Pork Tenderloins

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

Everytime I look at the picture of the pan fried tenderloin, the one with the breading fallign off, I can't get over it's resemblance (sorta kinda) to a soft shelled crab.

As I look at it, the claws are faced directly foward

Yeah, I failed every rorshach test I took. How'd you know?

TJ, You have a very hyperactive mind. Go back to page 11 in this thread and check out those onion rings again.

it does look like a crab

WoW!! Just found one of the better BPTS I've had in years. Being somewhat removed from the Pork Tenderloin Belt down here in Phoenix, I've been on a quest to find an above average BPTS here in the SW.

I've been meaning to get down to a place called Midwestern Meats in Mesa (on main just east of val vista)and try their attached restaurant for some time now, and the other day I made it. Midwestern Meats is a meat market first, importing their top-quality meats from Storm Lake, Iowa (northwestern corner of the state, 17 miles from where I grew up.)

I sat down in the restaurant and the friendly, midwestern waitress walked up, took a look at me and said, "Pork Tenderloin Sandwich?" It must have been that obvious. Anyway, great sandwich, twice the size of the bun, just the right crispiness on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth tender and juicy on the inside. A big two-thumbs up in my book!

I took a picture of it but can't figure out how to load pics on these forums, and I consider myself pretty computer literite. anyone gie me a hand?

Hope you can get that picture posted, so Davydd can give it a gander/evaluation.
The Bear

Looks like I have to throw down the 20 bucks to be an insider first. Guess it's worth it to get Davydd's blessing!

desertdog,

You don't have to be an insider to post a picture. As you can see I am not an insider. Go to Photobucket.com and start a free account there to upload your picture. Then after you upload. copy and paste the IMG string they give you in your message here. Once you upload you can edit the size of your pictures too. I usually pre-edit to 600 x 450 but I don't recommend you post anything larger than 640 x 480.

If this worked you have in front of you the tasty sandwich I described above! thanks for the tip davydd!

OK, now we're cookin' with tenderloins here. Still waiting for Wandering Jew to post his Des Moines, IA Smitty's tenderloin for the official record in this thread.

quote:

Originally posted by Davydd

OK, now we're cookin' with tenderloins here. Still waiting for Wandering Jew to post his Des Moines, IA Smitty's tenderloin for the official record in this thread.

Ya shoulda paged me Davydd

Here it is!


Smitty's Tenderloin- note the pickles, onions, mustard and ketchup are on the bottom half of the bun

Gotta ask-does anyone know where I can get a decent pork tenderloin sandwich, like the ones discussed on this forum, in or around Milwaukee, Wi.??

Ann,

You can get a fairly decent pork tenderloin sandwich at a Culver's restaurant. There should be plenty of those around Milwaukee. Other than that the best places to scout them out are independent drive in restaurants, independent sports bars and local bar/grills. If you want to drive a ways, there is a restaurant in Lake Bluff, IL in the far northern Chicago suburbs called the Silo Restaurant that serves a larger than the bun breaded pork tenderloin sandwich. The only other Wisconsin one I found is way over in Hayward. I haven't done a lot of research in Wisconsin but I suspect it is somewhat like Minnesota. They are out there. You just have to hunt. In Iowa and Indiana they are everywhere. In Indiana you probably have better than a 75% chance of getting one in a restaurant that serves burgers and sandwiches. In Minneapolis/St. Paul it is probably less than a 10% chance and I would guess about the same for Milwaukee.

quote:

Originally posted by annpeeples

Thanks Davydd-I just really am not impressed with Culvers..Thanks-the hunt is on......

Culvers serves a slightly above average tenderloin and probably significantly better than the average once you get outside Indiana and Iowa. Too many restaurants that have them outside Indiana and Iowa have them for gratis menu fillers and they usually come from a pre-prepared food supply company ready to drop in the fryer.

For the hubcab sized "tenderloin" sandwich that tastes out of this world go to San Diego or Las Vegas for the best "TWISTED FARM FOOD" at Hash House A Go Go. Everything they have is eyepopping and tongue tingling great.

quote:

Originally posted by RedPatti

For the hubcab sized "tenderloin" sandwich that tastes out of this world go to San Diego or Las Vegas for the best "TWISTED FARM FOOD" at Hash House A Go Go. Everything they have is eyepopping and tongue tingling great.

