The Unassuming Restaurant In Iowa That Serves The Best Tenderloin You’ll Ever Taste
If there’s one food Iowans can’t live without, it’s pork tenderloin. We have countless restaurants here that serve it up just right, too. But every year, the Iowa Pork Producers Association names one restaurant as having the Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin in the state. The winner for 2017 won’t be named until October, but last year’s winner was Nick’s. It beat out 384 contenders for the prize, and you’ll soon see why.
Nick's is located at 1106 Army Post Road, Des Moines.
From the outside, there's nothing remarkable about this restaurant. The dining area is bright and cheerful, with plenty of seating, but this place isn't fancy.
Owner Nick Iaria has a special process for his breaded tenderloin. He tenderizes them every morning, then seasons, flours, batters and breads them before frying them up in a special tenderloin fryer. The result? Perfection.
The Queen-Sized tenderloin is six to seven ounces or pork. Judges noted that Nick's tenderloins have a juicy, pork flavor and don't taste like frying oil.
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.