for everyone. Just make sure nobody wears their favorite white shirt to dinner.

Once a week we'll even give you a hand in turning those children into BBQ lovers. Every Tuesday night from 5 pm - 8 pm, KIDS EAT FREE! We'll let you order 1 free kid's meal with the purchase of an adult meal when you dine in the restaurant. You can put your plan into action and not even have to pay for their meal!

The key is to bring the kiddos in with something familiar, then introduce something new a little bit at a time. Before you know it, they will think of us as the best BBQ restaurant near Des Moines just like you do. When you say, "Where should we go for dinner tonight?" everyone in the family can agree on Wobbly Boots Roadhouse. One big happy family with very full, happy tummies after.

Don't forget you can take home 16 oz. bottles of

Wobbly Boots House Recipe BBQ Sauce!!

Second Location - Same Incredible BBQ!

Open EVERY DAY at 11:00 AM!

Like us on Facebook!

Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

1301 NW 114th St
Clive IA 50325

(515) 223-5700

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Damon Dotson is Performing Live at Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

Damon Dotson has become a local favorite at the best BBQ restaurant near Des Moines. He played here most recently last July, and we are thrilled to be able to have him perform again at Wobbly Boots Roadhouse. Most of you probably know his voice by now, but here is a little background on this incredible performer.

This local boy grew up in Okoboji, Iowa. Damon made his way onto the Midwest music scene in 2003, and his fan base has been steadily growing ever since. From playing backyard parties and living rooms to packing venues all over Iowa, he has come a long way. He now plays top venues all over the Midwest

Damon has had the opportunity to open for musicians such as B.B. King, Willie Nelson, The Gin Blossoms, The Beach Boys, Kenny Loggins, Matt Nathanson, Tristan Prettyman, and Stephan Kellogg and the Sixers.

One reviewer from the Des Moines Register wrote that Damon has, "the curly locks of Jim Morrison but more of a warmly romantic sound that veers between Dave Matthews and Coldplay." No matter how you describe it, our customers will back us up when we tell you this guy is incredible and his show is not to be missed.

Damon Dotson performing at Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

Come on out to Wobbly Boots Roadhouse on Saturday, October 3, 2015 and hear some of the best live music in Des Moines. Stop in early for dinner, get your seat, and enjoy the show starting at 9 pm. We are sure that you will be a fan. Once you are, keep an eye on our social media and website for updates about when he'll be back entertaining our crowd again.

Don't forget you can take home 16 oz. bottles of Wobbly Boots House Recipe BBQ Sauce!!

New Second Location - Same Incredible BBQ!

Open EVERY DAY at 11:00 AM!

Like us on Facebook!

Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

1301 NW 114th St
Clive IA 50325

(515) 223-5700