I understand that the owner/chef of HH a Go Go is originally from Indiana.

All this talk about the HH a go go is revving my buds. It's a five hour drive to both San Diego and Vegas...I could be either place by lunch time....That Saturday morning "Honey-Do" list may have to wait!

quote:

Originally posted by Davydd

quote:

Originally posted by annpeeples

Thanks Davydd-I just really am not impressed with Culvers..Thanks-the hunt is on......

Culvers serves a slightly above average tenderloin and probably significantly better than the average once you get outside Indiana and Iowa. Too many restaurants that have them outside Indiana and Iowa have them for gratis menu fillers and they usually come from a pre-prepared food supply company ready to drop in the fryer.

Case in point....IOWA CAFE, Mesa Arizona

But then on the other hand we have the Twisted Farm Hash House A Go Go in Las Vegas and San Diego...

Ouch! I assume the owner/chef knows he can't go home to Indiana again. Ever!

Any reviews on the Twisted Farm Hash House A Go Go? I went to their website, and like the counterpoising of "down home" with nouveau whatever. The menu looked good. The picture of that tenderloin looks great. Wonder if it works in practice. If so, how you gonna keep 'em down on the farm?
The Bear

I've been to both the Midwestern Meat Market and Iowa Cafe in Mesa AZ and didnt realize what a Pork Tenderloin Sandwich was. I thought it would be like a pork BBq , but after seeing the pictures, I'm there1 I buy all my "Special Occasion" Meats At The MW Meat Market. They have great meat, but it's gotten out of my everyday price range. Their Iowa Cut Pork Chops are great.

quote:

Originally posted by ScreenBear

Any reviews on the Twisted Farm Hash House A Go Go? I went to their website, and like the counterpoising of "down home" with nouveau whatever. The menu looked good. The picture of that tenderloin looks great. Wonder if it works in practice. If so, how you gonna keep 'em down on the farm?
The Bear

Here is part of a review from Las Vegas Review Journal:

Our other entree, however, was a completely different story. Andy's Crispy Indiana Style Hand-Hammered Pork Tenderloin ($23.95) was served on one of those great big plates, and by God, it pretty much filled it. This one was kind of all over the place -- with smoked mozzarella and spinach and portabella mushroom, and lots of caramelized onions -- but somehow it all sort of worked. This was one rich dish, however, and in lumberjack proportions, it was way more than we could even dent, with or without appetizers. Accompanied by horseradish mashed potatoes that were too timid and an entire ear of grilled corn on the cob, it was so over-the-top that when we took the leftovers home, they had to be packed in two clamshell boxes and brought out in a shopping bag.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Dec-30-Fri-2005/weekly/5044913.html

Twisted Farm Hash House A Go Go has GREAT food. We had lunch there the day we arrived in Vegas with RedPatti and Jeff. The portions are large but very, very good. None of us got a pork tenderloin....we sZave that for the Nebraska and Iowa trips. Zman had the crabcakes which he could not finish, I had a salad which I could not finish. But no complaints on the food!

Thanks Gizmo, Lee,
Now I've got someplace to eat when I visit San Diego.
The Bear

$23.95 FOR A BREADED PORK TENDERLOIN SANDWICH? THAT MUST BE ONE HELL OF A SANDWICH.

quote:

Originally posted by desertdog

$23.95 FOR A BREADED PORK TENDERLOIN SANDWICH? THAT MUST BE ONE HELL OF A SANDWICH.

That and the fact that it plain old doesn't sound good, carnelized onions? What's with that?

You know, these fancy restaurant owners try to take something and make it better, but it is always very difficult to mess with perfection.



I gotta pay that much money because they squirted ketchup on the plate for me (I prefer mustard), threw a few pennies worth of salad on the side and garnished it with a rosemary sprig? Oh, I see that they tossed some small kernals of corn and pieces of red bell pepper on there as a bonus.

You know what they say, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig. The west coast is good at doing that type of thing, look what they did with Britney Spears.......

