Mitchael Moreno, the new owner of the Verde restaurant, is shown outside the downtown Bettendorf business Tuesday, Oct. 8. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
The Verde restaurant in downtown Bettendorf offers more than just good food. It is pushing the boundaries of Mexican cuisine forward with a blend of unique, made-from-scratch dishes. At least, that’s the view of many of the restaurant’s fans. “This is a super, super cool place. It has been cool for awhile. … They’re driving […]
Already a subscriber? Log in
Want to Read More?
Get immediate, unlimited access to all subscriber content and much more. Learn more in our subscriber FAQ.
The Verde restaurant in downtown Bettendorf offers more than just good food. It is pushing the boundaries of Mexican cuisine forward with a blend of unique, made-from-scratch dishes.At least, that’s the view of many of the restaurant's fans.
1 of 7
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is held Tuesday, Oct. 8, to celebrate new ownership of the Verde restaurant in Bettendorf. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
Mitchael Moreno, the new owner of Verde in Bettendorf, is shown inside the restaurant with a large mural in the background. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
The Verde restaurant in downtown Bettendorf offers more than just good food. It is pushing the boundaries of Mexican cuisine forward with a blend of unique, made-from-scratch dishes.
This is artwork inside the business.
The Verde restaurant in downtown Bettendorf offers more than just good food. It is pushing the boundaries of Mexican cuisine forward with a blend of unique, made-from-scratch dishes.
Mitchael Moreno, the new owner of Verde restaurant in Bettendorf, talks with a member of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, Oct. 8. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
The restaurant, which has been in business for about three years, is located near the foot of the new Interstate 74 Bridge and connected to The Bridges Lofts apartments.
“This is a super, super cool place. It has been cool for awhile. … They’re driving culinary artistry forward,” said Scott Naumann, Bettendorf mayor pro tem and a member of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce ambassadors.Mr. Naumann was one of about 40 people who gathered on Tuesday, Oct. 8, to honor Verde with a chamber ribbon-cutting ceremony, and have a look at the menu and the restaurant at 1507 State St. The restaurant, which has been in business for about three years, is located near the foot of the new Interstate 74 Bridge and connected to The Bridges Lofts apartments.Tuesday’s celebration was held to honor a new chapter in the life of the business – a new owner. Mitchael Moreno, a veteran of several local restaurant businesses, took over as owner a couple of months ago. He has served in a variety of roles in other restaurants for about 17 years including as general manager at several area restaurants.Mr. Moreno said becoming owner of Verde is a goal he has been working on for years.“We make everything from scratch here. There’s nothing like this in the Quad Cities. … This place was exactly what I was looking for,” he added.He is especially proud that dishes are made fresh daily and the restaurant offers traditional recipes.“Their dedication to elevating Mexican cuisine while honoring its rich traditions continues to impress. Every dish reflects their passion for delivering a dining experience that’s both memorable and meaningful,” according to the Verde Facebook page.During Tuesday’s celebration, Peter Tokar III, the chamber’s president and CEO, said the food at Verde was: “Some of the best food I’ve had in a long time.”Some of the items on the menu include:
Carnitas, with salsa verde, onion, lime juice, cilantro and orange zest. This dish is a big hit with the foodies. It is probably Verde’s best-selling dish, said Mr. Moreno.
Tacos with tortillas made fresh daily. It also includes heirloom corn.
Birria hermano with braised beef, onion habanero escabeche, oaxaca cheese and consomme.
Asada de mi padre, an 18-hour brined steak with roja salsa.
Root mole with assorted roots, pepitas and sweet potato crisps.
Rice and beans, with turtle beans, charred onion rice, fermented black bean and rice chicharron.
Mr. Moreno hopes more people in the region take the opportunity to try the menu. He added that one of the goals of the celebration Tuesday was to help create “more traction for lunch” and get more customers through the doors. The restaurant is open Mondays through Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Fridays and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is closed on Sundays.“We take a lot of pride in what we do,” he added.
