Small-town diner receives big honor for tenderloin

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Breaded pork tenderloins are no laughing matter in the largest pork producing state in the nation. So when Brad Magg and the folks at Goldie’s in Prairie City learned their fried delicacy had earned the top award from the Iowa Pork Producers they were honored but had little idea what the award would mean for the small-town diner.

Since the honor was bestowed upon Goldie’s, 304 W. Second St. in Prairie City, full-time waitress Jenna Strum of Prairie City said the number of tenderloins sold has skyrocketed 500 percent.

“Before this, we always had very faithful locals who came in every day and every afternoon for coffee time, and since the TV spot with Steve Karlin (KCCI) and a story in the paper and the award, business has been more than steady,” Strum said.

Strum estimated Goldie’s now sells roughly 1,500 tenderloins a week.

“It used to be three people would work a shift, and they had to double staff to five or six people just to make sure there are enough tenderloins breaded and staff to serve customers,” she said.

Magg, who purchased Goldie’s in April 2007 at the age of 21 and was elected to Colfax City Council on Nov. 3, said he didn’t realize how the Iowa Pork Producers’ naming the diner’s tenderloin No. 1 in the state would affect business.

“WHO radio aired a five minute interview about us, and before it was over we had three people pull off of 163 to get tenderloins,” said Magg, who works alongside his employees bussing tables, taking orders, ringing up receipts and making milk shakes. “That first weekend we sold 550 tenderloins just on Saturday and Sunday.”

Don’t take the owner and staff’s word for it, those at Goldie’s will testify that the food is among the best around.

Goldie’s is a favorite of Prairie City resident Matt Hadsall who eats at the diner almost every day, sometimes for lunch and dinner, with his boss, who treats his farmhands to their meals.

“We like to stay local, and it’s good food,” he said. “We like the daily specials, but for about three weeks we had the tenderloin every time we came in but switched it up because all their food is good.”

Hadsall is one of the few ordering something other than the delicious, golden fried pork tenderloin. At any given time, Goldie’s customers who fill the few booths and counter are almost all eating the same thing — a tenderloin.

Vickie Jones traveled from Des Moines on Friday just to try a tenderloin.

“We heard it was the top place to go for a tenderloin, and we decided we needed to check it out for ourselves,” Jones said.

After finishing her meal, the Des Moines woman vowed to return.

“It was well worth the drive,” she said as she paid. “I’ll definitely come back.”

Magg said it’s people like Jones and his regular customers like Hadsall who are keeping the line for a booth outside the door on a daily basis.

“Tenderloins are a serious deal in Iowa,” he said. “You don’t find many tenderloins outside of Iowa, but people really like them. I didn’t realize they were such a big thing until we had people from Canada, Nebraska and all over the country coming just for our tenderloin.”

If a plain tenderloin isn’t enough of a meal, braver souls like Hadsall opt for one of the specialty sandwiches, like the Magg Combo, which is a tenderloin and cheeseburger on the same bun, or the Mingo Special, which features a tenderloin, Mingo sausage and cheese all on one sandwich.

“I couldn’t finish the Magg, but don’t make me sound like a wimp,” said Hadsall, who laughed about eating just three-fourths of the sandwich. “It’s a big sandwich. It’s a lot of food.”

Hadsall and other brave souls trying the special tenderloins need not worry about their waistlines.

“They are fat free, zero calories,” Magg jokes when asked how many calories are in the Magg Combo.

All joking aside, Magg said he is humbled by the response to Goldie’s tenderloins and the Iowa Pork Producers naming it No. 1 in the state.

“It’s been unbelievable,” said Magg of all the attention. “I guess you could call it amazing. Of all the awards and honors I’d ever dreamed of winning this wasn’t one of them, but when someone is willing to drive two hours for your sandwich it’s just a really nice thing. It’s been a neat experience.”

Jessica Lowe can be contacted at 792-3121 ext. 426 or via e-mail at jlowe@newtondailynews.com.

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