Red China Bistro
2925 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312
Red China Bistro Menu
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Sushi Menu - Salad & Soups
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Sushi Menu - Rolls
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Sushi Menu - Tempura
Healthy Meal suggestions for Red China Bistro
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Sushi Menu - Salad & Soups
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Sushi Menu - Rolls
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Sushi Menu - Tempura
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Address :
2925 Ingersoll Ave
Des Moines, IA, 50312 - Phone (515) 274-0097
- Website https://redbistrodsm.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Upscale
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Chinese Cuisine
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
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Ryan S.
The design looks really nice and the food isn't bad. This would probably be a good place to go out on a date and if you don't mind spending a little extra cash. I don't typically go out for Chinese a lot but I would try this again but nothing on the menu told me that I had to go there again. Check out my reviews and pictures of Red China Bistro and other Des Moines eateries on my blog. fooddmawesome.blogspot.c…
(3)Wonder V.
I don't know why this place gets such horrible reviews? I went there with a friend because we had a Groupon. Sure the seating isn't the most comfortable. But the atmosphere in general was very nice--perfect for a romantic date. We ordered the Pad Thai spring rolls and shrimp dumplings as appetizers. The appetizers were delicious! Who knew pad Thai could taste so good as a spring roll? For dinner, I ordered the tilapia with ginger sauce. This entree was absolutely one of the best dishes I've had in Des Moines! I didn't want to finish the entire entree because they give you a big portion, but it was so good that I did. Service was great, food was amazing! I'd definitely go there again.
(4)Michael G.
The food was slightly above average. However, the service was HORRIBLE. We were in a group of 12 people (6 couples). Not too difficult, right? Wrong. It took about a half hour to order, 45 minutes for appetizers and then another 45 minutes after appetizers for the entrees. That would be acceptable if it wasn't just average Chinese food. The real shocker was that it took an HOUR AND A HALF for our server to figure out the bills. When guests in our party tried to help her because it had been an HOUR, she rebuffed then. She basically treated them like children; telling them not to bug her because that would only make it take longer. We were hostages. And when one of the ladies in our group went to complain, the waitress came to our table and asked her husband to shut her up because "she's drawing attention to herself". I've never experienced such disorganization followed by arrogance from a service industry person.
(1)Matt D.
Costs way too much to taste this plain. Amazing ambiance. Probably even better with live music. But I wouldn't bother if you truly love flavor in your food, as it was somehow cooked out in each of the dishes we tried. Each of our appetizers, despite interesting ingredients, didn't take advantage of their flavors. The mustard green wrap filling still lacks any real taste. When we asked for our entrees to be made spicy, they weren't. When more spice was added, it was just a top note of heat, rather than a well-integrated spiciness. The concept of a classy, contemporary Asian restaurant certainly has a place in Des Moines, and Cafe Su did a decent job of filling that role. But although Red China Bistro has the ambiance, the food just doesn't work.
(2)Chuck M.
Big Disappointment! While I loved the impressive facade outside and the inside decor of this restaurant; nevertheless, the food was mediocre, at best. We were let in after they opened for this Father's Day and while I'm a big lover of good Chinese food this was my first time choice expecting a new adventure in dining. I marveled at the red and black decor, the poppy-like flowers in the beautiful tall glass vases, the silver bamboo chairs, the restroom with the dark red lighting inside, the stones in the sink, and the nice picture on the wall, and finally their large selection of wines which I thought was unusual for a Chinese restaurant; select China teas maybe but not necessarily an emphasis on wines. Anyway, this is an upscale place, right !? We were presented, by a very pleasant waitress, with a nicely scripted, folded white menu with a somewhat limited selection inside. We ordered from the Appetizer list since the Sous Chef was in while the Chef/Owner hadn't arrived yet. We ordered the Crab Rangoon which had little to no crab meat in it, then the Veggie Egg rolls and Spring Dumplings both of which were flavorless, and then the Spicy Wing Dings which were nicely sized, cooked crispy although with no seasoning of any kind. There was the dipping sauce on the plate which added a lot more sweetness to the wings than spiciness. I had the Kung Pow Wow entree with chicken for which Kung Pow is my favorite dish as I enjoy the spice, the peanuts, and the vegetables. Carol had the Pineapple Chicken. Again, both dishes had no inherent flavor to them except for the oils that they were cooked in, we just couldn't finish our plates, and we wouldn't even consider taking them home. Then to top it all off we were presented with soggy "stale" fortune cookies with the bill. Unless the management and/or cooks change, we won't be coming back; but we loved the ambiance of the place.
