Joe, I don't know if the band will make it back to Iowa any time soon, but if you happen to be driving along 1-80 near Iowa City in the future, I'd suggest taking a 20 minute detour to the Lincoln Cafe in Mt. Vernon. It's a small cafe run by a former North Carolina chef, Matt Steigerwald. Their motto is "honest food always," and the food, the atmosphere, the service is terrific--not something you'd expect in the middle of the Iowa cornfields. Matt loves his pork -- I actually dream about some of the meals I've eaten there! He also owns a great little wine bar down the street, and they have a terrific selection of artisan beers on hand. Again, I'm sure it's out of the way, but it may be worth checking out --www.foodisimportant.com.

I second that emotion. I haven't been to Lincoln Cafe yet but my friend Matt is famous for his restaurant and has made a little foodie paradise in the middle of Iowa. And he's from NC!
Kelly

Hey!
Thanks for the kind words. And, yes, I am a Raleigh boy.
Hope to see you if you pass through.

@Joe--seriously, do stop by if you can. My friends and I travel 100+ miles to eat at the Lincoln Cafe at least 2-3 times a year. (We all used to live in Iowa City but have since moved away. It's the one thing that brings us back to the area time and time again.)

@Matt--some of my favorite memories with friends and family have taken place at the Lincoln Cafe. My husband and I literally stumbled upon the cafe in 2001, right after you opened and just after we got engaged. We return every chance we get. Thank you for being such a darn good chef!

So, um, the wine bar often features live music . . . Avett Brothers and Lincoln Cafe . . . we can dream, right????

Joe -- now that you are heading back to Iowa in March, I do hope you get a chance to stop by the cafe!