The Stone House

As much as I love cooking and eating and learning everything there is to know about food, there's one thing I don't like about culinary arts school—writing. I've always been a boring, logical, academic type, nothing like the artsy-fartsy creative minds in my culinary arts program. But as much as imagination scares me, I'm finding I love it more than I ever thought I did. And even if the writing stresses me out, I have to admit the homework is the best. My most recent assignment was to review a white-tablecloth (AKA fancy-schmancy) restaurant. I've never eaten at a fancy restaurant before, in fact as a kid, McDonald's was about the only eating out I did, and even they only a few times a year, in 7th grade I thought Arby's was a fancy restaurant because it served actual roast beef sandwiches instead of burgers, in 11th grade I thought Chili's was about as fancy as it got, because you sat at a table and they brought food to you, and until last week going out to sushi was the fanciest thing I could think of. (hmmm... I need to think of some synonyms for "fancy") But the standard has been reset. For the first time in my life as I sat eating, as much as I wished and hoped that I could someday learn to make these things myself, the food was so good that all I could think was that I wanted to eat it forever, it didn't just make me want to cook. I almost can't believe I'm putting this on the internet for the whole world to see (because, you know, the whole world reads my blog), but everyone needs to know about this amazing restaurant, so here's my review:

What is it like when a five-star chef invites you to have dinner in his own home? Not many are lucky enough to be able to answer this question, but anyone in the Reno area can have a similar experience at The Stone House Cafe. A cozy home ambiance is combined with fantastic food for a wonderful and unique dining experience. The slightly informal atmosphere and service almost don’t seem to match the extravagant menu and outstanding food—but in a good way, offering the best of both worlds.

The bright interior of The Stone House is a breath of fresh air, just as the cute, welcoming exterior would suggest. The restaurant was once a home, and almost feels like it still is. Walls have been partially taken down and opened up, but still separate the restaurant into rooms with only two or three tables each—creating a close, comfortable setting. But despite the down to earth decor, customers each receive the star treatment.

The staff is friendly and eager to serve, making each patron feel like a personal guest. Drinks never empty as any server walking by quickly takes your glass to the bar for a hand-mixed refill. The hostess not only greets and seats newly arrived guests, but mingles among the tables, checking to make sure everything is perfect, getting anything a customer may need, and striking up friendly conversations. Guests never have to wonder what to order because each server quickly answers questions about any item and lists and explains the extensive off-menu specials.

During my visit to The Stone House, I was delighted to try five separate menu items. My fiancé and I started with the Antipasto Plate—a perfectly proportioned assortment of meats, cheeses, Ciabatta bread, and a mushroom tapenade. The plate had just enough to sample each wonderful flavor without filling up before our meal. Each component was delicious separate or mixed-and-matched with the other items. Next, we each indulged in a specialty entrée, crab-stuffed salmon for him and risotto-topped filet mignon for me. Both were magnificent—the sweet, sour, and spicy pineapple sauce was the highlight of the salmon while the sun dried tomatoes, oozing cheese, and crunchy-outside-creamy-inside made the risotto cake a little taste of heaven. We ended our meal with a simple crème brûlée and a rich, cinnamony, flakey-crusted apple dumpling.

When we received the check—though by no means small—we were pleasantly surprised given the incredible dinner we had just experienced. Overall, The Stone House offered an all-around fantastic meal for a great value. The menu offered a wide selection to accommodate many tastes (and wallets). The decor, service, and food blended together to create a perfect restaurant for your next night out.