I stopped at Rank's for lunch on a cold and wet day last month after finding myself in Adams for…read morebusiness. I'd driven up and down the stretch looking for a place to grab a bite to eat and maybe warm up a little but not much stood out. I then saw Rank's and the "Famous Ham Sandwich" claim on the awning, so I figured I'd give them a shot. It was certainly worth it.
I walked in and saw the bartender/owner setting things up behind the bar and I inquired if he was open for lunch. After assurances that he was just firing up the grill I took off my wet jacket and grabbed a seat at the bar. The place was decked out in full hometown bar regalia, the walls full of knick-nacks and decorations, with one wall dedicated to the Packers and another with past and future show schedules. It was clear that this bar specialized in live music, with a stage in the corner and instruments along the wall. The owner asked me what I wanted and I quickly chose the ham sandwich - it's famous after all. I ordered it with a slice of Swiss and a side of horseradish, as recommended by the barkeep. He suggested an "adult beverage" to accompany the meal, and while I normally don't indulge during the day I was cold and he had Shiner Black, a beer I was intrigued to try given my previous experiences with their bock. He grabbed me a bottle and set to the kitchen in back to make up the ham sandwich.
Shortly thereafter he apologized for the delay, although it had only been five or so minutes, as the fryer needed to be warmed up for my fries. It wasn't a problem, I'd already finished for the day and only had the trip home to look forward to. We spent the time discussing the town and what all goes on in Adams, as I realized that despite my having criss-crossed the state for the last seven years I'd never actually been to this town. He was quite enthusiastic about all of the summer events and concerts in which he participated, and he told me about the charity foundation he had set up to provide musical instruments to the Adams-Friendship schools to support the music programs in town. I saw fliers for volunteer charity cookbooks, concerts and t-shirts for this charity, and after he brought out my sandwich he took a telephone call to discuss another upcoming event for it, allowing me to tuck into my lunch.
The ham sandwich was absolutely unique, served chilled with thinly-sliced ham smoked and spiced in a way I've never tasted before. The natural sweetness of the ham was cut with a tinge of caraway bitterness, which was greatly enhanced by the side of horseradish previously suggested. It did prove slightly difficult to spread the refrigerated horseradish over the thin ham, leading to a few instances of overpowering pockets of horseradish. The Swiss seemed a bit generic - a more robust slice would have been better suited to flavor of the ham (this is a particularly southern WI kind of quibble, as you just don't see the boring bland Swiss in Green County). I also would knock the overall grade down a notch due to the bread, which served its purpose but didn't add anything. It was just the usual sliced brown "wheat" bread, devoid of any texture or taste. A real slice of wheat bread, or even better sourdough, would have been excellent. Even so, the sandwich was quite delicious and well proportioned. I was completely sated after the last bite, not wanting any more or any less. The fries on the side were fresh and hot out of the fryer, standard bar fare but done quite well. I mixed my own horseradish mustard with the leftover from my sandwich and the French's yellow - it was acceptable and went pretty well with the fries.
After finishing the lunch I kept up the conversation with the owner regarding his work with the charity and other events he puts on at the bar. He invited me back for an annual beer tasting he puts on in the spring and said that if I was ever in the area during the summer they have an outdoor stage and benefit concerts on the weekends. It was refreshing to meet a guy that was so excited and passionate about these things. I'm used to a more standoffish attitude in small towns that I'm not from, so this was a most welcome surprise. I've certainly added Rank's to my list of Wisconsin bars to remember and someday return.
