For my mom’s birthday and fourth of July, we had an epic roadtrip adventure to Reno, Nevada! The drive up to Reno from the bay is beautiful to the point of inspiration. Blue sky, cotton clouds, picturesque mountains and pine trees lead the way. We drove past Donner Lake and Tahoe in 100+ degree weather! Luckily, my mom knew of a great restaurant up there called Hash House A Go Go, known for it’s “twisted farm food,” and where we took her for her birthday dinner. Post-dinner, we sauntered over to catch a Reno Aces Baseball game, Burning Man Firethrowers, and 4th of July Fireworks. It was an amazing trip – one that I’m excited to share with you all!
On the Road
Beautiful scenery through the Sierras
Is this real life?? Don’t forget to take a break and go into nature every now and then, folks. It’s easy to forget how pretty and majestic it is out there.
Welcome to Reno!
“The Biggest Little City in the World”
Epic Water Fountains at the Silver Legacy
Hash House A Go Go
For my mom’s birthday, she took us to what has got to be one of the most epic restaurants in Reno: Hash House A Go-Go. Located in Harrah’s Casino, Hash House -with it’s “twisted farm food”- is known for it’s massive portions and splended presentation. Though my mom warned us, we were not prepared for the gargantuan meal that was to follow.
Big O’Crispy Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
With Onion, Pickles, Ketchup on Whole Wheat Bun
Side Salad
My mom got the Big O’Crispy Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with a side salad. This was the biggest burger any of us had ever seen! It will be a meal for the next 3 days at least, I’m sure. The Big O’Crispy is a great example of not only the generous portions, but the astonishing presentation provided by the Hash House. It’s one of those restaurants where every dish that comes out warrants “oohs” and “ahhs.”
Sesame Crusted Salmon over Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Topped with Bruschetta and Rosemary
Side of Asparagus and Carrots
Sweet & Spicy BBQ Sauce
I ordered the Crispy Fresh Salmon. It was unique, tasty, and had amazing presentation. The sesame crust provided an interesting crunchy texture which is not usually encountered with silky salmon. Below, the layer of garlic mashed potatoes were spectacular- full of flavor from the garlic, yet not overpowering. The carrots were cooked but not too mushy. And my mom taught me that you can eat some of the rosemary! It had an earthy, fresh taste – similar to mint but with a different flavor. To top it all off (literally), the dish came with a goat cheese bruschetta, which really helped to lighten the taste of the hearty potatoes and sesame salmon. The whole dish was drizzled with a yummy sweet and spicy BBQ sauce. P.S. Those brown stick-like protrusions you see are angel hair pasta!
Black Skillet Chicken over Mashed Pumpkin, Bacon
Topped with Rosemary, Tomato and Asparagus
BBQ Sauce
Nick ordered the Black Skillet Chicken, with chili-crusted chicken breast, on pumpkin mashed with hardwood-smoked bacon, charred tomato, asparagus and BBQ sauce. Again, the presentation was exciting and interesting. As it’s name suggests, the dish came on a black skillet and had a Rosemary tower erected in the center. Everything was as delicious as it sounds and looks.
AAA Baseball – Reno Aces
After the dinner, we headed to Reno’s very own AAA Baseball Team – the Reno Aces. The Aces are a feeder team to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and their GM is former Giant’s member Brett Butler. They have an awesome newly-renovated stadium with a giant glowing baseball frame outside.
My mom and I on her birthday!!
My mom got us the best seats right behind home plate! The weather had dropped to a cool(er) 90 degrees by this time, and it really felt like a perfect midsummer baseball game.
Gorgeous twilight sky over the field
Every now and then, a strike of lightning would flash about a half mile beyond the field. Just enough to be exciting, without feeling dangerous.
Post-Game Fireworks!
The Reno Aces really know how to put on a fireworks show. From colorful spheres to golden raindrops, the display lasted about 15-20 minutes and were shot out from right behind the center outfield. Even the bleacher lights were set to red, white, and blue for added patriotic ambiance.
All in all, our Reno Roadtrip was quite epic. We were exposed to beautiful natural scenery as well as bright city lights, complete with ringing slot machines and an acrobatic show at circus circus. Hash House A Go-Go showed us some of the best food Reno has to offer – in taste, presentation, and portions. The glorious fireworks display and the exciting Aces game topped it all off! If you are in need of a summer vacation, and enjoy the bright lights of the city as well as a small town feel, Reno is a great place to visit! And be sure to stop by Hash House while you’re there 🙂
