Cheap eats

Oh how I envy you freshmen. My first year at college was chock full of so many good times—I wish I could remember more of it. With all that studying and socializing ahead of you, let someone else do the cooking. Check out this short list of good, cheap eats within a quick walk from campus. While each of these places also has marvelous drink specials, that’s still a couple years down the road for you.

Pub ’N’ Sub
1000 Ralston St., 322-8540

Pub ’N’ Sub operates from a neat brick building on the corner of Ralston and West 10th streets. They’ve got some fantastic pizzas and a great lawn area out back in which to enjoy them. In addition to your standard pizzas, they have a list of specialty pizzas, which includes the Tree Hugger: garlic and olive oil base, sundried tomatoes, spinach, feta cheese, walnuts and red onion (14-inch for $19.95). Better yet, their pizzas are half off for dine-in customers from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and 6:30 p.m. to midnight on Saturdays. If you’re hungry for a sandwich, I highly recommend the Smokey Melt: smoked turkey, mushrooms, onions, and American cheese ($7.45) all grilled together and piled high on a French roll—it’s delicious.

Morandi’s Record Street Brewing Company
945 Record St., 324-2337

Record Street is under new ownership, and they have really revamped the service at this box-car looking restaurant just off the south end of campus. Though food will keep you going, coffee (starting at $1.50 for 12 oz.) will start the day off right, and Record Street can take care of your morning fixes. I recently had a slice of The Caleb pizza: cheese, pepperoni and red sauce ($4.39, slices available 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.). It’s a gigantic quarter of a 16-inch pizza from their brick oven, and it puts that crap they serve at the student union to shame.

Mi Ranchito
500 Denslowe Drive No. F, 337-8411

Mi Ranchito is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in Reno. It’s an easy downhill walk from UNR by way of Jodi Drive, but it’s slightly more laborious after you’ve stuffed yourself full of delicious authentic Mexican food. From the outside, Mi Ranchito isn’t much to look at, but you’d be missing something by not stepping inside. I’m particularly enamored with the Wet Chicken Burrito with red sauce ($6). The grilled chicken is incredibly flavorful, and should you order the burrito for lunch, you might not need dinner. Recently, Mi Ranchito started a list of daily lunch specials, which include a burrito with two tacos or a torta (Mexican-type sandwich) with two tacos for $6.50. It’s a helluva bargain, so try this place out.

Archie’s
2195 N. Virginia St., 322-9595

Archie’s serves up one of the best breakfast deals in town Monday through Friday until 11 a.m. Each morning they offer a different special, like the Breakfast Burrito, Hot Cake Combo or Biscuit and Gravy for only $4.99. With three eggs, sausage, bell pepper, onions, jack cheese, and topped with salsa, sour cream and avocado, the breakfast burrito is a veritable gut bomb that I go back for again and again. Archie’s recently added a second level from which you can enjoy great views of the mountains and downtown while chowing down on one of their tasty burgers. What’s better than Archie’s giant one-third pound cheeseburger and fries? Showing them your student ID and getting a second burger and fries for free. For those individuals who think meat is murder, you can substitute a garden or veggie burger at no cost. Enjoy.