The last time we went to Kenny’s Westside Tap, they created the Marty Womburger, which is not on the menu, but you can still order it at the bar and they’ll make one up for you, if you haven’t had one, try it, it’s a great burger. What is on the menu though is a tenderloin called the O’Cramers Tenderloin and from the picture, it looks like one great tenderloin. Let’s take a trip there and see if it lives up to the photo and description on the menu. To the MBIP mobile we go!
We're heading down Sterling Avenue to Farmington Road on a Sunday afternoon that is just a little too sunny and bright outside for my tastes. I'm anxious to get inside the dark confines of Kenny's Westside Pub.
And there it is, just a stones throw away...
This place has something new every time I come here and this time it's the mural on the side of the building...
How cool is this? It was painted by local artist Devin McGlone, who does a lot of the bar chalkboard art around town, but this is his first painted mural. He did a great job!
The paint for the mural was donated by Born Paint, Jack Berres set up that deal and in return, Kenny's owner, Sean Kenny put up this sign on the building. He told me it was two local businesses working to support each other. Love to see this going on around Peoria. Maybe they can team up and burn down the Walmarts in the area for their next project.
I met Mike out in the parking lot and he told me he was a regular MBIP reader, always love to hear that!
Okay, let's go in and see what's happening at Kenny's on a Sunday afternoon.
There's a decent crowd in here for an early Sunday afternoon.
Here's the back room with the pool table and a couple booths facing the wall.
I love the tin ceiling in here! You have to give Sean Kenny big kudos for making this establishment look like a classic Peoria bar when it's just been open since last St. Patrick's Day. It's definitely one of my top five favorite bars in Peoria.
As I took a shot from the back of the bar I noticed something...
Somebody was already eating a tenderloin sandwich in here! This is Rita and I asked her to give me her rating from one to four Porky Pigs and she gave it four Porky Pigs. Lovely, Rita!
Peter was bartending and here he is serving up the first Budweiser of the day. Cheers!
And here's the owner and host of Kenny's Westside Pub, Sean Kenny! Love that t-shirt!
Here's Sean with Cramer back in the Kitchen at Kenny's. Cramer is the head chef here and both he and Sean developed the extensive menu, but the tenderloin was Cramer's creation and they're going to give us an exclusive look at the creation of one.
And the process begins, here's Cramer slicing the tenderloin pieces from this fresh piece of pork. Oink, oink...ow!
They told me this was about a days worth of tenderloins here at Kenny's.
I was instructed to stand back as Cramer pounds the pork, because the juices can fly.
You can insert your own, "beating your meat" joke here.
Meaty, beaty, big and bouncy, the tenderloin is ready to begin the cooking preparation.
Here's the egg wash and the breading. They add hot sauce and lots of different spices to each of these to give the tenderloin a unique and spicy flavor.
The meat gets an egg bath and then...
Cramer covers it in the spicy bread crumb mixture.
And into the deep fryer it goes. Okay, let's go back to the bar area and relax while this cooks up.
And look who happens to be seated out here at a booth, MBIP pal, commenter and contributor, Scott Turley, sporting a Jaws the Cabbie t-shirt.
And just as we finish a beer, it's tenderloin time!
What a work of beauty! Scott got his with the fresh cut fries...
I got mine with Tater Tots which are made with their special, addictive seasoning.
It's crispy and spicy on the outside, the bun is bakery fresh and toasted and inside it's juicy and porky-licious! Just like the bar that's become a local institution in less than a year, this is an instant classic Peoria tenderloin.
Here's Scott and I chowing down at our booth.
And here we are with our to-go boxes. No way we could finish those in one setting. We had a beer for dessert and called it a day. Thanks to Sean and Cramer for the backstage kitchen presentation, it was a ton of tenderloin fun. And I want to thank Scott for joining me and for picking up the check! That was very nice!
A day later and it's time to warm up the other half of the sandwich and see how it stands up to the leftover test.
Under the broiler it goes along with a few stray Tater Tots.
I've decided to save the Cleveland mustard that Kathy sent in and use it exclusively for the day after tenderloin tests.
I'm learning that tenderloins taste even better the second day, maybe it's that Cleveland mustard. Anyway, thanks to Sean, Cramer and Scott for a great tenderloin afternoon. We'll see you all tomorrow!
Tenderloin Rating
Four Porky Pigs. Once again, this isn’t a contest like the Peoria Hot Dog Wars, but so far the this ties with the Boars Nest as one of the best tenderloins on the tour and one of the tastiest I’ve ever had in my life. One of the things that puts this tenderloin over the top is the fresh, juicy pork and the unique breading, which is spicy and adds a level of taste and texture to the tenderloin.
Kenny’s Westside Pub
2016 West Farmington Road
West Peoria
309-676-1693
Related Posts: Hello It’s Me (Tenderloin at Sam Wong’s), The Boar’s Nest, Donnelly’s Pub, Perdue’s Grill and Midway Duck Inn.
