Pirate and pizza fans finally have something they both can enjoy: Pirates Gourmet Pizza by Reno Town Mall on Virginia Street.When thinking of pirate-themed restaurants, one might think of pirate-dressed waiters and sea shanties being sung over the store’s PA. But the pizzeria doesn’t so much shout pirate as much as it suggests. A few pirate statues are scattered through the restaurant with sea-themed tablecloths, a mural painted onto the wall and a few bottles hanging from the ceiling. It definitely stays with the pirate theme without being annoying.The friendly waitress greeted my dining companion and me, and seated us at the booth where we promptly ordered a basket of wings ($8.99) and two medium pizzas: one a half Mexican and half barbecued chicken, and the other half cheese and half Japanese.Since we arrived between the rushes, the wings arrived fairly quickly. The wings had just the right balance of spice and sweet, which contrasted nicely after a ranch-dressing bath. However for the price, we didn’t get a lot of wings—just about 12 or 15.But, before we could wolf down the wings, our two pizzas arrived. Though $20 for a medium pizza doesn’t seem like a good value, diners get plenty for the price. The crust is almost as thick as the Earth’s outer shell – it’s perfect for absorbing lots of ranch dressing or honey. The depth of the pizza rivals most diving pools and toppings swim freely in the cheese-filled cavity.

A knife and fork might be the best way to tackle these pizzas because it seems the only human capable of completely handling the pieces would be Andre the Giant.

I started with the Mexican pizza, filled with beef, refried beans, black olives, red onions, green peppers, Roma tomatoes, cheddar cheese and sour cream with tortilla chips wedged between each slice. The pizza tasted like the best seven-layer dip I had ever had. The hot cheese meshed nicely with the rest of the ingredients and the sour cream served as a nice contrast.

The barbecued chicken didn’t impress me as much. The sauce wasn’t as tangy and the chicken was a little bland. I have had better barbecue chicken pizzas in Reno, namely Blind Onion and Blue Moon, and would suggest them if one was in the mood.

The Japanese pizza overflowed with teriyaki chicken, pineapple, red onions, green peppers and Roma tomatoes. As soon as my friend picked up his slice, its contents spilled onto his plate, making a better case for knife-and-fork tactics.

Though my friend closely guarded his cheese pizza, I was able to haggle for a slice of his Japanese pizza. But I wasn’t able to enjoy by prize until I got home since the two pieces I had already eaten were pressing hard against the inside of my ribs.

I am sure the pizza lost some of its taste after a night in the refrigerator, but I agree with an observation my friend made: a full assault on the taste buds with no dominant taste.

My friend assured me the cheese pizza did a good job and could hold its own against any other gourmet cheese pizza in town.

Ignoring the theme (my favorite part), Pirates Pizza serves whale-sized pizzas. Anyone with a monstrous appetite or any crust lover should give this place a try.

Pirate’s Pizza
180 W. Peckham Lane #1100
Reno, NV 89509
(775) 828-0900
Hours

• Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Sunday: 3:30p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Grade: B

Photo by Daniel Clark/Nevada Sagebrush

A brief history
“Wine is basically fermented grape juice but it’s so much more than that,” wine educator Grant Dehne of Reno wine store Vino 100 said. “It is every other subject imaginable: economic, diplomatic and especially religious.”

Indeed wine has a long and fabled history: the first known literal reference to wine came from the Old Testament, where it states that Noah planted a vineyard. Persian legend tells the story of a woman who tried to poison herself with spoiled grapes but fell asleep light-headed and awoke the next day with all her worries gone.

But the earliest archeological evidence of wine dates back to 5,000 B.C. in the form of residue on a clay vessel from the Middle East. But wine didn’t take off for a few thousand years.

“Christianity really influenced the spread of wine,” Dehne said. “As European missionaries went to places like Chile and Argentina, they brought their knowledge of winemaking to the culture.”

Today, the art of winemaking has permeated dozens of countries on nearly every continent.

How to taste wine

Believe it or not, that guy with his nose in his glass isn’t just being pretentious—there is a method to all that swirling, sniffing and swishing. Choosing a wine you’ll enjoy takes the efforts of several of your senses. Dehne offered a few steps for approaching any glass of wine.

Look at the wine
Look for clarity and consistency of color. The best way to do this is to hold the glass up against something that is white. For clarity, you generally do not want a wine that looks cloudy in the glass. As you look for consistency, notice the color—with older vintages of reds, the color will recede to the center and the outside will have an orange or brownish hue. Dehne’s rule: if the color doesn’t appeal to you, don’t drink it.

