Showing posts with label Desserts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Desserts. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Sip of Saigon - A Must Try Modern Vietnamese Restaurant & Cafe with Some of the Best Vietnamese Food, Drink, Desserts, and Service in Sparks, Nevada

Combination Pho: sliced rare beef, beef brisket, and meatballs.  Don't forget to dunk your meat in hoisin and siracha sauce. 
Saigon Bahn Mi Sandwich: Vietnamese Ham, Pate, Mayo, Jalapeno, Cucumber, Cilantro, Green Onion, House Pickles on a Toasted French Baguette. My Favorite.
Tiramisu made by an Italian Chef.  On the strong side, but oh so good. 
Macarons imported from France.  They're amazing.  Raspberry is my current favorite. 

1272 Disc Dr. 
Sparks, NV 89436


Vietnamese cuisine is among one of the most popular cuisines around the world.  

It is known for its perfectly balanced, aromatic, and unique flavor profiles that are subtle, yet bold, and its usage of fresh and bright ingredients.

Here in Reno, we're fortunate to have a good amount of options, including an amazing and more modern one called Sip of Saigon, with "Sip" representing the various coffees and coolers offered here, and "Saigon" representing the area of Vietnam that influences their style of cooking.  

Sip of Saigon is taking Reno by storm and has already landed itself at #2 on Yelp's Top 50 Restaurants in Sparks, recognized for its delicious and comforting eats, unique and tasty drinks, quality desserts, and friendly and responsive service.

Pork Belly Bahn Mi is FIRE.  You will not find a better one in town. 
Tofu, Pork, and Shrimp available Spring Rolls.  They are some of the best in town, with the freshest ingredients and quality sauces. 

At Sip of Saigon you can taste some of the most popular dishes known in Vietnamese Cuisine:

*Bahn Mi - a unique Vietnamese style sandwich that traditionally calls for a french baguette filled with a Vietnamese protein or combination of (ham, sausage, BBQ pork, pate), pickled vegetables (carrots and daikon), fresh ingredients (cilantro, fresh jalapenos) and is topped with a vinegarette.

*Pho (puh) - a savory and light noodle soup that traditionally comes with a choice of meat (thinly sliced), rice noodles, and is topped with loads of fresh ingredients (usually mint, basil, cilantro, bean sprouts, fresh sliced jalapenos, thinly sliced onions, and fresh lime). 

*Spring Rolls - a salad roll made of rice paper, protein (tofu, shrimp, pork, beef), vermicelli rice noodles, and fresh veggies (lettuce, carrots) and served with a sauce (peanut sauce or  a classic Vietnamese dipping sauce made of vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, lime, and sweet chili sauce).

Strawberry Yuzu Lemonade 
Egg Rolls: available in Chicken, Pork, and Vegetarian

Sip of Saigon has been creating a buzz around town since its grand opening about seven months ago.

A lot of its success has to do with its owner, Kate, who prioritizes quality food and always caters to her customers, often greeting them personally and checking in to make sure of their satisfaction. 

You can find Kate at the restaurant often, involved in the preparation and delivery of food and behind the scenes constantly thinking up ways she can keep the restaurant up to date and provide the best experiences for her customers.  

Her constant expansion of her menu and seasonal and holiday offerings keep things interesting and keep her customers coming back for more. 

Not only does Kate serve the best and most authentic Bahn Mi and one of the best bowls on Pho in town, she also has the most legit Vietnamese Coffee.

If you're not familiar with this style of coffee, it's known for being more robust and strong with a distinct sweetness (from the usage of condensed milk).  If you're a coffee lover and haven't tried this yet, this is a must try.  If you're sensitive to coffee, you may want to get all the flavor without all the caffeine and opt for decaf. 

On top of coffee, Sip of Saigon offers specialty non-caffeinated drinks and lattes like Strawberry Yuzu Lemonade and Ube (purple yam)Latte.

To top things off the right way, the restaurant offers amazing desserts, including authentic macarons, tiramisu, chocolate truffles, almond cookies, and more.  

Also available are pastries like breakfast croissants, Bahn mi sandwiches, egg tarts, and other various baked treats. 

Right now I'm obsessed with Sip of Saigon's Spring Drinks.  They are refreshing, unique, delicious, and perfect for the adventurous foodie.  If you take a look around town, you'll find that you won't be able to find these drinks just anywhere. Pandan (tropical plant) Dreams is my current addiction.

Everything I've eaten has been amazing here.  I can go into much more detail about why I love everything, but I'll spare you the agony and let you discover what's to love about this hidden gem on your own. 

If you're looking for the perfect place for authentic Vietnamese cuisine, friendly service, and other unique menu items, Sip of Saigon will not disappoint.

Hope you make it out to this gem and show them some love by following them on social media and spreading the word to friends and family. 

Peace, Love, & Respect,
Kat

Ube Latte - strong coffee flavor with subtle hints of ube 

Notes:  
*Follow them on Instagram for updates on menu items, seasonal and holiday offerings, and raffle+give away information
*Only authentic Bahn Mi in town that uses Vietnamese ham and pate
*Grab a side of hoisin and siracha (front counter next to utensils and water) and dunk you meats and spring rolls in and slather it on your sandwich for added kick and flavor
*Some vegetarian/vegan options available, but no vegetarian pho broth available
*You can build your own Pho
*The offer hot tea pots and fresh drip Vietnamese coffee on request
*Plenty of parking available
*They open brunch time
*Kate has eaten around the world and shares her experiences through her food and drink
*Outdoor seating during summer available
*Offers chocolate covered strawberries during Valentine's Day

Spring Drinks Menu 2022. Pandan Dreams is my current favorite.

2022

***Menu subject to change.  Placed here to give readers and idea of what they offer.  Please visit their website for their most current menu.  5/10/2022 . Click to enlarge. 







