Road rules

Follow Second Street west beyond Keystone Avenue past the Chism Mansion, and it turns into Dickerson Road. It’s a mostly industrial area that’s developing into an artsy neighborhood, and that’s what attracted Kathleen Austin and her husband, Greg. They were landlords in the area, and their 30-year tenant with an auto mechanic shop said enough. That was Kathleen’s ah-ha moment. She always wanted to own a restaurant.

Renovated from serving auto bodies to warm bodies, this eatery sits in front of Reno Homebrewer. The restaurant seats about 40 folks and will have a nice patio when the weather turns. Simple tables and an eating bar made from reused wood and wine barrel slats give it that “industrial neighborhood” feel, and then, the classy touch, linen napkins.

“My idea was to have a neighborhood restaurant with fair prices and good, memorable food,” Kathleen told me.

The straightforward modest menus have originality and some industrial-type culinary spark. Chef Fred Greenspan has two decades wielding a skillet, including a brief stint, in his early career, as an apprentice at the Waldorf Astoria kitchens in New York City.

There are eight items on the breakfast list ($4.99-$7.95) and Vaneli’s handcrafted coffees. This small company, out of Rocklin, Calif., is quickly building a reputation as a small-batch, custom roastery specializing in a labor-intensive method to make unique coffee and espresso blends from beans sourced from worldwide growers. Nothing is better than a great cup of coffee with a good meal, and this java is exceptional.

Oxbow eggs Benedict ($7.95) was up first. What stood out was the more-than-a-Hollandaise sauce atop the two eggs. This had a velvety texture with a savory finish in a rich creamy-buttery glaze—it will get your attention. The chef’s home fries are generous and have a crisp, hearty/savory outside texture not too salty or greasy.

Soup ($3.95- $5.95) is always good at this time of year, and three were offered. The vegetarian French onion had a savory broth with plenty of caramelized onions and toasted Provolone capping a generous serving. The clam chowder was creamy, with nice fresh clam meat and not too many potatoes. I could have made a meal of it. The third soup was a chicken vegetable with generous pieces of white meat and fresh veggies in a hearty, almost buttery stock.

The lunch and dinner menus are one ($7.95-$14.95), with dinner items served after 5 p.m. Meal-in-itself appetizers ($8.95-$9.95), wings ($9.95) and big salads ($4.95-$6.96) are offered. I focused on lunch, and the Reuben ($8.95) was my first nosh. Thinly sliced fresh corned beef on a marbled rye piping hot under the slab of melted Swiss cheese and a homemade coleslaw that was tangy and savory—and they didn’t forget the pickles. It was also served with fresh-made-daily homemade chips—not at all greasy, crispy perfection in every bite.

The hefty barbecue bacon cheddar burger ($8.95) with fries had a sweet-smokey-tangy sauce that worked with the cheese and didn’t overwhelm the meat. There’s also flat bread pizzas ($7.95-$8.95); four beers on tap and eight bottled-beer selections. There’s a very small, simple wine list ($5-$8), but a start, and all available by-the-glass.

I selected the Adobe Redline ($8) blend, a Sonoma County red wine, 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon/35 percent Zinfandel/5 percent Syrah. A combination of brawn and stealth, this dark cherry bomb explodes on the tongue. Blueberry tones and blackberry jams combine with flavors of rose petals, dark chocolate and vanilla extract—great with the sandwiches.

This place is a nice fit in the artsy-crafty environment where it’s located, and the idea of keeping it simple and sculpting food created to complement and support the neighborhood can became a work of art.