Swirl the glass
This serves two purposes: it releases the wine’s fragrance and coats the glass so you can observe the wine’s “legs,” or “tears,” meaning the way it trickles down the glass. Traditionally, the “legs” help you identify the amount of alcohol in the wine—a thicker, slower trickle indicates a high amount of alcohol or sugar. This is not as true today, Dehne warns, since the many additives in modern wines can affect its “legs.”

Sniff the wine several times
Each time forgetting what you’ve just smelled and look for a different scent. With the first sniff, you may only notice the alcohol, with the second, the fruits in the wine and with the third, you may notice sweetness or spiciness. Dehne said a sweeter smell indicates that the wine has been “oaked,” meaning it has spent too much time fermenting in its oak barrel.

Taste the wine
Swishing and letting it linger in your mouth. When doing this, you’re looking for the wine’s “body,” or weight. Dehne advises thinking of the wine as milk: a non-fat milk would be considered light-bodied, two percent milk would be medium-bodied and whole milk would be heavy-bodied. Also look for how long the flavor stays in your mouth a.k.a. “lingering notes.”“No one sign means a wine is better than another,” Dehne said. “Tasting is just about experiencing the wine and finding out what you like.”

The wine drinker’s vocabulary

• Tannins: compounds from the skin, seeds and stems of grapes usually found in red wines. Tannins are bitter in flavor and often result in a puckery or dry palate.
• Old world wines: the more heralded wines of countries like France, Germany, Italy and others that have been making wines for centuries. Old world wines are based in tradition and generational secrets of the trade.
• New world wines: modern, “science forward” wines commonly from regions such as New Zealand, Chile, New York and California.
• Legs or tears: drops of wine that trickle down the inside of the glass after the wine is swirled or tasted. They typically indicate the alcohol and sugar content of the wine: the slower the trickle, the more alcohol or sugar in the wine.
• Oaky: describes a wine with a toasty or sweet vanilla flavors resulting from oak barrel fermentation. A wine that has overdeveloped these flavors has likely spent too much time in the barrel and is therefore “oaked.”
• Fruit forward: describes a wine dominated by fresh fruit flavors. A wine can be fruit forward in either taste smell or both.
• Earthy: describes a wine with mineral aromas.
• Dry: the opposite of sweet, except in sparkling wines where dry means sweet (do try to keep up). Dry wines have low or no levels of residual sugar.
• Varietals: wines made from a single grape and bear the grape’s name. Examples include Chardonnay, Merlot and Riesling. U.S. law requires that a varietal wine must contain at least 75 percent of that grape.
• Terrior: (pronounced teh-RWAHR) a French term meaning “soil” referring to the wine’s region of origin that gives the flavor it’s unique properties. A sense of terrior lends complexity to a wine.
• Reserve: traditionally a designation used by a winemaker to designate his best product but now mostly a marketing term arbitrarily placed on wine to help sales.
• Body: the weight and feel of the wine in the mouth.
• Finish: can describe the wine’s aftertaste in both length and flavor. Generally, the longer the finish, the higher the quality of the wine.

Where and what wine to find for a good sip

Reno area wine shops Fine Vines and Vino 100 have recommended a few good wines under $15 for the penniless college student.
Vino 100 recommends:

• Pierre Chainier Vouvray Chenin Blanc 2006 ($14)
  From the Loire Valleys in the Vouvray region of northwest France, this white has pineapple and peach notes. Best enjoyed with ripe cheeses and desserts.
• Pircas Negras Torrontés 2006 ($13)
  From Argentina, this white wine is crisp, bright and fruit-forward. Best enjoyed with summer fare and sweets.
• Lorca Monastrell 2006 ($13)
  From the Murcia region of Spain, this red has chocolate and cherry aromas.
• Gruet Demi Sec ($20)
  Although a little out of the price barrier, this champagne is worth the extra $5. The winemaker, Laurent Gruet, is the youngest brother of a famed champagne house in France. Knowing he would never touch the estate as the youngest, he produces his champagne near Albuquerque, N.M., but still draws resources from winemakers back in France.

