Jilly Bites

    17 Jun 2010

    Breakfast in Reno

    If you will notice, I do not have any photos posted of the food …

    Thing is, the food was gone so fast, I did’t have a chance to document it!  It was that good!  Delish.

    Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and at the Reno Peppermill Hotel, Biscotti’s’ Restaurant breakfast gives you the oomph you need for a fantastic day!  We split the Biscotti’s Ham and Cheese Omelet.  Oh wow, was it incredible! Fluffy eggs, asparagus, prosciutto ham, fontina cheese, and havarti cheese all folded together and topped with hollandaise sauce.  (Can you ever go wrong with hollandaise sauce? Nope, I didn’t think so.)  The combination of salty, creamy, and clean (the asparagus) made for an excellent omelet.  Grilled breakfast potatoes served on the side complemented all the of flavors presented in the omelet.  Complete with coffee, fresh orange juice, and rye toast, it was the breakfast of champions!  (I haven’t had breakfast yet today, all this talk of the nummy Biscotti’s food and I’m hungry!!)    

    FYI - The portions were enormous, so I’d recommend sharing! (-:  

    12 Jun 2010

    Bistro Napa

    (wait … wasn’t I in Reno?)

    I was! Who knew? Go to the Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa and you are taken into a paradise of softly glowing lights against golden mirrors, exquisite food, large wine list, and sugar-coma inducing desserts (it’s a good thing!).  Welcome to Bistro Napa.

    Now, since I’m from Southern California and am quite familiar with the draw and beauty of Napa, I was curious how this Reno restaurant would pay tribute to their namesake.  Bistro Napa took their inspiration and made it their own; it was unique, bringing the loveliness of Napa to the city of Reno, a new experience for their customers.

     We started with the Ahi Tacos that were served with two kinds of fresh salsa and fried slices of avocado (wow!).  The spicy and clean taste of the fish tacos combined with the creamy and crispy avocado is a mouthful of perfect pairing.  Following our Ahi Tacos, came the Pan Roasted Sea Bass plated on top of a bed of cranberry wild rice and roasted veggies.  With a hint of the browned herb butter, the firm texture of the sea bass coupled with the sweet and hearty rice and veggies, made just a delightful dish! I was so supremely happy with what we ordered!  But I must say the highlight of the evening was our dessert.  Called the Classic Mountain of Strawberry Shortcake, my oh my, it was spectacular.  The strawberries almost sparkled in every sweet and succulent bite!  I know most of you have had strawberry shortcake, but not Bistro Napa’s version of strawberry shortcake.  It’s worth traveling to Reno just for this cake!  Mouth-watering.

    Oh!  To close out our experience, our waiter brought over a sampling of their homemade Cotton Candy.  Ahh!!! This was what has been missing from my life and any carnival experiences I’ve had.  So this was what cotton candy was supposed to taste like.  Goodness me, I’d eat that every day!  Light, frothy, and perfectly pink, it melts in your mouth the moment it touches your tongue.  Seriously, should you visit Reno, you must visit this restaurant.  Your tummy will be very happy!

    P.S. While not my thing, Bistro Napa also features Reno’s only raw seafood bar! Woohoo!

    11 Jun 2010

    Jilly Bites Goes to Nevada!!!

    (Reno, to be specific)

    Pneumat-a what?

    Pneumatics!

    Pneumatic Diner is an eclectic, hipster hideaway.  One of the few restaurants in Reno, NV that features an all vegetarian menu.  Everything is made in-house and the love of quality food is tasted in every bite.  Located on the second story attached to the back of an apartment building (if I lived in Reno, I’d have to live there and I’d never go to the grocery store, just Pneumatics!), it has an incredible view of the city with cozy, small bar tables and local artist work on the walls.  

    I was introduced to Pneumatics the first time I visited Reno with my boyfriend (it’s his hometown) and ever since we make a point to come back whenever we visit.  No matter what you order, you will be happy, it’s all scrumptious.  Some of the staples we order are the Dynaflows (a frozen fruit and juice blended drink) and the chips and beanie dip (tortilla chips with a hummus, salsa, and jack cheese dip served warm).  In addition to our traditional order, I tried their IVE, Iced Viennese Espresso (similar to a Starbucks Double Shot, but BETTER!!!!!) and their Type A salad (perfect for Type A’s like me who are very picky with their food! :-D).  Now this salad was fantastic; fresh mixed greens, chopped jicama, cucumbers, carrots, and bell peppers (hold the tomatoes as usual), but what really made this salad stand out from the pack was the dressing we chose-Lummox Vinaigrette.  It took the basic balsamic vinaigrette dressing and flipped it on its head!  I loved it so much I begged for the recipe and they were nice enough to give it to me. And lucky for you as well because it’s posted below for all to enjoy!! 

    Lummox Vinaigrette Dressing

    • 1 head garlic
    • 1/4 tomato
    • 1 serrano pepper
    • 1/2 T. basil
    • 1/2 T. black pepper
    • 9 oz. red wine vinegar
    • 3 oz. balsamic vinegar
    • 6 oz. olive oil

    Throw it all into a blender and blend it up!! Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum!

    And on our next visit, apparently we are trying something called the Cookie Bomb … oh, my!