Coming soon
Truckee’s FiftyFifty Brewing Co. is set to open a new location in Reno Public Market at 299 E. Plumb Lane. Co-owner Andy Barr said the target opening date is March 13. He described it as a “restaurant pub supporting the beer.” His plans include brewing beer onsite, including a few Reno-only varieties. “Woodfire smoker meats are a big part of the menu,” he added. The chefs will smoke them in-house in a woodfire oven. The pub-style menu will also feature sandwiches, salads, vegetarian dishes and a full bar. “It’ll be a little bit foodie, but in a very comfortable way,” Barr said. Learn more at www.fiftyfiftybrewing.com.
A new Panda Express is in the works at 7155 Sky Vista Parkway, across from the North Valleys Walmart. A representative from the company estimated that it should open sometime late this summer, adding that it will employ nearly 40 people, seat around 50, and boast the latest “Panda Home design” with a “distinctly American Chinese design” using “red lanterns, a moon gate portal and vibrant Chinatown signs.”
Chop Stop Salad Co., a chain serving salads, wraps and bowls with an existing location on Damonte Ranch Parkway, announced plans on social media for a second Reno location at 615 E. Plumb Lane, with a drive-thru window. An opening date has not yet been announced. To learn more, visit chopstop.com.
Openings
Tahoe Bagel Co. has opened its first Reno location in Independence Square at 294 E. Moana Lane. The bagel varieties include standbys like cinnamon raisin and sesame, along with innovative flavors like French toast and daily specials like orange fennel. The sandwich menu boasts a similar range, with tried-and-true combinations like lox with red onions, capers and dill, alongside chicken parm and a “proper Philly.” Visit www.renotahoebagelco.com.
Soup Dumpling’s House is now open in the Reno Public Market, at 299 E. Plumb Lane. The small menu features pork, pork and crab, beef or vegetarian dumplings, and you can watch them being handmade to order. Follow @soupdumplinghouse on Instagram.
Closings
Rick’s Deli Cafe, at 9475 Double R Blvd., closed on Jan. 16 after 24 years in business. A Jan. 15 Facebook post read, in part, “Our landlord has chosen not to renew our lease on reasonable terms, which has led us to this difficult decision.” The following day, after Rick’s closed, its Facebook post read, “This week we served almost 2,000 sandwiches—roughly 5x our normal volume. That kind of support is a once-in-a-lifetime gift.”
Prost Biergarten, which serves schnitzel, wurst and other German favorites at 180 W. Peckham Lane, announced in March 2 social media posts that it will close on March 29, citing COVID, “a gentrifying part of town” and possible leadership issues. The post reads, in part, “Let’s have an awesome March together and enjoy what time we have left. Thank you all for such awesome support it was truly amazing and eye opening. Come get your schnitzel fix.”
Events
Lauren Price, founder of the Rocklin, Calif., brewery Mindscape Fermentations, is teaching two fermentation classes this month at the Depot Craft Distillery and Brewery, 325 E. Fourth St. “Let’s Ferment Some Sauerkraut Together” convenes on Thursday, March 5, and “Let’s Ferment Hot Sauce Together” is on Thursday, March 19. Classes start at 6:30 p.m. and run for two hours. The fee for each class is $49.87, which includes a beverage.
When Reno Food + Drink Week returns March 18-31, food and drink fans will be encouraged to visit one of 26 select establishments; try a special dish, sweet or cocktail; and submit their own evaluations based on quality, service and cleanliness. The four highest scoring establishments will move to a second level of “post-event secret judging conducted under everyday operating conditions,” and two winners will be selected for top awards. This celebration of local cuisine also includes four limited-ticket events, where spirits or beer will be paired with savory foods, desserts or cheeses—for example, “Cask and Cream” on Friday, March 27, featuring six cocktail courses from High Mark Distillery and cheese pairings from The Wheyfarer. For the full list of participating food and drink establishments, and to purchase tickets for the pairing sessions, visit renofoodanddrinkweek.com.
News
This one’s for film fans, beer buffs and collectors of all things creepy: In February, as the premiere date approached for Mimics, a nationally released thriller film made by a Reno native, Brewer’s Cabinet released a special edition of its Dirty Wookie imperial brown ale, renamed Strings Attached and rebranded with a movie poster label depicting the dark-hearted ventriloquist’s dummy at the center of the film. Strings Attached is available on draft and in cans at The Brewer’s Cabinet, 475 S. Arlington Ave., and Shim’s Tavern, 125 W. Third St., while supplies last.