A matter of balance

Chef Daniel Muller takes the reins at Liberty Food and Wine Exchange

Chef Daniel Muller, the new executive chef at Liberty Food and Wine Exchange, wants to carry on the original mission of founding chef Mark Estee—using as many locally sourced goods as possible to deliver bold and creative flavors—while bringing his own flair to the restaurant,

As many chefs/cooks do, Muller started as a dishwasher. Around the age of 17, he began cooking on the line at an Italian restaurant in Connecticut. As he pursued a business degree in Burlington, Vt., he continued cooking the entire time. He then attended culinary school at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, R.I., graduating in 2001.

Muller has worked in the South, the Midwest and California, where he had the opportunity to fine-tune his French cuisine under Joel Guillon at the Argent Hotel in San Francisco. Muller then found himself in Lake Tahoe, where he managed several restaurants for about 12 years. From there, he moved to the Sierra Valley and ran a small steakhouse. His girlfriend lived in Reno—and he eventually decided to make the move to be closer to her.

“When I first got to Reno, I worked for a casino for a couple months,” Muller said. “However, I had my résumé on Indeed, hoping for other opportunities. Luckily for me, the culinary director for Reno Local Food Group reached out and, after a couple of interviews and a chat with Mark Estee, they gave me the keys to the castle.

“I feel very fortunate to have been offered this job. When they handed me the keys, I was ecstatic. I love the team and am excited to continue growing it.”

Muller has been developing new pizzas and pasta dishes, as well as some additional appetizers to balance out the menu—and he loves seafood, so expect more of that, too. The main poultry, fish and steak entrees aren’t printed on

| BY CHEREE BOTELER

Taste Of The Town Taste Of The Town

Happenings

the regular menu, because Muller decides these weekly, and changes them out every three to four days.

He and his team have also brought back Estee’s pork platter, which includes pork belly with Calabrian honey; in-house smoked ribs with house-made barbecue sauce; Calabrese sausage with homemade mustard (served with pickles made in partnership with Nevada Brining Company); crispy mortadella with spicy mustard; and a pork loin with a demi glaze.

“Chef Daniel and the team are doing a wonderful job,” Estee said. “It’s great to have a mix of fine dining with pizza and pastas. This is the best menu balance we’ve had.”

Liberty Food and Wine Exchange includes a full USDA butcher shop that Muller oversees, as well as a pastry and baking department led by Liberty’s executive pastry chef; they work together to create delicious desserts for their guests, as well as special desserts for frequent wine and whiskey dinners.

“Our butcher shop makes about 12 different kinds of sausage, including our Bolognese and meatballs. You name it, we make it,” Muller said. “We bring in whole hogs every month and work exclusively with Borda Ranch for the lamb for our Thursday-night lamb specials. We make our pasta fresh here both for Liberty and for the other Reno Local Food Group restaurants. We have about five or six different pastas that we make at a time, and it’s really a highlight of this restaurant. It’s a very demanding job. There are a lot of components that I have to oversee—and I love it.”

As the executive chef, he is able to dip his fingers into each aspect of the dining experience; running the kitchen is his favorite, so he works on the line at least four or five days a week.

Muller specializes in French infusion, but he was taught in an Italian kitchen—so he ensures that his style has balance between cultures. His favorite dish on the current menu is the black spaghetti with seafood. He said he also enjoys creating the pairings of meat (from their butcher shop, of course) and cheeses for Liberty’s charcuterie boards.

“I figured out early in life that I love to cook, and I’m so lucky to have the opportunity to do this every day,” Muller said. “One of my mottos is to cook with layers of flavor. I want to make sure that people get different layers of flavor delivered to their palate when visiting Liberty.”

Get ready for a St. Patrick’s Day to remember at Shanty Dolan’s, as it celebrates its one-year anniversary. Starting at noon on Friday, March 17, at 211 Keystone Ave., in Reno, enjoy drink specials, bites from the Nola Sliders food truck, and music including Irish fiddlers, DJs and a performance by Moondog Matinee. While the main bash will be on Friday, the party continues all weekend long, so watch Shanty Dolan’s social media for details; www.instagram.com/ shantydolans. … Prefer to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at home? Butcher Boy is making up batches of their renowned corned beef, with a flat-iron option for $7.98 per pound, and classic brisket for $6.98. Get it at 530 W. Plumb Lane, in Reno; butcherboyreno. com. … Butter + Salt, the original catering company by the Perenn Bakery and Claio Rotisserie teams, will be taking on a limited number of small private events in 2023. The company paused catering operations in 2020 to focus on the brick and mortar locations. Inquiries can be directed to hello@ perennbakery.com. … Mark your calendars for Reno Food and Drink Week, taking place June 5-16. Learn more at hungryinreno.com/2023rfdw.

