rnr-dining-guide-2018

g n i n i DGuide 2018

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elcome to the Reno News & Review’s 2018 Dining Guide.

I find it a little daunting to examine such a broad topic as food. I was a picky eater as a kid. Any sauce or exotic seasoning would instantly make a dish inedible to my childish taste buds. I would say my tastes still fall to the blander side of the spectrum. But the more I thought about my daily interaction with food, the more I began to consider the facets of dining beyond just what lands on my plate three times a day.

Starting at the source, Reno’s embrace of farm-to-fork restaurants in recent years begs the question of where our food even comes from. On page 10, you can read about my trip to an urban farm within Reno’s city limits, and the process behind bringing the food chain a little closer to home.

Once that food hits the kitchens of Reno’s restaurant scene, of course, it’s transformed by the chefs and kitchen staff that feed the Truckee Meadows’ inhabitants every day. In the interest of knowing who cooks our food a little more personally, we had them introduce themselves in our annual Spill the Beans survey on page 13.

There’s perhaps no greater introduction to a new culture than through food. For this guide, Associate Editor Jeri Chadwell took a metaphorical trip around the world

through Reno’s ethnic and national cuisine offerings. You can read about some of the diverse dishes she sampled, and the people who made them, on page 4.

But perhaps the man who’s most familiar with Reno’s menus is our resident food critic, Todd South. For this guide, he elaborates on where to find the best vegan and vegetarian options—even though he’s an avowed omnivore. You can read about his various veggie recommendations for meat-eaters on page 7.

The final steps between a restaurant kitchen and your plate, however, are often taken by someone whose job is to make sure you enjoy your dining experience.

Servers sometimes perform their duties thanklessly, so I put together some advice on how to make their job a little easier on page 15.

Even though I’m still just as happy to scarf down a whole loaf of bread as I would be eating at any fine-dining establishment, my real appreciation for food comes from learning exactly how much work goes into producing, shipping and preparing the multitude of options we enjoy every day. And, man, am I thankful I don’t have to do it all myself. Regardless of your tastes, I hope this guide will do the same for you. Thanks for reading.

No reproduction allowed. Valid at participating locations only. © 2016 BAB Systems Inc.

Reno’s favorite Muffins & Bagels for 28 years!

Best regards, Matt Bieker, Special Projects Editor

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d l r o W c l as s

A bowl of Green Curry at Bangkok Cuisine. Owner Kris Lueamrung makes the curries himself. photo//Jeri Chadwell

Pro tip: At Sabor, Contreras is considering a weekly special to introduce new types of cuisine to his patrons. He said he’s considering some kind of Brazilian dish to start.

indian

A guide to Truckee Meadows international cuisine Ethiopian

by Jeri chadwell jeric@newsreview.com

T

here are a lot of people from a lot of places across the globe cooking delicious food in the Truckee Meadows.

Many of them are descended from folks who left their own countries during times of turmoil and came to the United States to start new lives. And it’s interesting to consider how much better their presence has made life—and food—in Reno. Use this guide as an introduction to international cuisine coming out of dining rooms a little closer to home.

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Zagol, 3314 S. McCarran Blvd., is Reno’s only restaurant dedicated to African cuisine. Owner Shita Yenenh opens the restaurant for dinner service Tuesday through Saturday starting at 4 p.m. She serves up authentic dishes from her native Ethiopia in hearty portions, which patrons eat with spongy, sour injera flatbread in lieu of utensils. Yenenh’s recipes include lamb, beef, chicken and vegetarian dishes. Mesir Wat—a dish comprised of split lentils cooked with onion, ginger and garlic and seasoned with chili powder—is a particular treat.

Zagol also offers several varieties of Ethiopian beer, as well as an Ethiopian honey wine called “tej.” It’s made with the hops-like leaves and twigs of the gesho shrub but tastes like apples and honey.

The restaurant is filled with Ethiopian décor.

Decorative home goods are among the things she brings back with her from sporadic trips to her birthplace. She also imports music videos for popular Ethiopian tunes, which she often plays on the restaurants TVs Pro tip: Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee.

Go for the Ethiopian whole bean coffee ceremony, available by appointment only.

Latin amErican

The Truckee Meadows boasts restaurants offering many varieties of food from Latin countries—not surprising considering more than a quarter of the population are people with roots south of the border.

El Salvador, 517 Forest St., has occupied the same midtown space for nearly two decades and serves up consistently delicious Salvadorian and Mexican food every day of the week. The restaurants’ thick corn pupusas are delicious, stuffed with beans or pork or the flowers of the Mesoamerican loroco vine.

But the rice flour pupusas are really something else—slightly sweet and also savory, chewy but somehow crispy.

Sabor Latin Cuisine, 585 E. Moana Lane, has been open for two months and serves up dishes from multiple South American countries—primarily Peru, Mexico and Argentina.

Owner Rual Contreras is from Peru. His wife is from Mexico. And he has friends from countries from Brazil to Ecuador.

On the menu, dishes range from things like parrilla de Argentina (a platter of grilled chicken, pork, steak and sausages) to carnitas tacos and ceviche.

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When it comes to Indian cuisine, the Truckee Meadows is not lacking options. There’s Taste of India, Royal India, Thali, Bawarchi, India Kabab & Curry, Flavors of India, and Maya’s South Indian Cuisine—just to name a few.

For vegetarians, Thali, 148 West St., is a good option. Located in the West Street Market, it serves up an all-vegetarian fixed menu with different kinds of vegetable curries, raita, rice pilaf, lentil dishes, chutneys and dessert. Thali’s cuisine is largely North Indian, but another restaurant in the same space—Maya’s—offers Southern Indian cuisine. Thali is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday, while Maya’s serves lunch between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Thursday through Sunday.

