Fried Pork Tenderloin, one thing Iowa is the best at
- Thread starter royhobbs2
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Depot Deli and Lounge in Shenandoah, IA may have the best elephant ear tenderloin around.
I have lived in Iowa all my 70 (almost 71) years and I have never, ever heard a "Maid-Rite" referred to as a "Canteen"....Iowa is better known for the Delicious loose Meat Sandwich also called a Canteen.
The consistently best tenderloin in eastern Iowa is at Lucky's in Czech Village, Cedar Rapids. I've tried them all.
You Iowans will have to try Mr Dunderbak’s next time you’re in Tampa. Their pork schnitzel is bigger than Smitty’s tenderloin and I thought tastier just by itself with a little lemon. But there’s a whole world of other flavors you can add to a pork schnitzel.
https://dunderbaks.com/menu-catering/
My two favorites are the traditional German jaegerschitzle with wild mushrooms and gravy (btw these are not my pics, mine are better but not hosted so I can’t easily use them)
And their less traditional take on the Zigeuner Schnitzle with a white paprika sauce.
They also have the more traditional red Zigeuner schnitzel
I prefer my eggs separate, but lots of people get and enjoy the Holstein schnitzel
the Sauer Sahne schnitzel with a sour cream and mushroom gravy is probably my third favorite
I honestly haven’t gotten the schnitzel Italia with Black Forest ham, provolone cheese and tomato gravy but it does sound good. It’s just that the three I like are SO good I haven’t really tried them all.
Similarly, I haven’t had the Schnitzel Hawaii even though it sounds good (Black Forest ham, Gruyere cheese, grilled pineapple and maraschino cherry)
But in addition to these amazing schnitzels you have the best beer selection in Tampa imo with 52 kegs and 12 casks on tap (and they proudly refuse to sell s*%*ty mainstream American lagers like Bud Heavy and Coors) and over 500 different beers in bottles. Most of their beers are German and Belgian with an enormous selection of styles and makers, but they also have about a third of their space devoted to local craft breweries (including their own, they do a number of the more unusual Belgian and German styles as their own craft brews).
My wife and I are going to be in Tampa the first week of March and I was looking for some restaurant recommendations. We are staying by the convention center.
The best tenderloin I’ve ever had was in a stand set up outside the track at the Knoxville Nationals. Line stretched forever but man was it good.
tenderloins cannot thin They must be at least 3/8ths inch thick. Diameter is monumentally unimportant.
Dressed with dill pickle and mustard. Spicy brown if you have it thanks.
tenderloins cannot thin They must be at least 3/8ths inch thick. Diameter is monumentally unimportant.
Dressed with dill pickle and mustard. Spicy brown if you have it thanks.
Imma gonna disagree. There is the thick vs pounded thin style. Latter trumps the former if not fried until over dry.
Found this for you. Should explain what the Canteen is.
Canteen Lunch In the Alley - 74 Photos & 86 Reviews - Diners - 112 E 2nd St, Ottumwa, IA - Restaurant Reviews - Phone Number - Yelp
Only in Ottumwa.....I'm still damn near 71 and never heard a MaidRite referred to as a "Canteen"......but give it to town that gave HROT OiT to give us another unique gift.Found this for you. Should explain what the Canteen is.
Canteen Lunch In the Alley - 74 Photos & 86 Reviews - Diners - 112 E 2nd St, Ottumwa, IA - Restaurant Reviews - Phone Number - Yelp
Mr Dunderbak’s is pretty far from the convention Center but well worth it.
As far as Cuban, there’s three places I always rec for different things. For high end/rich upper class Cuban food that is really more Spanish in nature I rec the original Columbia in Ybor City. It’s a very small chain now, but only the original in Ybor City has the flamenco dance show that is just an $8 add on to your meal (and well worth it). You do NOT want to get the poor/middle Cuban dishes most people think of as Cuban (a Cubano sandwich, media noche, picadillo, ropa vieja etc..), instead you MUST get the Sangria de Cava (a sparkling sangria with port, the other two sangrias are good but de Cava is the best by far) and at least one paella and some 1905 Salad. The seafood dishes are also excellent.
The second Cuban restaurant I req is La Teresita. It’s the opposite of the Columbia, it’s the best choice for all of the poor/middle class dishes most people think of as Cuban other than the Cuban sandwiches where it’s my #2. So get ropa vieja, picadillo, stuffed plantain, roast chicken & yellow rice (don’t overlook this Cuban favorite), vaca frita, Puerco asado, Boliche Mechado, etc... One side of the restaurant is the standard sit down restaurant with waiters preferred by tourists and the other is a bar counter style diner preferred by the locals as you don’t need to leave a big tip.
The third Cuban restaurant I rec is the Cuban Sandwich Shop on Florida Ave. As you might guess from the name, it’s best for the traditional Cubano sandwich as well as the slightly better imo Media Noche, and the best starters to get with the sandwich a Tampa Devilled Crab or a fried stuffed potato (always add hot sauce to both if you want to experience it as a local).
