Pneumatic Diner: a First Date First-Aid Kit
By Charlie Hammond, Outpost staff
Often the worst part of the first date is finding a decent place to have dinner. You don't want something too formal or too cheap, too artsy or too drab. Most importantly, you don't want a place to drain your wallet while allowing you to order more than water.
Enter the Pneumatic Diner.
It ought to be renamed "the ideal first-date
re
staurant," because it manages to be a jack of all romantic
trades. The atmosphere - tastefully dim at night, sunlit by
day - is charming, but doesn't scream "I want to jump your
bones." The neon light displays on the roof and the
paintings - done by local artists and hung about the room -
gives you plenty to look at during those unavoidable silent
interludes in conversation. Even the kitchen itself, a small
island in the not-much-larger dining room, is visually
appealing. With copper pipes for the sinks, cooking
equipment and espresso machine running around the kitchen
area, you begin to understand the restaurant's namesake. The
place is kitsch, but no overly so.
This mural greets diners at the entrance of the
Pneumatic Diner.
_______
What's better, the Pneumatic is a vegetarian restaurant that insists upon using only organic ingredients. If your like me, a child of MSG, Saccharin and red meat, the words "organic" and "vegetarian" tend to conjure horrible images of asparagus burgers and tofu cupcakes. But have no fear, the food at the Pneumatic is just like what you have grown up eating, except its fresh organic ingredients make it taste better. The menu offers samplings of Italian, Mexican and plain old American foods, all with clever names. I have eaten through half the menu; it's so good, you want to eat vegetarian.
Best of all, it's cheap. The food is incredibly inexpensive and a bargain considering its quality. Entrees run from $4-7, desserts from $1.50-3. The menu all has a plethora of organic juice drinks, coffee and assorted microbrews for about $3 a piece. (Incidentally, the menu itself is almost literature, full of quips and unexpected self-effacing witticisms - another diversion during breaks in conversation.) The bill for my friend and I, including an appetizer, 2 entrees and 2 drinks, was only around $20. Economy like this is great when you aren't sure how much you will like your date.
Of course, even this dining gem has its flaws, namely service. The help at the Pneumatic is cheery and personable, but abominably slow when the restaurant is busy. (They introduce themselves and want to know your name; I'm not yet sure if I like that.) Most every time I go there, I look longingly at my food at the pick-up counter before my server is able to bring it to me. This problem is related to the restaurant's tiny dining and kitchen areas. The entire restaurant isn't much larger than a standard living room; it's cozy and charming when the place is slow, but loud and somewhat frantic when busy. Servers often are slowed when they must squeeze the small spaces between tables.
The Pneumatic Diner is open all week, from 9 a.m. till 11 p.m. Since it does get crowded toward the end of the week, especially from 8-10 p.m., it's best to take a date there when you can avoid these times, especially given that the restaurant is most appealing (and the service the best) when it's not crowded. The food is cheap, delectable and good for you. And the look of the place will tell your date that your tastes run beyond sports bars and chain restaurants, even if they usually don't.
A Side Note: The Pneumatic can be difficult to locate the first time. It's on the second floor of the Truckee River Lodge. The best way to find it is to walk north on Ralston Street along the east side of the lodge. There is a glass door at the northeast corner of the building; through the door you can see the stairs leading to the restaurant.
|
Pneumatic Diner, 501 W 1st St., 786-8888 |
|
High point: Good food, Great atmosphere Low point: Slow service Hours: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., Mon-Sun Prices: Entrees: $4-7 Payment policies: Cash or credit card |
Posted
April 1, 2000
Copyright 2000
Nevada Outpost
|
|
|
|