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.

11th St Precinct Bar in Davenport Iowa & Grilled Tenderloins

The 11th St. Precinct Bar & Grill won an award for best tenderloin in the Quad Cities a couple years ago. The newspaper running the competition included grilled and breaded tenderloins from all parts of the Quad Cities area. There is a large golden pig trophy wedged between two flatscreen televisions behind the bar area marking their triumph. 


Location: 2108 East 11th St on the intersection with Mound St in Davenport, Quad Cities, Eastern Iowa.

Directions: This is technically in East Davenport a small commercial area of renovated historic buildings just off the River Road between Davenport and Bettendorf.

Online at: Website is HERE.

The Tenderloin: Listed on the menu as the "famous" half pound jumbo grilled tenderloin. The first thing that sticks out is the great color on this grilled loin. The alternating white of the pork loin meat checkered with the grill marks and seared edges. It has a great charred surface with just a bit of seasonings added during the grilling process. The texture of the pork loin is firm on the outside but chewy in texture, just the right amount of time on the hot grill. Served on a buttered and toasted bun. This is the best grilled loin I've eaten so far.

Price: $8.50 with a side.

Also on the menu: The grilled tenderloin is the star of the menu with its own section, its local awards are highlighted on the menu and other graphics There are other choices like specialty pizzas, pasta, burgers and bar food fried appetizers.

"The Big Kahuna" Spicy Pepperjack Bacon Tenderloin: Fitting for a sandwich with seven words in the title, this had layers of Hoagie Roll, Grilled Pork Loin, Pepperjack Cheese, Bacon, Spicy Giardiniera dressing, lettuce, onions, tomato, and lettuce. The star of the sandwich is the sliced grilled pork loin. The Spicy Giadiniera with peppers packs an acidic and spicy punch that you just don't find in most sandwiches in Iowa. I would love to say that this sandwich is some meaningful meeting of Iowa and Chicage style sandwiches, but its more of just a combination of ingredients that kinda works together.

Price: $9.75 with a side for lunch.

Service: I just sat at the bar and the bartender took care of my order and made conversation with some of the regulars.


Ambiance: This has been a bar and grill for decades but was renovated recently with modern fixtures and flat screen televisions. There is a bar area and seating space, big windows facing the street and an area for live bands on weekends.

Final Thoughts: The online reviews of the 11th St Precinct seem to have a few things in common. The new renovation is just like every other new bar built anywhere, and the grilled tenderloin is the tastiest sandwich of its kind by any estimation. There are other grilled tenderloins in the Quad Cities area, but driving across one of the bridges into Illinois is not on my list of things to do. I will eventually get around to stopping by The Filling Station in Davenport and TC's Point After in Dewitt to try their breaded tenderloins sooner or later.

Town And Country Cafe in Madrid, Iowa

I had known about this tiny cafe on Main St. in Madrid for years but hadn't made it in during business hours until recently. Nothing compares to the wide boulevards and historic architecture of the European capital cities and their eponymous Iowa small town counterparts. The Town and Country Cafe closes at two and does not accept credit cards, so don't show up in the afternoon without cash and expect to find anything.

Location: 213 W 2nd St  in Madrid, Boone County in Central Iowa.

Directions: 2nd St is the old business district just off the main drag through town.

The Tenderloin: This was a big oval of pork meat between a bun. The cut of pork loin was thin with just a minimum of juiciness. The breading had some good crunch, but this didn't take away from parts being just too thin. Served with your choice of fixings on an untoasted bun. Overall 7.1 out of ten.

Price: $4.50 for lunch with a side of ruffled potato chips.

Also on the menu: The menu is simple, with basic sandwiches for lunch and breakfast in the mornings. The Saturday special is homemade Biscuits & Gravy, other daily specials are available for lunch. The place had run out of pies when I stopped in at about 1:30 in the afternoon.

Service: There were four old ladies running the show and they seemed to recognize every person in the room by name.

Ambiance: There is an old counter and some booths for seating. This is a no frills place with pictures of the High Trestle bridge and drawings of Gingerbread Men on the walls.

Final Thoughts: The Saturday morning special of Biscuits and gravy might be a good reason to make it back here. I am slowly getting around to writiing up the places I've stopped at while driving down Highway 210 just north and west of Des Moines. I was at Cole's Ice Cream in the Fall, and I will stop at Lou's Diner in Woodward next.

Rustix Restaurant in Humboldt, Iowa

I had driven through Humboldt and Dakota City a few times, stopping by Rustix only to find it closed on Mondays or in the middle of the afternoon. All I could do was look through the windows and wonder what was inside. Rustix had been on my list of places to check out since it was named in the IPPA Best Tenderloin contest a few years ago.

Location: 716 Sumner Avenue in Humboldt, a little bit north of Fort Dodge in North Central Iowa.

Directions: Main St. in Humboldt requires turning off the State Highway and following some signs to reach the business district.

Online at: Facebook page is HERE.

The Tenderloin: Well this was a long one, the thin pork loin had been pounded out from the center so it was shaped like the longest loin I've had. The cracker shattering sensation is present in every part of this sandwich. The meat was pounded out thin, butterfly cut a couple times, and the edges stood out proudly firm from the edge of the plate. Served with lettuce and pickle with a soft french bread type bun. Overall 8.9 out of ten.

Price: $8.00 with a side for lunch.

Also on the menu: The menu is big with chops, steaks, sandwiches, and salads. I ordered my tenderloin with Sweet Potato Fries, and some spicy mustard came on the side. I wasn't sure if the mustard was for the tenderloin or the fries.

