Oskaloosa Restaurant To Offer Chef-Inspired Cuisine

Michael Glesener (left) and Matthew Gunn (right) are the team behind Wood Iron Grille.

Michael Glesener (left) and Matthew Gunn (right) are the team behind Wood Iron Grille.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The restaurant at Osky Golf has been quiet for the season, but that will change soon as Wood Iron Grille is scheduled to open in the coming weeks.

Michael Glesener and Matthew Gunn are the folks responsible for helping to bring a new dining option to the community. The pair was approached about the possibility of starting the new restaurant, and after some thought, worked on a concept, began the process of making that dream a reality.

Glesener and Gunn, along with their sous chef have nearly 40 years of experience in the foodservice industry. “We’ve been around the block a few times,” says Glesener smiling.

The former Doc Salamis, and most recently On The Green, location has been getting a major facelift, all the while putting the final touches on a menu that will attract people interested in traditional American cuisine, as well as offering options found in larger market areas like Des Moines.

“We want to be the home for chef-inspired cuisine here at Wood Iron Grille,” said Glesener. “Trying to do more hand-crafted.”

That handcrafted experience was something Glesener perfected over the years and shared with his friends whom he had over to his home for Monday evening dinners. “I really enjoy being able to expand some people’s palets. That was one of those things that was personally gratifying for me, getting people to try new things. There’s a trust level with a chef that, even though it may not be something you are familiar with, you know it’s going to be well prepared and so maybe you try it, and then you learn that you like that one dish.”

Glesener is taking those lessons learned and applying it to a larger scale for all to enjoy.

“We are hoping also to introduce some things that are maybe a little bit outside the box,” added Glesener. “I know there are also people here in town that will travel to Des Moines because they want something more exciting, or are looking for something that is not burgers and fries. So we’re hoping to be able to fill that here in town as well.”

“If people have ideas or things they want to see, we want to be able to take that and run with it,” said Glesener of their desire to have a fun dining experience for the customers.

The staff is looking forward to featuring local garden picked ingredients from Mahaska County farms for their customers, and the staff is confident they have enough resources to provide a good amount of natural ingredients, even during the winter months, for their guests.

The restaurant will also feature a full-service bar, which will include some specialty drinks. Matt’s came up with a Thai Mule, a Blackberry Cobbler Martini, among others.

Wood Iron Grille will also be open for events, and utilize the large gathering spaces on site.

When it comes to an opening day, Glesener says to “stay tuned” for that.

The staff is working to make sure they have as many of the details fine turned before throwing open the door, with the understanding that it’s hard to overcome a bad first impression.

Those announcements will come via the restaurant’s social media accounts.

Posted by on Aug 25 2018. Filed under Local News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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