CityWalk brings upscale American dining to downtown Cedar Rapids corner

CEDAR RAPIDS — A new restaurant in downtown Cedar Rapids is delivering an upscale atmosphere with a perhaps lower than expected price tag.

Inside, CityWalk Eatery feels intimate inside a space on one of the more visible corners in downtown Cedar Rapids.

But the spot, opened at the end of December, offers quality and a few unique menu items that won’t break the bank.

“It’s for a date night, but not crazy prices,” said Executive Chef Ryan Baker. “People walk in here and they’re surprised at the prices, because we’re not charging as much.”

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At the corner of Second Street and First Avenue SE, the space previously home to Barrel House and La Cantina is bringing a luxe vibe convenient to major theaters and entertainment venues nearby. Under owner Mandy Gaud, it’s taking a decidedly new direction.

Leather booths in shades of mahogany line windows. Leather banquette seating lines another wall under Edison-style bulbs. A glitzy fireplace area sparkles for a photo op with Instagram-worthy cocktails, and dark blue tiles on the bar wall amplify the sparkling glass of each liquor bottle.

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But here, you may be surprised at how far your money goes. Appetizers start at $9, entrees start at $16, and a 10-ounce sirloin will set you back just $23 — a fair deal among locally-owned restaurants.

The approachable but elevated American menu offers a niche that weaves through multiple cultures. Upscale burgers can be ordered with well-seasoned, hand cut fries, steaks are cut in house, and linguine is made by hand — the latter two specialties of Executive Chef Ryan Baker.

“There’s not much in ‘classic’ American cuisine. It’s a melting pot — it’s everyone’s cuisine — so I wanted a way to incorporate a bunch of different flavors and textures from the classic stuff,” Baker said.

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Rib-eyes and filet mignon offer familiarity for those looking to indulge a little bit more. But a small bill doesn’t preclude any plate from fitting a bill of quality.

Linguine is tossed in a basil pesto and served with accoutrements like cherry tomato confit for $17. Crab Rangoon dip offers a deconstructed Chinese takeout favorite on the appetizer menu, and the crab arancini pulls the seafood favorite in a more Italian direction.

Other cultures find their way to corners of the menu, too.

Ramen offers an Asian classic with pork belly for less than some competitors specializing in the dish in Iowa City. Fish and chips are served with Guinness beer batter. Torsk, a dish Baker learned from his time in North Dakota, offers a flaky but tender cod poached in a lemon-butter and cream compound.

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Beef on a Weck, a nod to a common item in western New York state, delivers shaved steak on a roll seasoned like an everything bagel.

“Unlike my fellow chefs, I don’t really look at everyone else’s restaurants. I’m not trying to do what everyone else is doing,” Baker said. “Everything around us is a social club, a brewery, or a place where the food is secondary to it.”

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Don’t sleep on the side, either. Unique options like risotto milanese, tumbleweed onion rings and chili can be found at the bottom of the menu, and are incorporated as elements into various offerings across the menu.

That mentality in ingredient sharing among many dishes helps keep prices down in an economy where inflation has hammered restaurants and their ability to keep up with menu pricing.

“My prices are dictated by my ability,” Baker said. “We’re able to take that and give you more.”

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Comments: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or elijah.decious@thegazette.com.