Among the other Indian restaurants in the valley, Royal India, 575 Keystone Ave., is a standout with a large menu comprised of vegetarian, chicken, beef, goat, seafood and lamb dishes. The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner and offers 11 varieties of naan bread, including one stuffed with cheese and another with cauliflower.

Pro tip: Try Royal India’s Gulab Jamun— fried cheese balls soaked in honey syrup. You can get them served warm or cold.

JapanEsE

Sushi often comes to mind first when people think of Japanese cuisine—and in the Truckee Meadows, all-you-can-eat sushi joints are a staple. But there are also a few restaurants in the valley offering up expanded Japanese options.

Uchi Ramen, 400 W. Fifth St., serves up a variety of small plates in addition to ramen bowls. One standout is the bacon quail egg skewers: soft-boiled eggs wrapped in crisp bacon and finished with a flambe torch.

Kauboi Izakaya, 1286 S. Virginia St., is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday starting at 5 p.m. The restaurant’s specialty is

yakitori—chicken grilled over a charcoal fire in the Japanese tradition. The varieties served at Kauboi Izakaya are made from different parts of the chicken, including breast, wing, heart and thigh—plus chicken meatballs called tsukune.

Pro tip: Kauboi Izakaya roughly translates to “cowboy tavern,” and the restaurant does have a laidback, tavern feel to it, with options for wine, beer, sake and soju (a clear, Korean spirit).

German

For many years, Bavarian World—595 Valley Road—was the only German restaurant in the Truckee Meadows. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday. The dining room is huge, with tables arranged around a large dance floor that gets a fair amount of use when the restaurant’s owner plays live Bavarian Oompah music on weekend evenings.

Patrons can order a “mass” of beer—a full 33 ounces of beer in a pitcher-sized stein—to accompany their meals. The kaseplatte is a cheese plate served with fresh baked bread.

There’s also a platter of grilled sausages served with mustard and a reliably good plate of diced head cheese.

The real treasure of Bavarian World, though, is its bakery and deli. You can go there for six-packs of German beer, deli meats,

even the mulling spices to make German Glühwein, which is traditionally served from stalls at Christmas markets across Germany and Austria.

According to Brauhaus 701’s head of marketing Lindsay Carroll, the new midtown restaurant is “German-fusion focused.”

The drink list includes several German beers in different styles, and the menu offers some standards like schnitzel and pretzel.

Brauhaus 701 is planning to offer a new jalapeno pretzel, as well as a chocolate variety.

Pro tip: Brauhaus 701’s Polish sausage is delicious, but it’ll give you kielbasa breath from hell.

bread, a culinary holdover from the years of French occupation of the country.

Golden Flower Vietnamese Restaurant, 205 W. Fifth St., is also open daily—but its larger dining room is rarely quiet. In fact, it tends to get busy during lunch, dinner and late-night dining hours. (The restaurant is open until 2. a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and doesn’t close until midnight during the rest of the week.) The menu is huge, including 25 varieties of pho, but it’s the shrimp and catfish clay pots that are Golden Flower’s real treat.

Pro tip: The service at Golden Flower is known for being curt, or maybe just really efficient—depending on how you look it.

Vietnamese

thai

Really, really good pho is hard to find—but stellar bowls of it and other traditional Vietnamese cuisine come out of the kitchens of two very different establishments.

Viet Pho, 315 E. Moana Lane, is open daily, serving up Vietnamese classics in its small, usually quiet dining room. Pho offerings include all of the standards, from chicken to tripe and tendon. But it’s Viet Pho’s other offerings that make it a standout, especially its bánh mì—a variety of Vietnamese sandwich.

Bánh mì are served on large rolls of French

Thai food is another staple in the Truckee Meadows dining scene, offering vegetablepacked, fragrant food that’s generally pretty light and healthy. In Reno, two of the best Thai food options are located only a few blocks apart.

Thai Chili, 1030 S. Virginia St., is a little restaurant inside a bright yellow building that’s open daily. Its red, green and yellow curries are delicious and healthy—but for those who aren’t concerned with their waistlines, it’s the menu’s deep-fried offerings that make it worth a trip.

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Try the “Chicken Curry Pop,” a dish with deep-fried bites of chicken coated in tempura and a homemade curry paste, topped with lime leaves and served on top of cabbage.

Just a few blocks south at Bangkok Cuisine—55 Mount Rose St.—a menu specialty is the shrimp Rangoon. According to owner Kris Lueamrung, it’s something his mother came up with after trying crab Rangoon in a Chinese restaurant where she cooked when the family briefly lived in Florida.

“She didn’t like them,” Lueamrung said.

“There was not a lot of flavor to them. So she changed them to a shrimp Rangoon.”

When the family came back to Reno and opened Bangkok Cuisine in 1996, she put her shrimp rendition of Rangoon on the menu.

At Bangkok Cuisine, however, the standard red, green and yellow curries really shine. Lueamrung makes them all daily, and the housemade peanut and plum sauces are outstanding.

“We actually take plums and salt them and make our own sauces,” he said.

Pro tip: If you’re a fan of chai tea, try Thai tea. It’s a strong black tea sweetened with condensed milk and flavored with ingredients like cardamom, tamarind and star anise. Ω

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erhaps because I’m an unabashed omnivore, game to try anything, I have a certain sympathy for dining companions who—by biological necessity or by choice—have to navigate a minefield of forbidden ingredients when dining out. As a result, I always notice when a menu offers a number of vegan and vegetarian options. For this guide, I’ve noted a few I’ve encountered and enjoyed in recent months.

Many of the places mentioned include glutenfree options, but I won’t list them all individually lest I summon a gluten demon for saying the “G word” more than thrice. Besides, gluten or no gluten doesn’t count toward being vegan or vegetarian.

