Paulie’s Pizza

Let me start by saying there are several food blogs in Reno. Most of them rate the higher end eateries, that is not what I do. I like everyman’s food, the kind of hole in the walls that make a trip worth the drive.

Today I am writing about pizza. If you are staying in the downtown area there are a number of good pizzerias you could make your way to. As an example, I like Pie-Face Pizza and Eclipse is not bad either; but good pizza in Reno is hard to come by, there are way too many franchise pizza for my taste. I am about to share with you a trip worth taking and a pie worth eating. It is a short drive from the downtown area, but it is well worth it.

I like pizza, I have a far back as I can remember; as a matter of fact I have fond memories of my first-love, the lunch lady, who served me on Pizza Wednesday in elementary school. However I don’t like all pizza. To be frank, I had just about given up on NY style pizza in Reno until I tried Paulie’s Pizza in the Franktown Corners Mall.

Paulie’s is the real deal. Fresh ingredients, homemade crust and hot brick ovens make this a must have. The pizza was phenomenal. Stretchy cheese, great tasting fresh toppings and a great atmosphere. They have two styles, round and square pan; I recommend the square pan. What made it for me was the crust, it was thicker than most around Reno; many of the NY styles focus on the cracker crust, Paulie’s crust gives you something to hang on to.  

While I was waiting for my pizza, Paulie brought out a Calzone that looked amazing, so amazing in fact that I took a picture of it while the other customer was eating it (I almost ate my camera).

The Calzone was perfect, deep dark brown crust, oozing cheese. I could see the steam coming off the top of the Calzone when they delivered it.

The owners are very friendly. Paulie came out when he saw me taking a picture of the calzone; but he seemed to make regular practice of coming out and making the rounds to each customer. He took more than enough time chat.

The counter guy told me about the hot wings and I actually felt bad that I didn’t try them this go round. At first, I thought it gimmicky because they asked for a waiver if you were under 18; then the counter guy explained that it was legit, they use Scorpion Peppers which are hotter than Ghost Peppers and I do not want to repeat my Ghost Pepper experience. You know however, I am stupid enough to go back and try these.

Paulie’s has a nice well stocked sports bar section, though I didn’t try it because it was my lunch time 😦

I will be making Paulie’s my go to pizza from now on…

Paulie’s is located in the Franktown Corners at 2309 Kietzke Lane, Reno, Nevada 89502 (775) 823-9000: Monday – Saturday 11am-9pm

 

Joe Bob’s

Good wings are hard to find, so when you find some, you are obligated to post about them. Ironically, Joe Bob’s is also hard to find even if you are looking for it. It is located at 4840 Mill St Reno, NV 89502. But if you can find it, it is worth it.

The menu has many offerings but the many varieties of wings caught my eye. They have a range of heat to please everyone. I ordered the garlic parmesan; they were fresh, hot and crispy. They were seasoned nicely and come with your choice of blue cheese and homemade ranch (which was amazing).

I was also introduced to a sauce I had not tried before, Boar’s Head jalapeno Sauce, it was amazing.

The day afterward a few of my friends took up my quest and returned for more wings and the Chicken Philly; both friends raved about the food.

 

Pok Pok: Portland Oregon

The primary purpose of this blog is to expose Renoites to great local food; however, it is also about a Renoite (me) who is into food. So, because several of my students will have travel frequently to Portland OR, I will also note good eats I experience there as well.

The first place on my list is Pok Pok which is built in an old house at 3226 SE Division Street, Portland Oregon. They have inside dining, but most people sit outside in one of their covered patios. They are a thai/asian restaurant, but not like any other one I have ever tried. They serve food which is found at pubs, restaurants, homes and the streets Thailand. This place has become an object of obsession on my many quests for good food in Portland.  I have never had anything quite like the food and drink at Pok Pok.

This time, I indulged in one of their more popular items, the Spicy Wings. They were perfect; crunchy, savory, sweet and spicy. Their wings were a little hot, but for fans of chicken wings it is a no-brainer. The heat is a savory sweet heat that lingers. The heat of the wings increased subtly until I was paralyzed and lost in flavor, and lost in time and space and catapulted me into thai bliss. I took the remainder home, not as left-overs, rather as a memorial of my food experience, once again provided by the people of Pok Pok….

