C. R. Hero’s Family Pub, Fishers, Indiana

I had read about C.R. Hero’s, and since we found ourselves running some errands in the area, we decided to stop in and give them a try.

The outside of the building doesn’t really prepare you for what you’ll find inside.  The exterior is unassuming and looks like any one of the hundreds of strip mall pubs in the greater Indianapolis area.

Walking inside, all I could think of was….”WOW!”.  It’s obvious upon entering where the name comes from, for the decor is all about heroes.  Firefighters, Law Enforcement Officers, Medics, and more…pictures and artifacts all over the walls.

And, for the kids, there’s an extensive display of comic book heroes…Superman, Batman, and more.  It bills itself as a “family pub” and they have certainly set a high mark for other family pubs.  There truly is something for everyone to look at here.

There’s a bar on one side of the restaurant, and family dining on the other.  It’s all non smoking, but I DO believe that smoking is allowed on the outdoor patio.

Of course, interesting and cool decor doesn’t always make for a memorable dining experience.  Would the food stand up to the atmosphere?

C.R. Hero’s calls it’s breaded tenderloin the “Hoosier Daddy”…with a name like that, I had high hopes.

I wasn’t disappointed.

They advertise their Hoosier Daddy as being hand breaded and hand tenderized, and the attention to care and detail shows from the first bite.  The meat is wonderfully tender and moist, and the breading is just perfect.  Nice and crispy, and it perfectly compliments the taste of the meat.  AND, the breading stayed crisp throughout the life of the sandwich, neither the breading nor the bun got soggy.

The bun was nicely toasted and the condiments were delivered as ordered.  One thing out of the ordinary for this sandwich…it’s served with garlic mayo.  The server also brought me regular mayo, in case I didn’t care for the garlic mayo, but I have to say the garlic mayo is fantastic..although I realize it might not be everyone’s cup of tea.  But it worked, and worked well, for me.

C.R. Hero’s breaded tenderloin sandwich sells for $8.95, and that includes a hearty side of fries.  I chose to upgrade my fries to Onion Rings for $1.00, and it was well worth it.  Perhaps not the absolute BEST rings I’ve ever had, but they were very good rings indeed.

I’m going to give C.R. Hero’s tenderloin a 5 out of 5 bites…as good as it gets.  This one is a winner, folks, and stacks up well against an tenderloin in the Midwest.

C.R. Hero’s has a very extensive menu.  Holly chose the Italian Beef sandwich and raved about how good it was.  We’ll certainly go back…and I suspect we’ll be going back often.  The atmosphere and service made for an outstanding visit.

You can view their website, along with their complete menu,  here.

C. R. Hero’s is located at 10570 E 96th Street, in Fishers.

Don and Dona’s Restaurant, Franklin, Indiana

Don and Dona’s restaurant is located in historic Franklin, Indiana.  We were there to see “A Christmas Story” in the restored Artcraft Theater with friends, and popped in to Don and Dona’s for lunch before the show.
Don and Dona’s is decorated with local art and memorabilia, and has quite an extensive menu, with daily specials.  Their menu consists of plate lunches,  sandwiches, a steak or two, and a full breakfast menu.  Their prices are quite reasonable, with most specials  including 2 sides, in the $7.95 range.  My dining companions chose the Fried Chicken special and also the Chicken Fried Steak special, and both rated them as very good.  Both also RAVED about their mashed potatos, which, apparently, are legendary.

They feature their breaded tenderloin quite prominently on their menu, and it comes in two sizes, a single and a double.  The single is $5.95 and comes with chips, and the double is $7.95, also with chips.  For an additional charge, you can add fries or onion rings, or for a bit more you can add two sides, which is what I did. I added a salad and onion rings.  I must say that the side salads was one of the best I’ve ever had..loaded with cheese, different kinds of greens, and more.

Their menu says this about the sandwich:  “our tenderloins are cut and tenderized daily, and we guarantee “no fat”.

That certainly seemed to be the case.  The meat itself was top notch..tasty, moist, and fresh, and there was nary a hint of fat or gristle in the meat.  One of the best cuts of meat I’ve ever had…I would not hesitate at all to give the meat itself a 5 out of 5…outstanding.

The breading? Not so much.  Although the meat to breading ratio was perfect, the taste of the breading was…bland.  That’s the only word I can think of to describe it.  The texture was great, with enough, yet not TOO much crunch, but…there was just no taste to it.
There were a couple of other issues that downgrade the rating of this sandwich.  1, the bun isn’t toasted, and, 2,  they skimped on the condiments.  I asked for onion, as always, and instead of a slice of onion, I got two little rings.

