- Best Basque Food: Let's not kid, this may seem weird to many from out of the area, or even newcomers to our metropolitan centers. For most of Nevada,though, persons of Basque heritage are as common as (often more so than) Irish, Hispanic, English, German, Portuguese, or even Russian, and Basque-style food is just unworldly good, as long as you're willing to eat parts of the cow (or pig, or goat) you've never even seen rendered into soap (cast off your shackles, people! sweetbreads are the new porterhouse). Now my personal favourite Basque restaurant is the Santa Fe here in Reno, so I just had to plug them. However, that's really not entirely fair since this is a "rural specific" list.
Therefore, my categorical favourite goes to the Nevada Dinner House in Elko. I know this comes as sacrilege to many Northern Nevadans, especially those in Elko itself, most of whom believe that the Star Hotel is king amongst the Basque eateries. Sorry, folks, perhaps I the runes happened to fall just right for me, but I found the Nevada Dinner House to be far superior. In fact, just in the Elko area alone I think that the Star places third to the NDH and Biltoki. Sorry, gotta call 'em as I see 'em. - Best Radio Station: I have to give this a technical tie. First in the running is KELK in Elko (I'm not just plugging Elko here, I promise). Granted, they're geared toward a mostly female core and play some stuff what I would consider to be suspect at best, but they get mad props for carrying local athletic events as well as my beloved Wolf Pack.
Take those props out of the equation, however, and this is an open-and-shut case. Hands down, the best station out there is KGFN 106.3 FM Radio Goldfield. There aren't a whole lot of radio stations outside of the metros, granted, but it would be hard to beat this station. They have to have a lot of heart to be able to do what they do out there, and they broadcast just about everything. "Solid Gold," they call it, from 1940 to 1990. Nothing vulgar, but how many other stations will broadcast ol' fashioned blues, then some bluegrass, then Tina Turner, then Benny Goodman, then Disco, then some bad country, then Blondie? Radio Goldfield is a must-tune-in the next time you're driving U.S. 95 through Esmeralda County (see right). Can't wait that long? Click the link above, they have a live stream! - Best Truck Stop: I have always been partial to the Flying J in Winnemucca, what with their selection of Buckwear. However, while their music selection became legendary amongst my circle of friends in the late nineties, they have gone downhill a bit in recent years. Who has picked up their slack? The Pilot in Carlin. The Flying J in Wells is still pretty dern good, though, but while the Pilot isn't necessarily the cleanest truck stop by the strictest definitions, it still gets the nod thanks to their selection of truly awful Techno, &c. Depeche Mode, anyone?
- Best McDonald's: Why not add this category? It's easy, anyway. The McDonald's in Ely is probably the nicest, but I can remember having McPizza and McTacos (can't find much on those things) in Tonopah. Is it a coincidence that McDonald's has their test site near where the Feds have their test site? Anyway, case closed, Tonopah McDonald's wins.
- Best Sandwich: Owl Club in Eureka, dead, done, best sammich. And, while you're there, ask them about their infamous W.R.A.N.G.L.E.R. shirts. Not everyone has surrendered the Sagebrush Rebellion.
- Best Non-Sandwich Non-Ravioli Hot Food: International Cafe in Austin. They have good reading while you wait, too. They're in an older building on the NORTH side of the highway.
- Best Ravioli: Bruno's Country Club in Gerlach. Yes, it is worth mentioning both Gerlach and Bruno's if for nothing other than the famous ravioli. World-ending, second coming of Christ-style, Soviet Union collapsing good, they are, and definitely worth the gas money to drive out there.
- Best Cold/Frosty Beverages: Toiyabe Cafe, Austin. Fine vittles, too, don't get me wrong, but their treats are unsurpassed.
- Best Margarita: El Marques, Tonopah. Food is good...good, not great. Fine people. In my humblest of opinions, they make the best margarita in the state of Nevada, flat out. If you follow the link, the map seems to put the place in Manhattan, a mountain town nearly an hour to the north of Tonopah with no services, so don't pay attention to that bit.
Okay, that's enough to put me to bed for this evening. The next time you find yourself traversing our great state, I hope that this list (and those to follow) provide modest assistance.
1 comment:
I'd put Biltoki ahead of the Star or the NDH, but that's just me. As for McDonald's, yeah, there's absolutely no way you can beat the one in Tonopah, especially as far as pure weirdness of the menu goes, but why stop there? Why not open up on all fast food places? Then, you could throw down Arctic Circle in Elko, the westernmost home of "fry sauce". I mean, where else other than Elko can you get Mormon food and Basque food?
That's what I thought.
The music selection at the Flying J is definitely quite mediocre these days; once tapes disappeared, that seemed to be the end of them. Plus, gas isn't as legendarily cheap there as it used to be; these days, it's frequently cheaper in Elko or Reno. Even so, I'm still not sure I would push the Pilot. Yeah, the music selection is better, but it is a catastrophic hole of a truck stop past that. Instead, I'd probably go a little farther west and shoot for the Mill City/Puckerbrush TA/Arco truck stop - I mean, they have a Subway AND a Taco Bell! C'mon!
PS: We need some Lovelock love in there. I don't know how or where, but there has to be a way to weasel them in there, right?
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