For those who long for fast food without the guilt, House of Mexica’s mix of sandwiches, burgers and Mexican favorites hits the spot, and almost everything is house-made and organic. The flavors are very good, and the “Impossible Burger” will easily satisfy the meat lover in your group. Its seasoned vegetable and black magic medley is impossibly similar to grilled ground beef. Diners can find a completely vegan meal without a salad in sight.

Great Full Gardens is perhaps leader of the pack among restaurants a group of diners with varying tastes can enjoy, now with four locations across town. Though meat, egg and dairy are present, much of the menu can be made vegetarian or vegan by request. You can find something here that will satisfy everyone at the table, including those avoiding the “Big G.” My favorites at the South Meadows location were a pair of portabello mushroom caps stuffed with a seasoned, vegetarian boca mix, topped with melted mozzarella, vegetable shoots and sprouts—plus a cup of the organic tomato soup.

The ’shrooms were fantastic, and the soup was zesty, with black pepper, fresh herbs and big

chunks of heirloom tomato. I consider it the best tomato soup I’ve ever had.

The DeLuxe is a bit more boutique, but follows the same, “just ask, and it will be vegan,” ethos. For instance, their chicken and pork tacos are alternately offered with a choice of seasonal veggies, organic tempura tofu, and sauteed or fried oyster mushrooms. The Pizza Collective has more veggies than meats on the menu, and I’m in love with the heirloom tomato and regional mushroom varieties. Homegrown Gastropub has plenty of meat, but easily just as

The “Impossible Burger” is completely meat-free.

Photo//Matt Bieker

many organic, veg-friendly items. I was lured in by a savory, spicy portobello mushroom stack of roasted vegetables, greens, goat cheese, tomato basil sauce, quinoa and sprouts. Yes, I adore mushrooms.

For an utterly vegan lunch, Maya’s South Indian Cuisine can’t be beat, substituting the traditional ghee with rice bran oil. The herbed masala dosa stuffed with a spiced mixture of yellow potato and onion is what I’d call elevated comfort food. Serving dinners in the same

Our food critic lists his favorite veggie dishes from around the city

By Todd South

restaurant space, Thali serves a delicious weekly all-you-can-eat meal of organic vegetarian food with dishes meant to complement each other.

As I watched a pair of women cranking out rounds of chapati bread in the open kitchen, I felt this might be the closest I’ll come to a “homecooked” Indian meal. For a mixed group, Royal India has plenty to offer for both veggies and carnes, and is currently my favorite all-around Indian restaurant in the area.

For vegetarians and pescatarians—vegetarians who also eat fish—there is, of course, Reno’s armada of sushi joints. Just skip those nefarious cream cheese and mayo items, and you’ve got tons of veg and seafood to enjoy. Sushi One and 2 Tha Joint were among those I sampled and enjoyed this year, but I could fill this entire article with all those worthy of praise. Perhaps even more veggie friendly is our recent spate of poke restaurants. Although poke bowls center on fish, their inclusion of greens and/or rice, and a plethora of other non-animal toppings make them a go-to option. Bluefin Poke, Pola Poke and Poke King were among my recent visits—each offering enough variety to stand apart. My pokeloving grandson and I and enjoyed every one of them. He enjoys the “bubbles,” i.e. tobiko.

Rounding out my list of veg-friendly venues for the year, Saffron and Bella Vita in Carson City each offer several tasty, meatless dishes beyond mere salads. Saffron’s “special eggplant,” a.k.a. kashke bademjan, is a Persian mashup of eggplant, onion, garlic, mint and roasted walnut—with flatbread and yogurt— that even aubergine objectors could love.

Bella Vita has so many veg options it’s hard to choose, but the pear Gorgonzola salad with candied pecan and shallot thyme vinaigrette, and roasted beet salad with honey gastrique and goat cheese are a good start. Suffice it to say, Northern Nevada has come a long way in the area of healthy, organic, delicious options for those who aren’t seeking a steak. Ω

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G r e at B a s i n B r e w i n G 846 Victorian Ave. Sparks, NV 89431 775-355-7711

5525 S. Virginia Street Reno, NV 775-284-7711 www.greatbasinbrewingco.com We offer you a sincere invitation to visit us at either of our breweryrestaurants to enjoy our award-winning ales and lagers, savor a meal and experience the pioneering spirit that the Great Basin Brewing company is all about.

Listings

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M y F av o r i t e M u F F i n & BaG e l CaFe 340 California Ave Reno, NV 89509 775-333-1025

2868 Vista Blvd.

Sparks, NV 89434 775-351-2868 www.myfavoritemuffin.com/reno We do so much more than make from scratch over 30 flavors of Muffins and Bagels every single day. Breakfast and Lunch, sandwiches, smoothies, coffee, espresso, soups and salads round out the offerings. Locally owned and operated.

C a F e at a d e l e ’ s

1112 North Carson Street Carson City, NV 89701 775-882-3353 www.adelesrestarantandlounge.com With a focus on organic, sustainable and local ingredients, Adele’s offers a varied menu of fresh seafood, steaks and pasta. Adele’s is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and has an award winning wine list.

Reservations recommended.