Overall, I’m going to give Don and Dona’s breaded tenderloin sandwich a 3 out of 5.  Above average, but just barely.  It’s too bad..with just a little work and a little more attention to detail, it’d be the cream of the crop.

I certainly WILL go back to Don and Dona’s.   The atmosphere is comfortable, the service is simply outstanding, and the prices are reasonable.  It merits a return visit, but next time, I’ll choose something else off of the menu.

Don and Dona’s is located at 18 E Jefferson Street in Franklin, Indiana.  It’s an all ages restaurant with a kids menu for families.

Bertee’s Sports Cafe’, Fortville, Indiana

Holly and I were doing some geocaching yesterday  when we came upon Bertee’s, near Fortville, Indiana.

Neither of us had ever been here, or even heard of it, for that matter.
It’s kind of out in the middle of nowhere, and I don’t recall ever seeing
them advertised.

Bertee’s bills itself as a “family friendly sports cafe’ ” and they’ve hit
it spot on.  There are two sections, family dining, and a pub side, and both of them are non smoking.  Both sides offer miltiple large screen TVs, and there were several families in there watching the Colts when we visited.

Let me say up front that I LOVE this concept…a family pub.  There’s a nicely appointed game room, live music on the weekends, sports all the time, and aways some menu special for the kids.  The atmosphere is pleasantly noisy
and busy without being overwhelming.

We were greeted by a host and promptly seated, and our service throughout the meal was nothing short of outstanding.

Looking through their menu, their speciality seems to be pizza and wings. They also have a full compliment of sandwiches, salads, and steaks on their menu.

 

And, they have a breaded tenderloin on their menu, so that’s what I ordered!

The first thing that I noticed is that the sandwich is HUGE…and THIN.
Matter of fact, far too thin for my liking.  It’s pounded out near paper
thin, and that’s the problem with this sandwich.  It’s so thin, I really
never could get a good taste of meat, it’s near all breading.  I can’t give
the flavor of the meat a fair shake, because I never got enough of it in a
bite to really taste it.

The breading was pretty…well, average.  It was nice and crunchy, but there was nothing that set it apart from a thousand other tenderloins out there.

On the plus side, the sandwich is very large and filling, and the price is right..  $7.99 and that includes your choice of fries or chips.  The fries were really very good…the high point of my meal. There were plenty of condiments, and the sandwich was served exactly as I ordered it.
On the minus side…it was far too thin, and perhaps just a bit overdone. It wasn’t a bad sandwich, it just wasn’t a  great sandwich.  As we left, I told Holly I was “full, but not satisfied”.  I’m going to give Bertee’s breaded tenderloin sandwich a 2.5 out of 5 bites…just average.
If you’re not searching specifically for a great tenderloin, I AM going to recommend you visit Bertee’s for some pizza, or wings, or even a steak.  The service is well above average, and the atmosphere is quite fun.  A family could have a lot of fun here, and we will visit again to watch the game with friends.

I’ll pass on the tenderloin, though.

Bertee’s is located at 10462 Olio Road in Fortville, Indiana.  You can also
visit their website here.

J and M Smokehouse, Clermont, Indiana

J and M Smokehouse is a new BBQ restaurant just west of Indianapolis, in the town of Clermont.  It’s in the same building as The Staging Lane bar, and close to the entrance of Indianapolis Raceway Park.  Naturally, the decor is racing related, with posters, photos, and other racing items hung from the walls, ceiling, and just about every other imaginable place.

Although it’s a rib restaurant, they offer several other menu items,
such as angus burgers, prime rib, and lunch specials such as stuffed peppers and scalloped ham and potatos.

 

 

When I saw they had a tenderloin on the meno, offered grilled or breaded, I was torn.  After all, it’s a RIB restaurant.  But who am I to pass up a breaded tenderloin, especially when I learned that they’re hand cut and breaded when you order them.

The meat itself is quite tender and juicy…really, nothing short of
spectacular.  On of the best pieces of meat I’ve ever had.  The breading? Just as good.  Nice and cruncy, great flavor and texture, that perfectly compliments the taste and texture of the meat.  The sandwich is served on a nice, fresh, bun, and the condiments are plentiful and served on the side so you can dress the sandwich as you wish.

And the price?  $6.95, and that includes an order of not french fries, but FRESH fries, as they call them.  The fries were just as spectacular as the sandwich..absolutely outstanding.

As I was eating this sandwich, I thought to myself  “Why don’t more people know about this place?”….part of it is because they’ve only been open for 5 weeks.  And part of it might be because they’re a bit off of the beaten
path.  If you’re craving a good..no, make that a GREAT breaded tenderloin sandwich, do yourself a favor and give them a try, because I’m giving them a 5 out of 5 bites…as good as it gets.

