Pork Tenderloins

RE: Pork Tenderloins (BuddyRoadhouse)

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:53:03 GMT

desertdog

The Kansas City Star talked about this place, I did a word search and haven't turned up anything on this site about it. Anyone eaten there?
Christy’s Tasty Queen
More tenderloin than bun
By 11 a.m. Victoria Fieber has already breaded 100 pork loins. Dips into a concoction of milk and water alternate with her fist-pounding the meat into three types of breading.
For 25 years, this has been the morning ritual at Christy’s Tasty Queen in Kansas City, Kan.
“We hand-bread them every single day,” says owner Marla Christy. “It’s quite a process, but that’s the reason they’re so good — we put a lot of TLC into them.”
Sure, the restaurant offers more than 70 other items, including chili dogs, fried cauliflower and blackberry shakes. But it’s the tenderloins, Christy says, that put her small business on the map.
Or, more accurately, all over the map.
“We ship them all over,” she says, citing Pennsylvania and Hawaii as examples. Then there’s the woman who sends a package to Texas for her son, his only request for birthdays and Christmas.
These regular customers — families, employees at nearby Turner Elementary School and industrial workers from the nearby Kansas 32 corridor — are what Christy says keep the eatery in business. Even when shops close or kids grow up, regulars make their way back, placing orders to eat in or take home.
Larry Fowler of Kansas City, Kan., is one such loyalist.
“I used to skip school to come here,” he recalls. “I’ve tried many a tenderloin in Kansas City and out of town.”
Christy’s, he says, are the best. And apparently the biggest.
“I have a picture at home in my garage of the biggest one I’ve had,” Fowler says.
Working the line, Marla Christy says she has looked to no avail for bigger buns. As it stands now, the tenderloins often overflow more than 3 inches — on either side of the bun.
The “secret” breading recipe came from a previous owner of the first restaurant Marla and her husband, Lowell, owned in their hometown, Windsor, Mo. For eight years while he worked full time and she part time in Kansas City, their parents ran that business, a drive-in. The Christys brought their three children down every weekend, both to relieve their folks and to serve the bustling lake traffic.
"Everyone kept asking me, ‘Why don’t you bring these to Kansas City?’#8194;” Marla remembers. So when a KCK neighbor put Carter’s Tasty Queen up for sale in 1983, the couple jumped at the chance to earn the money to put their kids through college.
Their children are long grown and have jobs of their own now — “I think we burned them out,” Marla jokes at the possibility one might take over — but the two still forfeit any vacation longer than a three-day weekend to keep the place running.
It’s a good thing, too, because by 11:30 a.m., a line stretches outside the entryway and onto the sidewalk, just under the “KC’s Best Tenderloin” sign.
If you go: Mondays, the special is a pork tenderloin sandwich and fries for $6.20.

I am pleased to say we had the opportunity to eat at Christy's during our annual Holiday visit to KC. I'd never heard of the place, but my BIL, who works for the federal gubbmint on the Kansas side, was very familiar and took us there for lunch.

First off, the tenderloin. Just an excellent piece of meat, pounded out to about the size of a small dinner plate, but not exceptionally thin like some inferior BPTs I've had. This was at least 3/8" to 1/2" thick; maybe thicker in some places. The breading was light and crunchy with no oily taste at all. Like all BPT's, Christy's is much larger than the bun, and a real challenge to eat. Mrs. Roadhouse rose to the occasion with a brilliant (at least to me) solution: She took the tenderloin and folded it in half, still overlapping the bun, but much more manageable, and of course, creating a thicker sandwich. Now, some of you may have already figured this out. But for me this was a revelation. I've always eaten around the edges, working my into the bun, eagerly awaiting the moment when I get to the condiments and the full combination of flavors that come together in the middle. The simple act of folding a BPT has changed my life and I can hardly wait until my next experience.

Christy's does have some "downfalls". The BPT is so big, there is no reason to order a side of fries. Maybe not a big downfall for some, but for French Fry lovers, this presents an obstacle. I suppose if you go with a group, you can get one order and share.

Also, there's no indoor seating at Christy's. There's a handful of picnic tables in an adjoining grove, but dining alfresco in the winter months can be dicey. We were visiting during a particularly mild winter and sat out there. it wasn't bone jarringly cold, but I was damn happy we finished eating when we did so I could get back into the relative warmth of our car.

All in all, a top notch experience. I highly recommend Christy's to anyone living in or visiting the greater Kansas City area. Just dress warm if you're going between November and March.

Buddy

Christy's Tasty Queen
1405 S. 55th St.
Kansas City, KS 6610
(913) 287-2800
http://www.kansastravel.o...christystastyqueen.htm

RE: Pork Tenderloins (fishtaco)

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:25 GMT

Pork Tenderloins, getting a lot of Super Bowl press this week!

