“Our journeys took us to Brandon, Tea, Flandreau, Canton and points beyond. What we found was more than just a few good steaks; we found quaint little adventures, right in our own backyard. ”
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any years ago, my beloved and I and two very good friends spent a better part of a summer exploring the small town steakhouses just outside of Sioux Falls. Yes, Sioux Falls offers an abundance of great restaurants, but we thought it would be fun to do a little comparison of what kind of offerings we could find in the communities just outside of the city limits. Our journeys took us to Brandon, Tea, Flandreau, Canton and points beyond. What we found was more than just a few good steaks; we found quaint little adventures, right in our own backyard. These little trips came to mind a couple of weeks ago when another couple picked us up at our house and we headed off for dinner. This time we ventured a little bit further than normal, but what we found at the end was a gem of a restaurant in LeMars, Iowa. More on that later. While the quality of food varies greatly, we have come to learn that most of the small town steakhouses feel very comfortable, kind of like an old friend’s house. I’ve often wondered if Chinese
restaurants all got their décor delivered from the same truck; each one gets the same lanterns, red wallpaper and plastic gold dragon wall art. They all seem to have come out of the same catalog. Steakhouses are much the same; wood paneled walls circa 1972, melamine salad bowls and the three-option salad dressing server. It’s just a different catalog. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. That predictable look makes them all the more comfortable. Don’t let the décor scare you; it seems to me that they are focusing on the food not remodeling. Through these visits I’ve learned a few things. First, always ask the server for suggestions, because 9 times out of 10, that waitress has been working there since the wood paneling was installed. She knows what is good, and she won’t be afraid to tell you. If she says order the onion rings or the ribeye, I’ll order the onion rings or ribeye. Second, skip the wine list. With one exception, the wine list is short and not that good; inexpensive table wines, white zinfandel and wines by the glass that probably
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Inside Taylor’s Pantry on the Corner of 41st & Minnesota
339-1500
www.gsfw.com etc. for her | August 2012 39