Roadside Inn Martensdale & the Famous Giant Loin

My travels around Iowa eating sandwiches has taught me that many places claiming to have a "famous" sandwich are in towns a little more famous for something else. According to their menu, this tenderloin was mentioned by a host on WHO Radio as being the best in Iowa. Martensdale has recently become locally famous for Martensdale-St. Mary's High School and their prolific baseball team which has won over eighty games in a row in a streak still going as this blog post goes to print.

Location: 325 N Highway 28 in Martensdale, about ten miles south of Des Moines in Warren County.

Directions: Take the HWY 92 Bevington exit East from I-35, or Highway 28 south from Norwalk. Look for the giant signage, but ask the hostess "Is this The Roadside Inn?" upon entering just to make sure.


The "Famous Giant Loin": This thing was huge, it cam out on a plate covering both parts of the bun and the side of french fries. I could taste some seasoning salt and black pepper in the breading which stuck to the meat well but never had any crunch. The pork had good juiciness and was moist even at the edges that stuck out beyond the center. The fat hadn't been completely trimmed they way I like it. Served with your choice of fixings on a flour-dusted bun. Overall 8.2 out of ten.

Price: $9.49 for 1 Giant Loin with not one but two sides:
Also on the menu: Huge menu with broasted chicken, steaks, ribs, sandwiches, salads, hand dipped onion rings, and more that I didn't write down.

Service: Its table service in the dining area, or counter service at the bar.


Ambiance: This is an old building renovated a few years ago. There is a dining area with booths and a bar area with seats and a counter. The decorations are mostly for local sports teams.
Final Thoughts: The Roadside Inn is a classic Iowa side of the highway roadhouse with gravel parking lot and lettering that can be seen from outer space. Its closer to Des Moines than most of the other roadhouses I have made it to for giant tenderloins, less than ten miles down the road from the main street in Norwalk. I don't think this sandwich is more famous the the MSM baseball team, but I think the small community is happy with both.

One-R's and the new St Olaf Tap

The tenderloin business, like the restaurant business, is no stranger to the forces of change. Places open, places close, chefs and restaurant owners come and go. There are no shortage of stories people tell about their favorite places turning into something different under new management. St Olaf Tap has been taken over by a guy who named Lary, spelled with one letter R instead of two. The new owner has changed some things, but there is still a gigantic tenderloin hidden here in the bluff country of Northeast Iowa. The sign still reads St Olaf Tap: Put Something Big Between Your Buns. This is my second trip to St Olaf, my previous visit was recorded here.


Location: 106 S Main St. in St. Olaf, Clayton County, Northeast Iowa.


Directions:From Elkader, take Gunder Road or Highway 13 north and turn on County Road B65 to reach St Olaf. The St Olaf Tap the only building that looks open for business on the block.

Online at: They have entered the information age with a facebook page here.


The Tenderloin: The previous incarnation of this sandwich was more like a lightly breaded pork steak that just drooped over the bun. This one has a piece of meat cooked firmer to keep its shape when lifted by the bun. Instead of a light and thin layer of breading, there is a crunchier layer with a little more seasoning. There is a big difference in juiciness, with the new model on the thinner and dryer side. Served with your choice of fixings. Overall 8.2 out of ten, still good.

Price: $9.95
Also on the menu: Lots of typical bar food and fried stuff, burgers, chicken, and Friday Fish Fry.


Ambiance: What a difference a coat of paint makes, this place is totally transformed. Gone are the torn up stools, and now you can see the high ceilings of this old building. There are new booths and a bar with a flatscreen television to watch.
Service: It was one lady running the bar and waiting tables, with a guy cooking in the back.


Final Thoughts: Its always tough to compare something you just ate to a memory of an experience a few years ago. The St Olaf Tap was one of the first real "destination tenderloins" to market itself as the biggest or the best in the world. From what I can tell, they have been doing it for a long time. The previous owner operator was not shy about discussing the frustration of running a restaurant in what he called a "dying town". The new owner has put in the effort and energy to make this a better place, but the tenderloin is just plain different.