A word about their ribs…..Holly choose the sampler platter which included pulled pork, ribs, brisket, and chicken.  Since it was a sampler platter, I had to sample a bit of it.  I believe they were the best ribs I’ve ever had,
the pulled pork had a wonderfully smoky flavor, and the brisket and chicken was simply delightful.

J and M Smokehouse is located at 10725 E Highway 136 in Clermont.  You can visit their website at:  http://jandmssmokehouse.com/

Cornerstone Coffeehouse, Indianapolis

OK, so you’re thinking,  “Coffeehouse???  I thought  this was  a tenderloin only blog….”

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse is not only a coffeehouse…but also a full service restaurant, with a bar, and a complete menu ranging from breakfast, to lunch specials, to steaks for dinner.

Cornerstone is located at the corner of 54th and College, in the same building that houses Moe and Johnny’s, and they appear to have identical menus.  The coffeehouse has a nice patio for outside dining, and an attractive, wood paneled dining room.

The Cornerstone has a “neighborhood bar” feel to it, and it’s obvious that this restaurant has earned a loyal following.  While having lunch, we saw several customers being greeted  by name as they entered.

I ordered, of course, the breaded tenderloin.  Although I’ve eaten here before, I believe this was the first time I’d had the tenderloin.  I expected it to be good, and I wasn’t disappointed.

The meat itself is as moist and juicy as any tenderloin I’ve sampled….far above average.  It was pounded, but not paper thin, but the perfect thickness to give you a nice sized bite without being overwhelming.

The breading is nice and crisp, and extremely flavorful.  It made me wonder, this sandwich is as good as any in Indy, but is largely overlooked by the media.  In several recent articles and surveys, I’ve not seen it mentioned, yet it stands up well against any tenderloin sandwich in town.  It’s served on a nicely toasted bun, and goes for $7.35 with chips.  Fries or Onion Rings  (which were excellent, by the way) will set you back around $1.00 more, certainly worth the price.

I’m tempted to add this sandwich to the 5 bite hall of fame….but there is one thing that prevents me from doing that…the service.  The service isn’t terrible, but it’s a lack of attention to details that keeps Cornerstone in the category of a very good restaurant, instead of a GREAT restaurant.  I ordered my sandwich with mayo and onion only  (stressing to the server the word  “only”), and she brought it with onion and mayo.  And lettuce, tomato and pickle.  The problem with that is that the tomato and pickle soaked into the bun before I had a chance to pick it off of the bun, giving me flavors on the sandwich I didn’t want.  Add to that just generally slow service…I can’t give it in good conscience a 5 out of 5.

I will give it a 4.5 out of 5….certainly worth driving across town, especially if you’re not in a hurry for lunch.  If the Cornerstone pays more attention to the little details, I have no doubt they’ll be one of the standout restaurants in the Broad Ripple Area.
Cornerstone Coffee is located at 651 E 54th Street in Indianapolis.

106th Street Grill, Indianapolis

The 106th Street Grill in Indianapolis is a sports pub and family restaurant located on the North side of Indianapolis, at the intersection of 106th Street and Michigan Road.

There are two rooms here, one smoking and one non smoking, with independent ventilation systems, so there is no cross over from the smoking to the non smoking rooms, a rare sight in the Indianapolis area these days.  The Pub side is rather small, giving the feel of a neighborhood pub, and the family side is large and roomy with a small game room in the back.  There is magic for the kids on Tuesday nights in the family room, and a Wii competition on Thursday nights in the family room.  Both sides have several large screen TVs, with the pub side showing sports channels, and the family room showing a steady diet of, oddly enough, Glen Beck and Bill O’Reilly.

The menu is quite complete,  with everything from sandwiches, wraps, and salads, to several steaks and a few ethnic dishes to boot.  The service is prompt and quite friendly, and there is also a quite extensive beer and wine list.

I was there to review their breaded tenderloin sandwich.  They also offer it grilled, if that is your preference.

The meat itself is simply oustanding.  A very nice, moist, tender cut of meat with no gristle to be found, and simply outstanding flavor.  The breading was very flaky, making a delightful crunch when you bite into the sandwich…crunch of the breading and the tenderness of the meat made for the perfect texture combination.  The texture and taste both rate a good, solid 5…..as good as it gets.

The sandwich is served on a perfectly toasted bun, adding to the experience.

