Reno: Harrah's: The Steakhouse

This is one of those old classics, in the best sense of that word, that’s been around forever and continues to impress with each visit. When I’m in Reno and go here for dinner I always feel like I might run into Darren, Samantha, Larry and Louise out for a big night on the town. The ambiance is subdued, quiet and sleek; happily a long way from the noise and bright lights of the casino upstairs, and the staff is the epitome of gracious professional service. Michael, the Maitre 'd, has been at the helm forever [well, as long as I’ve been dining there, which is more than 25 years]. And even though my visits are not frequent, he remembers me and is always welcoming.

The food here is as classy as the surroundings, everything one would expect from the best restaurant in Reno. The Steakhouse is justly famous for its creamy five onion soup, served in a giant onion with a crust of bubbling cheese, it’s the perfect way to begin the meal. I could actually eat more than one serving, but have resisted because the steaks are so good here that I don’t want to miss out. I’ve never had anything but a perfect steak here, and I’ve had many over the years. New York, fillet, prime rib . . . it’s all good. And, if you ask nicely they’ll prepare any of the steaks Oscar style . . . crab and Bearnaise, what could be better. The cool thing about the food here is that the presentation is a step that of most other steakhouses, beautifully prepared vegetables and starch, not just a slab of meat and a baked potato. Its fine dining that happens to be steak, and they know exactly what they’re doing. I have usually eaten too much to even think about ordering dessert, but at the end of the meal a very cool dish, steaming with dry ice, arrives at the table with house made truffles and chocolates and I cannot resist. It’s a perfect ending.

As an aside, this place is also for lunch on weekdays where that onion soup is available and there is a nice selection of salads and smaller entrees. Not listed on the menu is the Snoopy Salad . . . I don’t know where that name came from . . . but it’s a great combination of what seems like random things from the kitchen, and it along with the onion soup is a perfect lunch. So by having both lunch and dinner here I get to have the onion soup twice and that makes everything OK, even if my luck at the tables hasn’t been that good.

EatHereOrNot: EAT HERE

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