The next stop in the Pioneer Eats Here series took us to LaGrange County. Despite being one of our more rural counties, LaGrange features an array of food options to choose from. As soon as the voting went live, Destination 814 in LaGrange took the early lead and never looked back, and was voted as the Best Restaurant in LaGrange County!
Destination 814, an old car dealership turned into a scratch kitchen, also as serves as a bourbon bar. They take pride in their hand-crafted burgers and sandwiches, homemade dishes, and a wide variety of allocated bourbons and craft beers. Through Destination 814, the owners, Anthony and Cheri Riegling, hope to bring a big city feel to their hometown of LaGrange.
I would say they have accomplished that big city feel. When we pulled into the parking lot for lunch last Wednesday, it was packed, which felt like a good sign. The restaurant had an energetic vibe that could be felt from the staff to the decor on the wall.
For this trip, members of the marketing team were joined by our intern Belle Shelton and our Senior Director of Regional Initiatives Jacob Ihrie (Destination 814 is his favorite restaurant, so he weaseled his way into this trip).
Here are our thoughts on the meal and overall experience at Destination 814.
Ashton – BBQ Bacon Burger
“I had the BBQ Bacon burger for my entree, which featured thick-cut bacon, sweet barbeque sauce, and crispy pickled onion strings. The burger was great, but what really stole the show for me, though, was the C-Top Waffle Fries that we ordered as an appetizer. They were delicious! I wasn’t sure how the ranch would taste with the rest of the toppings, but it added to the overall flavor perfectly.”
Belle – Crab Rangoon Flatbread
“The crab rangoon flatbread was a good take on an original combination. Refreshing compared to typical flatbreads, it combines the creamy filling of a crab rangoon as the base with the standard cheesy topping. Where they excelled is the use of sweet and sour sauce as a drizzle over the top, ensuring it is not too creamy. The wonton crisps sprinkled over top brought the classic crunch of a crab rangoon, tying the dish together.”
Hannah – Chicken Tenders
“I was surprised at the serving size when they put the plate down in front of me. Once I was done eating, I basically had a whole second meal to take home and enjoy again! The chicken was obviously hand-breaded and fried perfectly. The meal also came with fries and coleslaw, which was the perfect complement to the dish. Between the fun environment and the delicious homemade food, I would highly recommend this place and personally can’t wait to try more things on the menu!
(Sackett – I couldn’t go but did eat some of Hannah’s chicken in the fridge … and I loved it. Sorry, Han!)
Brice – Nashville Hot Fried Tenderloin
“As a huge fan of Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, I was intrigued to try Destination 814’s take. Now, this wasn’t your normal pork tenderloin sandwich, where the meat portion of the sandwich is as big as the plate. The meat was bigger than the bun it was on, but it wasn’t overwhelming. The tenderloin was crispy, the sauce was just what I was hoping for, and it all came together perfectly.”
Jacob – Bourbon Chicken Sandwich
“I already knew that Destination 814 was my personal favorite restaurant in our region. From the vibe to the staff to the food, it always delivers. This trip confirmed what I already knew. I took a leap of faith and deviated from my usual order and got the Bourbon Chicken Sandwich. It was amazing. The Nashville Hot Fried Tenderloin Sandwich will forever be the king of the ring, best sandwich in the state.”
Team – Garlic Buns and C-Top Waffle Fries
“I didn’t know what to expect, but I was impressed with the size and grandeur of the platters. The waffle fries were covered in ranch, BBQ sauce, and cheese which by the looks could have been overwhelming but after tasting it, perfectly paired together with the crispy fries,” Hannah said.
“The garlic knots were fluffy and light enough not to fill up on. The cheese dip was thinner rather than a thick beer cheese, which I preferred,” Belle said.
This blog series was created to highlight the best restaurants in Northeast Indiana. If you missed out on voting the first time, make sure to follow our social media to vote for your favorite restaurant in one of our 11 counties.
Previous stops in this series: Caruso’s in Steuben County, Albion Ale House in Noble County, Fulton & Main in Adams County, Botanas Locas in Kosciusko County, Shorty’s Steakhouse in DeKalb County.
Brice Vance is the copywriter for NEI, and he would like more restaurants to have more Nashville Hot items on their menu.
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