Community Tap & Pizza Ft. Dodge, Iowa

The word "Local Legend" could be used to describe Community Tap and Pizza in Ft. Dodge. Its the place everyone from Ft. Dodge points visitors to, and it has the space to fit the whole town inside. I get the idea its held this position in town for a long time. The entryway near the takeout counter shows no shortage of "Best Of Ft Dodge" awards from the local newspaper.

Location: 2026 5th Ave South in Ft. Dodge, Iowa a little over an hour north of Des Moines

Directions: 5th Ave. S is the Highway 20 Business Route and the main East-West drag through Fort Dodge. Community Tap & Pizza is just south and west of the city center.
 
Online at: Facebook page is HERE.

The Tenderloin: Breading had the usual cracker crunch on the outside, only the barest trace of any seasoning. The pork was a little on the thin side for my tastes yet kept some good chewy softness. Served on a big fresh buttered and toasted bun. Overall 7.0 out of ten.

Price: $5.50

Also on the menu: They deliver pizza and there are other sandwiches to choose from.

Service: There is a take out counter along with separate bar service and table service areas.

Ambiance: This is a small town dive bar pizza place, but its a gigantic one. Dining areas include a bar area, takeout entrance, back entrance, and an outdoor patio area in the summer.

Final Thoughts: Ft. Dodge is a town with no shortage of places with 3 letter words in the name. Its like every single building has letters arranged into BAR, PUB, and TAP. I think my next stop in this area will be Antler's Pub in Clare, recently runner up in the annual IPPA contest.

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.