This meal was a surprise, it was so good, it changed my life; that may sound like an odd comment, but don’t you judge me until you try it

I pared the wings with Green Papaya Salad and at the recommendation of the wise sage like waiter, an order of sticky rice; in my many encounters with papaya salad, none have come close in comparison.

A man sitting next to me also had the wings and he was making strange vulgar and content noises as he ate them. He raised his head with sauce covering his face and said that his wings were awesome, I believed him.

 

Fuddruckers

This place has a better than decent batting average, tonight it was a hit. We held a group meeting there, the food was delivered quickly and it was done right. We even got Customer Appreciation cookies and we appreciated it.

Our onion rings hit the spot and there was more than enough for two to share.

The big hit of the night was the elk, the patty was huge. Although one friend (a skinny one) noted that he would have rather had the beef burger because the elk just didn’t have enough fat.

Their topping bar is like a jr. Salad Bar. They also have more than enough sauces and condiments to satisfy.

You can also top anything with melted cheese; the only things not good with the cheese are the cookies and milkshakes, but, maybe that is because I haven’t tried it yet.

They are located at the Legends at 1565 East Lincoln Way # 101  Sparks, NV 89434

 

Hash House a-go-go Reno

I want to like Hash House and sometimes I do. Most of the time they have good food, actually, at times it is downright epic; served in huge portions; however, they sometimes miss.

Their servers seem distracted, they need to focus. Maybe if they hired servers based on skill level instead of hipness this would improve. What I mean by that is that you have a hard time getting their attention. When you do, they often get it wrong. As an example my wife’s iced-tea came back from a refill with much less ice than it left with; there is nothing worse than warm iced-tea. My ice water was delivered back to our table the same way. Asking for more ice made us feel like we were being picky, which should not be the case. In contrast, try running out of beverages at local competitors “Kimmie’s” or “Squeeze Inn;” I dare you; I double-bladder dare you.

Also, when you pay $12.95 for a waffle, you do with some expectations, like it will be hot. To be fair, they took it off my bill and gave me another waffle on the house, so it is hard to complain too much. In the end I got my delicious waffle.

And what a waffle it was. Clearly Hash House has one of the best waffles in Reno. They come in three flavors one of which is bacon.

Overall, my experience with them has been good, very good and I plan to go back; but I’m bringing my own ice.

 

hömáge boutique bakery

A rare find.
It is quiet, soothing and welcoming. For their next advertising blitz, all they need to do is to take photos of the smiles on each of their customers face as the gleefully hug their “done right” baked goods.

They offer Quiche, huge pastries a variety of scones, cookies and amazing looking Pots de Crème (it took all my will power to walk out with out one).

They also offer unique lattes and expressos, one which I have not had since leaving Los Angeles. They call it the “Bom Bon,” which is expresso over sweetened condensed milk, in L.A. many of the spanish styled cafes offer this as regular fare.

I had a Bear Claw which may be the most satisfying of any I have tried.

The atmosphere is homey and eclectic and they have free internet access.

This may become my go to hiding spot.

Located at 519 Ralston, in between St. Mary’s and J.J.’s pie company, it makes the journey downtown worth while.

 

Sinbad’s Hot Dogs: 418 N. McCarran Blvd Sparks, NV

Sinbad’s Hot Dogs: Sparks, NV:

There are not many dedicated hot dog places in Reno. Each good for what they do, but Sinbad’s stands out for those who love a classic dog.

Some hot doggers in Reno think that a big hot dog is a good hot dog, this is a mistake; I would trade a classic natural casing hot dog for a 1/4 pound hot dog any day. Most hot dog lovers will tell you that a good hot dog will snap back at you. Dogs that snap have a firmer texture and a “snap” that releases juices and flavor. Apparently, Sinbad’s uses their own brand, which is good for us. They sell the dogs in a 6-PACK for $5.50; which is good because most of the stores around town don’t sell this style on the shelf.

