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FOOD & DRINK There’s more to Pahrump than meets the eye By Leslie Ventura ou probably know about Pahrump’s annual balloon festival, its gun-loving ethos and its legal brothels, but the Nevada town some 70 miles west of Las Vegas isn’t particularly known for its dining scene. Look hard enough, however, and you might be surprised by what you’ll find out in the Mojave. Fancy driving an hour for a steak dinner? Or maybe you’d like to try some northern Indian food with a side of basketball? Pahrump has all that and more, just waiting to be enjoyed by bigcity folk from the east. Pahrump Valley Winery (3810 Winery Road, 775-751-7800) is probably the area’s best-known culinary spot, along with the casual-but-upscale Symphony’s Restaurant. Menu items include pan-seared crab cakes ($13), baked imported Brie ($13) and a 6 ounce grilled filet mignon with a 6 ounce lobster tail and drawn butter ($47). The winery opened in 1990 and lost its first crop—in a bit of tragicomedy—when a legion of wild horses got hungry, but a few years later the winery made a comeback—“this time with a fence,” the website says. Since 2005, the Pahrump Valley Winery has touted itself as Nevada’s largest producer of homegrown wines, starting with Nevada’s first commercial red wine, the Pahrump Valley Zinfandel, and expanding to Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Frontenac, Primitivo, Tempranillo and beyond. The search for fine wine is just one reason to visit the desert town. The romantic Sanders Family Winery (3780 E. Kellogg Road, 775-7271776), located on the southern side of Pahrump, brings in live entertainment and food trucks regularly. Knock back a few bottles, find a motel and, in the morning, grab a fresh croissant at O Happy Bread (1231 E. East Basin Ave. #7, 775-455-0478), a bakery founded by Richard and Eliette Candillier in 2017. When the family from France came to the United States a few years ago, they saw the potential in the small Western town. “They just packed everything up and moved here,” says baker Tony Britton. The Candilliers’ son, Julien, is the head baker, and they’ve enlisted other French chefs to handle breads and other bakery items. Locals love being able to get
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fresh baked goods, soups and coffees “instead of the option of going to buy [something] readymade and microwaved,” Britton says. “There’s always the question, ‘How did you come to open up a bakery here?’” Britton says, adding that the owners “love” living in Pahrump. “It’s the same question that people always [ask], and they’re astounded as much as you are.” Whatever you do, don’t leave town without hitting Pourhouse (1101 NV-160, 775-537-1111), a sports bar and Indian restaurant attached to the Best Western Pahrump Oasis. Manager Gurdey Rai says the response has been “mostly positive” since owner Sukhbir Dhillon bought the Best Western property and remodeled the sports bar—formerly known as Draft Picks—in 2017. “Some people, as far as the Indian food, are not willing to give it a try, but it’s been great and it’s working out,” Rai says. Pourhouse still offers typical bar fare like burgers and wings, but it’s the northern Indian food that makes it an absolute must-stop. Where else in Pahrump can you find absolutely delectable and rich paneer tikka masala and lamb rogan josh at a sports bar? The answer is nowhere, and that’s exactly why you need to go.
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Small but mighty Cubanidad 1885 brings island flavors to life By Jason Harris
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When we say Cubanidad 1885 is small, we’re talking three tables and a few counter seats. It feels like a secret you’ll want to be in on. Running the ship for the Cuban restaurant is Chef Dennis Martinez Miranda, who previously worked in his family’s restaurant in Venezuela and an upscale Latin fusion spot in Miami. On Cubanidad’s website, Miranda states, “The real secret [my secret] is in your heart—to follow your instincts.” Those instincts have resulted in some of the city’s best riffs on Cuban food. Flaky empanadas ($2.75 each) are a good way to start—or finish—any meal. The most interesting choice might be ropa vieja and plantain, though the simplersounding spinach and is also a standout. CUBANIDAD 1885 cheese The similarly textured 3585 S. Fort Pastelitos Cubanos ($2.50) Apache Road, offer sweet fillings, includ702-846-5312. ing guava and cheese and Daily, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. sweet coconut. You can’t go wrong with either. There are three iterations of the famed Cuban sandwich, if you include the Medianoche (midnight), which you should, because it’s a banger. Smoked ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese and homemade mustard sauce comingle on pressed sweet egg dough bread, which plays perfectly against all those savory items. You can also grab a filling plate featuring your favorite protein, like the aforementioned ropa vieja ($10)—shredded, stewed beef with an abundance of flavor—along with rice and a side. There are many to choose from, including sweet plantain maduros, sweet potato mash and fried yucca with mojo. Buen provecho, indeed.
Cubanidad 1885’s empanadas (Wade Vandervort/Staff)
