I had the pleasure of taking the family (my wife and two sons) out to dinner at Roundabout Grill (located on the ground floor of the Whitney Peak Hotel in downtown Reno). This is a cool place! When you first look around at the decor, which is on the contemporary side, you immediately wonder if they’re going to have anything for the kids – my kids don’t eat parsley foam or foie gras kebabs (they don’t serve any of this, but just saying my kids prefer the classics). Happily, the menu has not only refined and sophisticated dishes, but they all have elements of comfort food. What’s more, there’s a kids menu (see below) – grilled cheese, cheeseburger, mac & cheese and chicken tenders! I would have thought of Roundabout Grill as a date night hot spot (and it totally is – you’ll score major points for planning a date night here), but you and your spouse can enjoy your meal and still let the kids indulge in their familiar favorites.

Dinner

OK, let’s get to what you want to know… “how was the food?” We loved it. I wish I could have eaten 10 courses, but I was stuffed. We started with the Snack Board, which is basically meat, cheese and jam. My wife had the Thai butternut squash soup (yeah, she eats soup for dinner, but I still love her), and I tried the halibut, which was delicious – super buttery and still citrusy and refreshing. But, I need to get back soon and check out the steak and the angus burger (mouth is watering just thinking about it). The boys went with a grilled cheese and chicken tenders (both served with fries) and scarfed them down.

Snack Board

Halibut

Grilled Cheese

Chicken Tenders

Don’t forget about drinks. There are a half-dozen beers on tap (several local) and another dozen varieties in bottles. There’s also a full bar with a number of cocktails – I opted for the “well-rounded manhattan” (mostly because it has maple syrup in it, and I’m only human).

So Much More Goodness

Since we only had dinner, I took a look at the other menus, and I can’t wait to try some more of what I’ve seen. Let me give you a sampling of what I want to try next (full menus below):

Breakfast

• Huevos Rancheros
• Breakfast Burrito
• Hawaiian French Toast (this is grilled donut bread pudding… for breakfast!!!)

Brunch

• Dad’s Special (it’s called “Dad’s Special” – how do I not get this?!)
• Scrambled Egg & Bacon Breakfast Sandwich
• Hanger Steak & Eggs
• The Burrito and Hawaiian French Toast are available for Brunch, too!

Lunch

• Angus Burger
• BBQ Bacon Burger
• Fish & Chips
• Grilled Cheese (yes, it’s on the kids menu, but I love grilled cheese)

Menus

The Reno Dad

Owner and head chef, Colin Smith, has been a part of our community for more than 20 years. He and his wife, MaryBeth, have five children. Colin comes from a bit of a culinary background – he was in his grandfather’s restaurant as a child, and says he knew he wanted to be a chef by age 12. Cooking has come to be the way he connects with his kids:

“I think I have come to understand myself better by making food for them. It’s the way I show affection. Cooking is a team sport in my family. Beth and her boyfriend, Grant, love making clams. Bryan does a fantastic job on the barbecue. My youngest, Victoria, loves making reservations.”

While Colin and Roundabout Grill’s food is top notch, he says his goal is to make sure it always feels approachable, relatable and consistent. He wants to avoid pretentiousness in his menu or in the descriptions. He just wants to make delicious comfort food with a twist. My experience at the restaurant certainly lived up to Colin’s design, and I’m grateful to have Roundabout Grill as an option for not only myself, but for the full family. I highly recommend you check it out yourself, be it for Father’s Day, a date night or a meal with your kids.

NOTE: I received a credit toward this meal from roundabout grill. And I’ll probably see if I can get another one – I must get that hawaiian french toast in my belly as soon as possible.