Bite of Reno: Sadness at Santa Fe

Have you ever been let down by something that was meant to be "THE experience of a lifetime"? Isn't it saddening? Frustrating? Annoying?

That's how I felt after dinner at Santa Fe in Reno.















See that food? There was really nothing special about it. The bread tasted like it was from a mass production factory. The soup tasted like it was from a can.

And wait, it doesn't stop there! The chicken tasted extra greasy, and the pork chops were really dry. So this place is supposed to be a "local legend" and they can't even serve decent pork chops?

And what was "Basque" about any of this? I saw a pimiento pepper here and vaguely "Spanish" spices there. As Gertrude Stein would say, "There's no THERE there."

At least the ice cream at the end was OK... But I could tell that was also from somewhere else. Dreyer's, perhaps?

I've made far better Basque food at home. Maybe this just wasn't a good weekend at Santa Fe, so I won't say "NEVER!!!" just yet. However, next time I will ask more questions if someone in Reno tells me about this place I "just HAVE to try!!!" If it weren't for the low prices, I would have been even more let down. Without a doubt, I won't be complaining about spending a few extra dollars next time to enjoy a quality Spanish meal locally at Julian Serrano or Jaleo.

Style: Family Style Neighborhood Hangout
Price: $
Open: Dinner

The Rating
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Food: 2.3 (out of 5)
Service: 1.7 (out of 3)
Ambiance: 1.5 (out of 2)
Overall: 5.5 (out of 10)
Bitter Aftertaste, Don't Bother With This Dud