Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe — Restaurant in Prairie City

We went 30 miles out of our way to experience Goldie's Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. Goldie's take on this Midwestern classic garnered the Iowa Pork Producers Association's "Best Tenderloin in Iowa" Award (2009), so we naturally had to make our way to Prairie City, Iowa (Population 1,685 and about 20 miles straight east of Des Moines just off of Highway 163) to experience Goldie's for ourselves. Now, I must warn you if the blink you just might miss Goldie's, even Prairie City for that matter, as both are quite small. As we approached on an overcast winter's day, we found the parking lot full of pickups and a few cars. We were warmly greeted as we entered and shown to a booth by the front window (Goldie's has about 4 booths, three tables and 8-stool counter seating) and a friendly waitress was quick to visit our booth to take our order. There was no need to consult the menu as we were on a mission to taste Goldie's award-winning tenderloin sandwich with a side of onion rings. We had been warned that Goldie's served a tenderloin "as big as your head" so we opted for one ($6.77) and requested an extra plate. Goldie's tenderloins are pounded, seasoned and breaded in-house served with a bun (ridiculously small) along with lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo (if you request it). Goldie's delivers a pork tenderloin bigger than the plate it's served on. Here is a tenderloin that is at once crispy and flavorful yet with a succulently juicy interior. Both the breading and the meat are perfectly spiced to deliver a truly great diner dining experienced. The onion rings ($3.00) are thinly sliced, breaded in-house then fried to a crispy golden finish while maintaining the sweet juiciness of the onion within. Goldie's is a true 5-star diner dining experience and worth going out of your...

First of all, everyone is super friendly and the service is very fast. Otherwise, I would have to say the food I've had is just so-so at best. I've had two tenderloins, one order of fries, one order of onion rings and a small Coke. As I recall, the small Coke was mostly ice and $3.00. The tenderloins are very large, but size is the only thing it has going for it. How it was named Iowa's 2009 best tenderloin is beyond me. It is actually pretty tasteless if not for the mustard and ketchup. The onion rings were limp and grease soaked. The fries were chewy and not in a good way. The tenderloin sandwich is served on a plain untoasted hamburger bun and sells for $7.00. The sandwich and fries or onion rings are all thrown into a square styrofoam box with no wax paper wrapping to hold the sandwich together - everything is just dumped in. If you like a sandwich served with presentation, this is not the place for you. The whole menu seems outrageously overpriced. I suppose the draw to this cafe is its highway location in the little hayseed town of Prairie City, Iowa, where the only other thing going on is the hardware store across the street. I can't figure out that 2009 best tenderloin award, but maybe they have since changed the recipe because the recipe they use now is certainly not an award winner by any stretch of the imagination. The tenderloin is very large, so my guess is that judges and most customers are more interested in quantity than quality. They also have sorry looking slices of pie sitting on the counter with crusts that could use another 15 minutes in the oven. As I recall, those sell for $2.75. They do have a...

Since we haven't been there in awhile, Pam suggested we take a run out to Goldie's Ice Cream Shop in Prairie City, which isn't very far from Newton. It was around 1:00 Tuesday when we arrived, we were lucky to find one spot to park. The place was packed but we found a couple stools and set at the counter, which was comfortable. The servers quickly took our orders, as busy as they were we were shocked at how quickly our food arrived. Pam had the large cheese stuffed, bacon wrapped dog and a side of onion rings, she loved the dog but I can't describe it because she didn't offer me a sample but ate the whole thing herself lol. I ordered the tenderloin sandwich which was voted best in Iowa. After my first bite I can certainly see why it won. I grew up eating countless tenderloins so I do know a thing or two about them. My Grandmother was Millie the original founder of Millies Drive In Restaurant in Des Moines, people still reminisce about those iconic loins. My Goldie's loin was clear off the charts awesome, a wonderful, tender, exceptional cut of pork, simply mouthwatering, in fact I can hardly wait for an excuse, actually any excuse to return. Oh, I nearly forgot to mention the chocolate malt which took me back to my childhood when malts were really good.

I give Goldies my coveted empty plate award, yes it's really that good...