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t h e oy s t e r B a r

Hard Rock Hotel Lake Tahoe 50 Hwy 50 Stateline, NV 89449 (844) 588-7625 hardrockcasinolaketahoe.com Lake Tahoe’s first and only raw seafood bar, we keep it fresh and delicious daily. Located in the heart of the Hard Rock Casino, The Oyster Bar is the destination for New Orleans favorites and oyster goodness. With an open kitchen, the talents of the staff and the freshness of its topquality ingredients are on display.

alpine union Bar & KitCh en

Hard Rock Hotel Lake Tahoe 50 Hwy 50 Stateline, NV 89449 (844) 588-7625 hardrockcasinolaketahoe.com Inspired by the history that made South Lake Tahoe a destination. Take in the inspiration that brings us here year after year and enjoy your cabin comfortable dining experience with friends

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and family from near and far. American Fare meets rustic charm with locally-sourced options for breakfast, brunch, lunch & dinner.

pa r K p r i M e s t e a K h o u s e Hard Rock Hotel Lake Tahoe 50 Hwy 50 Stateline, NV 89449 (844) 588-7625 hardrockcasinolaketahoe.com

Park Prime is a modern steakhouse inspired by local ranchers, offering a sophisticated bar, live music, and stylish atmosphere. Providing upscale cuisine in a chic and comfortable atmosphere. The menu features dry-aged Prime beef from Harris Farms, premium seafood, shareable appetizers, an approachable wine list and specialty cocktails.

G r e at F u l l G a r d e n s C a F e & e at e r y Midtown: 555 S. Virginia #107 Reno, NV 89501 775-324-2013

748 South Meadows Parkway Ste A-14, Reno, NV 89521 775-324-2016 greatfullgardens.com Great Full Gardens Cafe & Eatery features a wholesome menu for breakfast, lunch & dinner, full barista services, beer & wine in a casual full service environment. Our restaurant caters to people with specialized dietary needs, such as vegan, glutenfree or Paleo, as well as to the person just looking for great flavor and a menu that is unique and delicious! We are proud to support and feature many items from local vendors and farmers.

G r e at F u l l G a r d e n s e x p r e s s at t h e u n i v e r s i t y o F n e va d a , reno Joe Crowley student union 1664 N Virginia St,, Reno, NV 89557 775-682-9590 greatfull gardens.com

This concept serves students, faculty and guests with the same wholesome food in a Quick Service model.

th e KitCh e n By G r e at F u l l G a r d e n s 5220 Longley Lane, Ste 100, Reno, NV 89511 775-384-6420 info@greatfullgardens.com

NOW OPEN! The Kitchen by Great Full Gardens, is a self-serve organic salad, soup and hot bar. Featuring GinoTheSoupMan Soups, rotating specials such as lasagne, and grab and go wraps-as well as an organic salad bar!

ta M a r a C K J u n C t i o n steaKhouse Tamarack Junction Casino 13101 S. Virginia St. Reno, NV 89511 Phone: (775) 852-3600

tamarackjunction.com The Tamarack Junction Steak House serves the finest 28 day aged beef broiled at 1,400°. Enjoy our steaks, fresh seafood, signature side dishes and homemade desserts along with spectacular table-side cooking to enhance your dining experience. All this while you enjoy our warm, rustic and inviting atmosphere along with our outstanding hospitality. Dinner is served nightly Thursday through Monday, reservations are suggested and private dining is available.

o’sKi ’s puB & Gri lle

840 Victorian Ave, Sparks NV 89431 775-359-7547 O’SKIS...OUR TRADITIONAL IRISH PUB, LOCATED IN A HISTORTIC 1906 BUILDING, CENTERALY LOCATED ON VICTORIAN SQUARE IS A MUST SEE. WE OFFER THE LARGEST SELECTION OF CORNED BEEF DISHES IN TOWN. OUR EVER CHANGING LIST OF DRAFT BEERS WILL EXCITE ANY BEER CONNOISSEUR. OUR FULL BAR OFFERS A PREMIUM SELECTION OF SINGLE MALT SCOTCHES & IRISH WHISKEYS. ENJOY DINING

F a M o u s d av e s

4925 Kietzke Ln, Reno NV 89509 775-826-7427 222.famousdaves.com Our passion for BBQ is Famous! We are honored to be consistently chose as America’s favorite BBQ Restaurant. We also like heading out to competitions and putting our BBQ up against what the other elite pitmasters are cooking. We serve amazing BBQ to friends and fellow food lovers.

Grab a seat, get your order to go, or have us cater your event!

liBerty Food & wine e xChanG e 100 N. Sierra St. Reno, NV 89501 775-336-1091 www.libertyfoodandwine.com

Liberty Food & Wine Exchange is a downtown artisan eatery, market and bar

by Chef Mark Estee. Our hand-crafted, sharable plates are a fusion of international cuisine and the organic flavors of Northern Nevada farmers and ranchers. We are grazers, sharers and pickers. Our menu is designed for people who like to try a little bit of everything rather than a lotta bit of one thing. Enjoy a cocktail or a bottle from our shelves. Re-fill your empty bottle with our house drafts. Shop our boutique market for housecured meats, house-made breads, pastas, sauces, gelato and grab-n-go items.

Ch ez lou i e

Nevada Museum of Art 160 W. Liberty St. Reno, NV 89501 www.nevadaart.org A french-inspired restaurant in the Nevada Museum of Art, chez louie is fun, modern, and affordable, bringing high-class cuisine to a comfortable, friendly, and truly unique setting. Gifted Tastemaker & Owner, Chef Mark Estee complements the cultural fabric of the Museum by highlighting seasonal ingredients and treating guests, volunteers, donors and members alike as family.

T h e U n i o n e aT e r y Ta p h o U s e C o f f e e

302 N. Carson St., Carson City, NV 775-885-7307 www.theunioncarson.com

T h e C a n va s C a f e

110 N C Street, Virginia City, NV 89440 (775) 453-5167 canvascafe.wixsite.com The Canvas Cafe offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with music, local art, locally sourced food, and hand made memories. Be sure to ask about the “Blank Canvas Special”- it will change your life!

