News

The Reno Gazette Journal recently wrote on the front page of the Living
section on June 25th, 2008:

Here's a salad bar that's a (fresh, crisp. cheery)
cut above

BY LAURA LONGERO

Salad bars can be scary places - wilted letttuce, tepid soups, processed bacon bits and
murky dressings. Or they can be appealing and feature crisp greens, crunchy croutons
and colorful produce - carrots, tomatoes and cucmbers, oh my! The Green Onion in south
Reno is the latter kind of place, with housemade soups, fresh salads and a family
friendly atmosphere.
The Green Onion offers a sweeping, airy dining room with calming green walls,
restrained decor and a few flat-screen televisions. There's a patio for al fresco dining.
Employees warmly greet patrons and explain the one-trip or all-you-can-eat buffet
options.
The salad bar encompases Caesar and Asian salads, mixed greens and romaine lettuce,
and a variety of toppings - eggs, beets, carrots, peas, blue or cheddar cheeses,
cucumbers, olives, croutons and a selection of housemade dressings.
Everthing looks fresh except for the iceberg lettuce in the Asian salad; it has a brown
tinge.
The hot line had four soups on my visit. I choose a classic brimming with carrot bits,
noodles and generous pieces of shredded chicken. The broth is flavorful and
comforting.
Light, delicious vegatable soup - perfect for summer - offers carrots, celery, red
peppers and greens in a scarlet tomato broth.
Muffins, rolls, garlic bread sticks and cibatta buns beckon from beneath the heat
lamps. The buns are are tasty but don't quite have the right texture. The garlic bread
sticks, however, are a hit - buttery and redolent with garlic.
An employee cooks pasta dishes right on the line - this afternoon, pasta Bolognese and
beef Stroganoff - an attraction that's a far cry from the usual dried, crusty pastas
many buffets present.
The pasta Bolognese isn't the stuff of Italian dreams, but it's decent, with a tomato
sauce dotted with carrot and thyme and melted mozzarella. Beef Stroganoff features
curly noodles graced with mushrooms, pieces of beef and a robust sauce.
There is a caloric mound of elbow macaroni draped with cheddar cheese sauce.
The pizzas are pretty basic - thin crusts topped with sauce and pepperoni or cheese.
Pizza is the low point at The Green Onion, but it will suffice for children - or even an
adult - with simple tastes.
A machine dispenses swirls of soft-serve ice cream to customers with a sweet tooth.
Rainbow-colored sprinkles, cookie pieces, nuts, and caramel and hot fudge sauces are
there for topping the soft-serve. Kids will love using the toppings to build sugar-rush
concotions.
Service is exceptional for a self-serve establishment. Employees are super friendly,
greeting customers as they as they come and go cheerfully walking around the room
picking up plates.
With its solid food and service and good prices, I can see The Green Onion becoming a
favorite spot for a light bite.