Sadly, there are two areas that make the entire rating a bit less than a perfect 5.  First, the sandwich was just a tad bit greasy…not overly so, but certainly noticeable.  Second…they skipped on the condiments.  I asked for onion and mayo, and for onion, two lonely, little rings on the sandwich, and as you can tell by the photo, just a hint of mayo.  Take away the grease, add some onions and put the mayo on the side, and you’ve got a solid 5 all the way around.

On the plus side, the sandwich sells for $8.95, and that includes your choice of sides, of which there are a LOT of choices.  Fries, onion rings, potato  salad, cole slaw, and the list goes on. I choose onion rings, and was treated to a HUGE order of hand breaded onion rings…and they very well might have been the absolute best onion rings I have ever eaten.

I would REALLY like to give this sandwich a 5 out of 5, but with it being a bit greasy, and skimping on the condiments, I’ve got to knock a touch off for that.  I’m giving the 106th Street Grill a 4.5 out of 5 bites….WELL above average and certainly worth the trip to the North side of Indy.
The 106th Street Grill is located at 4335 W 106th Street in Indianapolis.

Dimitri’s Restaurant, Columbus, Indiana

This past weekend found us pickin’ a few tunes, camping and Geocaching in Bardstown, KY.  Hunger struck as we were on the way home, and we stopped in Columbus, Indiana, at Dimitri’s Restaurant.

I hadn’t intended to do a review, but when we got into the restaurant and I saw a hand breaded tenderloin on the menu, I knew I had to do one.

Dimitri’s is a family owned restaurant, and has been owned by the current owner for 12 years.  Prior to this, it was The Riviera Club.  Dimitri’s has a complete selection of sandwiches, plate lunches, steaks, and even a Greek dish or two on their menu.  They’re a non smoking and all ages restaurant, and they do have beer and wine on their menu if you want it.  On the inside, it kind of reminds me of a Denny’s.  Nice and clean, and the service was as friendly and prompt as I’ve ever had.

Their menu lists a tenderloin sandwich, grilled or hand breaded, and, of course, I chose the hand breaded.

This is a nice, juicy, tasty piece of meat, certainly a prime cut of loin.  The breading thickness really surprised me…Holly commented that it looked like it had been just barely dredged.  While it might not have been the most attractive breaded tenderloin that I’ve seen, it certainly was one of the tastiest.  The breading was superb, and the meat was top notch.  Nice and moist, it was among the tastiest I’ve had.

The sandwich was served on a bun that wasn’t quite toasted enough for my liking.  However the bun WAS nice and fresh.  The condiments were brought exactly as I ordered, and the sandwich was served nice and hot.

The sandwich sells for $8.05, and the includes your choice of cole slaw or potato salad.  An order of fries…which were EXCELLENT, by the way, will set you back another $1.00.

Even though this might not be a “traditional” hoosier tenderloin, it’s still well above average and worth a visit.  Had the bun been nicely toasted, and fries instead of cole slaw or potato salad been included with the sandwich, it would have been approaching a rating of 4.5.  Those two items bring my rating of this sandwich down to a 4.0…still well above average and certainly well worth a visit if you’re in the Columbus area.

Dimitri’s is located at 2315 W Jonathan Moore Pike in Columbus, Indiana.

Mondo’s Restaurant, Shenandoah, Iowa

Shenandoah Iowa is a small town  (pop. 5,500) in Southwest Iowa.  I didn’t know until now that it’s the home of  The Everly Brothers AND The Blackwood Brothers.  It’s nicknamed “The Garden City” and has a rich history in gardening and crop hybrids.  It’s a cute little town that Holly and I passed through on the way home from our 7 state tour.
We were hungry for hours on the road, and were looking for someplace to eat when Mondo’s came into view.  We’d both choose a locally owned eatery over a chain restaurant any day, so we decided to give it a try.

It’s obviously a gathering place for locals, and we were greeted by a friendly enough, if somewhat quirky, waitress took our seats.  There’s a small salad bar in the restaurant, and the walls are covered with some photos of local folks, the surrounding farmland, and even a piece or to of Route 66 art.

We looked at the menu and were at once struck by how reasonable the prices were.  Most of their sandwiches were priced at $4.95-$5.50 and that included your choice of potato.  We were off to a good start!

And, when I saw their “hand cut, hand breaded” tenderloin on the menu for $4.95, I knew what I was ordering!

I’d love to tell you that I sat down in Iowa and had a tenderloin that simply knocked my socks off….but that isn’t the case.  Matter of fact, even though the menu said “hand cut and hand breaded”….it tasted an awfully lot like an out of the box pork fritter.  The meat was pretty much flavorless and paper thin, and the breading was…well, it was breading, that’s about all I can say about it.  On the plus side, the bun was nicely toasted, and the onions were plentiful, just like I asked.  The fries were fine…nothing special…just fine.

