The owner of the former Cafe Lovish and current Mangostinos (604 East Lincoln Way, just east of Duff on the south side of Lincoln Way) (at least I assume he is the owner!) told us he was born in Spain, but has lived many different places in his lifetime, and has brought foods and flavors from all over the world into his cooking.
On the day we ate there, I had nachos adorned with fresh chunks of avocado, cilantro and an unexpectedly sweet sauce that reminded me of the Caribbean, as well as the traditional meat, cheese and beans!
Steven had Pasta al Pesto and we split some cheesecake for dessert. I was hoping for the sweet potato pecan pie, but they were out that day.
And speaking of “being out”, there were some things on the menu, such as dishes with plantains, that were not available when we were there. But somehow, that just seemed “right”. We were told that the plantains weren’t ripe. I do believe that good food made from excellent ingredients shouldn’t be forced. It will be worth waiting for another day when the plantains are just perfect! (2018 update: unfortunately I believe Mangostinos is no longer in bussiness, but you can see photos of more of their food here.
Now here is the visual on our food trip around the world, right here in Ames, Iowa! I loved every bite!
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A Passion for Green 
Ok… now you’ve made it a “for sure” part of my places to eat list. Looks absolutely YUMMY!