Stop in at PHAT Daddy's

When Marengo native Mike Curry returned to Iowa after years working in restaurants in Florida, he didn't necessarily have big dreams of owning his own restaurant. At first, he opened a small takeout place called Chef2Go.

His friends and neighbors soon encouraged him to open a dine-in restaurant. So 12 years ago, Curry bought the NAPA and Paul Revere's Pizza locations, on the west side of the town square, and cut two holes in the adjoining wall, merging the spaces to create P .H.A.T. Daddy's. (In case you're wondering P .H.A.T. stands for ‘pretty hot and tasty.')

Not surprisingly, the town has embraced his restaurant with open arms. He can't even walk through the restaurant without being stopped by customers who want to thank him. What he didn't expect was that, on any given weekend, his restaurant would pull people from more than a 100-mile radius. “We have people here on Fridays and Saturdays who come from as far away as Omaha,” Curry says.

The extensive menu features appetizers like goat cheese bruschetta and Reuben egg rolls and a wide variety of steaks, seafood, burgers and pasta dishes. Curry's personal favorites include the prime rib, which is marinated after being injected with garlic, and the mahi mahi d'angelo with basil Parmesan breading.

To keep the operation going, Curry relies on help from his family. The restaurant employs 25 people, and several of those are relatives. “A lot of our recipes are also family recipes,” he explains. His mother Carol makes desserts and breads; his father Ken makes salads and helps with catering. His brother, John, is a server, and his sister, Holly, is to thank for the P .H.A.T. Daddy's logo and merchandise. Curry's nephews also help out with things like the Sunday brunch omelet bar.

You'll notice shelves at the front of the restaurant that carry Curry's own line of sauces and rubs. You'll also notice the distinctive artwork. Most of the pieces, including the giant 3D fish anchored above the entrance, was created by one of his chefs, who is working on opening their own local art gallery.

P .H.A.T. Daddy's is open Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m.; and for brunch on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.