The next time I go to Las Vegas I will have to check out the Hash House A Go Go. I suppose if I travel that far I can afford the $23.95 pork tenderloin sandwich with special sweet ketchup drizzle all over the plate and a non-edible sprig spear. I'll bet you most people will eat that sandwich with a knife and fork at that price in San Diego.

Great place for a Home Made Bread Pork Tenderloin Stop into the Iowa Cafe in Mesa Az

Danigirl,
Welcome to Road Food I live in Gilbert. Nice Picture!

quote:

Originally posted by Foodbme

Danigirl,
Welcome to Road Food I live in Gilbert. Nice Picture!

[img][/img]Yes it's a nice Photo of the Pork Tenderloin but it not as big as the one I had at the Iowa Cafe in Mesa AZ two days ago. I have the Photo but can't upload it. The Owner Pam Ohsman made me a Breaded Pork Tenderloin that was so big, I asked her for a 2nd bun, Oh She from Cedar Rapids,Iowa and told me she found out about the Iowa Cafe when she told someone she was looking for a place like Iowa that had a Breaded Pork Tenderloin, How funny now she owns the Cafe. I asked her about she makes the Bread Pork Tenderloins and told me how they get fresh Loin in then they trim all the fat and dark meat from the loin then cut them and make them tender after that they Hand Bread them She said the best Breaded Pork Tendreloins are only made with the white meat .Yum just like back home. Danigirl

Danigirl,

Welcome to the pork tenderloin board. BTW, Pam Oshman emailed me and assured me the picture of that pork tenderloin is NOT what is usually served. We would welcome an updated picture of a great tenderloin from the Iowa Cafe posted here.

I for one will be making a bee line to the Iowa Cafe on my next Arizona visit. Since I am the certifying architect for a building project under construction in the Phoenix area that might be soon I hope.

quote:

Originally posted by Davydd

Danigirl,

Welcome to the pork tenderloin board. BTW, Pam Oshman emailed me and assured me the picture of that pork tenderloin is NOT what is usually served. We would welcome an updated picture of a great tenderloin from the Iowa Cafe posted here.

I for one will be making a bee line to the Iowa Cafe on my next Arizona visit. Since I am the certifying architect for a building project under construction in the Phoenix area that might be soon I hope.

So when they served that (see picture above) to me they were giving me an inferior product to what they "normally" serve? Now I really feel cheated...believe me Davydd, you will be better served to head down to Midwestern Meats for their BPTS. Or do both and let us know which you prefer, although I think I already know.

Eventually, if I live long enough, I will hit every breaded pork tenderloin sandwich restaurant in the USA.

Now that sounds like a collision course between longevity and cholesterol clogging.

A noble quest if there ever was one, Davydd!

I suppose being that I'm an I-wegian I should give the Iowa Cafe the benefit of the doubt and give them another try...look for a full report inc. photos in the near future.

quote:

Originally posted by desertdog

A noble quest if there ever was one, Davydd!

I suppose being that I'm an I-wegian I should give the Iowa Cafe the benefit of the doubt and give them another try...look for a full report inc. photos in the near future.

Hi RoadFood group. Yes It's the True Blue Gal from the Iowa Cafe in Mesa ,AZ Danigirl called me today at the Cafe about all the talk about My HomeMade Pork Tenderloins on a forum so I had to ck it out. Now I see why she asked me to see the Photo that was on the RoadFood Forum
Please let me know if you can the time of day and Day your Breaded Pork Tenderloin was serverd to you looking like that at my Cafe,
My Loins aren't to be served to a table looking like the Photo.
The Pork Loin is to be on the Bun, But the Lett, Tom, Onion ( If you ask for it )gets served on the side Loin . The one thing I can ask is that you retry us and Please ask for Pam when you stop in.
Pam Ohsman owner of the Iowa Cafe Mesa,AZ
As for Mid Western Meat It's a great place to eat some times I need to hide away from the cafe and yes it's a good hide away place great food Both of us are from the Mid West
E-mail Iowacafegal@aol.com Web page www.IowaCafe.com Web page is being updated

We just passed 40,000 views! Time for a little celebration. Go out and have a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich tonight.