Fine Vines recommends:

• Pedroncelli Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ($13.99)
  This Sonoma County red has flavors of red currant, spicy pepper and subtle oak notes.
• Little Black Dress Pinot Grigio 2007 ($9.50)
  This fun California white has an alluring bottle and light, refreshing flavor.
• New Age White ($9.75)
  This naturally sparkling, low alcohol blend is enjoyed with a squeeze of lime in Argentina. The sweet, white wine is a top seller and could easily fit in at an outdoor barbecue or summer day at the beach.
• Snoqualmie Chardonnay 2006 ($10.99)
  Named after a mountain range in Washington, this Chardonnay with a Native American moniker has both fruity and oaky notes and a soft finish. The bottle recommends that it be paired with grilled halibut or chicken quesadilla.

Vino 100
748 South Meadows Parkway
Reno, NV 89521
775-851-8466

Fine Vines
6300 Mae Anne Ave., Ste. 3
Reno, NV 89523
775-787-6300

Tahoe Vista

El Sancho
7019 N. Lake Blvd.
530-546-7744
Mexican, $2 to $10
With its small, colorful restaurant, El Sancho offers a slice of authentic Mexican food amid all those fancy-shmancy “water-front grills.” Take your choice of meat: carnitas, lengua, cabeza or carne asada. Chose your preferred method of delivery: taco, tostada, soup or torta. Wash it down with one of seven Mexican beers. Enjoy.

King’s Beach

Char-Pit
8732 N. Lake Blvd.
530-546-3171
Burgers, $4 to $11
You haven’t eaten a burger until you’ve eaten at the Char-Pit. This Kings Beach burger stand has been serving their take on an American classic since 1962 with concoctions like the Mexican Burger, with green chili and BBQ sauce, or the Tiki Burger with teriyaki sauce and grilled pineapple. The Char-Pit also offers a variety of sandwiches and fried fish.

Crystal Bay

Café Biltmore
Inside the Tahoe Biltmore off Highway 28
775-831-0660
Coffee Shop, $7 to $25
It’s the only restaurant open 24 hours a day in Crystal Bay. It has a wide-ranging menu featuring traditional American fare to Mexican favorites.

Tahoe City

The Bridgetender
65 W. Lake Blvd, Tahoe City
530-583-3342
Burgers, $6 to $12
The Bridgetender serves a mean burger. Get any kind you want – BBQ or Swiss – just remember to order it with waffle fries. The wood-paneled restaurant near the Tahoe City Dam still remains a Tahoe staple after more than 30 years. Summer-time patio seating is a must.

Homewood

Pisanos Pizza
5335 W. Lake Blvd., Homewood
530-525-6464
Pizza, $13 to $21
Located on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe is Pisanos Pizza, a small pizzeria with plenty of gourmet toppings and combinations. Get a glass of house wine for $4.50.

The Old Tahoe Cafe
5335 W. Lake Blvd., Homewood
530-525-5437
American, $8 to $19
The Old Tahoe Cafe, a decades-old institution, is a cozy family restaurant with a knack for French Toast ($9.79) located on Tahoe’s West Shore. U.S. and Latvian flags fly outside the café, but the food is all-Americana. Burgers ($8.50 to $10), Reuben sandwiches ($9.50) made from scratch and plenty of American-style deserts – including three scoops of ice cream for $4.50.

Front Street Pizza Company
205 N. Lake Blvd. Tahoe City
530-583-3770
Pizza, $16 to $25
This pizzeria located next to the Truckee River offers a menu that is both unsuspecting and exciting. For starters: Spicy Thai Chicken pizza ($25 for a large) covered in sweet chili sauce, grilled chicken mozzarella and drizzled with peanut sauce. If gourmet isn’t your style, you can also snag a slice of cheese pizza and a Pabst Blue Ribbon for $5.

Jake’s On the Lake
780 N. Lake Blvd., Tahoe City
530-583-0188
Californian fine dining
Lunch: $11 to $17
Dinner: $17 to $29
While a meal at Jake’s might be a little more than what most students are willing to spend, the food and a panoramic view of the lake are worth it. The menu features waterfront classics like pan-fried crab cakes ($13.50) to new twists like Idaho trout stuffed with shrimp, lobster and Dungeness crab (22.50).

Sawtooth Ridge Café
877 N. Lake Blvd., Tahoe City
530-583-2880
American
Breakfast and Lunch: $6 to $9
Dinner: $13 to $23
What used to be a nightclub that featured bands like Sublime is now an all-American café featuring a wide breakfast and lunch selection. The Granny Smith is a must-try sandwich with baked turkey, Granny Smith apples, melted provolone, grilled red onion and a sweet mustard vinaigrette. Don’t forget the sweet potato fries.

