Crack open the façade of the former La Piñata, and Agave will come spilling out.

The former La Piñata is under new management, with a new face, a new name, but the favorite dishes you remember from La Piñata. With its handmade tortillas and fresh food made daily, owner Cesar Salmoran says The Agave is the place for authentic Mexican dining.

The new sheriffs in town, Salmoran and his wife, Marisela, took charge of the old La Piñata Nov. 1, and are giving it a new look and feel. He also owns the downtown Reno club Coco Boom, 701 S. Virginia St., where they host DJs, Latin dancing, Rock de Espanol and Salsa.

Salmoran’s parents opened restaurants in Mexico when he was a child, and since coming to America at 15, he has grown up in the restaurant industry. The secret to making good food is its freshness, Salmoran said. “We make everything fresh, daily; fresh vegetables. No canned food in the restaurant. Fresh is better.”

The Agave, named after the type of tequila, also features more than 100 specialty tequilas and terrific Margaritas that come in three sizes – regular, large and extra large. Their menu will give you the complete history of tequila, in detail, and after reading it, you will probably raise your standards.

The Space:

The restaurant is filled with tables and booths, a party room that seats 70 and the cantina. Plans are to paint the walls brighter colors and add additional seating on the patio, which will really spruce it up. The rooms feel authentic with the stucco walls and murals of Mexico and painted decor. The buffet and tables were very clean and attended at all times by a server.

The Food:

I had the lunch buffet, which featured the following:

Arroz con Pollo – Rice and chicken with peppers

Chile Rellenos – Chicken, chilies and lots of cheese. Well done and delicious. Not too spicy. Sometimes the chilies can get out of control. Not here.

Enchiladas – beef, cheese. The beef was lean and cut in strips, which was nice- not ground beef – and the cheese enchilada – dreamy, served with beans and rice.

Taco and tostada shells were put out for make-your-own bar – which is fabulous. The taco meat had great flavor and wasn’t greasy. The pico de gallo was perfect: tangy onion taste with mild cilantro that didn’t overpower. Everything on the taco bar looked fresh-perpared. The chips and salsa were also very good. The chips weren’t greasy or overly salty.

Gotta Try:

The margaritas were awesome. I also like the chili rellenos. Salmoran says the secret is they are baked and not fried like most other chili rellenos. The flavors bake into the food, enhancing the taste, instead of being smothered in grease when fried. Also, Salmoran added the restaurant uses vegetable oil.

Price:

The lunch buffet was $8.50 – very reasonable. Most of the menu items run the same, on average, not at all out of line with other Mexican restaurants. Happy hour offers great values on the Margaritas, two-for-one, and 99-cent drafts from 4- 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.


Hours:

The Agave is open daily from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
The lunch buffet is from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Location:

The Agave
Fine Mexican dining and cantina
1575 Vassar St., Reno

Contact:

(775) 323-3210