Winterset is the home of John Wayne, and is located between the covered bridges immortalized in a Robert James Waller novel. The tourism has dried up in the decade-plus since the film came out, and the town isn't touched by commuters from Des Moines as often as its location would lead you to believe. It is home to a former one-stop diner and gas station on the south side of town. The Starlight Cafe does not impress from outside, but has a worthy tenderloin to give its customers.
Location: 422 South 1st St. in Winterset, in Madison County, about 30 miles from Des Moines.
Directions: The Starlight Cafe is on the main north-south road through the middle of town. Its behind some buildings but the sign is visible from the road.
The Tenderloin: The "Giant Breaded Tenderloin" described on the menu came after a 5 minute wait. The meat inside was a good consistent white color and mostly steamy and moist inside. The whole thing was a little thicker on one side, and roughly triangular in shape This gets a half-point deduction for the parallel marks along the top from being frozen after breading. The breading has little grease of crumbs to leave on your fingers or the plate. Overall an impressive and large tenderloin. Served on a lightly toasted bun. 7.5/10
Price: $4.99 for the sandwich with whatever fixings you choose.Service: a single lady took my order and fixed the tenderloin herself.
Also on the menu: a full breakfast menu, homemade mashed potatoes, fried chicken, sandwiches and ice cream.Ambiance: The inside is a small and cramped area with booths and a dining counter, ancient furniture is too big for the small dining area. The wood-panelling is old and there is a crooked feel to the building. A toy shotgun on the wall reminds you this is John Wayne's hometown.
Final Thoughts: This is a roadside dive with some good food served inside. Its been in operation since 1946, the dining area was once even smaller. This place is worth seeking out on the south end of Winterset.
One Stop is a well known local Mexican food restaurant owned and operated by gringos for over 25 years. This place was once know as the One Stop Taco Shop, and had a building on Highway 69 on the north side of Indianola. Eight years ago It relocated to the north side of the town square, and changed to the One Stop Sandwich Shop. Menu claims local newspaper poll awarded this restaurant the "best tacos and onion rings in Warren County". Sadly, the building collapsed on Sunday morning.
The Tenderloin: The old lady taking orders confirmed to me that the tenderloin was pounded with a hammer on site. What arrived on my tray was a less-greasy type of tenderloin. The inside was steamy and warm. The breading was dry and left few crumbs on the tray. There was an uneven thickness to the tenderloin itself. Served on warm but not toasted bun with all the fixings you desire. This was an okay tenderloin, but not the sort of thing to take me away from the excellent one served across the square at Crouse Cafe. 6.5/10 
Also on the menu: Fresh made flour tacos are the house specialty. A huge menu of Mexican dishes, burgers, fried chicken and appetizers are also available. Ice cream is also served.
Ambiance: Nice natural light from large front windows in a high-ceiling dining room with booths and tables.. 
For Emergency Tenderloin Cravings: go south to the Crouse Cafe for one of the best in the state. Signatures Grill serves an okay homemade tenderloin as well.
Just down the road from the liberal arts college is the Dari Barn. This ice cream stand carries on the great tradition of barn-shaped dessert stands that have lines stretching in front during the summer months.
The Tenderloin: After ordering, I was asked If I wanted "everything" on the sandwich. What I got was a whole garden of veggies between a large bun. The pork loin is cut fresh, and was nice warm and crispy, but way too small. The bun was not toasted. This is a thin cut of pork loin dwarfed by the fixings and bun. 5/10.
Final Thoughts: I think the reputation of this sandwich preceded my trip and led to disappointment. The thin cut of pork loin is the most boring form of tenderloin sandwich. This is a nice place for dessert, but skip the tenderloin.
I rolled into Jamaica expecting reggae music and Lion of Judah flags waving around main street. It wasn't quite like that, there was a lonely dog walking through the middle of main street, and a couple cars parked outside this place. Jamaica is another small Iowa community with a single "pub & grub" that serves a giant tenderloin. Tojo's is run by a lady named Tommie Jo, and her place has a beach house theme and tons of fried food.
Ambiance: This is well lit for a pub. There a brightly painted walls covered with signs for beer and Nascar stuff. There are plenty of seats, tables, booths and a bar. The beach theme is nice. 
A trip through the midget car racing capital of the world took me past Hometown Meats and Deli. Its blaring window sign meant I could not miss this tenderloin.
The Tenderloin: I understood that this was under a heat-lamp after the person behind the counter only took about 15 seconds to put it together and ask what I wanted on it. The breading was crunchy partly from hardening under the lamp, and tasted the same as a zillion other average tenderloins. There was a thin chewy layer of pork loin with good pork flavor. The tenderloin only went slightly beyond the bun. The regular fixings are available if you ask for them. The bun is just pulled out of a bag. I think it may be wiser, maybe even cheaper, to buy these uncooked and fry them at home. 5.5/10
Price:$3.25, Friday special for $2.70 
Service: A handful of people shuffle around behind the meat counter. You have to tell them what you want on top of your sandwich, there is no fixings bar. 
Ambiance: There is the meat counter area and a separate dining area in front. There were stacks of inventory boxes holding soda cans inside right in the middle of this area when I was here. Many locals were in and out, nearly all were getting the tenderloin.
Final Thoughts: This was just an okay second choice after I found that the Main St. Cafe had changed ownership and no longer served a tenderloin. The big sign on the window made it easy to find. This isn't the best heat-lamp style tenderloin, nor is it the best butcher shop variety. 
This Bowling Alley is named for the Football Factory High School just a couple of blocks up the street. The Madrid Tigers roll over the other small schools every fall, and this tenderloin takes no prisoner's either. Its the real deal, and its found in a funky bowling alley. 
The Tenderloin: This was a complete surprise. I did not come here with high hopes, but this is close to award-worthy. The breading has a few different shades of brown, and a hint of pepper in it. The breading formed bumps above the pork inside. The overall softness of the pork inside was the best part of the sandwich. It had enough moisture, and the whole thing had a floppy nature when I picked it up. Its a good size, with a little curvature from the frying process. Only a small amount of fat wasn't trimmed off before cooking. Oil from the sandwich soaked through the two wrappers around it into the brown paper to-go bag. Served on a toasted bun. 8/10.
Also on the menu: During the week there is a pizza, salad, soup buffet. There is also the usual assortment of fried stuff, including cauliflower.
Ambiance: You are asked to wipe your feet upon entry, something other establishments should require as well. There is a dining area walled off in a corner, and tables in front of a big screen TV and the bowling lanes. The thunder of bowling balls is a constant. There were a couple families eating pizza with kids running around.
A trip through Jasper County involves navigating past a highway off ramp filled with all the fast-food you can imagine. But a mile past this is a town square with a few independent restaurants that hold out in this economic downtrodden town. Snook Inn has been in operation since 1939, next door to an old fashioned independent Maid-Rite. It had a sign in the front for "homemade tenderloins", so I decided to stop in.
The Tenderloin: The first thing I noticed here was that it was not very tender. This may have been intentional, or perhaps the tenderizer may have taken the day off. There were drips of pork juice on the plate when I lifted up the sandwich. I actually like the amount of pork flavor in this one, and having to chew so much to get it was not a problem for me. The breading was light and did not produce any crumbs at all partly because of the steamy moisture coming out of the white meat. Parts were very thick, with small amounts of fat on the outer edges. Served on a bun with chopped onions and mustard. 7.5/10 .
Also on the Menu: Burgers, sandwiches, salads and a full breakfast menu.
Ambiance: The full size windows let natural light into the shop. The walls are wood panelling covered with fliers and posters. Its low-key.