Dexfield Diner and Pub in Redfield, Iowa

Noticing a pork tenderloin served hot beef style, with mashed potatoes and gravy, on the menu made this place a must stop on my latest trip through Redfield.

Location: 904 1st St in Redfield, Dallas County, just West of Adel in Central Iowa.

Directions: Redfield is on Old Highway 6 just a few miles West from Adel, it can also be reached from Exit 100 off of I-80 to the south.

Online at: Website with menu is HERE.

The Hot Tenderloin: This came to my table in the shape of an ice cream sundae, like the meat sundaes that get served at the state fair. I asked the waitress if the tenderloins were made here and was given the response that they were breaded here. Fair enough, the breaded tenderloin at the bottom of this was tenderized well but still thick. This could have used some slices of bread to absorb some of the gravy. The mashed potatoes and gravy were piled high but just weren't special, I got no taste of any pork in the gravy and the potatoes were just scoops of the same stuff you can find anywhere.

Price: $8.99

Also on the menu: Its a small diner and pub menu with burgers, sandwiches, prime rib, and some healthy options like salads or wraps. There was a special cooler filled with homemade pies that looked delicious.

Service: The place was not two busy but there were two servers working the tables and a cook in the back.

Ambiance: This is a very clean space with booths, tables, and a bar for seating. The high ceilings were typical of an old Main St building. The walls were covered in memorabilia of the local high school football team, including a shrine to a State Championship in 1974, and some Northwest Missouri State stuff as well.

Final Thoughts: The height made for good presentation, but I would get the regular tenderloin next time I am here.

Postscript: Suburban Restaurant in Gilbert, Iowa

The Suburban Cafe had been serving up homemade American comfort food for fifty years now. Its a significant milestone that few places reach, and few communities can claim a place like this one. The facebook page announced a closing on October 31, and KCCI reported a closing date of Novermber 16th soon after. Visiting the restaurant in its last week meant being greeted with a placemat with this message:

Location: 17029 Highway 69 North in Gilbert, just north of Ames in Central Iowa.

Directions: You can take Grand Ave. north from the mall in Ames, and come from Highway 69 to Gilbert Corner just outside Gilbert.

Online at: Looks like their website is down, but their Facebook page is HERE for now.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

The Grilled Tenderloin: This is the winner of the 2004 IPPA Grilled Pork Tenderloin Sandwich Contest, the only year where the contest was about grilled tenderloins. This had a great light brown color from the grill and just a pinch of seasoning on the surface. The fat wasn't completely trimmed on mine, but the tenderizing had mad a nice chewy texture. Served on a toasted bun with all the fixins.

Breaded Pork Tenderloin

The Breaded Tenderloin: What set this breaded tenderloin apart was the layer upon layer of crunchy textured breading. The pork loin meat was always bright white on the inside, cut and trimmed well but not especially juicy.

Tenderloin Melt

The Tenderloin Melt: This was served in toasted white bread with grilled onions and melted cheese. I've had melted sandwiches with breaded pork tenderloins in a couple places and I don't think it adds much to the product.

Price: $8.50 for the grilled loin, and $9.50 for the breaded loin each with a side.

Pie Board

Also on the Menu: The specialty is fried chicken, but there are daily specials like hot beef sandwiches or chicken fried steak. The homemade desserts are listed on a Pie Board by the door, including triple layer cakes, brownies and cream pies. I was able to grab a slice of the Peach Pie topped with whipped cream on my last visit:  

Peach Pie

Service: Its table service with attentive staff and a counter to pay next to the front door.

Ambiance: The building is an classic roadside cafe. The old lights and unique fixtures add to the atmosphere and family photos cover the walls along with antiques and news articles. The wide window view of the highway and cornfields was obscured be a neon Budweiser sign. There are tables for seating and it gets crowded in the middle of the day.

Final Thoughts: I have to admit I was a little slow in getting around to writing about Suburban Restaurant. I always seemed to be driving past in the late afternoon when the restaurant was closed. The midday sun always cast some awkward shadows that made the exterior pictures look bad. I just didn't get it together until the place had already announced they were closing. Places like this never actually get replaced and they never last forever anyway. Ames has been a consistently tough place for me to find what I am looking for, but I hope to have something new to blog about from Ames soon enough.

Its all over.