On this rainy day in March, Link took his parents to the newly remodeled 1R’s in St. Olaf, Iowa.  The establishment, formally known as the  St. Olaf Tavern is now owned by super friendly Lary Walter.  Lary with one “r”, hence the name change.  No matter what you call the establishment you can’t get away from the restaurant’s signature dish, giant tenderloins.  Tonight Link dined on pickles while his parents enjoyed tenderloins and three different kinds of french fries (original, beer battered, and homemade).

In addition to a great meal, Link and his family admired the new decor.  With a rubber mallet and a few gallons of paint, Lary turned 1R’s from an aging bar to a quaint restaurant.  In only three weeks time Lary was able to expose the natural patina of the intricate tin ceiling and paint the walls from gray to a warm red and brown.  In addition to the front room, the hallway leading to the bathrooms and back room have been given splashes of Hawkeye pride and named “Kinnick Drive.”  Lary has been a long time fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

In addition to decor, Lary has also started taking all major credit cards.  A great service to customers.  Ironically, this is the first time Link’s parents remembered to bring cash.