As far as steak goes, Bern’s is frequently cited as the best steakplace in the country. For JUST the taste of the steak, I prefer the small chain (3 locations) Charley’s Steak House. But for everything else, from the largest wine cellar in the US to the absolutely stunning desserts, fantastic caviar selection, other great apps etc..., Bern’s is the winner. Everyone should go to Bern’s at least once in their life. So it’s up to you if you want to go for the best overall experience at any steakhouse I’ve been to or do you want slightly better steak at Charley’s?
One other thing I always suggest to nubes to the area IF they have more than a day or two, is to pop over to Tarpon Springs for half a day. There’s a lot of tacky tourist activities along the Sponge docks and it’s the heaviest concentration of American Greeks in the US other than Chicago but they actually still continue their previous main businesses of fishing, sponging, etc... so it’s far Greekier than the neighbourhoods in Chicago. And I HIGHLY rec Mr. Souvlaki for the stereotypical cheap Greek foods like saganaki, souvlaki, gyros, moussaka, taramosalata, skordalia, roasted octopus, pastitsio, lamb shank, spanakopita, avgolemono, Greek salad topped with potato salad, and especially their amazing dolmades. But don’t eat dessert there, save some room to go to Hellas Bakery for absolutely amazing Greek desserts especially their galaktoboureko, flogeres, saragli, karidopita, loukoumi, baklava and more. The attached Hellas restaurant is good for slightly more sophisticated dishes than Mr Souvlaki and I highly recommend their pan fried smelt (tiny little fish fried whole minus their heads and guts, they’re absolutely delicious), lamb rib let’s, whole broiled octopus, stuffed grouper, shrimp Hellas, and xiphias (seasoned swordfish steak). They also have the lower rent Greek dishes but Mr Souvlaki does a better job of those dishes imo.
For other selections, I do like Ulele as a good midpriced seafood restaurant right on the Riverwalk; the Oxford Exchange for typical hipster fusiony food; Yah Mon for the best Jamaican food outside of Miami or Jamaica itself; Saigon Deli for the best non-Pho Vietnamese food; Edison Food and Drink Lab for more sophisticated hipster fusion food; for BBQ I rec Al’s Finger Licking Good Soul Food for the overly sweet bbq typical of the Deep South as it’s supposed to be Memphis style but it’s sweeter than those actually in Memphis and Four Rivers for Texas style brisket and California Tri-Tip but avoid the pork and chicken and Finally I really rec Skipper’s Smokehouse for their great blues and rock concert lineup as well as good Floribbean food especially their famously invented the blackened grouper Reuben sandwich which won best sandwich on the Food Network and the Gator Ribs made from actual alligator (their smoked fish dip and oysters are typically good as well).
Finally, I really suggest going to the Armature Works. It’s not a singular restaurant, instead it’s a large space designed for little popup restaurants in a very cool space.
https://armatureworks.com/eat-drink/
No joke, in Germany you can't call it Zigeuner schnitzel any more. The term upset the Gypsies.You Iowans will have to try Mr Dunderbak’s next time you’re in Tampa. Their pork schnitzel is bigger than Smitty’s tenderloin and I thought tastier just by itself with a little lemon. But there’s a whole world of other flavors you can add to a pork schnitzel.
https://dunderbaks.com/menu-catering/
My two favorites are the traditional German jaegerschitzle with wild mushrooms and gravy (btw these are not my pics, mine are better but not hosted so I can’t easily use them)
And their less traditional take on the Zigeuner Schnitzle with a white paprika sauce.
They also have the more traditional red Zigeuner schnitzel
I prefer my eggs separate, but lots of people get and enjoy the Holstein schnitzel
the Sauer Sahne schnitzel with a sour cream and mushroom gravy is probably my third favorite
I honestly haven’t gotten the schnitzel Italia with Black Forest ham, provolone cheese and tomato gravy but it does sound good. It’s just that the three I like are SO good I haven’t really tried them all.
Similarly, I haven’t had the Schnitzel Hawaii even though it sounds good (Black Forest ham, Gruyere cheese, grilled pineapple and maraschino cherry)
But in addition to these amazing schnitzels you have the best beer selection in Tampa imo with 52 kegs and 12 casks on tap (and they proudly refuse to sell s*%*ty mainstream American lagers like Bud Heavy and Coors) and over 500 different beers in bottles. Most of their beers are German and Belgian with an enormous selection of styles and makers, but they also have about a third of their space devoted to local craft breweries (including their own, they do a number of the more unusual Belgian and German styles as their own craft brews).
there is a place out in San Diego that does a Cuban where they replace the shredded pork with a fried pork tenderloin...
Cerveza Jacks. Looks like they rotate that on their menu (was replaced by a Southern Torta this week)
Cerveza Jacks. Looks like they rotate that on their menu (was replaced by a Southern Torta this week)
