Pepper Sprout Midwest Cuisine — Restaurant in Dubuque

OK Foodies, here's the bullseye for food made with panache. Arguably the very best culinary talent in town, Pepper Sprout is top notch if you're hunting for cuisine that's extra-ordinary. The ambience is relaxed, fun, grown-up and perfectly suited for Chef Kim's culinary adventures.

Tonight we started with Oysters Rockefeller, which were divinely seasoned with tender bits of cippolini onion, bacon, wilted, tender baby spinach, butter and topped with toasted parmesan. Delectable!

Next course, I highly recommend the Caesar because you will never taste a better Caesar dressing on the planet. Homemade on site, and packed with creamy, nutty roasted garlic. You might beg Chef Kim for a side of the Ceasar dressing to go!

Hubby ordered the peach barbequed pork loin atop garlic sour cream mashed potatoes. He reports, the juicy tender pork was perfectly balanced with the tangy peach barbeque sauce and satisfying sides...in a phrase, "good eats!".

I ordered the pan seared fresh trout, which was cooked and seasoned perfectly, split and de-boned, exposing delicate, tender, flaky, trout fillets. A lovely arugula lemon vinaigrette with toasted slivered almonds topped the fillets.

And for the happiest of endings, two forks and a slice of Lemon Black Raspberry Tart landed on our table from Heaven, featuring a silky, lightly tart, lemon custard floating atop a buttery graham crust with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and mint sprig on the side. Savored oh so slowly. Yum!

The wait staff are always attentive and accommodating. Casual attire....

When I first travelled through Dubuque years ago, Pepper Sprout piqued my interest, but it was closed at the time. What a pleasure to find an available table on a Friday night and finally be able to experience great food in a sophisticated setting.

The Baked Brie appetizer features an apple and walnut chutney in a smooth balance that spreads beautifully on pitta chips. This tasty starter encourages conversation about the blending of flavors as one dips again and again for another bite.

Our server worked graciously and with care to answer my question about the origin of the escargot. If a restaurant dares to serve escargot at all, it is often from a can, but I learned that this is not the case here. It's been a while since I've been able to enjoy escargot, and this dish was served sautéed with onion and sun-dried tomato. Basil and garlic and white wine butter gave it a thoroughly satisfying Mediterranean flair. Delicately arranged toast was the version of the fresh home-baked bread with distinct herbal tones.

The superb culinary execution and attentive service make Pepper Sprout an ideal destination for either a great beginning or a dreamy culmination of a romantic evening. However, it can get a bit noisy during prime hours, so for a sweet romantic time, come...

Cannot describe adequately how incredible our evening was with Chef Kim and her staff. Our group of almost 30 was treated with impeccable service and absolutely incredible food. The folks who had the salmon raved about it. Those with the beef/filet...couldn't stop going on about how you could cut it with a fork because it was so tender. And the lone member who had the chicken and pasta...he missed out on the beef and fish, but he was just as effusive about the chicken pasta dish. Of course, this review would be remiss without mentioning the desserts (Choc. Cake and Pumpkin pie).... they were a great complement to the main course. Net/net....PepperSprout wasn't just Dubuque good. It wasn't just Iowa/IL good. It was just good, period. One of the best meals I've had this year, and I'm on the road almost 52 weeks of the year. Darn fine food in a beautiful town, just over the border and only 20 minutes from Galena. Highly recommend for anyone in town visiting or fortunate to live locally. Chef Kim...