Middle of Nowhere, Little Bluestem on tourism Passports this summer

By Becky Uehling

Grant Tribune-Sentinel

Two businesses in Perkins County have been chosen to appear on state passport programs this summer—The Middle of Nowhere Bar and Grill in Venango will appear on the Nebraska Beef Passport, while Little Bluestem in Grant will appear on the Nebraska Tourism 2023 Passport program. 

Middle of Nowhere

Rodney Lousberg, owner of The Middle of Nowhere Bar and Grill, was pleasantly surprised when he was notified his business would appear on the 2023 Nebraska Beef Passport

“Someone nominated us,” he said. “I didn’t know anything about it.”

In business since 2015, The Middle of Nowhere offers a variety of food choices, which includes several beef options. 

Hamburgers are a popular option on the menu, Lousberg said, with items that range from your tried and true deluxe burger, cheeseburgers, patty melts, chicken fried steak, Philly steak and cheese and Swiss mushroom burger, up to Lousberg’s speciality burgers that include the Cactus Burger, with jalapeños, pepper jack cheese on Texas toast, the steak sandwich with smoked Gouda and grilled onions, and the Western Burger with Pepper Jack Cheese, breaded onions and BBQ Sauce. 

Also on the menu for customers is Lousberg’s flat iron steak or steak and cheese burrito. Other non-beef items on the menu include chicken sandwiches, fish, pork, Rocky Mountain oysters, and a variety of appetizers and full bar. Customers can follow specials at the bar on their Facebook page. 

The 2023 Nebraska Beef Passport is funded by Nebraska beef producers through their Beef Check off and was launched May 1. The passport features 29 restaurants and 17 meat processors in Nebraska. 

The Nebraska Beef Passports are free and can obtained at www.GoodLifeGreatSteaks.org. 

Little Bluestem

Opened in 2020, the Little Bluestem in Grant, owned by Sonja Friesen, has been chosen to appear on the Nebraska Tourism 2023 Passport program. 

Friesen said she had applied for the program in 2022, but was not chosen. So, her inclusion on the 2023 program was exciting, she said. 

“I hope the restaurant’s appearance on the program will attract more people to Grant to benefit all the town’s businesses,” Friesen said. 

Little Bluestem offers a variety of homemade items for breakfast and lunch and coffee drinks. There is also variety of in-house baked goods.

Friesen said her menu hasn’t changed much since she opened, but she does offer different specials monthly. 

Some of her most favorite items include The Club sandwich, Southwest Salad, and her weekly Burrito Bowl special. And, of course, everyone loves the her pies, she said.

Friesen said she will give all passport holders a 10 percent discount when they come in. People can also put a pin on the map of the United States that she has hung up from where they have traveled from.

Customers can follow specials at the restaurant on their Facebook page. 

The Nebraska Tourism Passport program features 70 attractions and 10 theme categories this year, and started on May 1. Passports are available at participating stops or can be ordered at NebraskaPassport.com.