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Manning restaurant receives Pork Tenderloin Champion award; Orange City establishment take 2nd place

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October 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Clive, Iowa) – Two western Iowa establishments have taken the top prizes in an Iowa Pork Producer’s Association (IPPA) 21st annual contest. Officials have announced Cliff’s Place in Manning is home to the 2023 Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin! The restaurant has been in business for almost 50-years. Cliff’s will receive $500, a plaque, and a large weatherproof banner to display. The Roadhouse in Orange City claimed the Runner-Up title. That designation comes with a $250 prize and plaque from IPPA. As announced earlier this month, other finalists, listed alphabetically by town, have earned top five plaques:

The IPPA says a Cliff’s Place tenderloin starts with six ounces of pork, sliced from a never-frozen boneless loin and tenderized to achieve the desired texture and thickness. Hand-breaded to order, the meat is dredged through a mixture of flour and Flavor-Crisp’s “Chick on the Run” Find Grind seasoned breading, dipped in buttermilk, and coated a second time in the dry flour before deep fried to a golden brown. The $6.00 sandwich is served with pickles on a Rotella’s Italian Bakery bun and halved for easier handling. Lettuce, tomato, onion, bacon, and cheese can be added for a slight upcharge. “We don’t glorify anything on it,” said Jim Waterbury, who owns the nearly 50-year-old restaurant with his brother Jon. “It’s all about the pork—that’s what we want you to taste.”

Tenderloin finalist judge Chef Phil Carey said of the Cliff’s Place tenderloin, “The breading just complimented the pork so well, and the tenderloin didn’t overwhelm the bun. It was a perfect combination, juicy to the final bite, and a very enjoyable sandwich.” Cliff’s typically serves about 70 tenderloins a week. When Jon Waterbury learned the restaurant had claimed the title, he joked, “I’ll sharpen my knife,” in preparation for an uptick in orders. According to the Iowa Pork Producers, winning restaurants have reported selling five to ten times more sandwiches for at least a month following the announcement.

Cliff’s Place started in 1976 when the Waterburys’ parents Cliff and Vicki purchased a tavern there. Eight months later, they opened a kitchen in what had been a storage room. And in January 1987, the business expanded into an adjacent storefront, to add a dining area and private space for meetings or parties. Jim and Jon Waterbury took over in 2008 following the death of their father, but Vicki Waterbury still works daily at the restaurant, preparing food for the salad bar and tending to customers.

The Iowa Pork Producers Association received a record of more than 9,000 nominations for 774 restaurants this past spring. Iowa Pork Producers members and industry affiliates anonymously visited the top 40 locations this summer, scoring each on pork taste, quality, physical characteristics, and eating experience. The Restaurant and Food Service Committee used those evaluations to select five contenders to advance to the next round. From there, a team of judges traveled to each of the five finalists to determine first and second place.