G o U r m e lT

101 University Terrace, Reno, NV 89503 (775) 501-5250 www.gourmeltnv.com/ Committed to the “buy local” movement, Gourmelt’s famous melts are created with a delicious and creative twist using the freshest ingredients from farms and dairy’s in this area. They’ll fill your belly & melt your heart!

hom eGrown GasTropU b 719 S VIRGINIA ST. RENO, NV 89501 (775) 232-9783 www.homegrowngastropub.com

Now open in the heart of Midtown Reno, NV. Homegrown Gastropub offers locally sourced food, local beer and craft cocktails! They strive to bring the best ingredients to the table.

m a C h o T e q U i l a’ s 2144 Greenbrae Dr Sparks, NV 89431 (775) 870-1177

Macho Tequila’s Homestyle is Sparks’ local neighborhood Mexican food restaurant. Using the highest quality of ingredients, they serve old school Mexican food and a killer margarita using homemade tequila! Open everyday from 10am to 10pm.

190 S. Center St. Reno, NV 89501 Follow @SizzlePie on social media for updates From Portland, OR to Reno, NV- Sizzle Pie is opening January 2019. Offering classic and unconventional pizza, a selection of vegan and veggie options, a full bar, huge patio & fire pit. Open late every day.

rox y

Located inside the Eldorado Resort Casino 345 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV 89501 775-786-5600 www.eldoradoreno.com Eldorado’s award-winning bistro with industry leading, classically trained staff and carefully selected menus. Voted “Best Place to Take a Date” by locals and listed on the prestigious DiRona Award list of Distinguished Restaurants.

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l a sTr ada

Located inside the Eldorado Resort Casino 345 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV 89501 775-786-5600 www.eldoradoreno.com Named one of the top 10 Italian restaurants in the nation and offering Reno’s most authentic Italian cuisine prepared by chefs direct from Italy. Pastas are made fresh daily in the Eldorado pasta shop.

The bUffeT

Located inside the Eldorado Resort Casino 345 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV 89501 775-786-5600 www.eldoradoreno.com Featuring a wide variety of American, Italian, Mexican and Chinese cuisine featuring favorites like pizza, freshly baked desserts, the Eldorado’s signature mushroom ravioli, pho station, meat carved to order and weekend brunch.

p e a r l oy s T e r bar and Grill

Located in the Silver Legacy Resort Casino 407 N. Virginia St., Reno NV 89501 775-329-4777 www.silverlegacyreno.com The freshest seafood in the heart of Reno including crab cakes, Cioppino, pan roasts, oysters shucked to order and more. Contemporary yet inviting décor makes it perfect for a unique setting for any occasion.

n i ko s G r e e k kiTC h e n 171 Disc Dr #105 Sparks, NV 89436 (775) 499-5777 www.nikosgreekkitchen.com/

Nikos Greek Kitchen has been voted Best Greek Food in Best of Northern Nevada for the last 9 years in a row. Everything is made to order with high quality ingredients. Try the homemade baklava!

C a n T e r ’ s d e l i C aT e s s e n Located inside the Silver Legacy Resort Casino 407 N. Virginia St., Reno NV 89501 775-329-4777 www.silverlegacyreno.com

voted by the Los Angeles Times and LA Weekly and authentic Jewish deli cuisines like famous house made pickles.

e l J e fe ’s CanTi na / k a n pa i s U s h i

Located at THE ROW in Circus Circus Hotel Casino 500 N. Sierra St. Reno, NV 89501 775-329-0711 www.circusreno.com An unexpected blend of two foodie favorites with hot Mexican food, cool margaritas, rockin’ sushi and rollin’ sake. Selections like chili dusted calamari rings and a ceviche roll perfectly pair the best of both worlds.

Th e b r ew b roTh e rs

Located inside the Eldorado Resort Casino 345 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV 89501 775-786-5600 www.eldoradoreno.com Named Best Brewpub in America, The Brew Brothers offers eight custom microbrews along with a gourmet menu of American comfort food favorites including wood-fired pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, salads and more.

madam e b UT Te rwo r k ’s CU r i oU s Café

Located inside Circus Circus Hotel Casino 500 N. Sierra St. Reno, NV 89501 775-329-0711 www.circusreno.com Scrumptious breakfast food, piping hot coffee, mimosas all morning long. From scrambles and omelets to Dutch baby pancakes, waffles and French toast, indulge in everything the sunrise as to offer.

millies24

Located inside the Eldorado Resort Casino 345 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV 89501 775-786-5600 www.eldoradoreno.com Offering a variety of foods from classic breakfasts to hearty entrees, Mexican staples and Asian specialties. Check out the Sweet Shoppe & Bakery for fresh-roasted Eldorado coffee, made-to-order cakes, delicious pies, fresh-churned gelato and more.

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Listings

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Our draft beers and lagers are sure to please at any time of the year!

sizzle pie

rUTh ’s Ch ris sTeak hoUse

Located at THE ROW in Silver Legacy 407 N. Virginia St., Reno NV 89501 775-329-4777 www.silverlegacyreno.com Signature sizzle is now at Silver Legacy at THE ROW! Renowned for its steak, Ruth’s Chris specializes in custom-aged USDA Prime steaks expertly prepared and served on 500-degree sizzling hot steaks and made-from-scratch original recipe sides. Opens early December.

Serving up LA’s finest deli experience for over 85 years; featuring the “Best Pastrami” as

A speciAl supplement to Reno news & Review

11.15.18

Dining Guide

9

Reno’s urban farms produce organic offerings for local restaurants

B

ehind the chain link fence attached to Craig Frezzette’s home on West Plumb Lane are three large hoop houses covered in white tarp to protect the rows of vegetables growing inside. In his back yard are raised planter boxes full of herbs, and nearby is a small grove of fruit trees. On the fence hangs a sign that reads, “Organic farm, no spraying.”

