Business Profile: Trostel's Greenbriar Gives Johnston Casual Elegance

When Troy Trostel’s father, Paul, first opened the doors at 25 years ago in Johnston, he was looking for the perfect mix of casual elegance.

Trostel decreed that while his restaurant would always have white tablecloths, he wanted customers to be able to wear jeans when they stepped in the door.

“He wanted to have a nice restaurant where people could feel comfortable coming in,” Troy Trostel said.

Other than a five-year stint in Colorado, Troy Trostel has always worked at Trostel’s Greenbriar. Since his father died in January, he’s served as the executive chef at the restaurant.

“This is like home to me, I’m here more than I’m at home,” Trostel said.

One of his maxims is that success begins in the back of the kitchen.

As he walks through the kitchen, Trostel ticks off the numerous products that are locally sourced. More than half of the kitchen meat comes from Iowa farms, and Trostel changes his specials regularly to include locally grown produce.

The restaurant has long been known for its careful appreciation of the classics, and inside, the décor resonates with a familiar steakhouse theme.

Trostel and general manager Suzanne Summy, who manages all three of the Trostel restaurants, including Trostel’s Dish in Clive, and Chips in Ankeny, pride themselves on the quality of the food and the generous portions that are available at the restaurant. It's something Paul Trostel always insisted on.

"I can pretty much guarantee that we have probably the best steak you’ve ever had,” Troy Trostel said.

Summy said that while the restaurant has long been a bastion of tradition in Des Moines’s restaurant scene, changes are afoot at Trostel’s Greenbriar.

When the economy slumped, Summy realized that diners weren’t coming in because they had long associated Trostel’s Greenbriar as being the place for engagements, birthdays, and other special events.

That’s a far cry from the first ads Paul Trostel ran, which told readers that black tie or blue jeans, you’ll feel comfortable here.

“We don’t want people to see us as just a special occasion restaurant, we want people to realize that this is an every occasion restaurant,” Summy said.

To bring back some of the casual flair to Trostel’s Greenbriar, Summy has stripped her server’s ties and allowed them to roll up their sleeves. Gone are the heavy menu books, replaced with a single sheet that broadcasts the day’s specials, as well as the most treasured items from the old menu.

Summy and Trostel have also made changes to the menu that reflect the changing eating habits of their customers.

Based on their success at Trostel’s Dish, which specializes in small plates designed to be shared, Trostel’s Greenbriar now offers appetizers designed to be shared and lighter fare for those who don’t want a big meal.

“We haven’t changed what we do or the quality of our food, we’re just trying to give people different options,” Summy said. “We just thought, this makes sense, this is how people would like to dine.”

As the staff begins to prepare for another service, Summy is up front, meeting with her servers, prepping them on the night’s specials, while Trostel is in the back, getting comfortable in his second home. Trostel, who has four children, has his 16-year-old son in the back with him, helping out, just how Trostel started working with his father.

“I try to say that there’s other things out there, but he wants to do it,” Trostel said. “It’s the same way that I started.”