This Indiana delicacy, though not exclusive to the state, is often bigger than the plate it comes on, and the best ones can often be found at dive bars and diners throughout the Midwest. There’s even a trail in Indiana to follow that will lead connoisseurs from restaurant to restaurant, showcasing the best ones in Indiana.
So what are we talking about? The breaded pork tenderloin sandwich. The visual novelty of it is part of the reason it’s well-known, but for The Tin Plate Fine Food & Spirits in Elwood, a happy accident helped to make their tenderloin so famous, and they now serve up to 375 of the massive sandwiches per week.
Back in 2015, The Tin Plate had a small friends-and-family soft opening the Saturday before officially opening the historic doors of the new restaurant. Aimed to give a little live practice to the restaurant staff, Owner Patrick Rice remembers having about 10 guests who ordered tenderloins. Except they kept getting sent back to the kitchen – something just wasn’t right with the taste. The next week, 30 minutes before opening day, Rice was in the kitchen mixing up a new breading for the tenderloin, but got distracted with a broken register and left the kitchen to fix it. Unknowingly to Rice, his father, Pat, an integral part of The Tin Plate, dredged a pork loin through the mix and fried it.
“I meant to put more seasonings in the bowl but got called away to fix a register,” said Patrick Rice. “The next thing I know, my dad comes out of the kitchen and says, ‘Try this!’ and hands me a piece of breaded tenderloin. That’s how we got our recipe. It was a total mistake that worked out, and now we have the best tenderloin around.”
Voted Best Tenderloin of Madison County the last two years, The Tin Plate has also appeared in USA Today and the Chicago Tribune. The restaurant, named after the tin plate factory that opened in 1892 across the street, was once the only hot-tin mill in the U.S. Its namesake now goes though more than six tons of pork tenderloin per year.
Although their Midwestern-favored sandwich is extremely popular with locals and those traveling from other parts of the state, Rice explained that it’s the consistency, quality and people that keep the restaurant so successful.
“We get so much satisfaction from the regulars that come in, and when you’ve been open as long as we have, you get to really know these people,” Rice said. “Some of these regulars are now at my dinner table for Thanksgiving and Christmas. You really get to know your clientele and we’re proud of that. We also have a great staff and the group we have now. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.”
Rice emphasized how proud he is to be part of the Elwood community. When COVID hit, many regulars bought hundreds of dollars worth of gift cards to give The Tin Plate operating money during one of the roughest times in history for the restaurant business. Patrons came in droves for takeout, and tipped well so that the staff was also taken care of.
“We try to give back to the community that has given so much to us,” Rice says. “Mayor Todd Jones has done a great job of bringing people, businesses and housing to Elwood, and we like to support our town the best way we know how. Much of it goes intentionally unpublished or said, but we’re always working in the background to support our town and its people by donating food and gift cards to those in need.”
In addition, The Tin Plate helps to sponsor youth sports teams, school sports teams, sprint cars at Anderson Speedway, The Tin Plate All-American Glass Festival Parade, and local parades.
“We’re very happy to be here in Elwood and I couldn’t do it without my wife and dad,” Rice said. “My dad, a retired police officer, plays a huge part at the restaurant in finance and operations, and it wouldn’t be possible without him, along with my wife’s support.”
The Tin Plate Fine Food & Spirits is located at 2233 South J Street in Elwood. You can reach them at 765-557-8231.