My pursuit takes me to northeast Iowa this weekend. My goal is to try the St. Olaf Tavern in St. Olaf. They claim to have the biggest pork tenderloin sandwich in Iowa and they are on the list of 100 places to eat in Iowa before you die recently published in the Des Moines Register newspaper. Surprisingly it was the only tenderloin on the list. Joesny's in Solon, Iowa claims the biggest and best in Iowa right on their building sign. If it is the best then I feel sorry for Iowa. Now I will find out if it holds the biggest title.

We are going to do other things like camp on the edge of the Mississippi River.

quote:

Originally posted by Davydd

My pursuit takes me to northeast Iowa this weekend. My goal is to try the St. Olaf Tavern in St. Olaf. They claim to have the biggest pork tenderloin sandwich in Iowa and they are on the list of 100 places to eat in Iowa before you die recently published in the Des Moines Register newspaper. Surprisingly it was the only tenderloin on the list. Joesny's in Solon, Iowa claims the biggest and best in Iowa right on their building sign. If it is the best then I feel sorry for Iowa. Now I will find out if it holds the biggest title.

We are going to do other things like camp on the edge of the Mississippi River.

Take plenty of repellent and watch out for skeeters, Davydd!

I got back to the IOWA CAFE this week and have to say I am very pleased. The BPTS was at least twice the size of the one I had on mt first visit, in fact, I thought at first that it was two tenderloins! Lifting the bun I saw that it was joined together. I ended up folding the two sides together, threw the pickles, lettuce and mustard on the rascal and had at it! Quite tasty indeed!



Thanks for encouraging me to come back, Pam. It was worth it. You'll see me again, for sure. Maybe next time I'll even introduce myself!

The Dog

Dog! Thank You for making the trip back to the Iowa Cafe, knowing that you made it back makes me very happy I see you did get the True Iowa Loin on this . The True Blue Iowa Gal .Pam
Next time let me know your in so I can have a cup of coffee with you.

That is one gorgeous sandwich.I'm from southern Indiana,and have never set foot in Iowa,but there is no denying that is one fine looking tenderloin.If I am ever in Arizona,I will give you a shot.

Billfish Please do stop in if you make it to Mesa, Walking into the Iowa Cafe will give you a part of Iowa not only the Down Home food like Mom & Grandma made, we'll give you the Down Home welcome.
Oh Just so you know if you have Bibs on we can put you to work. The Iowa Cafe Gal.

We accidently stumbled upon my new favorite. Ravinous but determined not to settle for FF while traveling along I-39 in Illinois, we scoured the exit signs for a sign, any sign. Exit 54 showed us a place called Delaneys Family Restaurant in the town of Oglesby. Bypassing the very nice looking buffet ($6.99), we ordered the pork tenderloin that they "were famous for"! I confess to never having even heard of this town I've passed on a number of occasions. It was an outstanding version. Thicker yet juicier than most, it's now my new fav. I didn't expect to find anything on this route so my camera was buried deep in my trunk located suitcase. They had standard frozen onion rings but they also served that mid-Illinois treat, a horseshoe which is a meat choice on toast covered with french frys and melted cheese. This will be a stop from now on when on this route along with The Ariston Cafe on historic Route 66 off of exit 52 on I-55 Litchfield Illinois.

Memo to Pam, Iowacafegal,
I just had breakfast at your Iowa Cafe in Mesa AZ. You weren't there so I couldn't introduce myself but the breakfast was good. I had my first Pork Tenderloin so I'm no longer a Virgin! Not ever having one before, I don't have anything to compare it to, but it was good. It may have been just a little overcooked and was dry, but it tasted just fine. The place was busy as usual, but running well without you! Keepup the good work!

quote:

Originally posted by MilwFoodlovers

We accidently stumbled upon my new favorite. Ravinous but determined not to settle for FF while traveling along I-39 in Illinois, we scoured the exit signs for a sign, any sign. Exit 54 showed us a place called Delaneys Family Restaurant in the town of Oglesby. Bypassing the very nice looking buffet ($6.99), we ordered the pork tenderloin that they "were famous for"! I confess to never having even heard of this town I've passed on a number of occasions. It was an outstanding version. Thicker yet juicier than most, it's now my new fav. I didn't expect to find anything on this route so my camera was buried deep in my trunk located suitcase. They had standard frozen onion rings but they also served that mid-Illinois treat, a horseshoe which is a meat choice on toast covered with french frys and melted cheese. This will be a stop from now on when on this route along with The Ariston Cafe on historic Route 66 off of exit 52 on I-55 Litchfield Illinois.