(1)Nancy J.
Let's just say that it was underwhelming. Second time there and will not go back. Food was average, a little expensive. So dark in there had to use the flashlight app to see the menu. Server was ok but it took them forever to get us the appettizers and even longer for the entrees. It was a week night and very few people in there. Glad I had a Groupon or I would have been very upset about the amount of the bill and the complete experience.
(1)Jessica J.
I really want to give Red China Bistro 2 stars but considering they just opened 2 weeks ago, I'm gonna give them the benefit of the doubt. The space is gorgeous. Clean lines, beautiful flowers and decor. Very sleek. The exposed ceilings and hard floors, however, make it noisier than Proof and impossible to enjoy when the place is packed. I went with a group of colleagues and we sampled about 12 different things from the menu. Overall, everything (except for the bao) lacked flavor, seasoning, and heat. The Szechwan meatballs were not spicy at all, the pad thai rolls were dry and gummy, the vegetable dumplings were soggy and absolutely flavorless, the entrees were all pretty generous portion-wise, but the Chef Zon's Specials were never explained by our server and didn't come with the shrimp described in the menu. My BBQ pork bao, however, was absolutely delicious and steaming hot. Everything else we tried was just "meh". Totally forgettable, and for the prices, totally unforgiveable. The other huge issue at Red China Bistro is the service. Our waters went unfilled, our appetizers came out with the entrees, and when we asked for separate checks, he told us he would split it between us - not give us separate checks (aka too lazy to parse things out by what we each ordered). We had friends dining a few tables over and heard even worse things about their server, who basically forgot to put in an order and essentially gave up after awhile to even attempt bringing it to the patron. Only after repeated visits to the host stand did anything happen. Every person we spoke with just had a huge attitude and air of superiority, and total lack of apology in any errors made. There's nothing wrong with making mistakes when your restaurant opens for the first time. I've been on the crew (back of the house and front of the house) for multiple restaurant openings and people can be forgiving if you just continually apologize and try to make up for it. But we had none of that here. A gorgeous space does not make up for mediocre food and terrible service. I hope things improve in the future, but this place is like Dos Rios - all style with no substance.
(3)Christine T.
Best small plates in town, they remind me of my favorite dim sum in San Francisco. My husband and I had dinner there one night and shared 3 small plates and a bowl of soup and were stuffed. Even with wine our tab was about $40 if I can recall. There was also live music that night. Favorite small plates that I will get again and again include shrimp dumplings (beautiful little pockets of goodness) and edemame. Lucky addition to the Ingersoll scene.
(5)Chuck L.
I liked the place. Not too fancy, but not mall chinese. Food was above average, but a bit expensive. Also, not greasy at all and good bar list. You pay for the location which is worth not driving out West. I recommend the visit and will return. Decorated nicely and friendly staff. Also, there may or may not be a nipple in the men's room art.
(3)cary w.
Best appetizers that maybe I've ever had. But...in a 25% full restaurant, on a Saturday night, it then took 60 minutes to get the worst entrees I've ever had. Very nice but inadequate server. No reduction in bill. Hated to do it but we left a $2 tip on a $45 bill. Will not be back.
(1)Allison S.