Iowa seems to pride itself in their Breaded Tenderloins, but this one fell far short of the mark.  I’m going to give it a 2.5 out of 5….just average.  If you’ve been hours on the road like we had…it’ll fill you up….but it’s nothing to write home about.

Mondo’s restaurant is located at 309 S Fremont, Shenandoah, Iowa.

Big A’s, St Charles, Missouri

This is my first tenderloin review West of the Mississippi!  Actually, it’s even West of the Missouri river, only just barely.
Big A’s is located in St Charles, a charming village on the banks of the Missouri river.  It’s famed as being the starting point of the Lewis and Clark trip, and with brick  streets and buildings dating back to the mid 1800s, it’s a wonderful place to visit.  Shady brick streets, it makes for a pleasant evening’s walk.

Big A’s is primarily a sports bar, with a heavy slant towards the Cardinals, Rams, and Blues, of course.  It’s a long, narrow building, with brick walls, a huge wooden bar, and good service and prices.  Even though we’re not from here, our server made us feel at home right away.

When I saw a breaded tenderloin on the menu, I knew I had to try it and review it!

The meat was tender and flavorful, and the breading was, in a word, outstanding…VERY good indeed.   This tenderloin was pounded out thinner than is my preference, but, in this case, it worked for me.  The meat was flavorful enough and the breading was so perfect it actually was better than most thick tenderloins I’ve tried.

There are some regional differences in food, and a breaded tenderloin is no exception. What was different about this one?  It was served on a “hoagie”  roll…at least that’s what the menu said.  To me, it seemed more like a standard hot dog bun, and that seriously weakened the score on this sandwich.  With any tenderloin, you’re used to seeing it hang over the bun, but to put it on a hot dog bun?  There’s just too much overhang for my taste.

That said, the sandwich was still pretty good.  If it were on a standard bun, it certainly would rate a 4.5 or so from The Tenderloin Connoisseur.  That bun drops my rating to a 3.5….better than average, but not the best around.

The condiments were brought exactly as I asked.  Big A’s breaded tenderloin goes for $8.95 and that includes your choice of waffle or standard french fries.

Big A’s is located at 308 N Main Street, St. Charles, Missouri.

Until next time, this is The Tenderloin Connoisseur signing off tonight from Strafford, Missouri.

The Snooty Fox, Indianapolis

The Snooty Fox is an “Old English” style pub, located just of of 86th street where it intersects with the Monon trail.

To tell you the truth, I never EVER considered this place for a tenderloin review, simply because of the name.  “Snooty” and “Breaded Tenderloin” just don’t seem to go together.

But we had some business on this part of town, and Holly found out that they serve a Breaded Tenderloin, so we decided to give it a try.

We arrived shortly before dinner hour, and were promptly greeted by a warm and friendly server, seated, and greeted by an equally warm and friendly waitress.

The Snooty Fox is decorated with nice, dark, warm wood, and has a feel that I can only describe as “cozy”.  Nice selection of music playing, a great staff, and an inviting menu, I was hoping we were in for a treat.

The menu has everything from burgers to steaks to fresh seafood, and just about everything in in between.

Even with the selection on the menu, I had no trouble deciding what I wanted to try…the breaded tenderloin.

The sandwich arrived promptly, and dressed exactly as I requested.  We were off to a good start.

I cut a corner off of the sandwich, gave Holly a bite, and her eyes got wide, and she said  “THAT is amazing!!’….and, at my first bite, I had to agree.

The sandwich is a nice, thick piece of meat, moist, tender, and flavorful.  The breading is nice and crispy and there’s an excellent ratio of breading to meat.  The bun was perfectly toasted, and, as you can see by the picture, the onions I requested were plentiful.  No skimping here!

The true test of a great sandwich is how does it hold up when you’re halfway into it….is it starting to get soggy, or does the breading stay nice and crisp.  I’m happy to report that this sandwich stays nice and crisp, and is a tasty, satisfying meal.

I have seen several surveys and articles listing the best tenderloins in the Midwest, and I’ve had more than a few of those.  The Snooty Fox tenderloin ranks right up there with the best of them.  I’m giving The Snooty Fox’s tenderloin my highest rating…5 out of 5 bites…this is a do not miss, folks.

As I mentioned, they have a very complete menu, and Holly chose the Lake Perch, and proclaimed it a great meal also.

The Snooty Fox Breaded Tenderloin goes for $7.75, and that includes one side…I chose the fries, and they were just as good as the sandwich.

The Snooty Fox is located at 1435 E 86th in Indianapolis.  If you wish, you can visit their website and peruse their menu here.