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

Porchlight Always On

Sometimes, the best things in life come unexpected. That happened to me yet again last month when I discovered Porchlight Grill on the west end of Spring Valley, near Summerlin. It's not easy to impress me, and most often "mini casinos" with restaurants attached don't... But this was different. Read below to find out how.

As always, photos from both visits are included at the bottom.

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Tucked away at a strip mall at Durango and Desert Inn is an interesting little "mini casino" that honestly surprised me. I typically don't rush to neighborhood "mini casinos" for dinner, but some friends suggested it and I went along. What's the worst that could happen?

To my surprise, I wouldn't even have to think of that. I tried a thin crust pesto pizza with goat cheese and mushrooms, and I was really enjoying it! The pesto was especially interesting, since it was packing heat! It tasted like serrano chile(s) were probably used, and they went well with the tangy goat cheese and earthy mushrooms on the crispy flatbread.

I also tried the spicy fries, and these were surprisingly addictive. I kept going back for more, as they had an interesting spicy mesquite seasoning.

Oh, and since we're talking about a mini casino here, I must say I merrily downed my Midori Sours. All in all, I had a good time here and I would definitely have no problem coming back whenever I'm in the 'hood.

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And I indeed last week for a party some friends were throwing there. I had a great linguine with (again, spicy!) pesto, along with an out-of-this-world brownie sundae. Funny enough, I didn't know I could get a brownie with the sundae there, but the manager brought out a hot, fresh one to complete it! Heh, customer service at its best. ;-)

Style: Neighborhood Casual
Price: $
Open: 24 Hours

The Rating
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Food: 4.6 (out of 5)
Service: 3.0 (out of 3)
Ambiance: 1.7 (out of 2)
Overall: 9.3 (out of 10)
Good Eats, Worth the Trip