On his residential property of a little more than half an acre, Craig and his wife Gail operate City Green Gardens, which provides enough food for both his family and many of Reno’s farmto-table restaurants year-round.

“My wife and I have been gardening in Reno for well over 30 years,” Frezzette said. “We could feed ourselves and can it and preserve it and put it in the pantry and eat it all winter long. That’s kind of how we got into gardening.”

After buying his property in 1996, Frezzette began to grow his own food as a hobby. Along with a few other local farmers like Stephen and Marcia Litsinger in Stagecoach, Nevada—whom

“I think there’s just a big push to try to get back to how we used to eat food, and the value that farmers bring.”

Brenton Aikin

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Dining Guide

Craig Frezzette tends his produce at City Green Gardens.

Photo/Matt Bieker

he credits with establishing Nevada’s first organic food program—Frezzette began to grow his crops according to the newly implemented USDA organic specifications. City Green Gardens became the first licensed organic farm in the city of Reno in 2012.

For more InFormatIon about northern nevada Farms, vIsIt nevadagrown.com.

“There’s some really lengthy rules that we have to follow, set up by the national organic program,” Frezzette said. “So we have to jump through a lot of hoops to be certified.”

Those rules prohibit the use of certain ingredients, pesticides and fertilizers, but to Frezzette the practice has a much more wholesome definition.

“The meaning to me means ‘to put back,’” he said. “So, in other words, whatever you take from the earth, you’re going to go ahead and give back to the earth. The different nutrients that I put into my soil, it replenishes certain nutrients that a lot of farmers don’t put in. A lot of the trace minerals that the plants take out of the soil—your magnesium, your copper—those are all things that we ingest, and we need for our bodies. As the plants are removing those minerals, it’s up to us organic farmers to replace those minerals.”

Frezzette unexpectedly lost his job of over 25 years during the 2009 recession and began looking for alternative means of income. At the same time, Reno was also beginning to find a taste for locally sourced organic foods.

“In 2009, I started reading about the local food movement, and I thought, ‘Wow, this sparked an area that I’m interested in.’ I was at the library every day researching on farming and how to farm and what type of models you could come up with, different models of farms.”

After a few years of experimentation, Frezzette built a relationship with a few local chefs and restaurants in the city, like 4th Street Bistro, Old Granite Street Eatery, and La Strada at the Eldorado.

Many of the chefs and restaurant staff will come out to tour City Green Gardens when new crops come in to adjust their menus for the seasonal

11.15.18

A speciAl supplement to Reno news & Review

d l e i F work

By Matt Bieker

greens, fruit or vegetables on the planting rotation.

“We sort of tailored our products to be appreciated by higher-end restaurants because there was nobody locally growing certain products like Belgian endive or frisee lettuce—different things that chefs like to use in a restaurant but that they can’t get locally,” Frezzette said.

Upon request, Frezzette will harvest, wash, pack and deliver his produce to the restaurants on the same day the order is placed.

“That was my big thing, harvest and deliver on the same day—no storage whatsoever,” Frezzette said. “To this day, that’s the way we operate.”

Veg out

While Frezzette sells almost exclusively to restaurants now, he got his start selling weekly boxes of vegetables to interested individuals through a program referred to as CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)—a program many smaller farms still adhere to in order to get established in Reno’s local food chain.

“You’re paying money up front for a box of vegetables for a set period of time,” said Brenton Aikin, owner of Ital Farms headquartered on Cordone Avenue. “It’s cool on the receiving side because you’re guaranteed product every week, and it’s always different.”

Aikin established Ital Farms last year and said CSAs are a boon for him financially, as it allows for money to buy seed and infrastructure up front, before the growing season begins. It’s also cost effective for buyers, he said, as his 16-week CSA last year cost around $20 per box with enough food to feed at least two people.

“It seems like a lot of people that, when they get really into local food, that’s the first thing that they go for, is a CSA. Shopping at a farmers’ market is awesome too, but I think for people that have really busy lives, a CSA is kind of convenient. They get that farmers’ market experience, but they just pick up a box, and that’s it.”

Farm-to-table has been a trendy term in Reno’s food scene for the last decade, and it’s no secret that the added production steps are a selling point for local restaurants that sometimes warrant a hefty markup in price. But as to why individuals would place a personal importance on locally

sourced food, Aikin can think of plenty of reasons.

“I think we have a pretty bad health problem in this country,” he said.

“There’s a lot more research coming out on how what you eat affects your body, and even more specifically than that, how localized your diet is. And then you bring in the sustainability aspect of eating local, your carbon footprint, that all comes into it. I think there’s just a big push to try to get back to how we used to eat food—and the value that farmers bring.”

Gino Scala owns Great Full Gardens, which, before opening as a health-conscious restaurant in 2013, operated as a licensed farm. He buys directly from City Green Gardens and the Great Basin Community Food Co-op’s Distributors of Regional and Organic Produce & Products (DROPP) program, which acts as a wholesaler that purchases from Ital Farms, among other local growers. But Scala has a personal mandate to buy from any local farmer he can accommodate.

“In 2008, I went down with diverticulitis and esophageal ulcers,” Scala said. “It was a pretty big deal. I was in the hospital on IVs, and toward the end of the week the doctors came, and they told my wife that I was going to need to be on certain medications for the rest of my life.”

Rather than resign himself to a regiment of pills and checkups, Gino and his wife, Juli, researched a pesticide-free, plant-based, organic diet to combat his digestive troubles. After six months, he said, he returned from a checkup with a clean bill of health.

