ITALIAN EATERY W/SLAPSTICK

        In today's Des Moines Register they honored Mama Lacona's located now in Urbandale, Iowa, after 60 years in business. Many of my favorite Italian restaurants were all family intertwined by just one family.

       My all time favorite was Noah's Ark on Ingersoll Avenue and was THE place I would go for my birthday. The whole range of Italian dishes was superb! One thing Des Moines had for many years was outstanding Italian eateries. 

       But, seeing this article reminded me of one that I didn't frequent that often, but, was an iconic Italian pizza place on the south side of Des Moines. It was called Bamie's, the nick-name for Frank Bonano, and located on Army Post Road just east of the Airport.

        The first time I went there was with my first wife, Sandi.  We had heard about how good the pizza was and thought we would drive there from our home in Clive and give it a try. We called Bamie over to our table after ordering as Sandi's fork was "not very clean."  He came over, took one look at the fork, wiped it under his arm-pit and handed it back to her and said;--"There you go!"

         After our divorce and a few years later, I went down there with a date for some pizza. I tipped over my bottle of beer and went up to the bar/counter and asked him for a bar rag so I could clean it up. He got a rag and threw it at me very hard and hit me right in the chest! That was Bamie and his "Shtick"but, didn't appeal to everyone, but, was a unique experience-on occasion!