| It's been a few millennia since Northern Nevada | | | | features a wide-open kitchen area so you can |
| was near the ocean, but that hasn't stopped local | | | | see what the cooks are up to. The menu offers |
| chefs from keeping up with seafood trends. In a | | | | iced shellfish, lobster corn dogs, grilled bone |
| town based on tourism and entertainment, it's | | | | marrow and a wide variety of other trendy fare. |
| expected that a little thing like distance won't | | | | Most of the fish is flown in fresh from the coast. |
| keep fish off the menus. While strip mall sushi | | | | Definitely pricey but worth it for serious foodies. |
| joints and casino crab platters abound, here are | | | | 7. You may need to take your time looking for it, |
| some of the region's most overlooked catches. | | | | but the visibly unremarkable Royal Seafood |
| 1. Francis' Asian Bistro (4796 Caughlin Parkway) | | | | Buffet chinese restaurant (3255 S. Virginia St.) |
| offers a unique, modern take on Asian fusion | | | | actually offers some serious seafood along with |
| accompanied by an impressive view of the city | | | | its egg-rolls and fried rice. Baked salmon, black |
| and the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Look for | | | | bean mussels and spicy squid frequently show up |
| sushi, oysters and curried vegetables as well as | | | | in the rotation, as do corn cakes stuffed with |
| Chilean sea bass, the house special. | | | | shredded fish. If you're traveling with kids whose |
| 2. La Vecchia Italian Restaurant (3501 S. Virginia | | | | interest in weird food is limited, this might be a |
| St.) is known for Northern Italian dishes so | | | | good compromise. |
| traditional that they'll seem new to many | | | | 8. A standout among Reno's many Japanese |
| Americans. It's hard to go wrong here, and you | | | | eateries, Sushi Moto (748 South Meadows |
| might be better off just asking for the daily | | | | Parkway) is the rare sushi bar that improves on |
| special, which is usually a new item the chef is | | | | the original cuisine. The menu includes old favorites |
| testing out before he puts it on the menu. While | | | | as well as dishes with a Hawaiian, Korean, |
| homemade pasta is a staple, numerous fresh fish | | | | vegetarian and even Southern twist. While it might |
| fillets are available and the fritto misto, a platter | | | | sound like a restaurant in the midst of an identity |
| of carefully fried calamari, shrimp, zucchini and | | | | crisis, Sushi Moto succeeds most of the time, |
| artichokes, is exceptional. | | | | making it one of the most unexpected fish |
| 3. Local favorite Rapscallion Seafood House & Bar | | | | experiences in town. However, sushi purists may |
| (1555 S Wells Ave.) wins regional dining polls | | | | go into convulsions when they see that some rolls |
| pretty much every year, and with good reason. A | | | | include asparagus, macadamia nuts or mango. |
| quiet, dimly lit space (except on St. Patrick's Day, | | | | 9. Ichiban (219 North Center Street) inside |
| when it's the center of the area's festivities), | | | | Harrah's casino combines flashy Teppanyaki |
| Rapscallion aims to recreate the fish joints of | | | | cooking with traditional Japanese cuisine. While you |
| old-world San Francisco with dishes such as tiger | | | | can get sushi and noodle dishes, the best choice is |
| prawn and sea scallop fettuccini and crab-stuffed | | | | to sit at one of the grills, where chefs prepare |
| monk fish. | | | | sizzling steak, lobster, shrimp, scallops and more |
| 4. A total departure from standard seafood | | | | right at your table. If you or your kids have yet |
| restaurants, Marisco's El Pescador (499 E. Plumb | | | | to experience the pyrotechnics that go on at |
| Lane) offers Mexican-style seafood in a more | | | | these places, it's worth a look. For the price, there |
| relaxed setting. In addition to being a popular | | | | may be better meals in town, but Ichiban offers |
| hangout for local Latinos, El Pescador offers some | | | | a show to go along with it. |
| of the best seafood cocktails and soups in town. | | | | 10. Calling John's Oyster Bar (1100 Nugget Ave, |
| Traditional fare including raw oysters are also | | | | Sparks) a secret is a bit of a stretch, since it's |
| served. | | | | among the region's most respected fishmongers. |
| 5. Bleeding-edge bistro Cafe de Thai (7499 | | | | But one simply can't talk about seafood in |
| Longley Lane) features a spectacularly spare | | | | Northern Nevada without a nod to this perennial |
| dining room and decor so hip it can be tough to | | | | favorite inside John Ascuaga's Nugget casino. |
| figure out how to work the bathroom sink. The | | | | Dishes include a variety of award-winning pan |
| bar often draws a crowd of young business | | | | roasts and a world-class cioppino alongside clams, |
| people as the evening wears on, but the patio | | | | salmon, prawns, gumbo and fish sandwiches. The |
| offers a more intimate atmosphere. The seafood | | | | price range is wide, from $9 for salads to more |
| menu leans heavily on prawns and salmon, but | | | | than $30 for some entrees, meaning the place is |
| lobster spring rolls and blue crab chowder are the | | | | appropriate for a quick lunch as well as a full |
| most memorable. | | | | evening out. The nautical decor and artfully |
| 6. Fin Fish (2500 E. Second St.) inside the Grand | | | | designed aquariums will help get you in a fishy |
| Sierra Resort represents chef-about-town Charlie | | | | mood, but after one taste of seafood Louie, you |
| Palmer's first foray into seafood. Decorated in | | | | shouldn't need much encouragement. |
| subway tiles and aged driftwood, the restaurant | | | | |