Trader Dick's visit - General Tiki

T thejab Grand Member (1 year) Tradewinds Apartments, Alameda, CA Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 2992	T thejab Posted posted on Mon, Mar 24, 2003 5:35 PM I just got back from Reno. We took the fun train there. It should be called the drunk train. I recommend it if you'd rather hang out with other drunks than with a bunch of families with kids. Adults only. You can bring coolers with beer, bottles of booze, whatever you want. It was my first time so I didn't know the ropes but next time I'm bringing a cocktail shaker, my travel bar, and more booze instead of just a flask! You get a reserved seat in an old but very comfortable coach. Each car has an attendant. They are all very friendly and helpful. They'll bring you cups of ice, sodas, water, pillows, what have you. They bring your dinner to your seat (lunch on the return trip). There's a dance car with a cheesy band and dance floor. Try dancing after having a few drinks while the trains rocking back and forth. It's not easy! A piano lounge with an even more cheesy singer. Good times. We were already drunk by the time we were in Martinez! Seven hours and many drinks later we arrived in Reno where you board a prearranged bus that takes you to your hotel. We opted to stay at the Nugget in Sparks so we could visit Trader Dick's. It was my second visit to Trader Dick's and I'm happy to report it's as good as ever. A little history of the place: It was first built in 1963 on the main drag in Sparks where the Nugget coffee shop had been since the 40s and was across the street from the Nugget motel. In 1973 they built I-80 right through town so they actually moved Trader Dick's under the elevated freeway! Semi trucks are roaring above you while you drink your Mai Tai but you'd never know it. JT's Tiki Bar Review pages report that it was remodeled in the 80s, but they did a great job. We hit Trader Dick's on Friday before they closed and ordered individual scorpion bowls and a pupu platter. The scorpions are only $10, they taste better than the scorpion at Trader Vic's, and you get to keep the bowl! The pupu platter was very good - the egg rolls were outstanding as were the little roasted duck tacos. There are several tikis here and there, some partially hiding behind greenery, always a nice touch. You have to look real hard to see some of them. There is also a large (10-12 foot) tiki with glowing red eyes at the reception desk for the restaurant. But best of all is the 6,000 gallon tropical fish tank the entire length of the bar. The amazing thing is the fish tank was built around huge support pillars for the freeway and they disguised the pillars to look like rock formations in the tank! Topping the fish tank and other parts of the restaurant area are "thatched roofs" that are covered with masks along the edges. The lighting is really dark with subtle colored lighting and the music is soft hawaiian. There are no TVs but after 10 there is a dance floor area with a DJ off to one side that sometimes was audible but usually not loud enough to be heard from inside the restaurant. On Saturday we returned to Trader Dick's for more drinks and dinner. I had the Cha-Cha that comes with a straw hat you can keep. Another tasty drink but not that exciting. Robin had the outstanding Sneaky Tiki. Then I had the Aku Aku that comes with a moai-like mug you get to keep and a flaming sugar cube floating on the top (they float a lime slice on top which holds the cube). The drink was nasty tasting though so I had the waiter dump it out so I could take the mug and I ordered a Navy Grog (good and strong). Dinner was pleasant and the food was pretty good. Robin's salad and seared Ahi tuna was good but my sesame crusted Ono was overdone. I would probably order a steak next time. They have flaming deserts that were tempting but I was too stuffed. I had a Pina Colada so I could take home another mug (a "peanut" mug). Here's their menu in PDF format: http://www.janugget.com/restaurant/menus/Trader%20Dick%27s%20Menu.pdf The Nugget has some other good restaurants. John's oyster house is excellent and has a nautical theme. Yes, you can get good seafood in Reno (at far cheaper prices than here in the Bay Area). We had the pan roast - oysters, shrimp, and crab in butter, wine, garlic, tomatoes, and cream. mmmmm I have pictures that I'll post later.

I just got back from Reno. We took the fun train there. It should be called the drunk train. I recommend it if you'd rather hang out with other drunks than with a bunch of families with kids. Adults only. You can bring coolers with beer, bottles of booze, whatever you want. It was my first time so I didn't know the ropes but next time I'm bringing a cocktail shaker, my travel bar, and more booze instead of just a flask!

You get a reserved seat in an old but very comfortable coach. Each car has an attendant. They are all very friendly and helpful. They'll bring you cups of ice, sodas, water, pillows, what have you. They bring your dinner to your seat (lunch on the return trip). There's a dance car with a cheesy band and dance floor. Try dancing after having a few drinks while the trains rocking back and forth. It's not easy! A piano lounge with an even more cheesy singer. Good times. We were already drunk by the time we were in Martinez!

Seven hours and many drinks later we arrived in Reno where you board a prearranged bus that takes you to your hotel. We opted to stay at the Nugget in Sparks so we could visit Trader Dick's. It was my second visit to Trader Dick's and I'm happy to report it's as good as ever. A little history of the place: It was first built in 1963 on the main drag in Sparks where the Nugget coffee shop had been since the 40s and was across the street from the Nugget motel. In 1973 they built I-80 right through town so they actually moved Trader Dick's under the elevated freeway! Semi trucks are roaring above you while you drink your Mai Tai but you'd never know it. JT's Tiki Bar Review pages report that it was remodeled in the 80s, but they did a great job.

We hit Trader Dick's on Friday before they closed and ordered individual scorpion bowls and a pupu platter. The scorpions are only $10, they taste better than the scorpion at Trader Vic's, and you get to keep the bowl! The pupu platter was very good - the egg rolls were outstanding as were the little roasted duck tacos. There are several tikis here and there, some partially hiding behind greenery, always a nice touch. You have to look real hard to see some of them. There is also a large (10-12 foot) tiki with glowing red eyes at the reception desk for the restaurant. But best of all is the 6,000 gallon tropical fish tank the entire length of the bar. The amazing thing is the fish tank was built around huge support pillars for the freeway and they disguised the pillars to look like rock formations in the tank! Topping the fish tank and other parts of the restaurant area are "thatched roofs" that are covered with masks along the edges. The lighting is really dark with subtle colored lighting and the music is soft hawaiian. There are no TVs but after 10 there is a dance floor area with a DJ off to one side that sometimes was audible but usually not loud enough to be heard from inside the restaurant.

On Saturday we returned to Trader Dick's for more drinks and dinner. I had the Cha-Cha that comes with a straw hat you can keep. Another tasty drink but not that exciting. Robin had the outstanding Sneaky Tiki. Then I had the Aku Aku that comes with a moai-like mug you get to keep and a flaming sugar cube floating on the top (they float a lime slice on top which holds the cube). The drink was nasty tasting though so I had the waiter dump it out so I could take the mug and I ordered a Navy Grog (good and strong). Dinner was pleasant and the food was pretty good. Robin's salad and seared Ahi tuna was good but my sesame crusted Ono was overdone. I would probably order a steak next time. They have flaming deserts that were tempting but I was too stuffed. I had a Pina Colada so I could take home another mug (a "peanut" mug). Here's their menu in PDF format:

http://www.janugget.com/restaurant/menus/Trader%20Dick%27s%20Menu.pdf

The Nugget has some other good restaurants. John's oyster house is excellent and has a nautical theme. Yes, you can get good seafood in Reno (at far cheaper prices than here in the Bay Area). We had the pan roast - oysters, shrimp, and crab in butter, wine, garlic, tomatoes, and cream. mmmmm

I have pictures that I'll post later.

Post #27811 by thejab on Mon, Mar 24, 2003 5:35 PM