I really wanted to like Red China Bistro. I attended a preview in the opening weeks of this restaurant and did enjoy a sampling of appetizers. So I was excited to get back there for dinner. My husband and I returned for dinner over the weekend and were disappointed. The decor is amazing, urban and chic. It's a beautiful space. I think they have relied too much on their location, prior reputation at Cafe Su and the ambiance and unfortunately it seemed the menu suffered. The menu has cheeky phrases below the food names but none of them actually describe what's in the food. Some items are basic, like kung pao chicken for example, but not everyone knows what to expect from that dish, a little description would help. We got the mustard green rolls for appetizer and while the roll wrapped in mustard greens rather than a fried spring roll was an interesting option, the filling -- pork? beef? was tasteless. I got basil chicken entree which had a description of "very Thai". I was expecting one thing and got another. It didn't taste like basil or anything Thai. The sauce was garlicky and tasted ok, but wasn't what I was expecting. It did have a large variety of vegetables to accompany the chicken which was great. I wonder if we even got the right entrees, because both were generic and we couldn't really tell the difference between our two dishes. I hindsight, I should have asked if that was in fact what we ordered, but it took so long to get our entrees, I just wanted to eat and get out. My husband got curry chicken. Again because the menu was very vague, he had to ask what exactly was in this dish. To him there's 2 possibilities of a 'curry' dish, either the soupy curry you get at a thai place or a dish with heavy curry powder/seasoning. Somehow this was neither. Kinda a combination, a little bit soupy but not so much that it had to be in a bowl, it was over rice. He didn't really taste much curry, in fact he couldn't tell much of a difference between his dish and mine. It wasn't bad, but given the atmosphere (and price) you expect to have a memorable dish, and this wasn't it. The service was slow, but our waitress knew it and apologized several times. I don't think I'll go back.... but I might just to give it a second chance because I'm excited to see a restaurant like that in the Ingersoll area. If I do go back I really really want to taste good!!
(2)Erin S.
The crab ranggoon was VERY greasy and very large. It was filled with tasteless goop and was not sweet. I don't know about you but I prefer my crab ranggoon sweet in the center. The sauce they served with it was soy-based and good, but served in a tiny ramekin which made dipping impossible. My husband had sushi and said it was so-so. I got the hot & sour soup and I didn't think it really tasted like hot & sour soup. There was something off about the flavor and I couldn't put my finger on it. I also had the Chef Zon Chicken. It has a dark soy-based sauce which was delicious, served with onions and mushrooms over rice. We didn't get to try the egg rolls but I saw some come out. They are cut on the bias, like southwestern egg rolls from Chili's and they looked awesome. We will definitely go back again for the Chinese food and egg rolls - we'll skip the soup (the cup was $5!!) Service was lackluster. There were only 4 tables and 2 servers. We went in at 11:30 and didn't get out of there until 12:45-1:00 on a Wednesday. I agree with other reviewers: for the price you pay, especially at lunch ($40) i expected a LOT more. 9/20/12: last night i had a nasty feeling in my stomach and some of the day today. the diarrhea started at 6:45. i wouldn't recommend this place.
(2)Michelle Y.
Very disappointing. The server was pleasant and apologetic and the decor was nice, but everything was incredibly slow. My mother and I arrived around 5:45pm on a Friday night on which virtually everyone was going to a 7:30pm show (according to our waiter). The restaurant wasn't close to full yet. We ordered the wonton soup (dull pork dumpling and ramen noodles rather than wontons in a plain broth) and one of the asian chicken salads, thinking those dishes wouldn't take much time to prepare. We counted about seven tiny pieces of meat, and it arrived at 6:40pm. Also, I'm used to places where you can dress the heat up or down with seasonings on the table. None were provided. Our table was so dark that I literally had to use the flashlight app on my phone for my mother to read the menu. I will not be returning.
(1)Phil R.