RE: Pork Tenderloins (CajunKing)

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:22:39 GMT

This is MESSED UP

The Indiana Foodways Alliance does not include

NICK'S Kitchen
or
Mr Dave's

in either of their 2 Pork breaded tenderloin trails

AHHHH now i see, you have to be a IFA member to be included what BS

RE: Pork Tenderloins (plb)

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:15:28 GMT

CajunKing

I love the "GNAW MART"

A very thick and meaty BPT. When I was a kid in Muncie BPT meant Burkie's which were the opposite, pounded very thin.

RE: Pork Tenderloins (CajunKing)

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:24:54 GMT

I love the "GNAW MART"

RE: Pork Tenderloins (plb)

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:19:19 GMT

They're back!

RE: Pork Tenderloins (trzhotel)

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:37:21 GMT

The Suzie-Q in Mason City only recently started doing a dinner shift. I think they have a different person running the show at the later hours. A Des Moines food writer made the drive up there one night, ate the Spic-N-Span and didn't like it, claimed he would never eat another one.

Downtown Mason City is really turning around now that all the work by the city is winding down. The Frank Lloyd Wright hotel is just down the street with a big money rehabilitation.

RE: Pork Tenderloins (zimm3839)

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:54:23 GMT

I used to clean carpet for chuck at tcs. Their steak is good. Cold beer. Excelllent place for a town of 5000. I live bout 30 minutes from there. mmmmmmm I think im gonna make a trip there...

RE: Pork Tenderloins (wanderingjew)

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:06:58 GMT

webean

Had a BPT at Suzie Q's about a year ago. Battered in pancake batter and deep fried. Was very browned on the outside...but uncooked closer to the meat. Worst PT I have every had. Was it a bad night?

I wasat Suzie Q's a little over a year ago too- summer 2010. The "battered" pork tenderloin was certainly different from any other bpt I've had in the past. The owner/cook was certainly very entertaining and engaging. I certainly would have remembered if the meat was uncooked, and other's haven't mentioned it so it sounds like an isolated situation. Overall it was an OK experience, not sure if I would go out of my way to go back if I was ever in the area.

So far the best BPT I've had in Iowa was at TC's Point After in Dewitt.

RE: Pork Tenderloins (webean)

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:17:25 GMT

Had a BPT at Suzie Q's about a year ago. Battered in pancake batter and deep fried. Was very browned on the outside...but uncooked closer to the meat. Worst PT I have every had. Was it a bad night?

Re:Pork Tenderloins (Phildelmar)

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:45:07 GMT

After college in Iowa, I never lost the taste for these, but, living in Delaware, they are not locally made. It took a recent trip to Missouri to recapture the experience

Re:Pork Tenderloins (tcrouzer)

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:29:41 GMT

Last night I thought I would swing by and try a new fast food chicken place just opened, Chicken Delight. I hoped they would have fried chicken by the piece, but no. Instead, I opted for the pork tenderloin sandwich and I was glad I did! Now, you must understand that we don't have to many places offering a pork tenderloin sandwich in my part of the South, so I had somewhat low expectations. They told me the wait would be 3 minutes while they fried the meat fresh - no problem. The sandwich came with a good inch of the hot, breaded tenderloin hanging off BOTH sides of the bun. There were a few dill pickle slices on the sandwich and mustard to get off the condiment bar. The breading was very crunchy, the pork itself juicy and flavorful. Now I know what all the fuss is about! Don't know if I will go back for their chicken, but I will go back again for this sandwich.

RE: Pork Tenderloins (ScreamingChicken)

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:47:21 GMT

Very nice, Davydd! I've eaten at Gramma's Kitchen before but only for breakfast...perhaps I should rethink that when I make my next trip to Iowa.

Brad

RE: Pork Tenderloins (Davydd)

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 10:16:15 GMT

cavandre

What's the location of Mulligan's?

Riverview, FL near Tampa.

The Mulligan's Pub
11375 Big Bend Rd
Riverview, FL 33569
(813) 672-7347

RE: Pork Tenderloins (cavandre)

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 09:45:53 GMT

What's the location of Mulligan's?

RE: Pork Tenderloins (Davydd)

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:19:52 GMT

We just completed our fall 6 week trip that took us down to Texas and then along the Gulf Coast all the way to Key West, Florida before heading back home. These are the pork sandwiches we encountered on the way there and back.

Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe, Prairie City, IA tenderloin was the 2009 Iowa Pork Producer's best tenderloin sandwich winner. Fried cauliflower is in the background.

