Good Eats: Iron Skillet

‘A Sumptuous Buffet Feast Every Day’

By Rick Allen

Photos courtesy Iron Skillet

When was the last time you ate at a truck stop? Especially one as good as the Iron Skillet on the far north side of the county? It’s well worth the drive, even if you only have four wheels and not the usual 18 that park in their oversized lots.

For years, I assembled a list of restaurants in Marion County that were open and serving on Thanksgiving and Christmas. One year, an odd suggestion showed up.

“You need to include the Iron Skillet,” the message said. What? You mean that truck stop in Reddick? It’s open?

Absolutely it’s open—and puts on one terrific holiday buffet. Last Christmas I opted not to cook and instead took my family there. It could become our new holiday tradition!

The buffets may be extraspecial for holidays, but the Iron Skillet puts on a sumptuous buffet feast every day of the year—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Or if you’d rather, there’s also a menu chock full of home-style comfort foods from the kitchen, 24/7/365, from burgers and hand-cut steaks to liver and onions, chicken tender melts, French toast, and no-sugar-added apple pie.

“When you come into this restaurant,” says Scott Goldstein, the general manager for nearly 20 years, “you don’t realize you’re in a truck stop.”

Goldstein, one-time food and beverage director at George Steinbrenner’s Ramada Inn and Holiday Inn in Jacksonville, has been with this Iron Skillet unit since 2005. He likes to greet every guest—knows many by name—making sure they are welcome in his home.

There’s a focus on drivers of big rigs, who pull in hungry, tired, and looking for a slice of home, and they usually find it here. Yet, as many locals—if you consider coming from The Villages “local”—discover, the door is open to them, too.

Service is the thing, Goldstein says. “If you have good service, you’ll have customers.”

WHERE? In the TA-Petro truck stop/ service plaza at CR 318 and I-75 in Reddick.

WHY GO? Though hardly hidden, this is an unexpected gem. Buffets are mostly unheard of nowadays except on special occasions. Here, it’s every day from 6am for breakfast through lunch and dinner till 10pm. And most days, the evening buffet features something special—seafood on Friday, barbecue on Saturday, prime rib on Sunday, steak on Wednesday, Asian on Thursday.

The food is hot, fresh, tasty, and quickly brought to your table (if you order from the menu; otherwise, you’re on your own) with a big ol’ smile. Better than that, it’s literally always available.

WHERE ARE THE PLATES? Rather than plates, everything is served on varying-sized skillets. “What else would you use at a place called Iron Skillet?” Goldstein suggests.

I DON’T NEED A BUFFET—No problem. In addition to the daily buffets, the Iron Skillet offers an extensive menu of home-style delights. On one visit, for instance, my wife selected the French toast breakfast entree while my son opted for a tasty and not-easilyfinished chicken tender melt.

“Everything on the menu is made from scratch right here,” Goldstein emphasizes.

BEST TIME TO GO? There really is no best time. Iron Skillet is open 24/7, every day of the year. If you don’t like crowds, try dropping in at odd hours— mid-morning, mid-afternoon, late night. They’re there, waiting for you.

On the other hand, for the full-on Iron Skillet experience, go on a foodcentric holiday such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Mother’s Day when the buffet is beefed up. (There’s a carving station for a succulent beef roast.) We went last Christmas and to our surprise we were seated immediately. Furthermore, the options seemed endless. And the price was very wallet-friendly.

YOU’LL BE IMPRESSED BY—It’s probably not something you’d expect at a truck stop, but the Iron Skillet makes a great effort to ensure patrons have thorough nutritional information available. One is the tri-fold brochure “On the Road to Healthier Eating,” which is full of suggestions for healthy alternatives.

Above the salad bar is a placard listing every item, serving sizes, and calorie counts. There are also measuring cups that show the exact size of a quarter-cup, half-cup, and full cup for self-serve guidance. Above the hot bar is a TV monitor listing every item and suggested portion sizes.

Now, whether diners heed the information is irrelevant. It’s there nonetheless. Maybe a restaurant concerned about healthier dining options for its patrons doesn’t impress you, but it sure did me!

YOU MUST TRY—The country fried steak (also known as the chicken fried steak). “This is our signature item,” Goldstein says, “and our number-one seller.” This is a tender cut of steak, battered, deep-fried, and served smothered with a country gravy. Hey, there’s room in every healthy diet for an occasional indulgence! Besides, it’s high on the list of comfort foods. Once a year, Goldstein says, the Iron Skillet hosts a country fried steak day where, you guessed it, it is the star.

Country Fried Steak

Oh, and the skillet cookie sundae. Just because...

Skillet Cookie Sundae

AWARD-WINNING FACILITY— The reigning “Best Chef” in the Iron Skillet chain happens to work in the Ocala unit kitchen, Darius Morgan.

“It was a great honor for this young man,” Goldstein says, considering the accolade is determined by patron voting nationwide. “There were a lot of votes out there, but he has a knack for food.”

Goldstein himself was selected “General Manager of the Year” two years ago. And in 2011 this unit was named “Best Restaurant” in the company.

“But I didn’t make any of this happen,” Goldstein counters. “It’s all the staff that did it.”

FRIENDLY STAFF—For people who work round the clock, round the calendar—even on holidays—they are a cheerful, friendly, and helpful bunch. On our visit, Trina Gomez was our server. She was helpful and attentive but did not try to rush us. Even when my wife requested a modification to her breakfast meal from the menu, it didn’t throw her.

There’s a special zing in the personality he looks for, Goldstein says. “I can train you how to carry a plate from the kitchen, but I can’t teach you how to connect with your customers.” Most of his serving staff is long-term, with several having been here about as long as Goldstein.

INSIDER—Beginning in July, the Iron Skillet changes its menu to lighter summer fare. Most of the favorites will still be there, but heavier, cold-weather cuisine goes away for a while.

“For instance, what do you eat in winter you don’t eat in summer?” he asks. “Why, chili,” he answers.

Three items on the new menu, a few zesty Southwest options—a chicken fajita breakfast skillet, chicken fajita burrito, and a chicken quesadilla—were given a preview in June.

THE FINAL WORD—According to the Florida Department of Transportation, there are just under 1,500 interstate miles in Florida, a number that includes eight auxiliary spurs and bypass loops. There are hundreds of interchanges, most with multiple dining options. Yet, this is the only Iron Skillet in the Sunshine State. There are, though, four sister Country Pride eateries in Florida, the closest in Wildwood.

“We have about 650 quick-serve and full-service restaurants across the country,” notes Patricia Steen, TA Restaurants marketing manager. “Our primary audience is the professional truck driver and we try to offer them a variety of dining options.”

Fortunately, that includes us, too.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Iron Skillet at the TA-Petro service plaza 7401 West CR 318 at Interstate 75 (352) 591-4842 www.ta-petro.com