“The ulcers were completely healed,” Scala said. “There was some scar tissue there, but that was better than open sores, and the diverticulitis was not apparent. It was gone.”

Even with his experience in mind, Scala still hesitates to prescribe organic food as a cure-all.

“I never talk about the food as medicine, I talk about the food as healing food—food that inspires the body to do its deeds,” Scala said. “I’m a big, big believer, because I have proof.”

But Frezette, Aikin and Scala all agree that the real draw for locally sourced, hand-picked food is simple— the taste.

“Eat a cucumber from Mexico, and then eat a cucumber from City Green Farms, and you’ll feel a difference, 100 percent,” Scala said. Ω

A speciAl supplement to Reno news & Review

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Dining Guide

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Spill the beans

Jesus “Chuy” Gutierrez in his kitchen at Mari Chuy’s in midtown.

Photo//Matt Bieker

Local restaurant industry folks talk food with us compiled by matt bieker

F

rom longtime favorites to up-and-coming hot spots, there’s a lot going on in Reno’s restaurant scene. And the experiences of the people in the kitchen are as varied as the food they serve. Every year, we send out a survey to local chefs and restaurant owners to find out a little more about them. We even have them comment on their favorite local competitors. Here’s what they said.

Tim magee

Chef at Calafuria, 725 S. Center St., 360-5175

What’s your least favorite meal?

I really don’t care for eggs, which is funny because I own a breakfast place.

What’s one thing everyone should know how to cook?

I think everyone should know how to cook rice.

If you can make rice, you can always add other ingredients and/or sauces and have a meal.

What’s your favorite local restaurant—other than your own?

My favorite place is 4th Street Bistro. Natalie and Carol are the best.

Years in the industry?

Over 25 years

curTiS Taylor

What’s your least favorite meal?

Anything processed. So, fast food, pre-cooked stuff from the grocery store, etc.

Years in the industry?

Over 25 years.

What’s one thing everyone should know how to cook?

I think everyone should know how to make a simple plate of pasta. It’s so easy to do and so good when it’s done well.

What’s your favorite local restaurant—other than your own?

Arario. The food is great and so is the service.

They are very friendly, and the product is very consistent.

Nick STrowmaTT

Executive chef at the Depot, 325 E. Fourth St., 737-4330

Years in the industry?

10 years.

What’s your least favorite meal?

Everything is good if you prepare it right!

What’s one thing everyone should know how to cook?

Soup. If you can balance the flavors in a broth, you’re half way to creating a great dish.

What’s your favorite local restaurant—other than your own?

Kauboi Izakaya

elizabeTh carTer

Owner of Creme Cafe & Catering, 18 St. Lawrence Ave., 348-0571

Years in the industry?

15 years.

Chef at Toiyabe Golf Club, 19 Lighting W. Ranch Road, Washoe City, 882-0882

What’s your least favorite meal?

Lima beans. Seems no matter how they are cooked they still have a chalky taste and feel in your mouth. Never met a lima bean I liked.

What’s one thing everyone should know how to cook?

Everyone should know how to cook chicken. It is a very versatile food that can be easily prepared and served as a basic protein with simple sides.

What’s your favorite local restaurant—other than your own?

When I’m not at Toiyabe, I frequent Tokyo Sushi (on Virginia Street and Plumb Lane).

What’s your favorite local restaurant—other than your own?

The Perros Calientes stand (Mexican hotdogs) near my house. ... I guess currently my favorite brick-and-mortar restaurant is Royal India, just off the Keystone exit. I asked for flat bread and they said they had naan.

coliN SmiTh

Owner of Roundabout Grill & Catering, 255 N. Virginia St., 398-5454

Years in the industry?

Over 24 years.

What’s your least favorite meal?

Broccoli in the commercial kitchen. We cook it in such large quantities that when we blanch 30 pounds of broccoli, the whole place smells bad.

NaTe alder

Chef at Oxbow Cafe and Bistro, 2365 Dickerson Road, 453-1160

Years in the industry?

23 years.

What’s your least favorite meal?

Probably anything with MSG in it or any other heavy preservatives, which covers a lot of processed snack foods. I don’t care if the color or texture fades from the product.

What’s one thing everyone should know how to cook?

Boiled water. If you’re stuck in a survival situation, definitely a must. Also, it’s the first step to cooking all the easy stuff.

What’s one thing everyone should know how to cook?

Everyone should know how to properly roast a chicken. It becomes such a glorious meal, and then you have the remaining for things like soup or chicken salad.

What’s your favorite local restaurant—other than your own?

Where ever Troy [Canan], Dave [Holman] or Mark [Estee] are cooking.

JeSuS “chuy” guTierrez

Owner of Mari Chuy’s Mexican Kitchen, 764 S. Virginia St., 322-6866

Years in the industry?

47 years.

A speciAl supplement to Reno news & Review

What’s your least favorite meal?

Ramen noodles. They have way too much sodium and have no nutrients.

What’s one thing everyone should know how to cook?

Beans and rice. They are some of the basic staples of food, and they’re not expensive if you’re on a budget.

What’s your favorite local restaurant—other than your own?

Luchiano’s Italian Restaurant on Lakeside and McCarren.

bill gilberT

Chef at Beaujolais Bistro, 753 Riverside Drive, 323-2227

Years in the industry?

39 years.

What’s your least favorite meal?

Fast food in general. The experience really isn’t that satisfying for me.

What’s one thing everyone should know how to cook?

I’d probably go with chicken and vegetables. It’s enjoyable to eat by yourself or with other people.

It’s good to have a meal that can bring some camaraderie. People enjoy that.

What’s your favorite local restaurant—other than your own?

