Where can you find the best breaded pork tenderloin?
In a contest running for two decades, the search for the 2022 Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest is heating up.
The Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) has revealed the five Iowa restaurants hoping to bring home top honors. The finalists across Iowa include:
• Ludlow’s Steakhouse, Corydon
• Main Street Bar & Grill, Massena
• St. Olaf Tavern, St. Olaf
• 5th Quarter Bar & Grill, Van Meter
• Lid’s Bar & Grill, Waukon
“Even after 20 years, we continue to discover new variations of the classic breaded pork tenderloin sandwich,” said Kelsey Sutter, IPPA’s marketing and programs director in a release. “Some are thick. Some are thin. You’ll also find a diversity of seasonings, textures, and flavors. That all makes selecting a winner incredibly challenging.”
Qualifying pork tenderloins must be hand-breaded or battered and offered as a regular menu item in a restaurant open year-round.
Starting with public input in the spring, this year’s contest brought in 4,812 votes for 449 establishments. The top 40 were then judged, scored on pork taste and quality, physical characteristics and presentation, and the final five were chosen from eight districts across the state. Three judges then traveled to each of the five finalists to determine winners.
As part of IPPA’s #Porktober22 celebration, the first- and second-place winners will be announced later this month.
In the meantime, visit one of the top five finalists or grab a sandwich at one of the past five winners, including Victoria Station, Harlan; PrairieMoon On Main, Prairieburg; The Pub at the Pinicon, New Hampton; Three C’s Diner, Corning; and Grid Iron Grill, Webster City.