Openings and transitions

Voodoo Brewing Co. has opened at 550 W. Plumb Lane. It’s billed as a “European beer hall,” and guests can enjoy flights of Voodoo’s brews alongside a bountiful list of cocktails and local options, as well as classic beer-hall food like pizza, wings, burgers and sandwiches. While the company originated in Pennsylvania, a slew of locations are independently owned and operated, including the one here in Reno; www.voodoobrewery.com. … Franco Baking Co., at 1525 Glendale Ave., in Sparks, has been acquired by Marybeth and Colin Smith, the team behind Roundabout Catering and Smith and River. The business will continue as usual—with the potential for an artisan line of baked goods in the future; francobakingco.com. … Carson City’s The Fox Brewery and Pub will be taking over the Huntsman Brewing location (formerly Silver Peak Brewery and Restaurant) at 124 Wonder St. in Reno’s Midtown, with an anticipated summer opening. Watch www. facebook.com/FoxBrewpub for updates.

Liberty Food and Wine Exchange is located at 100 N. Sierra St., in Reno. For more information, visit www.libertyfoodandwine.com.

Siam Thai Cuisine has replaced Lanna Thai Cafe at 4786 Caughlin Parkway, Suite 303, in Reno. The location is now owned by Natchaya Saengsri, who has owned Siam Thai Cuisine in Truckee since 2013. While the menu will be slightly different, regulars will be able to order most of the classics alongside new additions; siamthaireno.com.

—Maude Ballinger

Ski wine

A little place with a lot of history is a perfect preor post-slopes stop on the Mount Rose Highway

In case you have been hibernating and didn’t know … Reno and the Tahoe basin have received a huge amount of snow this winter. While many of us see it snowing in the mountains and think about the water it brings all summer, many of you scream, “Powder day!”; take the day off; and head to the slopes.

The skiing has been fantastic this year— but before you head up the mountain, you’ll want to make sure you have all of your gear, like skis, boots, googles, gloves, a helmet and wine.

Yes, wine. Don’t judge me; you pack your essentials, and I will pack mine. I am sure you spent a lot of time picking your perfect ski gear—checking reviews, asking experts and quizzing friends—but how did you pick your wine?

Two iconic ski destinations for Reno skiers since the 1930s are Sky Tavern and Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. As you drive up and back down the Mount Rose Highway on the way to or from either of these destinations, you will pass the perfect place to find your ski-wine adviser—the Lodge Bar and Patio.

The location of the Lodge, located in the Galena Forest, has had a long and storied past. According to the Lodge’s website, it first opened as the Galena Forest Inn in 1983. In 2005, it became Sierra Solitaire, and then the Lodge at Galena, until 2013. Its current and foreseeable future is being guided by manager, barista, music director and bartender Carly Southern.

I asked Southern what her customers were looking for in wine after a day on the slopes.

“Well, some of our customers love our glühwein,” she said. “Glühwein is a German mulled wine that we prepare here, and it is fantastic after a day on the slopes.”

I find that to be great advice; a warm mulled wine is going to, obviously, warm you up. Glühwein literally translates to “glow wine” due to the way it makes you feel.

So, what else?

“I would suggest a nice cabernet, of which we have a couple, or a zinfandel,” Southern said. “The reason why is I find that they’re

Carly Southern shows off some of Lodge Bar and Patio’s food offerings.

Photo/David Robert warming. You know, they’re fruity and heavier. So after we’ve been exercising, it’s a warm-youup wine.”

There is nothing like lots of white snow to bring out big, red wines. I drink big reds all year long, but they are especially wonderful on a cold, blustery day. However, Southern said some of her customers prefer white wines.

“We have a really nice New Zealand sauvignon blanc that is also wonderful after skiing, just in a different way,” she said. “It is like a sunny-porch or sitting-on-the-patio wine.”

As you may guess from the restaurant’s full name, the Lodge has a really nice patio that will be a perfect place to have a drink as the days get longer and warmer.

At the Lodge, you will find a family-friendly atmosphere where you can have an espresso or cappuccino on your way to the slopes; on the way home, you can get beer, an espresso martini, or—of course—wine with pizza and a charcuterie platter, all while enjoying some live music.

I recently spent an evening at the Lodge. I ordered a pizza and grabbed a seat at the bar. It was a perfect spot to people-watch as singles, couples and families stopped in. I sipped Spanish wine and sang some of my favorite standards along with local musical performers Susan and Peter; they added the perfect ambiance to the evening.

Whether you are a skier or, like me, you prefer to watch the snow fall and drink wine instead, check out the Lodge—and let Carly Southern be your ski-wine adviser for the long ski season we have left.

The Lodge Bar and Patio is located at 17025 Mount Rose Highway. For more information, call 775-507-7049, or visit www. thelodgereno.com.