Calafuria. The food’s made from scratch. It’s simple but well-prepared, and the wine list goes a long way. Ω

11.15.18

Dining Guide

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A speciAl supplement to Reno news & Review

Tough customers

by matt Bieker

Restaurant servers talk about how not to treat your waiter

T

he customer is not always right and no one knows this better than restaurant wait staff. Any conversation about dining should include the estimated 2.5 million servers in the United States, and the steps they take to bring the kitchen’s creation to your plate. I would know, as I served tables at a local chain restaurant for three years.

Since my current job sometimes allows me to share my own thoughts, I consulted a few other past and current Reno restaurant wait staff to explain how not to treat your server.

1.

Tipping

As the adage goes: if you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to eat out. America’s restaurant industry by and large operates on the basis that your server needs at least 15 to 20 percent tip to make a livable wage. Some, like Anneliese Hucal, who’s served at a local Italian restaurant for the past three years, are fine with that.

“Any time I go to a restaurant, even if the service is terrible, I will try to leave some sort of compensation because I’m respecting the culture that we’re given,” Hucal said.

But tips are expected to be monetary. I once waited on a table that left me an invitation to their weekend church service and a note saying “Hope to see you there!” on the receipt. This kind of unhelpful compensation also applies to what Hucal calls “verbal tips.”

“I hate when you tell me that your food is really good and then you leave me a dollar on a hundred dollar tab,” she said.

Customers have a right to withhold a tip if they really believe their service was unsatisfactory, but it’s important to understand that tips aren’t just added bonuses to the wait staff—and under-tipping essentially sends them home under budget for the month. And a little generosity goes a long way.

“I get very annoyed when I go out with friends who are getting their calculators out and exactly need to calculate 15 percent,” said Megan Ortiz, a server with 10 years’ experience in places like Mel’s Diner and the original Café DeLuxe.

This also goes for gratuity charges, which are tacked on to large parties that require extra attention from servers.

“Gratuity is not a tip,” Ortiz said. “Gratuity is a painin-the-ass charge. Gratuity is a, ‘You took my time and attention away from all of the other tables that I could have been dealing with and all the other money I could have been making, and therefore you are getting a service charge for that.’”

And perhaps the most unhelpful sort of tip assumes that your server is more interested in a date than paying their bills.

“Leaving your phone number and not leaving a tip, like that’s somehow going to make my fucking day and pay for my next meal, because it’s not going to,” Ortiz said.

Which leads us to ...

2.

HarassmenT

As a male server, I’m lucky to have had few interactions with my customers that made me personally uncomfortable doing my job. But that’s a lot more than I can say for my female counterparts.

“I did have a customer who used to stick his hand up my skirt, and he would make comments, and he would try to, like, slip me extra money and get me to come out with him to the bathroom,” Hucal said.

Gross displays like this are all too common in an industry predicated on the idea that someone is there to “serve” you in any sense of the word. But, as a rule of thumb, never assume your server wants anything more from you than your money, and maybe a few laughs.

“You’re coming in, and I want to provide you with an experience,” Hucal said. “But that experience doesn’t include me having to bend to your sexual whims or whatever just because you think I’m hot and because you think I’m in a vulnerable position.”

Regardless of sexual advances, harassment can come in the form of unwanted touches in general.

“Like if someone’s not finished eating and I go to pick up their plate, and they kind of slap my hand—no touching servers,” said Maricela Hernandez, who has been serving for over 11 years.

Communicating with your server should never extend beyond the verbal realm. This is part of what we would call …

3.

manners

These are simple, basic and yet somehow still ignored by a huge percentage of the dining population. Some of the greatest hits include: “I hate people that snap their fingers at me and try to get my attention,” Hucal said.

As a rule, the guest who snaps is almost universally mocked for it in the back of the house for their haughty demeanor.

“I think it’s very rude not to greet somebody when they greet you” Ortiz said. “Like, ‘Oh, hi. How are you today?’ ‘I’ll have a diet Coke.’ ‘Great, I am so good too.

Fuck me, right?’”

I can’t see why this exchange would be acceptable unless you really believed the person in front of you didn’t deserve basic courtesy.

“If food takes a long time, it’s not our fault,” said Hernandez. “Sometimes we are really busy, and it’s not when you get there, ‘Oh, we’re going to make your food because now you’re here.’ It goes by time, and whatever prints out first on the ticket is what they start cooking.”

Restaurants follow a specific work flow from ordering to serving, and if the kitchen is bogged down, getting snippy with your server is less than helpful to everyone.

4.

THe food

Personal taste is paramount in most restaurants, and if you’d like something prepared a certain way, then good wait staff will do their best to accommodate you.

However, at a certain point, menu additions begin to defeat the point of coming out in the first place.

“These people that are opening these businesses … are trying to bring something specific, and when you’re changing menu items, aside from obvious dietary restrictions, that’s offensive to some degree,” Hucal said.

While a server might know the menu in and out, it’s of little help if the customer can’t clearly communicate what they want. Or even worse, lie about it to get preferential treatment.

“If you know that you just came in for drinks and appetizers, just tell the guy,” said Stephen Patterson, who has been a server for the past 25 years. “They will be taking up a table, and they know they’re just going to have calamari and a glass of wine, but they’ll act like, ‘Maybe we’ll order some dinner.’ But they know they’re not going to order some dinner, so you have to keep coming back and bugging them.”

Essentially, a successful dining interaction requires a customer to at least be able to speak up about things they want, or specifically don’t want. Anything other than that creates a point of contention that could otherwise spoil a pleasant evening.

“I will go find out,” said Patterson. “I will make it right as best as I can. But if you don’t tell me what it is you want, how am I going to get it? Communication is key, or just order something off the damn menu, which is not hard to do.” Ω

A speciAl supplement to Reno news & Review

11.15.18

Dining Guide

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