Reno, NV: Skipolini's Pizza

Subject: FOOD/DRINK

Place: Skipolini's Pizza

Locale: Reno, NV (South, "The Summit")

Skipolini's Website

Visits: 1 (06/04/16)

Food:     3.5 out of 5 on the Fork-O-Meter

Venue:   4.0 out of 5 on the Fork-O-Meter

Beverages:  3.0 out of 5 on the Burp-O-Meter

Will I return?: Yes.

NARRATIVE:

Kind of skirting my own little ruleset here since Skipolini's comprises more than one location. In this case however, it is a very small chain that I would not foresee ever opening more than one here in the Reno area. For some of you who have lived in the Sacramento and/or East Bay areas, Skipolini's will be a familiar name. For those new to Skipolini's, it should become a much appreciated new place to experience. This too would be the case for Linda and I since we never tried Skipolini's during either of our two stints in the Sacramento area.

If there is a singular claim to fame for Skipolini's, it would likely be their "Prego Pizza" which many claim is the culinary trigger to induce labor. 

Venue/Location: "Skips" can be found as a standalone restaurant within the popular "Summit" shopping center in South Reno. It occupies what originally opened as "Firkin & Wolf", which was a British-style pub and restaurant. I was fortunate to have actually eaten inside the F & W before it folded, so I was quite curious to see what transformation the new tenant made to the place. 

Skip's is a large place, with plenty of seating both indoors and out. There are two outdoor seat areas; one includes a bar-style shuffleboard game, artificial turf for bocce ball or beanbag toss games, as well as plenty of tables and chairs for dining al fresco. The second area again has a ton of seating plus several outdoor couches and chairs for a patio lounge vibe. Both outdoor sections have fireplaces and at least one of them provides a large flat-screen TV.

Walking in through the main doors, I see a layout that is generally the same as it was as Firkin & Wolf. The bar area is dead on the same, as is the open kitchen - which utilizes nearly an entire side of the wall. When I looked at an old picture of Firkin, it was clear that the ceiling treatment of antique looking tin remained as well. Skips definitely spiced things up a bit from the purposely dreary British-flavored interior however. There are several loud "mural" looking paintings along the main walls. A very large, artsy, "Skip's" lighted wall divides the bar from the restaurant to a degree. Multiple large chandeliers drop here and there from the sky. Booths, tables, high tops, etc., are available. They also offer a separated special event room (for a slight charge) off to one end (hmmmm, possible Foodfather venue???). There are the nearly-obligatory TVs sprinkled throughout, but not so much as to be any distraction. Overall, this is a comfortable, if not transformed, place to dine.

Drink: I only went with 3-stars here. Actually we both thought the drink menu was more than adequate, but for me, I think the beers on tap were a little thin, especially for a big pizza and pasta restaurant like this. I found a beer I already like here (Firestone 805), so I was just fine, but I really would have liked more from which to choose. The generic wine selections were also fine, not elaborate, but adequate. They offer Happy Hour from 2-6 Monday through Friday, so we can of course sample again. Several mixed cocktails also looked interesting.

Food: Again, I went a little low here (3.5), but again I will explain the rating for me. I had only heard about Skip's from others who had eaten there themselves (at the other locations) or had friends or family who had done the same. As stories get passed down the line, they tend to grow "larger" and better along the line (my stories I am sure are included in that pile of lore). So as we heard more and more about the food at Skip's, there was built an expectation that would be hard to match. 

Even with the expectations, since our ordering/sampling on this trip was limited to an appetizer and pizza, we did not get a good exploration of the many other things offered. Glancing through their extensive menu, I see plated entrees, sandwiches, pasta dishes I would very much like to try. Thus a return trip and review will take place.

We shared the "Calamari Fritti" appetizer to start. Outside of being a little less than "fryer-hot" when they arrived, I really enjoyed these lightly battered treats. No tentacles found in the bunch! (I don't mind them, but alas, I was not alone). The calamari cuts were limited to just the good, tender, meaty "rings". They arrived with very good aioli and marinara dips on the side (in fact I kept the dips to use with my pizza crust).

Calamari Fritti

On this trip, we decided to each try a "make your own" pizza, although there are plenty of specialty pizzas also offered. Their small make your own pizza with 1-2 items added is roughly $11. Sounds a little pricey at first, but keep in mind these "small" pizzas were large enough to each bring home plenty of leftovers. Linda tried a mushroom and sausage combo, and I went for the black olive and sausage. You also get to select from several of their pizza sauces (Red Sauce, Pesto Sauce, Homemade Creamy Pesto, Barbecue Sauce and Roasted Garlic Sauce - white). I thought the crust was nicely thought out and cooked - it was a bit thin and slightly crunchy underneath the main pie, but the surrounding crust was again a little crunchy and tender in the middle. The leftover crust was perfect dipped into the remainder of the aioli.

Mushroom & Sausage

Black Olive & Sausage

All in all, we both agreed that Skipolini's will be a hit here in Reno just as it is elsewhere. Moreover, the South Reno location screams for more places like Skip's. Even with a BJ's Brewpub next-door, Skipolini's will do quite well. Variety is the spice of life.

I can see a future Foodfather event for this joint.

-BG