Even though this is my most recent food adventure, I’m moving it to the top of the queue because of it’s importance. Last Friday, FNSC went to Grinnell and I finally got to fulfill my mission of trying the winner of Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin from 2025. I had made plans to try it twice. Once with my #1 Tenderloin Brother Scott. But we had to change our plans because of a haircut. But that is a story for a future food adventure. Then I was scheduled to go with Baier, Russell, and Dre. But they ultimately bowed out because there was a little bit of wind. There is no other story there for a future food adventure.
But last Friday, FNSC made the quick little jaunt over to Grinnell and I finally got to give it a try.
The winner: Hometown Heroes.
The appetizers.
The winner!
Jesse ordered “The Ringer”. Jay ordered “The Jumbotron”. I ordered the “Badger Bites”.
They served Pepsi. Heck yeah!
The Jumbotron.
The Badger Bites.
The Ringer.
The Blindside
Tots.
Toasted bun! But that lettuce…
Jesse with his “The Blindside”.
Jay doesn’t like tenderloins. So he got a burger.
1st Bite. I need to get back into the habit of recording the first bite.
Final bite.
Bathroom sign.
I had to wash my own hands.
We got a brownie sundae to celebrate my finally getting to try the reigning champ!
FNSC sans Social Wolf.
Like a big city restaurant, they post their menu outside.
Here are my observations from Hometown Heroes:
- THE GOOD
- They served Pepsi products!
- The pretzel was flaky goodness
- While I prefer a more robust onion ring, these onion strings were absolutely delicious.
- The cheese curds had a fantastic flavor.
- The bun on the tenderloin was toasted.
- The brownie sundae was fantastic. Nice and warm.
- The service was aces!
- $11.50 for a tenderloin and side was pretty cheap. Especially by today’s standards.
- THE BAD
- The cheese curds were a bit on the small side.
- Lettuce and tomato don’t belong on a tenderloin.
- Red onions. This is starting to become more of the standard, but I’m not a fan.
- Brioche bun. I mean it works, but not my favorite.
- Aioli? Sigh.
- The tenderloin itself was pretty bland and relying on the aioli to do a lot of the heavy lifting of the flavor profile.
- The tenderloin was also a little small. Did not nail the bun to meat ratio.
- THE UGLY
- Bread and butter pickles. Are you kidding me! They shouldn’t even be allowed to exist, let alone be on a tenderloin.
- They don’t let you upgrade your side to onion rings. Lame.
- THE DAMAGE
- $3.75 for the Pepsi. $9.50 for the Badger Bites. $11.50 for The Blindside. With tax and before tip it came to $26.49.
- THE VERDICT
- The tenderloin was kinda mid. At best. But despite that, I would definitely go back there. I just wouldn’t get the tenderloin. The best tenderloin in Iowa? Nah. But everything else was great.
- HOW DO YOU EAT THERE?
- 908 Main Street – Grinnell, Iowa
- Sunday 11 AM – 8:30 PM; Monday – Saturday 11 AM – 9 PM
Next Sunday’s food adventure will finally involve Tall & Meaty competing at the Madrid Labor Day barbecue competition. I mean probably.