Who gives you the straight story? I do, that's who…read more
Listen... I'm gonna get straight to the point. Your gut is grumblin' and you gotta get it taken care of. How are you gonna deal with it? Let me tell you how. You gotta go straight to Trio Bar and Grill in the cozy burg of Enderlin, North Dakota.
ND-46 is the second longest straight stretch of paved road in the entire United States of America. It's a casual drive with unexpectedly beautiful scenery during the warm months. ND-46 takes a driver just north of the lush Sheyenne National Grassland.
All you have to do is burn rubber down this road until you see the sign for Enderlin. Downtown hugs the railroad tracks, so it's easy to find. Buzz around the block and you will see Trio Bar and Grill.
I, along with my trusty co-conspirator, strolled on in and grabbed a seat. The room was a dimly-lit affair much like you would expect from the ol' film noir you would see at the midnight cinema. Trio is in an old building that feels like it is still telling the tales of carbureted cars and reel-to-reel projectors. Great place to stretch out!
We were warmly welcomed by Barbara, proprietor and maître d' of this comfortable little cave. Snatchin' up a map off the table, I was pleasantly surprised to see a robust selection of classic bar eats. What caught my eye, this evening, was a pork tenderloin.
Having spent a couple decades in the ol' Hoosier State, I developed a taste for the pork tenderloin sandwich. If you research pork tenderloin, it takes you straight to Indiana, where the delicacy was popularized and mastered. In those twenty years, I visited a bunch of small cafes and I socked a few tenderloins away. I know a good one. I know how to make a good one.
Mysteriously, North Dakota ain't too keen on the cutlet-style Kaiser. Seein' as the state has the highest percentage of Germans in their population, you'd think that the ol' Schnitzel would be more popular in saloons.
No matter, Trio's got you covered if you want a fritter. Barbara sources her tenderloin from the Amana colonies in Iowa. I ain't gotta sit here and say that it was the best tenderloin I ever had, cuz that ain't possible with if it isn't hand hammered on the spot. To hear that palm sledge working that butcher block is the siren's song for the tastebuds. BUT! The Trio tenderloin is hot, crispy, and tasty! I was pleased to find that, unlike some cutlets, this one didn't have salt as the second ingredient. It was big and delicious. I recommend it.
My buddy had a burger. He gave it three thumbs up. Trio sources the meat locally, which definitely attracted my attention. Alas, it had been years since I had a tenderloin, so I had to make a decision. Fortunately, because of my buddy's burger braggin', I have a great reason to go back.
Barbara had a playlist of AC/DC piped in on the ol' buzz box. How often do you hear Flick of the Switch on the FM? Never. That put her in high standing as a hero bartender in my book. The last thing I want on a chill summer night is to spend money to listen to funeral dirges.
But, Trio ain't all about stuffin' a face. This ain't Denny's. This is a fun little joint. In fact, it stands out quite a lot from other grog spots I have been to. Sure, Trio's well-stocked bar will keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
But...
Free billiards! I am absolutely legendary in my pool game. I am so bad that a li'l rugrat would take me for a couple Bennies before I knew what was happenin'. So, it satisfied me a great deal to be able to lose with no financial loss. C'mon, the place is stuffed with things to do. Shuffleboard, darts, board games, pull tabs, sports TV, and special events. It's the place to be!
If you have an iron horse and you need a reason to ride, saddle up and kick dust over to Enderlin. Better yet, if you ain't a lone gunman, round up a posse of fellow riders and make an afternoon of it. ND-46 is a great route for crackin' a throttle without having a bunch of blind cagers doin' you wrong.
Listen... Trio is out in the middle of God's Country. It don't got a Conga line like those fancy city waterin' holes. You know what I'm sayin'? If you go to visit Trio, make sure you slip some cabbage outta that ol' eelskin and keep the fires goin'. Barbara was a charm and can work the livin' daylights out of the grill. When you visit someone like that, you gotta let 'em know you care. Trio don't kill you on the tab, brothers and sisters, so give a bit of the high life. Take care, and if you roll on two wheels, be safe. Be awesome!
