(Des Moines) Victoria Station in Harlan has won the 19th annual contest, presented by the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) and managed by its restaurant and foodservice committee.
Richard and Angela Buman purchased Victoria Station in Harlan just 18 months ago.
“That’s pretty good for a prime rib joint,” joked Richard Buman, who bought the restaurant 18 months ago with his wife, Angela.
When the couple took over Victoria Station, they “inherited” a tenderloin being served at the time. And while there was “nothing wrong it,” Richard Buman said, they decided to make the sandwich their own.
Each hand-cut, 8-ounce loin is tenderized three times, then coated in a blend of dry seasonings and marinated for at least an hour. The meat is dipped in buttermilk breading and fried to order.
Sandwiches are served with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles. The Burmans recommend eating the tenderloin with their house-made garlic aioli and Texas toast, though the traditional mustard and burger bun are available.
“For the aioli, we use the garlic that we roast ourselves for the prime rib,” Richard Buman said. “In my opinion, that really makes the sandwich stand out.”
Tenderloins can also be ordered “buffalo style,” tossed in a cayenne pepper sauce.
In the week after being named among this year’s five finalists, Victoria Station sold what would normally be nearly two months’ worth of tenderloins. The Bumans plan to hire an extra daytime server as customers come from all over—one couple heading home to Atlanta detoured an hour and a half to try a tenderloin.
The sandwich is served with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles. The owners recommend eating the tenderloin with their house-made garlic aioli and Texas toast, though the traditional mustard and burger bun are available.
“We have called it the tenderloin tsunami,” said Kelsey Sutter, IPPA’s marketing and programs director, who noted that past winners have reported selling five to 10 times more tenderloins in the first month, and double their normal number still a year later. “This contest has a huge following, and it’s always fun to see how many people are willing to make a road trip to explore our top homemade tenderloins.”
Prior to purchasing the restaurant, the Burmans held various positions at Hy-Vee in Le Mars. Richard grew up in Harlan, and he and Angela were high-schoolers when they had their first date at Victoria Station. They’re self-proclaimed “foodies” and had long talked about owning a small restaurant.
“We simply love great food and love entertaining, so this is a way we can do it and hopefully make a living at it,” Richard Buman said.
Iowa Pork Producers Press Release