The Udder End Cafe, Boonville, MO was the Missouri Pork Association's 2008 best pork tenderloin sandwich winner. The cafe is only open during Tuesday auctions inside the Farmer's Livestock Auction Barn. There is no sign that indicates it is there.

You have to search but you can find tenderloins in Texas. This is not quite a tenderloin but more a deep-fried breaded pork chop sandwich with bone-in that I had a Fugler's Gro, the home of the Bubba Burger.

This is the left over bone after eating the sandwich.

A caterer, Catfish Express out of Marshall, TX was hired to serve at our RV social at Lake 'o the Pines near Marshall, TX. They served primarily a chicken fried steak and catfish buffet style but made up this special breaded pork tenderloin sandwich just for me as a surprise by the social organizer.

The Seaside Bistro in Galveston, TX serves what they call a Schnitzel sandwich. It is a true pork tenderloin sandwich. Texans just don't know what to call it.

Heading over to Florida I had a list of 16 potential restaurants but felt it was better to concentrate on seafood while in Florida so I selectively chose two places. The first was The Mulligan's Pub run by an Indiana University alumnus. The TVs in the background are hint that this is a serious sports bar.

Heading down to Naples, we had this tenderloin at the North Naples Country Club. Surprisingly it was not a true golf country club but an old-time bar and grill right on US Highway 41 run by an expatriate from Illinois. They also serve a tenderloin horseshoe sandwich.

Finally on the way home we stopped at the newly announced 2011 IPPA best pork tenderloin sandwich winner at Gramma's Kitchen in Walcott, IA. Gramma's Kitchen is located at the same I-80 interchange as the world's largest truck stop.

They were all good but the best of the bunch was the Udder End Cafe. It not only was the largest but for such a large tenderloin it was also the most tender of all. Being in a farmer's auction barn I am sure they probably were using the best cuts of pork loin one could possibly obtain.

RE: Pork Tenderloins (CajunKing)

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 21:08:59 GMT

Birdhunter

Ruby's is not good, over cooked and it comes frozen not home made. Had it once, never again. There coney dogs are awful.
Arterial Tavern has good food but never tried there's. I only have there coney dogs when I go there, I'm a coney dog nut, there sauce is the best, and it's not out of can.
When I winter in Florida, I look for good coney dog places to eat at. I asked if the bums are streamed with the dog in and if the sauce is home made if not, I leave.

Huh?

RE: Pork Tenderloins (Birdhunter)

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:30:30 GMT

Ruby's is not good, over cooked and it comes frozen not home made. Had it once, never again. There coney dogs are awful.
Arterial Tavern has good food but never tried there's. I only have there coney dogs when I go there, I'm a coney dog nut, there sauce is the best, and it's not out of can.
When I winter in Florida, I look for good coney dog places to eat at. I asked if the bums are streamed with the dog in and if the sauce is home made if not, I leave.

Re:Pork Tenderloins (Davydd)

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:59:26 GMT

I haven't been to McCormicks Creek State Park in over 50 years now. It had to be my Junior Prom day after picnic.

Re:Pork Tenderloins (ScreamingChicken)

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:06:08 GMT

Last Wednesday while traveling I had a chance to eat 2 pork tenderloins: 1 at Bemer's Village Inn in Spring Bay, Illinois and 1 at the Canyon Inn in Indiana's McCormick's Creek State Park.

I met fellow RFer 6star for lunch at the Village Inn, which is a typical bar & restaurant common to small towns.

6star had warned me that the tenderloin would be large but I had no idea it would be like this!

Although it had quite the diameter the tenderloin itself was thin, and I believe some might classify it as a fritter. The breading was fairly light and not too thick and I enjoyed my half of the sandwich, which I ate by cutting it down to fit the bun and then eating the trimmings separately.

Later that day I reached McCormick's Creek and the Canyon Inn.

I didn't ask but the crunchiness of the BPT coating led me to believe it might contain something like crushed crackers, corn flakes, or potato chips.

It was definitely thicker and pretty good, but just a touch on the greasy side (perhaps hotter frying oil would've helped). Also, it seemed like there was a small piece of sinew so maybe a piece of silverskin escaped the trimming process or the piece was originally cut from fore or aft of the true tenderloin, but I didn't consider it to be a tragedy.

Brad

RE: Pork Tenderloins (trzhotel)

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 13:21:12 GMT

Susie's Kitchen in Stanton Iowa is run by a woman who does things her way. The place is known for Swedish Pancakes, but serves a unique twist on the old BPT:

The mysterious bright white tenderloin is revealed to be a thin cut of pork loin breaded then tossed on a flat top grill. No oil is used in the making of this BPT. This defies the conventional wisdom that a BPT must be golden brown in order to be delicious.