Service: I came by during the off hours and ate at the bar, but there is a hostess table and waiting area for table service and spaces for hosting private receptions.

Ambiance: If you look closely at the exterior pic you see a ghost sign of the old John Deere dealership that used to occupy this building. This is a historic Main St. brick building remodeled into an upscale restaurant with exposed brick, high ceilings, matching woodwork and modern fixtures.

Final Thoughts: I was glad Rustix was open when I drove through. The region around Ft. Dodge can be intimidating to visitors, there are so few places worth checking out nearby. Seriously, what is a place this nice doing in this area?

Marion Maid Rite in Marion, Iowa

The family owned Maid Rite franchises are usually identified by a proper name in the title, an old location in the middle of a town, older or ancient fixtures inside, and conspicuous additions to the menu or the interior. Marion Maid Rite has all of those things, and its only been around since the Eighties.

Location: 1000 7th Ave,  in Marion, just outside Cedar Rapids in Eastern Iowa.

Directions: I think this is the old section of Marion, you get here by taking 1st Ave. NE from dowtown Cedar Rapids.

Online at: website with menu is HERE.

The Tenderloin: The bright white meat was just a little soft, with just a little juice. The one standout thing was the good cracker-like crunch. The breading had little seasoning but a nice golden brown color. Served on an untoasted sesame seed bun, overall 7.0 out of ten.

Price: $4.95

Also on the menu: The menu proudly state Hand Breaded Iowa Tenderloins, and goes on to claim "The Best Maid Rites in Years". That claim makes me wonder if there were some legendary loosemeat sandwiches served nearby a long time ago for local reference. In addition to the usual sandwiches, Marion Maid Rite has homemade pies, soups, and salads.

Service: There is a counter for seating and another for takeout orders, I think they do table service but I didn't stick around.

Ambiance: You realize is not a corporate Maid Rite when you walk in and see a display of decorative sticks and tie-dye shirts just past the door. There is an old counter area and booths for seating, it looks like they expanded into the space next door at some point for additional seating.

Final Thoughts: I would love to hear about any more old Maid Rites serving homemade tenderloins, I have heard Oskaloosa Maid Rite Diner advertises one. My next stop in Cedar Rapids area might be down 1st Ave at the old Riley's location near Coe College. They have a gravy smothered tenderloin and a horseshoe style breakfast loin on their menu I have to check out someday.

Gasthaus Bar in Cherokee & the Wholly Pig

I went into The Gasthaus expecting an authentic German restaurant, or guest house, tucked into Western Iowa. Its turned out to be more of just a small town bar and grill. I was really hoping to get a chance to practice sprechen zie Deutsch, but it just wasn't meant to be. The Gasthaus won an Honorable Mention in the 2010 IPPA Pork Tenderloin Sandwich Contest.

Location: 214 W. Main St in Cherokee, Western Iowa.

Directions: Its right on Main St. in Cherokee and just half a block West of Highway 59.

Online at: Facebook page is HERE.

The Wholly Pig: This is described on the menu as their award winning tenderloin topped with sliced ham, bacon, American cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion.The tenderloin and breading was already salty enough before the ham and cheese were piled on top. Juice from the pork loin combined with the bacon added a decent richness and fattiness that most breaded loins don't have. The cheese was just regular sandwich topping.

Price: $12.49 with a side of fries, the regular tenderloin with fries is $8.29

Also on the menu: No real German food but there are eclectic choices like German titled burgers named Heidelburger, Wurzburger, Burgermeister, Duesenburger or Hindenburger, seafood and steaks, even Mexican food.


Service: It was seat yourself and table service when I stopped in. Not much else to say here.

Ambiance: This is a small town main street bar with walls filled with old signs and antiques. There is a bar area and small booths for seating.

Final Thoughts: I always have to think about whether its worth loading up on the toppings and whether I will ever make it back to try the basic sandwich. So many places are putting the same thing on top of their tenderloins, I just wish someone would put something a little more interesting.

Dinky Diner in Decatur City, Iowa

Nothing beats visiting classic rail car diners while driving through small towns in Iowa. The Dinky Diner in Decatur City has been serving consonance and comfort food since the building was moved here around 2005. 


Location: 104 NE 4th St in Decatur City, Decatur County, Southern Iowa. Its about sixty miles south of Des Moines.

Directions: Just a few hundred feet East from exit 12 when taking I-35 into Southern Iowa.

The Tenderloin: This one felt like seven or eight ounces when I lifted it up. The meat was in an odd pounded out shape, I had had tenderloins here before in the usual triangle shape. The breading was crunchy and golden brown but some parts were cooked more than others and showed in the darker coloration. Served on a large toasted bun with your choice of fixings. Overall 7.5 out of ten.

Price: $6.50 with a side of ridged potato chips.

Also on the menu: There is a daily menu with the usual boring stuff like burgers, there is full breakfast made fast, and then there is the Menu Board:

Notice the choice of salads, including butter beans, pea salad, and broccoli & cauliflour. I was able to grab a picture of the pies waiting to be served:

Service: There have been at least three people here each time I visited. Its table and counter service with a register to pay by the door.


Ambiance: The Dinky Diner is a later model of the Valentine prefab diner known as the "Double Deluxe", meaning its twice as big as most others with straight edges and corners. There are small booths to go along with the counter seating, and the whole place is spacious compared to other pre-fab diners.

Final Thoughts: Decatur City is twelve miles north of the state line, the second exit from the state border on I-35. I was sure I could find another on my trip south. My next stop in this area will probably be the Sale Barn Cafe in Lamoni, off the first exit on I-35.