Reno restaurants?

: On 1 Mar 1995, Carol H. wrote:

: > I will be in Reno in April for a convention.  Can anyone recommend some : > neat restaurants to go to that aren't super expensive?  Thanks. : > : >

For something different, you might try one of the Basque restaurants in Reno.  I haven't been to any myself, but there are a lot of Basques in Nevada.  I believe they serve family style.  (Hope you like lamb!) Look in one of the free flyers when you get there.  Lots of ads for restaurants.

> On 1 Mar 1995, Carol H. wrote:
>
> I will be in Reno in April for a convention.  Can anyone recommend some
> neat restaurants to go to that aren't super expensive?  Thanks.
>

      There are some Reno spots I like a lot.  Marie's Petit Bistro on S.
Virginia is reliably good.  I tried the happy hour at the Brasserie not long ago.  The free food they serve with a glass of wine was very good, so I'd guess the dinner would be too.  For $4.50/glass of wine, a fellow student and I shared 3 free hors d'ouevres (pate, smoked salmon and something else, probably of a vegetable nature, whose identity I no longer recall) and tons of French bread.  The pizza at Blue Moon is good.  I've never had a meal at the Eldorado I didn't like, save for the buffet, which I only went to once with a group of students, and not by my choice.  I only found the desserts there palatable.
 I'd avoid all buffets.   Choices at the Eldorado is a good spot for a cheap, quick meal.  We almost always get the Chinese food there, like the chow fun and the wonton soup (a giant bowl for about $3). La Strada at the Eldorado is the favorite place of my husband and me for eating out.  I think it's not quite so good as it was when we moved here 4.5 years ago, but we still enjoy it for an occasional splurge.  I think the City Grill is all right, but I prefer Marie's for that price range.  Johnny's, on W. 4th Street, is reasonably priced, some of the food is good, and it's always fun in that 1960's, red-checked tablecloth sort of way.  Johnny himself is always there, greeting and kissing the women. La Table Francaise, near Johnny's on 4th Street, is also good, but expensive, unless you get the prix fixe menu.  Some people I know like Renato's, but I like Johnny's much better.  Other friends like La Vecchia Varese, but I've not been there.  My husband wasn't thrilled with it the one time somebody took him there.

      If you want to venture up to the lake, Wolfdale's in Tahoe City gets
raves from lots of people (I haven't been).  If you like sushi (I'm not a big fan, but will eat it), there's a sushi place in Tahoe City that is GREAT.  It's called something very simple, like Yama Sushi.  It's in the same little shopping center as the Safeway in Tahoe City.  The grilled vegetables we got there as an appetizer were wonderful, and my husband, advisor and his wife raved about the sushi.

A couple places in Victorian Square (i.e., downtown Sparks, right next to Reno) are:

Great Basin--decent brew and bar food.

Que Huong, the Vietnamese place around the corner from Great Basin--great for an ethnic greasey spoon, and cheap.

Other ideas -- most of the casino restaurants are cheap.  The casinos with the best food are probably the Eldorado and the Nugget.  The Peppermill is pretty popular with the locals, and it's close to the Convention Center. Harrah's Steak house is really good but really expensive, too.  Louis' Basque Corner (4th St, downtown) has Basque food, which is served family style.  It's not expensive and it's something you won't see anywhere but in Nevada.  Some people like the Santa Fe, also Basque, but I've never been.  Bailey's Cafe, also near the Convention Center, is good for brunch and lunch.  Never been for dinner.  Cafe de Thai, in the Mira Loma shopping center in SE Reno is very good.  The chef/owner was trained at the CIA in Hyde Park, NY. The Glory Hole, near Johnny's, on W. 4th Street, is a steak house popular with locals and has photos in its bar of Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, etc., from when they stayed in Reno for the filming of "The Misfits" in the early 1960's.

If you want more recommendations, or in particular categories, email me or post again...

Anne

Wolfdales in Tahoe City is wonderful.  A small,  very special place to eat with outstanding food and a wonderful local winelist.  If you're near it, don't miss it.

bob