Naan & Kabab: Mediterranean Cuisine in Reno
As I read through the reviews on Yelp, there’s definitely a recurring theme for those who have dared to step inside one of the newer international restaurants in Reno. The reviewers write that they were “unsure of what to expect” and “resistant” to the idea of eating at Naan & Kabab etc. Much to everyone’s surprise, it seems, their taste buds were pleased.
Since it’s opening on Valentine’s Day 2009, Naan & Kabab etc. has captured the hearts of its customers – 85% of which are repeat visitors.
Owner Chef Maurice describes his menu as a “journey of flavors” through authentic Mediterranean cuisine, the kind he grew up eating with his family in Tehran. The Mediterranean steak, for example, includes a wide array of flavors like saffron, cinnamon and coffee.
Chef Maurice was born to a Jewish family that had fled Bolshevik Russia and later Azerbaijan. When he was 17, he left for California, taking a job in a roadside steakhouse for 95 cents an hour. The story goes that one day, the hard-drinking head chef was too intoxicated to cook, so Maurice stepped up and prepared a steak and eggs breakfast for one of the most critical customers. Chef Maurice says the customer said it was the best breakfast he’d ever had, leaving a 25 cent tip. ”A 20 percent tip, huge for those days!’ Maurice recalled. ”That’s when I knew cooking was my passion.”
While Chef Maurice’s career took him throughout California, he was no stranger to Reno. He had a vacation home in Reno that he visited several times a year. He had always dreamed of opening his own restaurant, so when he “retired” in 2009 from restaurant operations in Northern California, he opened Naan & Kabab etc. in Reno.
Chef Maurice (always donning his chef hat) is a friendly man who takes much pride in his food, his culture and his establishment. Each night he makes the rounds and greets every one of his customers. He’s filled with colorful stories from his childhood, describing elaborate potluck dinners with the families with whom he shared his apartment building in Tehran.
Chef Maurice boasts healthy, fresh meals with all natural ingredients. Perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of the menu is the ability to get a delicious, three-course meal for only $8.95! (This offer is available every day from 11:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) The dining room of Naan & Kabab etc. is cozy and friendly, and the staff hasn’t changed since it opened over one year ago.
Check it out for yourself at 2740 S. Virginia St. Reno, Nevada 89502 or take a virtual tour on their Web site. 
Friday and Saturday nights you can enjoy a belly dancing show, and be sure to try their signature dessert, the “Awesome Dude Baklava”; a saffron ice cream with pistachios, vanilla, rose water and pieces of cream topped with baklava chunks.
Sitting on the exact location where Reno began in 1859, the newly renovated River Room in the historical Riverside Hotel is now open for business. Chuck and Jan Shapiro, owners of the thriving Wild River Grille, expanded their business into the space previously occupied by “Dreamers Coffee”.
“Since 2007, we have been a proud part of the urban renewal going on in Reno,” said owner Chuck Shapiro. “Our patrons enjoy a restaurant where they can meet up with friends to enjoy great food and drink, while celebrating the art and music renaissance of the Riverwalk. We are very excited to offer an additional space for dining, entertainment and relaxation.”
Greg Hoch, Founder and President of Tahoe Creamery, has been making ice cream his entire life. His father started The Shady Glen of Manchester family creamery in Connecticut in 1952, and Hoch says he never missed a day of work in 21 years. When Hoch started his own family, he decided it was time to branch out and take a stab at making ice cream on his own.
In a small warehouse in Minden, Nevada, Tahoe Creamery has six full-time employees and nine part-time, and produces up to 2,000 pints of ice cream per week. There are 120 total flavors, with 8 signature flavors in rotation year-round. The seasonal specials include peach in the spring, pumpkin in the fall and peppermint in the winter.
Are you looking for a way to unwind this weekend? Grand Sierra Resort (GSR) and Charlie Palmer are hosting the first Napa’s Backyard May 14 – 15, a culinary event celebrating Sierra Nevada’s access to the country’s most abundant growing regions. In other words, it’s an event filled with great local food and wine.
Did someone say THREE scoops of Baskin-Robbins® ice cream for UNDER $1?
The popular Food Network show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives will feature Reno’s very own DISH café this Monday, March 29 at 10:00PM ET/PT. (That’s 7PM Pacific Time for those of you still doing the math.)
“It took a lot of preparation. I wanted it to be perfect, but once they were here, even though they were on a tight schedule, it was easy to relax because the crew was so laid back,” said Nancy Horn, owner of DISH Café. “It was definitely a dream come true. I’ve known that I wanted a restaurant since I was six years old. Cooking is my passion and my dream is to teach on TV and write cookbooks. This was a very informative and exciting experience.”
Acclaimed baker and teacher Peter Reinhart; author of 8 cook books, winner of 4 James Beard awards on bread and world renowned baking instructor and author from Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, NC, will be visiting Reno for his first time, to teach a class based on his new, best selling book.