I have had the pork tenderloin at Delaneys and agree that it is very good but I know they changed hands recently and I haven't been to the new version, the sign was removed from the interstate exit last trip to Peoria. I'll try to check it out at Thanksgiving.

quote:

Originally posted by Foodbme

Memo to Pam, Iowacafegal,
I just had breakfast at your Iowa Cafe in Mesa AZ. You weren't there so I couldn't introduce myself but the breakfast was good. I had my first Pork Tenderloin so I'm no longer a Virgin! Not ever having one before, I don't have anything to compare it to, but it was good. It may have been just a little overcooked and was dry, but it tasted just fine. The place was busy as usual, but running well without you! Keepup the good work!

HI Foodbme Sorry I missed seeing you at the Iowa Cafe today , You must have been in early or I was late don't tell the Boss.
Let me know when your in the next time ,Great news your no Longer a Virgin your going to love the next Pork loin as must as the 1st .
The Iowa Cafe Gal Pam Oh the food was great and the Cafe was running well, can I take off work Sunday Oh I forgot I have to bread more Tenderloins I better not.

I had BPT's at three different places in a recent week's trip to my hometown of Muncie, IN.

Burkie’s – A classic drive-in that has been known for BPT’s for over 50 years.

Ball Memorial Hospital Cafeteria - Not bad considering that it probably sat under the heat lamp for a while. Lettuce was an extra 19 cents and they had no tomato.

909 Wheeling Grill – A new, more upscale place. You could hear them pounding away on them in the kitchen. Definitely not fast food. It was kind of different in that it was curled up somewhat and had a strong black pepper taste. Not my favorite, but a good change of pace.

We traveled to northeast Iowa for one last camping trip at Pike's Peak State Park overlooking the Mississippi River. As it turned out the fall colors had already peaked and it was very, very cold. For two days it never got above 40. We cooked breakfast over a campfire in 29 degree weather. We endured because the overriding goal was to seek out the World's Largest Tenderloin" and we may have found it at the St. Olaf Tap in the "Little Switzerland" village of St. Olaf, Iowa.

St. Olaf is in the middle of nowhere. You go by turning off US 52 onto state highway 13 and driving until you see a sign that says "St. Olaf 2 miles, home of the world's largest tenderloin". You arrive by coming over the crest of a hill and seeing the whole of St. Olaf in a valley. The Tap was very easy to find on Main Street.

The Tap was very busy at 1:30 in the afternoon. Every table was taken so we took stools at the bar and placed our order. Your choices were the Pork Tenderloin at 16 oz., the Medium Tenderloin at 8 oz. or the Mini Tenderloin at 4 oz. The medium tenderloin is about what most restaurants serve. The mini tenderloin fills the bun.

So we waited with our Honey Weiss Leinenkugels and finally a table opened up for us. In waiting we struck up a conversation with Tim Lusthoff, the proprietor. Ever since the Des Moines Register came out with the article, "100 Places in Iowa you have to eat at before you die" they have been very busy. The week before they ran out of tenderloins. Their tenderloins are made from fresh pork trimmed of fat, hand breaded and fried in soy bean oil.

Was it the world's largest? Possibly. It was definitely the largest we ever had and it was considerably larger than Joensy's in Solon, IA, the claimant of the "Biggest and Best". How good was it? Very good and surprisingly, even though it filled the dinner plate, it was not paper thin and dry. It was thick and juicy. It was worth the trip for us. We were not disappointed.


Arriving in St. Olaf, Iowa behind a tractor pulling a loading bin


The St. Olaf Tap building in St. Olaf, Iowa


The bar in the St. Olaf Tap


The "World's Largest Tenderloin" at the St. Olaf Tap

Now THAT is a fine looking BPTS!

The bun almost looks like an afterthought. I guess it has to have one to qualify as a sandwich, eh?

A couple questions, are those sweet potato fries in the background and what's in the dipping cup...looks like, clarified butter? My arteries are starting to harden just looking at it!

