How Steak De Burgo Became Des Moines Iowa's Most Polarizing (And Popular) Dish

From Alaskan reindeer hot dogs to Appalachian chocolate gravy, America has no shortage of unique regional foods. It's hardly surprising — in a country so massive, there are bound to be a few beloved local dishes that never quite break into the mainstream. But oftentimes, it's these under-the-radar dishes that form the backbone of American cuisine. They can also be a treasure trove of flavor, offering combinations you've never thought to try — but perhaps should! One such dish is a classic in Des Moines, Iowa: a delicious (but admittedly quite confusing) creation beloved by Iowans and virtually unknown to everyone else. Meet the bizarrely named — but absolutely delicious — Steak de Burgo.

While nobody can quite agree on the origins of Steak de Burgo (the families of the two supposed founders still claim the recipe as their own to this day), the dish most often features a piece of tenderloin, grilled and smothered in a creamy (or buttery, depending on who you ask), Italian-leaning sauce infused with basil, oregano, garlic, and sweet white wine. It's rich — extremely rich — but balanced by a tinge of freshness from the herbs, a little sweetness from the fat, and a kick of heat and umami from the garlic. Though traditionalists (or, indeed, the French) might turn their noses up at the idea of such a sauce coating a prime piece of tenderloin, it's a wonderfully harmonious dish that deserves appreciation in Des Moines and beyond.

The origins of Steak de Burgo are just as polarizing as the dish itself. The debate boils down to two restaurants: Johnny & Kay's and Vic's Tally Ho. The founders of both establishments claim to have invented the dish, and each has passionate (and vocal) supporters.

Supposedly, the oldest known record of Steak de Burgo being served comes from Vic's Tally Ho — Vic Tallerico allegedly had it on his menu as early as the 1930s, before World War II. However, there's not enough evidence to definitively attribute its creation to either party. One story, told by the family of Johnny Compiano (of Johnny & Kay's), claims that he discovered the dish while stationed in New Orleans with the Coast Guard during the war, later bringing it back to Iowa and adding it to his menu when he opened his restaurant in 1946. While plausible, this story would place Compiano's version over a decade after the first recorded instance of the dish being served in Des Moines.

Perhaps the answer to the great Steak de Burgo debate is that neither man invented it. Instead, its true origins may lie beyond Iowa — surprisingly, in Spain. Both Johnny Compiano and Vic Tallerico grew up in the Francis Avenue neighborhood of Des Moines, a hub for Catalonian immigrants fleeing the fascist regime of General Francisco Franco in the 1930s. Those immigrants likely brought with them aioli, a beautiful mayonnaise-like condiment made with olive oil and heaps of garlic. Franco, as a show of power during his suppression of Catalonia, attempted to ban aioli. But rather than giving in and letting their beloved sauce disappear, it's possible the Catalonians may have rebranded it — ironically, some suggest — as "Burgos," named after the city that served as Franco's headquarters.

It's not a stretch to imagine, then, that, after encountering this dish during their childhoods, both Compiano and Tallerico might eventually add it to their restaurant menus — especially when you consider that Tallerico originally served a de Burgo sauce made with olive oil. Over time, of course, the recipe evolved — there is still no definitive version. Some restaurants serve it with a cream-based sauce, others use butter, and some stay true to olive oil. However it's made, though, this polarizing sauce remains a delicious Iowan icon.