Categorized Under "Good Eats" ---> "Vietnamese"

Sunday, November 22, 2020

Chocolate Nugget Candy Factory- A Sweet Escape & Bite into History


Two Locations:
*611 US-395, New Washoe City, NV 89704
Directions
(775) 849-0841


(775) 246-5500


Growing up with Willy Wonka, I had high expectations of what a chocolate factory should be and after my first visit to this shop, I was not disappointed.  It's been a little over 8 years that I've been making memories here with my family.

There's nothing better than consuming guilty pleasures that you know have been made fresh with simple, fine ingredients, from a place that pays attention to all details.

The Chocolate Nugget Factory is more than just a chocolate shop.  It's the success of a man driven by the want to support his family while providing good quality treats for all to enjoy.  

The Chocolate Nugget Factory delivers on all levels, with treats that you love and new ones to discover, and customer service that never fails.

It's a unique shop with a "Wild West" feel that you won't find just anywhere and I always leave happy and eager for my next visit.

Notes:
-Apple Pay/Samsung Pay for contact free transactions.  You can download these apps on your phone and connect them to your cards.
-Local family owned business. Visit their site for their amazing history.  The magic all started in 1936.
-Wood Porch out front with tables and seating
-Nice place for pictures in front of tractors and porch
-Check website for occasional specials
-The owner is constantly keeping up with the times: renovations, payment methods, deliveries, Instagram Announcements
-They offer pick-up and delivery.  Call in for pick-up orders. Online orders are shipped through USPS.


Must Try Treats
*Caramel Popcorn is so fresh, delicious, and addicting.  It's pretty sweet, great for those with sweet tooths
*Roasted nuts are always fresh and taste like the holidays
*All of their taffies are true to their flavors, great in texture with just the right amount of sweetness *Chocolate-dipped pretzels are super crunchy, well-balanced, and not too sweet.  
*Peanut Brittle is amazingly thin and fresh: a brittle like no other that will not break your teeth. 
*Their fudge is so delicious and always made fresh.  Chocolate walnut, divinity (like marshmallow + nuts), peanut butter chocolate are all so drool worthy.
*Chocolate dipped ice cream.  Dipped in real chocolate and topped with toppings of your choosing


Notes
-They have another location at the bottom of the Virginia City Foothills, where all of the candy is manufactured.  Viewing window available where they make candy. There you will also find stellar service.
-free fudge samples
-The drive on 395 from Reno to the shop is scenic and relaxing.  Alternatively, you can take side streets. Take South Virginia all the way down toward Carson City and you will find it on your right.
-I love going to Davis Creek Regional Park and Bower's Mansion nearby for a nice walk or hike before visiting the factory.  Washoe Lake State Park is also nearby.  
-If you drive around the Washoe Lake/Little Washoe area, you can find wild mustangs and farm animals

categorized under "Good Eats"

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Dazzle Your Taste Buds at Icecycle Creamery/Pedaler's Deli


Address:
6147 Lakeside Dr. Suite 102
Reno, NV, 89511
Directions

Hours, directions, and more reviews & pictures on Yelp
Website

Icecycle Creamery is my family's favorite ice cream shop in Reno because their ice cream is always interesting, refreshing, and downright delicious.  On top of ice cream, they serve delicious and fresh sandwiches, soups, and drinks, including beer.  


I love that the owner, Jeremy, worked out of his own home to perfect his craft and started selling his wonderful creations out of a cooler placed at the back of a bike.  In 2014, he opened up his shop to share his wonderful creations with the world.  I see Jeremy at the shop all the time, working, and he's really cool (cool mustache, cool tattoos, and cool ice cream recipes).  His support for local businesses is also something to admire.  


Now, on to the ice cream.  At first taste of their ice cream, the words ''Gourmet'' and "Chopped" came to mind. It seemed as if the creator of these flavors was given mystery basket ingredients and made successful ice cream flavors out of them. They're unique and delicious and would win grand prizes any day!


For mouth feel, I love that their flavors aren't overly creamy, giving them a nice cool, refreshing feel.

They have a few standard customer best-sellers, like Cookie Roulette, Chocolate, and Home Means Nevada, that are always in rotation and change out their other flavors, often with new flavors.  Some unique flavors you can find are Lemon Lavender, Horchata, Salted Caramel, Earl Grey, Salted Pretzel, Apple pie, Chocolate Truffle, Mango Cardamom, Lychee, Taro & Passion Fruit.  Because of the frequent changes in flavors, you may find a flavor you love and not be able to have it for a while.  Call in to see what's in stock.

They're so unique that they even conquered the well-known garlic ice cream that you can find at the Gilroy Garlic Festival.  At the most recent visit, I had a chance to taste it for the first time and it was so good!

When eating this ice cream, I don't feel guilty at all doing it. That's not to say that it's automatically healthy or healthier. It's just plain magical.  Maybe this magic has to do with the fact that they use all-natural, top-quality ingredients (local when possible) and create with passion.  

What a great little shop that serves award-winning ice cream and sandwiches. 

Notes:
-Pluses include a cute little waffle circle cookie they give on top and if you ask for a cup they give you a cute wooden spoon that just makes the experience much more enjoyable
-If you decide you like ice cream enough, you have the option of buying some by the pint or half pint to take home.
-Alongside their ice cream is a nice deli with hot and cold sandwiches + salads and drinks, including beer. 
-Happy hour everyday 5-7pm $5 whole sandwiches, $3 craft beer, $2 single scoop
-Sandwiches currently served on weekends only. Try the Chicken Curry sandwich. So good. And don't forget to get a stamp card (only for sandwiches)
-if looking for a beautiful place to enjoy your treats, Bartley Ranch Park is located a minute away


Categorized under "Good Eats"