Congrats on your successful trip, Davydd. I look forward to the day I can make the trek. Got relatives in NW Iowa and SE Minnesota, so it is a journey just waiting to happen!

Those were french fried sweet potatoes. I don't know what the dipping sauce was since it was my wife's order.

quote:

Originally posted by Davydd

Those were french fried sweet potatoes. I don't know what the dipping sauce was since it was my wife's order.

Ah, that explains it...she must have been having the Lobster plate.

Nope. It was the medium size 8 oz. tenderloin...

Now I'm Home Sick with your great Photo of the Trees and the True look of Iowa.I'll have to make a Trip back to Iowa and try your new founded place in St. Olaf myself. It Looks like you not only had a great tenderloin but some Hand Breaded Onion Rings along with Sweet Fries Love them.The Iowa Cafe Gal,Mesa AZ

Now I'm Home Sick with your great Photo of the Trees and the True look of Iowa.I'll have to make a Trip back to Iowa and try your new founded place in St. Olaf myself.

I hear ya Pam. Those pics could of just as easily been of the town I grew up in. (Sioux Rapids, NW corner) I hear tell of a BPTS served at a local eatery on Main St in SR that is supposed to be quite impressive. Still waiting on pics of it. When I receive them, I'll post, although it might be quicker, easier and more rewarding to hop on a plane and check it out myself.

Just go! I manage to get back to my hometown of Speedway, IN every May for the Indy 500 where you can't turn around without bumping into a restaurant or pub serving pork tenderloin sandwiches. That's what got me started on this pursuit.

This is news from the Iowa Pork Producers Association

Oct. 10, 2006

Contact: Alison Dreeszen, Marketing/Programs Director
(800) 372-7675, adreeszen@iowapork.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE!
Wellsburg restaurant has Iowa’s best breaded pork tenderloin
(CLIVE, Iowa) — The Iowa Pork Producers Association Restaurant & Foodservice Committee has announced that the Town House Supper Club in Wellsburg, Iowa, is the winner of IPPA’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest for 2006.

The Town House Supper Club was one of 83 restaurants in Iowa nominated in the 4th annual contest. Iowa pork producers judged the sandwiches on taste, physical characteristics and appearance.

“We’re all thrilled and excited to win the contest and we appreciate being recognized for our efforts,” said Town House owner Terry Town. His restaurant serves an estimated 50 breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches each week. Why did the Town House win this year’s contest? “Because it tastes better,” Town said. “It tastes good, it’s got a good breading and it’s got some meat in it.”

Nearly 600 nominations were received from around the state for this year’s contest. More than 40 different pork producers visited the restaurants over the summer to do the preliminary judging. The final round of judging was held in late September.

“Iowa is known for its breaded pork tenderloins,” said IPPA Restaurant & Foodservice Committee Chairperson Nelda Christian. “The quality of the product and the pride that people have for their small-town restaurants is why we received a record number of nominations this year.”

As the contest winner, The Town House Supper Club will receive a plaque in recognition of the award, a $200 check from IPPA, and statewide publicity. Bernice Harrentstein of Wellsburg was awarded $100 for nominating the Town House restaurant.

The first runner up in the contest was The Links Restaurant & Lounge in Panora, with Jo’s Bar & Brill in Searsboro, St. Olaf Tavern in St. Olaf, and TC’s Point After in DeWitt all receiving honorable mention.

600 nominations!! Wow Davyyd, you sure have your work cut out for you!

Yeah, Davydd...Just go !

By the way, who's going to be first to get us a picture of that rascal?

Wellsburg's Town House Supper Club is in the middle of no where. But I could probably route my way through there next May if I go through Iowa on the way to Indianapolis. The other two IPPA winners in 2004 and 2005 are in Hamlin and Dunlap in western Iowa closer to Omaha. I may not get there until I head west sometime. I still have quite a few Indiana restaurants on my list. I probably should get to the Mug'n'Bun in Speedway to satisfy my curiosity, McGilvery's near Speedway, The Brickyard Crossing at the track, The Green Street Pub in Brownsburg, and the Bourbon Street Distillery in downtown Indianapolis. Those places are on my short list.

It's interesting to note that the number of pages on this thread is the same as New Jersey Hot dogs, A popular thread