THE SPICY PICKLE DELI IN SOUTH RENO

The Spicy Pickle Deli, at 5210 Longley Lane in South Reno, is not a local invention, but part of a Colorado chain.  Other locations can be found in Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as in Oregon, Montana, South Dakota and Texas.  But The Spicy Pickle was new and unfamiliar to my family, so we opted to make it a lunch destination. 

The extensive menu at The Spicy Pickle includes specialty sandwiches, build-your-own deli sandwiches, panini, wraps, salads, soups and flatbread pizzas.  

You order at the counter and your meal is brought to your table.  Fountain drinks are self-serve and refillable. 

When I got in line, there were so many menu choices that I figured I'd just ask for one of my deli standbys, a Reuben sandwich.  The girl at the counter explained that they didn't have an exact Reuben, but she recommended a somewhat similar sandwich called The Bronx ($6.99). This consisted of turkey pastrami, Swiss cheese, coleslaw and Thousand Island dressing on grilled Rosemary Foccacia bread.  I also was given a choice of a side: pasta salad, potato salad, coleslaw or oranges.  I chose the pasta salad, which was more like a macaroni salad with bits of peppers and a light Italian type of dressing. 

My husband is a tuna lover and he was told that there were several types of exotic tuna sandwiches available, unless he wanted more of a "plain Jane" version.   He decided to go with a simple tuna, lettuce and tomato sandwich on marble rye ($6.59), with a side of potato salad.  That salad was made with red potatoes, mayo, celery and perhaps a little dill. 

Our college student selected a Bandido sandwich ($7.49).  It featured pepper-crusted turkey, pepperjack cheese, roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes and chipotle ranch dressing on grilled Rosemary Foccacia.  He went with the pasta salad, too — and all of our sandwiches were served with a pickle spear. 

We all agreed that the portions were substantial and that The Spicy Pickle does not skimp on ingredients.  I couldn't finish my sandwich because it was so filling.  A good problem to have, as opposed to leaving a restaurant still hungry! 

To summarize, the food at The Spicy Pickle was enjoyable, although many menu items (such as the sandwiches that my son and I ordered) would not be found on a traditional deli menu.  For a more classic deli meal — the kind you'd find Back East — nobody in South Reno does it better than Manhattan Deli at Atlantis Casino.  True, it's more expensive than The Spicy Pickle but servings are huge and it's really authentic deli food. 

http://www.atlantiscasino.com/dining/manhattan-deli

I guess you could say The Spicy Pickle is a "deli fusion" restaurant.  And if you're not a stickler for deli details, you'd probably find it a fine choice for casual dining in South Reno. 

For more information about South Reno's Spicy Pickle Deli, call (775) 852-4400 or visit http://www.spicypickle.com/storemenus/Reno_5210LongleyLane.html .