Welcome to the Table

March 16, 2026

By April Pearson 

Cooking up bold Caribbean and West African flavors in Des Moines, Palms DSM started as a farmer’s market booth in 2018, then grew into a catering business and finally a restaurant. Chef Amara and his wife Dionne Sama opened their brick-and-mortar location in 2025, and the place has been prospering ever since.
 
“Even before opening the restaurant, we had a lot of repeat customers,” says Gerald Sama, director of operations and community engagement, “but now, word of mouth has been doing numbers for us. Customers are telling their friends, family and coworkers, ‘Hey, you should try this restaurant out.’ So they come and end up loving the flavors.” 

 

Sweet, Savory and Spicy
Speaking of flavors, smokey and spicy Jerk Chicken is Chef Amara’s signature dish: Juicy chicken hindquarters are dry-rubbed with Jamaican herbs and spices, marinated for 48 hours, then slowly smoked and finished over an open flame. Another popular menu item is the Braised Oxtail, which is slowly stewed in a silky sauce infused with Jamaican spice until it’s rich and tender. For fresh seafood fare, the Suya Pepper Shrimp is pan-seared and tossed in a creamy pepper sauce made with a West African spice blend and ground peanuts.

Sides include melty mac and cheese made with four cheeses, velvety yams roasted in sweet coconut milk and warm spices, and West African-style jollof rice simmered with tomato paste, bell peppers, onions and herbs. And for dessert? Puff-Puff. This West African favorite is deep-fried dough balls with a tender inside and a golden crust, tossed in cinnamon and sugar.
 
“We get a lot of our spices and seasonings from Africa or Jamaica, and that’s what we use to build our flavor profiles,” says Gerald. “Then we try to incorporate as many local ingredients as possible. We use Nadia’s French Bakery for our buns, Magoo’s Pizza crust for our pizzas, McFarland Farms for our microgreens — even the glass straws we use for drinks are made locally.”
 
Palms DSM still offers catering, making it easy to make each event a flavorful affair. “Just go to our website, let us know who you are, what kind of serving style you want, and your budget,” says Gerald. “Then we’ll reach out with options that fit your budget.” 

 

Traditional and Trendy
“Something about our culture is that we put a heavy emphasis on family meals — sitting down in a big circle and just spending time together and sharing plates,” says Gerald. “So a lot of our dishes at Palms DSM are supposed to be shared family style.” He recommends ordering a different entrée for each person, then trying them all.  

Chef Amara often visits tables to ensure customers are satisfied with their meals, adding to the community-oriented atmosphere. “We care about that customer connection,” says Gerald. “We want to make sure that we're creating a family environment, because that’s how we grew up.”
 
Not only is the restaurant ideal for family and friend get-togethers, but it’s also great for date night. With its open floor plan, contemporary decor and sophisticated offerings — including specialty cocktails and mocktails — Palms DSM is the perfect place to mark a special occasion. 
 
“We get couples who come in because they want to go out and do something nice; we can provide that fine-dining, intimate experience for them,” says Gerald. “And then there are customers who see friends across the room and go chat with them for a good 20 minutes. Towards the end of the night, the younger and rowdier crowd comes in. But everybody respects each other’s peace. It’s a space for everyone.”

 

Nourishing and Neighborly
As the restaurant approaches its first anniversary, the team is eager to serve the public in other ways. “We’re always thinking of something, somehow, someway just to give back to the community,” says Gerald. “We didn’t grow up rich. I grew up watching my mom work 16 hours a day. Sometimes I wouldn’t see my brother for two days because he was working. We're in a position of privilege now, so it would be wrong if we didn’t do anything to give back.”  

They plan to have a weekly teacher night, where anyone working for the school system can receive a discount on food and drinks. “Teachers deserve to have an evening off, where they can kick back, relax and sit in the sun,” Gerald says. 
 
They’re looking to partner with running clubs in Des Moines to serve as a hub for runners to meet up, refuel and get encouragement throughout the spring and summer. 
 
And they’re starting a weekly men’s power hour to discuss various topics, including mental health. This became especially important to Gerald’s family after his brother Ahmed took his own life in 2022. “A lot of men deal with mental health issues, so we want to create a space for men to come in, maybe get some wings and just talk.”
 
Palms DSM also donates all leftover meals to local nonprofits every day, providing fresh dinners to kids and families who are struggling. 

 

Seasoned and Soulful
From a farmer’s market booth to a thriving metro restaurant, Palms DSM combines bold Caribbean and West African flavors with fresh Iowan ingredients — bringing together customers from different cultures and contributing to the community in meaningful ways. As Gerald says, “There's only one language in the world that everyone can understand, and that's the flavor of food.”