Red China was opened by the owner of Cafe Su, a long-time successful Asian fusion restaurant in Valley Junction. There were high expectations for this new venture. Unfortunately, they've not been met. On the plus side, the location is very good. Ingersoll Avenue continues to become more and more vibrant and Red China is right in the middle of it, located in a sleek new building. In addition, the decor is very stunning. You feel like you're having a big-city experience here. On the down side, the service was terrible. We ate there with another couple and it took two-and-a-half hours for appetizers and entrees. Perhaps the worst wait staff I've ever witnessed ... not rude, just amateurish. In addition, while the decor is stunning it is also impractical and uncomfortable. The chairs are less comfortable that folding chairs at a card table, and two of the seats at our table were these goofy stools that you stadled ... it bordered on punishment. As far as the food was concerned, I'd give it 3 stars. It's good, but far from great. Honestly, while I only live a few blocks from here and looked forward to it's opening, I doubt I'll ever go back.
(2)John D.
Splendid in all respects. The look, the ambiance, is superb, at a level you'll find no where else in Des Moines -- but what really sets this place a cut above others is the food. You won't find a Chinese menu brought off nearly so well, so lovingly, anywhere else in Iowa. My wife & I have made a small-plates meal of appetizers, & come away richly satisfied. As for the entrees, every one I've tried was nothing less than a knockout. My own taste runs to the coconut chicken, but many other choices were scrumptious, w/ smartly-selection flavors blended to perfection. There's also a deep, deep beer menu, & a remarkable choice of wines. Service? Always spot-on, over 6 or 7 visits now. This place raises the bar, locally.
(5)Scott S.
Sorry to report that Red China Bistro on Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines is disappointing. The earlier version of this restaurant, Cafe Su, under same ownership and located in West Des Moines valley junction for many years was MUCH better. The lemon chicken tasted like sweet and sour pork, way over sauced and no hint of lemon flavor. The rice was mushy, watery, not firm at all. Seemed like portions were smaller than in past too. The service was trying too hard to push drinks. Seems like there's not the same attention to detail and quality control in food or service that was the hallmark of the very good Cafe Su, its former incarnation. Would suggest going back to the basics.
(1)Cindy B.
This is my favorite Asian restaurant when considering food and ambience. The staff is always friendly and accommodating. The decor is very romantic but fun for larger parties as well. The menu is varied with the best edamame and sushi.....to top it off? They have chocolate dipped fortune cookies.....not the cheesy ones sealed in plastic....perfect ending to a taste filled meal....
(4)katherine l.
We went with a group of friends for a birthday party tonight. We had a reservation, and our tables were ready when we got there. The first thing out of server's mouth is, "So I suppose you all want seperate checks don't you?" To which we replied, well that would be nice. And he said " well I have to do them by hand because our tickets are hand written." so I spoke up and said, "if this is really a big issue, I'm sure another restaurant wouldn't mind having our money tonight" He stared at me then walked away. Our table of 9 people it took 2 hours to eat chinese and we waited over an hour from the time our order was taken until our entrees showed up. My water was empty for more than half the meal. As someone who used to wait tables during my undergrad days I usually am pretty forgiving when I see a server is busy but our waiter was downright rude. Toward the end he could sense our frustration and kept blaming the kitchen for the wait. However, once I did actually get my entree it was luke warm at best. He did bring us dessert for our troubles which was a nice gesture, but I'm not sure if that was enough to get me to go back for another visit. The space is beautifully decorated but they really need to work on their service staff if they want to make it in this.
(2)Lori B.
This was some of the best Asian food I have had with extensive travels, also some of the WORST service. Waiter took forever to get to our table (on a slow Tuesday PM) drinks took forever, he never asked if we wanted another drink, after soup / salad starter, there was a 20 minute wait for main course. We never were asked if we wanted dessert. He forgot items that were to be boxed up, and we had to ask another waitress to find him. This is pricey for Asian food, and an upscale location. I expected a great experience. I would never tKe clients here. Like I said, food was outstanding however.
(3)Myke S.
Their Sunday Brunch Buffet is excellent. Don't forget to leave room for the rich desserts.
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