Devotay
Hopelessly devoted

The Linn Street area in Iowa City is a wealth of dining experiences. The more I explore (yes, I’ve gotten even braver since my last trip), the more I find to love in downtown Iowa City.

Devotay is consistently on local “best-of” lists and I’ve heard their name bandied about when discussing great places to eat in Iowa City. So with all the hype, I expected a bit of snobbery upon going in.

Snobbery was not on the menu. The interior is cozy with a bohemian chic vibe. Plants are flourishing on the sills of big bright windows, and swathes of rich fabric hang from the ceiling.

I was looking for a light lunch so I ordered a variety of hot tapas. Rarely do I want an entire steak but I am more than satisfied eating a bite of steak. Tapas let you nibble to your heart’s content.

I had the sourdough bread with roasted garlic oil, albondigas (bison meatballs in tomato-pepper sauce), three cheese quesadilla and aceitunas (assorted grilled olives). Every bite was interesting and unique and I was never bored as each course kept building.

The albondigas were zesty, warm and smothered in a bright fresh tomato sauce. The cheese quesadilla was far from ordinary. The combination of cheeses created a truly flavorful experience as opposed to the bland rubber you get from say, a Taco Bell quesadilla.

Devotay certainly lived up to its reputation and I can’t wait to go back for another (or several) bite.

- Andrea

Details: Devotay, 117 North Linn St., Iowa City; eat-in; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday, 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 to 10 p.m. Friday through Saturday; (319) 354-1001 and www.devotay.net