Massena bar and grill finishes in top 5 of Tenderloin Trail

A local eating establishment very close to this newspaper’s coverage area made it into the top 5 recently of the Iowa Pork Producers’ Breaded Tenderloin Trail Contest, which seeks to recognize Iowa’s top breaded tenderloin each year.

Massena Bar and Grill, owned and managed by Jan Walton for the past almost 16 years, made the cut into the top tiers of the contest.

The winner, announced last week, is Lid’s Bar and Grill in Waukon. Ludlow’s Steakhouse in Corydon was the runner-up. Other finalists were the St. Olaf Tavern in St. Olaf and the 5th Quarter Bar and Grill in Van Meter.

According to Walton, restaurants with a breaded pork tenderloin are nominated by customers for the contest, then a couple of different rounds of Pork Producers officials come and eat the tenderloin undercover.

Walton said Grace Evans of Bridgewater, who is heavily involved in the Pork Producers, came in and ate the tenderloin at Main Street Bar and Grill once, then notified Walton their tenderloin had made the first cut. A few weeks later, another group came in and notified her they had made the top 5.

“I think there was a panel of three that went around to the top 5, and they picked the winners,” Walton said.

Walton explained that Main Street takes a lot of pride in its tenderloin because it is one of their best sellers, along with their roast beef.

The meat is cut and tenderized at the Economy Food Market, which is ran by Dianna Goetz of Fontanelle. The breading is homemade.

Several other restaurants in Adair County sell breaded pork tenderloins on their menus and people enjoy them.

Louis Cruz, owner of The Dugout Cafe in Orient, says a good tenderloin begins with where you get your meat. He believes in the pork he gets from Fareway. He uses a popular breading from one of his vendors and likes the end product. They sell their tenderloin with a kaiser bun he prefers it with lettuce, pickle, tomato and onions.

“I don’t like my tenderloin to be too small. It has to have some meat to it,” Cruz said. “The breading is a tender, mild breading. You don’t want to over cook the pork either. You have to take it out at a point that it doesn’t part but it isn’t too chewy either.”

Gabe Galanakis at The Olive Branch in Greenfield said he enjoys making and serving breaded tenderloins because they’re one of the quickest menu items to make and they’re popular.

“Well, it’s pork, and you can’t go wrong with pork in Iowa,” he said. “They’re tender. Everyone likes them a little different — pickles, mustard, maybe everything on them, some people like them with cheese. A lot of people make them so big, but I think 5 ounces is just enough to eat. It’s one of the cheaper things on our menu for people.”

Back in Massena, Walton said she is thankful for those who come to Main Street Bar and Grill from all directions, no matter what they order to eat. She is thankful to have received this recognition.

“This is an honor,” Walton said. “It really makes your heart swell that people like them well enough to nominate you, then you have people who come in, try them and decide they are really, really good.”