Tahoe City

The Bridgetender
65 W. Lake Blvd, Tahoe City
530-583-3342
Burgers, $6 to $12
The Bridgetender serves a mean burger. Get any kind you want – BBQ or Swiss – just remember to order it with waffle fries. The wood-paneled restaurant near the Tahoe City Dam still remains a Tahoe staple after more than 30 years. Summer-time patio seating is a must.

South Lake Tahoe

The Cabo Wabo Cantina
Inside Harveys Lake Tahoe on Highway 50
775-588-2411
Mexican, $15 to $25
If you’re a fan of washed-up Van Halen singers or Mexican spring break trips, then Cabo Wabo is the place for you. Located inside Harveys Lake Tahoe, this Mexican restaurant doubles as a nightclub. A vibrant environment coupled with an extensive menu of Mexican classics makes for a fine meal after a day on the slopes.

Fire + Ice
4100 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake
530-542-6650
Improvisational grill
Lunch: $14.95
Dinner: $23.95
What started in Cambridge, Mass., in 1997 is now a growing franchise of quirky restaurants. Fire + Ice features a large Mongolian grill in the middle of the restaurant where customers can give cooks a bowl of meat (surf or turf), veggies, pasta, noodles and sauce to grill right before their eyes. Consider it dinner and a show. Perfect for a date or a large group.

Izzy’s Burger Spa
2591 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake
530-544-5030
Burgers, $5 to $9
After a long day of skiing, there’s nothing better than a cheap, American classic. Izzy’s offers a plenty of twists on the hamburger, including the Buffalo Burger made with hot wing sauce. Izzy’s also offers plenty of sandwiches and hot dogs.

19 Kitchen~Bar
Inside Harveys Lake Tahoe
775-586-6777
American fine dining, $25 to $40
If you really want to splurge on a good dinner at Lake Tahoe, 19 Kitchen~Bar is the perfect place to impress a date. Located on the 19th floor of Harveys, the dining room has a panoramic view of the lake with a menu featuring new takes on chicken, beef and fish. Reservations are recommended.

Incline Village

Crosby’s Pub
868 Tahoe Blvd., Incline Village
775-833-1030
American, $5 to $16
Tucked away in the Christmas Tree Village is a local’s favorite, Crosby’s Pub and Casino. Besides a generous drink menu, it’s kitchen serves anything from award-winning green chili to some of the best wings around – especially the doubled-dipped wings ($7.45) smothered in teriyaki and hot sauce.

Photo by Daniel Clark/Nevada Sagebrush

If you want to get a taste of Hispanic culture without crossing the border, a short drive down to King Ranch Market on Wells Avenue will satisfy your curiosity. Pop your head into the store to find Reno’s largest Hispanic food store.  However, the strong authentic atmosphere will shock some.

Don’t be surprised if someone speaks Spanish to you, the employees and regular customers will naturally assume that you speak the language.  Since most of the employees don’t speak English, be patient, there is bound to be someone around who will act as a translator.

Even though this place isn’t the cleanest, the people here are very friendly no matter what language you speak.  They will be happy to help.

As for prices, store director Gerardo Amaya proudly boasts about his store.

“It’s cheaper than anywhere else,” Amaya said.

By gauging the flow of customers in and out of this store, it’s safe to say that the customers do indeed like the prices as well as the wide selection of American products in addition to the Hispanic food.

The bad only thing about this place is the parking.

“I parked my car down the street and walked about a block because I couldn’t find parking in the parking lot,” Dimas Castan, a local customer, said.

For two years now, King Ranch Market has served its customers to the best of their abilities.

“I enjoy working with the people who come to my store,” Amaya said.  “Their smiles make me happy.”

King Ranch Market is located at 1500 S. Wells Ave., Reno, NV 89502.  For more information call (775) 786-8788.

Reno’s little secret is Ellen Woo’s Mon Fon Asian Supermarket is a treasure trove of savory exotic goods tucked away on West Fifth Street.

Heavily influenced by the fusion of Asian cultures, Ellen Woo’s balances a wide varity of assorted goods from unusual delicacies of parrot fish and dried black fungus to packets of noodles and mounds of rice. What you can’t find at a normal grocery store, you’ll sure find here.

A Chinese shrine located at the entrance of the store is put there for protection to ward off evil. Unpeeled oranges and sets of tea cups filled with tea act as offerings.

The pungent aroma, a lucky kitty statue, decorative lanterns along the wall and a smiling Buddha screams of authenticity. It’s almost like walking into a Chinatown shop but a very clean version.

