Los Altos Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner is a relatively new diner on Pyramid Way and Los Altos Parkway. They serve diner classics such as skillets, chicken fried steak, waffles and the like. Unexpected, but welcome, additions include fried pickles, burgers, salads and deep-fried ice cream. The family-run eatery has something to offer most tastes, and it’s quickly becoming an area favorite.
Two Cousins Answer the Call to Greatness
Image: Kyle Young
I had the pleasure of speaking with Isaac Cordero, co-owner and front of house manager at Los Altos Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner. Isaac’s cousin, Ramon Zarate, co-owns the diner and is the mastermind in the kitchen. The two had previous experience working in diners, and they achieved their dream when they opened Los Altos on January 25, 2019.
I asked Cordero why he and Zarate chose to open a diner. Cordero advised that their culinary prowess is strongest with breakfast food, and they want to deliver the best that their skills can offer. He went on to say that they hope to bring the community together with authentic, original, house-made dishes.
Family recipes and all-fresh, never-frozen ingredients are converting new diners into regular customers. Cordero noted that their steak and eggs are especially tasty, because they purchase fresh, high-quality, never-frozen beef from U.S. Foods. Even better, Zarate cuts every steak in-house to ensure optimal quality.
Cordero, formerly a server, is pleased to be working in the front of the house, because he enjoys getting to know his customers. He helps out in the kitchen when necessary, but he finds building rapport with customers most rewarding.
Los Altos Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner: Round One
Round one for me at Los Altos occurred about a week ago. Seeking a quick meal after a dentist appointment, I popped in for breakfast before heading into work.
I ordered the Skillet a la Diabla for $10.99. The skillet included chopped hot link pieces, serrano chile slices, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and jack and cheddar cheeses. Accompanying the fixin’s were three eggs any style, country potatoes, and choice of starch (toast, English muffin, biscuit, tortillas). I chose over-medium eggs, and my server allowed me to order a bowl of fruit instead of the starch at no extra cost.
My server served my food atop a sizzling skillet. I always enjoy this presentation. The veggies were well-seasoned and well-grilled with many of them boasting crisp, charred morsels. The hot link pieces, too, had a really enjoyable char to them. The dish included a nice amount of serranos, delivering on the “a la diabla” name. The mushrooms added some nice depth to the overall flavor of the dish. The cheese was well-melted and integrated throughout the dish. I appreciated the availability of Tobasco, Cholula and ketchup without having to ask.
My fruit bowl included cantaloupe, honeydew, red grapes and slices of banana. The melon wasn’t especially juicy, but the grapes and banana were tasty.
Despite a packed house, the employees never missed a step with service.
Los Altos Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner: Round Two
Because my solo meal would have made for a pretty thin review, I invited my wife and close friend to join me during round two. We started our meal with volcano-hot, fried pickle spears ($7.95). The beer batter was crisp. The salty, briny and savory spears were fantastic with a dip in ranch.
Image: Kyle Young
My friend ordered the Belgian Waffle Combo for $10.99. His meal included two eggs any style, two pieces of breakfast meat (bacon, sausage or ham), and choice of country potatoes or hash browns. My friend opted for over-medium eggs, two slices of bacon and the country potatoes. My buddy demolished his waffle in what seemed like seconds. Fair to say that he loved it. He noted that his eggs, bacon and potatoes could have used some more time on the griddle, but he wasn’t off-put by their doneness.
My wife ordered Ramon’s Skillet for $10.99. She chose three scrambled eggs, country potatoes and corn tortillas to accompany the fixin’s. The skillet ingredients included chorizo, tomato, cilantro, peppers, onions, serranos, avocado, jack and cheddar cheese and pico de gallo. She said she would have enjoyed crispier potatoes and maybe a few more serranos, but she enjoyed the robust flavors and how well-integrated the ingredients were.
I ordered the Angus Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs for $12.95. I chose fried eggs, country potatoes and sourdough toast to accompany my meal. For me, too, I wished the papas had a better crisp. The toast and eggs were great. Zarate beat the beef cutlet into thin submission before breading it and frying it to a beautiful crisp. The sausage and bacon gravy was mild, but satisfying. Hearty dabs of Tobasco and Cholula elevated my meal from good to great.
Cordero, Zarate, and their whole team are sharp professionals that deliver a warm and welcoming diner experience. I hope to return soon.
Egg PSA 2019
It’s become in vogue to shame well-cooked eggs and those that eat them. I’m pro egg-choice, and you should be, too. Sometimes I want a pool of yolk, and I don’t mind that I lose 10% of the egg to my plate and beard. Other times, I want to eat every bit of egg white and egg yolk. To the yolk-or-die militants out there, free your huevos from hegg-emonic tyranny!
Los Altos Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Details
Visit Los Altos at 5015 Pyramid Way, Suite 107, Sparks, NV 89436. They are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and open Fridays and Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Reach them by phone at 775-425-8010.