They have several toppings, though I didn’t see any NY style red onions, or sauerkraut. They did have ketchup and mustard so NY style and Chicago style dog lovers will be happy. I have a few suggestions, but this has nothing to do with the quality, these are good dogs; they may try to expand their offerings,I make a link to the menu of one of my hot dog haunts in LA, the famous Fab’s: http://www.fabhotdogs.com. Also, they may want to offer chili with beans and no beans, real chili dog fans like a no-bean meat sauce. I also suggest some higher end sodas in a bottle, I think they would go big.

The staff is friendly and the menu is diverse enough to appeal to different persons. It is located at 418 N McCarran Blvd Sparks, NV, a stones throw from Wienerschnitzel. The decor is simple, and they have a small dining room with about 6 tables.

Let me finish this by saying that I plan on adding Sinbad’s to my usual suspect list and regular eats route.

Follow me on twitter: therenofoody

 

Wild River Grille: Along the Riverwalk @ 17 South Virginia Street, Reno, NV (775) 284-7455

Let me start by saying that it was really the first day it felt like spring and everyone was outside doing something. Because Wild River is along the Riverwalk it was a busy day.

I had tried the Wild River once before, but it was not memorable.

The atmosphere on the patio on a warm day at sunset was awesome! They offered a subtle two-piece band which performed cover tunes in an entertaining and non obnoxious way.

In that summer atmosphere, you want something cold or something to sip. The wine menu was confusing and the beverage menu was minuscule. I tackled the bar tender after about 15 minutes only to find out that he couldn’t do a lot of drink options because he had ran out of sweet and sour mix, it was about 7 PM. I am not a huge drinker, but on a day like that day, I would have entertained one, I settled for ice water that was refilled once.

The service was slow but friendly. The food took too long, they weren’t that busy. The waiter offered up some bread which were two very small and hard sourdough baguettes. I had the New York, it was $37. It was served on a bed of mixed veggies and potatoes; it was also WAY too rare, but my wife and I endured it because sending it back would have taken too long.

My advise to the person who wants to take a date out for conversation on the River, the Ol Bridge Pub and the Sierra Tap Room might be better options until the Wild River works out their mission.

I think that they are missing some great opportunities and offer my friendly opinions:

1. Work on a summer patio menu. They could offer wraps, salads, or happy-hour types of food.

2. Improve the patio bar options. Organize the menu with the meandering walker in mind. The wine menu could be organized in order of whites, reds, blushes; and could include some wine coolers, like Sangria.

3. Help the bar tender by keeping him a bar tender (and get the guy some sweet and sour would ya’).

We will go back, we have to, it’s Reno and this place has an awesome view and friendly staff.

 

Scooper’s

Pineapple Sundae

Don’t let the atmosphere or cosmetics of the building fool you; the food here is legit and served fast. I had the Steak Sandwich because I was reminiscent for the one they used to sell at Carl’s Jr.. This Steak sandwich rates at the top two I have ever eaten. It is good quality meat and they cook it to your liking. The fries were also very good; I have had better but not often. I also got an ice cream sundae. The sundae was perfect and I got an oreo with it, beat that DQ! The price is right and the food is good, what more do you want.

Scooper’s 2090 Mill St
Reno, NV 89502

 

Coke Freestyle

I am a foodie, I am also a long time tech–junkie. When those two things come together it is bliss. This is what happened earlier this week when a friend, Bryce Leinan dropped Coke Freestyle on me. Coca-Cola Freestyle is a touch screen soda fountain which features over 125 different Coca-Cola products.

The machine allows users to select from mixtures of flavors of Coca-Cola products which are then individually dispensed. Currently, Reno has three Port of Subs with machines. The one I tried is located on Clear Acre Dr..

Personally, I tried the Fanta-Zero-Orange with vanilla, it was everything you think it is and more. On another visit, I tried Raspberry–Coke–Zero, which was surprisingly good.

The thing that stood out to me was the energy around the machine; it was contagious. People came from near and far, repeatedly to try the machine; it was down right communal.

The Port of Subs I tried was at 2900 Clear Acre Ln # U  Reno, NV 89512; if you make the quest tell them the Reno Foody sent you.