RE: Pork Tenderloins (Davydd)

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:01:45 GMT

CajunKing

Davydd

I've now got two definite trips to Indiana next year. In May of course for the Indy 500 and then again in August. It is not too early to start making a potential list.

I'll be passing through Iowa next month on the way to Texas so may have to plan a stop there.

Davydd

That list could be a very LONGGGG one.

Not really. I'm filling in around the edges. I think I have already visited hopefully the best of the best with over 30 different BPT restaurant visits in Indiana in the past 6 years. When I can I always try to make time for Nick's Kitchen. I've got just a few popular and known gems to go but I am more interested in the unreported.

RE: Pork Tenderloins (Davydd)

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:55:39 GMT

Birdhunter,

In La Crosse, WI Rudy's Drive-in and the Arterial Tavern serve a BPT. Do you know of other places in and around La Crosse? The Iowa places have been well reported here already in this thread from the des loines blogger himself, a frequent contributor.

RE: Pork Tenderloins (Birdhunter)

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:00:06 GMT

I from Western Wisconsin and live along the banks of the Mississippi River in La Crosse. I and my friends ride our motorcycles to all the tenderloin cafes,bars and restaurant within 100 miles. There at leased 30 plus places to visited thats has great tenderloins.
Here's a website where you can check just about all of Iowa's tenderloin places.
des-loines.blogspot.com
You will see the years posted on the right side, open them up. You cannot believe your eyes when you see the size of some of these sandwiches.
St. Olaf Tap in St.Olaf has the largest in Iowa and maybe the United States, 32 ounces. I have eaten there 16 ounce but didn't eat breakfast before going there.
The best I have had is Scheras in Elkader, I told him to enter the Iowa Pork Tenderloin contest.
They have a contest every year to see who's is the best. People go around and never tell them when they're coming. I talked to one of the winners and he said it could 1 to 2 people and up to 5.
This is a great site, enjoy the pictures

RE: Pork Tenderloins (CajunKing)

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 17:43:22 GMT

Davydd

I've now got two definite trips to Indiana next year. In May of course for the Indy 500 and then again in August. It is not too early to start making a potential list.

I'll be passing through Iowa next month on the way to Texas so may have to plan a stop there.

Davydd

That list could be a very LONGGGG one.

RE: Pork Tenderloins (Davydd)

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 09:53:25 GMT

I've now got two definite trips to Indiana next year. In May of course for the Indy 500 and then again in August. It is not too early to start making a potential list.

I'll be passing through Iowa next month on the way to Texas so may have to plan a stop there.

RE: Pork Tenderloins (RKB)

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:28:32 GMT

This weekend I enjoyed what is possibly the best BPT I have ever tasted. While visiting the Tippecanoe battlefield museum outside Lafayette, IN, I asked the folks there if there was a local restaurant anywhere near, and they recommended the Eye Opener Cafe in the tiny town of Battle Ground, less than a mile northeast of there. The place was full of locals, normally a good sign. When the server took my order for the BPT to the kitchen, the cook went to the cooler, pulled out a chunk of pork loin, and pounded it out to about 3/8" thickness, lightly seasoned/breaded it and fried it - OMG.
Nice crisp coating, no taste of grease/oil, the seasoning was just a touch of salt and pepper, what I tasted was the meat. Incredibly good.
They don't have a website and I did not have a camera with me so sorry, no pics, but if you are in that vicinity, the place is worth a stop. 103 North St, Battle Ground, IN.

RE: Pork Tenderloins (Davydd)

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 10:22:12 GMT

Bonk,

I wrote about the Suzie Q more extensively in this thread on the start of a two week RV trip from Minnesota to Louisiana with a first stop at the Suzie Q. I've been there a couple of times now.

Elvis, Cajun, Crawfish and Alligators - A two week RV Tour

RE: Pork Tenderloins (Bonk)

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 03:57:13 GMT

Didn't want to read through 35 pages again, but thanks to whomever suggested Suzie Q in Mason City, Iowa. I ate their on my way to Minnesota last month, and they had the best tenderloin I've ever had.

RE: Pork Tenderloins (Davydd)

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:52:06 GMT

The original Gnaw Bone tenderloin just before it closed was a broasted, not deep-fried tenderloin. It was not an overly large tenderloin. It tasted fine and was worthy of the pursuit in Brown County but there are dozens of better in Indiana. Gnaw Bone built a mystique because it got written up in the national press from politicians campaigning there. That, the name obviously and the fact the original was sold out of a gas station. Here is a photo of it. It does not look too much different than the one in the article.