Surprisingly enough, although it may seem small from the outside, it’s the amount of supplies packed in there that give customers a good selection of exotic goods that lure locals and out-of-towners into the store.

“We are the biggest Asian shop in Reno,” owner Ellen Woo said.

Her husband Tony Mai is happy with the clientele that is made up of differnent races.

“Most of my customers are 60% white people,” Mai said. “The other 40% is made up of different Asians from Japanese, Filipino, Chinese and some Cambodian. We even get a lot of Chinese and Japanese students that come here from UNR,” Mai said.

The prices are very reasonable and the six employees are very friendly. The most important of all, the store is very clean and organized.

Woo said she is very proud of her selection.

“I like the snacks, vegetables, the spicy seasonings and the gifts we offer here,” Woo said. “This store is really popular and the international students know me well.”

Originally from Mainland, China, Woo and her family lived in the Bay Area before settling down in Reno seven years ago. Many may not know about Ellen Woo’s but those that do are loyal customers.

“We don’t advertise much but our customers come from word of mouth, from friend to friend,” Woo said.

Any college student can tell you that the price of food is a major factor in deciding what to eat. While many first-year students will buy meal plans, the number of times someone can eat at the Downunder Café in a week has a limit. Many upperclassmen and in turn must buy all their food, spending tons of cash. The following is a short list of the various places across Reno to get a filling meal for a low cost.

Scoopers Drive-In

Double cheeseburger with fries and large drink - $4.59
Looking like it came straight out of “Happy Days,” this classic American-style restaurant serves burgers, hot dogs and fries, portraying the kind of drive-in diner In-N-Out used to be. Scoopers offers a variety of shakes with flavors ranging from cola to pumpkin, which is a delicious treat for a minimal charge.

Sinbads Hot Dogs

Hot dog with medium drink and chips – $4.50
Sinbads serves deliciously large hot dogs, just under a foot, and is “home of the Steamin’ Wienie.” With incredible preparation, the hot dogs are served with mustard, ketchup, relish, onions and, in an odd twist, tomatoes. Also offered are chili dogs, cheese dogs and chili bowls.

Dreamers Coffeehouse & Deli

17 S.Virginia St.
Reno, NV 89501

Grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich - $3.65
This friendly coffee house has a cozy feel as it cooks up quiches and pastries daily. The artistic deli features a wide range of coffees and sandwiches, all at affordable prices. Dreamers is a comfortable meal for any student on a tight budget.

The Pita Pit

Vegetarian pita with cheese - $4.89
While this restaurant is a bit more commercial, it has plenty to offer. Featuring a massive selection of ingredients, The Pita Pit offers tons of ways to eat healthy. The Pita Pit also prides itself on being vegetarian-friendly, devoting nearly half its menu to vegetarian pitas.

Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwich

Any 8-inch sub sandwich - $4.75
This unforgettable sub shop is a classic favorite; however, the speed and price of these subs are sometimes forgotten. Students across campus know that nothing hits the spot like a sub made in 30 seconds at 1 a.m., especially when it costs less than five dollars.

Pub & Sub

Any pizza between 6:30 p.m. - close on Mondays and 6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. on Fridays – half price
While this example is time-sensitive, it is by far the best special available. A one-topping medium pizza that can usually feed two people is normally $14. For $7 on Friday nights, you can have the same amount and use the rest of what you would normally pay on beer. Pub & Sub is a local favorite and a winner in terms of tight budgets.

Archie’s Famous Grill

Half order biscuits and gravy - $3.99
While it may not sound like much, this breakfast from Archie’s is just enough to fill any man up. However tempting it may be to save another dollar and eat at a casino, one should remember that Archie’s is much nicer than any casino-based diner. The classic bar-and-grill setting is perfect for any sports fan, especially on the weekend when they serve breakfast until 1 p.m.

Big Pig Smokehouse BBQ

Any of four lunch specials - $5.00
This restaurant, self-labeled “knuckle suckin’ good,” lives up to the claim by providing the kind of barbecue that makes a mess and doesn’t even faze you. Pulled pork, beef brisket and hot links for entrees, as well as corn bread, cole slaw and baked beans for sides, Big Pig Smokehouse is good ole Southern barbecue.

Blue moon gourmet pizza

Lunch special - $3.50, Combo - $7.50
The lunch special features a slice of pepperoni or cheese pizza. The combo includes the pizza slice, a salad and a drink.

Phots by Julian Rhodes/Nevada Sagebrush