TREMPEALEAU, Wis. – The venerable Trempealeau Hotel, which survived the 1888 fire that destroyed this Mississippi River town, was rated Top Tier for regional dining by the Winona Journal’s Galloping Gourmand reviewers. On the day of the visit, the rotating menu built on sources ingredients, included:
> Grilled jumbo shrimp. On cheesy grits with chili oil and grilled asparagus. Ranks with any south of the Mason Dixon. $29.
> Pork chili verde. An exceptionally marbled shoulder cut braised in tomatillo and Anaheim pepper sauce. $24.
> Tortilla. firm corn first teases the palate, then comes the excitement of crunchy arrozo rojo, seared baby bok choi and pickled red onion. Superb. A side dish.
> Walnut balls. Perhaps the hotel’s signature walnuts work well in some dishes but not in this appetizer. Whatever pleasure there can be in walnuts was masked by an overly harsh honey mustard dip. Not again. $10.
> Menu oddity. A superb seven-ounce patty burger on a Bloedow’s bun is $7 but can max out at $18.50 or more with 10 condiments and other add-ons. Ever pay 50 cents extra for mayo anywhere else? Or 75 cents for a green olive? Three cheeses also available, from for $1 to $1.50 each.
The Galloping Gourmands roam the region for great places to dine. The panel pays full fare. To assure dispassionate reviews, the panelists don’t identify themselves.
“The Gourmand.” By French painter Louis Leopold Boilly, who documented middle-class French social life in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
Trempealeau Hotel. Casual ambience overlooking Mississippi River at Lock and Dam 6. Watch the barge traffic in season from a window or patio table. Attentive and knowledgeable server.