A Beaujolais Bistro dish is shown in this handout photo.
The second annual Reno Bites restaurant week takes place Oct. 20-27 at about 20 restaurants throughout Reno.
Created to encourage northern Nevadans to explore locally owned restaurants, Reno Bites this year will have a larger array of participants and events.
Participating restaurants include Beaujolais Bistro, Bowl, Campo, Chuy’s Mexican Kitchen, Crème, First Bite Gourmet, Gold ’N Silver Inn, La Vecchia, Lanna Thai Café & Culinary School, Men Wielding Fire, Noble Pie Parlor, Old Granite Street Eatery, Rapscallion Seafood House & Bar, Rounds Bakery, SoDo, Sϋp, The Blue Plate, The Cheese Board and Wild River Grille. Those restaurants will have special Reno Bites menu offerings during the week, and some will have a Signature Event, which showcases an out-of-the-box menu or something their chefs excel at preparing.
The kickoff event — 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Academy of Arts, Careers and Technology, 380 Edison Way in Reno — will feature many restaurants providing small-bite samplers from their menus and taking reservations for their signature events. Culinary demonstrations are scheduled and Nevada Grown will be on-hand with free produce samples and information about local ranches and farmers. Cost: $30; proceeds benefit AACT’s culinary program.
Aside from the Reno Bites menu offerings that week, several signature events are planned. Bowl will pay tribute to local women farmers at its Farm Bites event Oct. 21; Campo will show off Chef Mark Estee’s more unusual skills at the Offal Offal Experience Oct. 22; and SoDo will bring the wine country to Reno with Icons of Napa Oct. 23, an evening hosted by Reno Gazette-Journal Food & Drink Editor Johnathan Wright. Wild River Grille will pair wild game with whiskeys at Wild & Whiskey Oct. 24 and Rapscallion will provide a Friday feast Oct. 25.
Chow down and get the lowdown on cooking techniques at the Chefs Showdown, 3 p.m. Oct. 26 at Czyz’s Appliance, 9738 S. Virginia St., Suite AB in Reno. Eight of Reno’s best chefs each will prepare a dish from three mystery ingredients, which will be submitted to a panel of judges. The event is free, with reserved tables available for purchase.
Details: 775-772-8447 or www.RenoBitesWeek.com.
