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I can already hear the comments from the peanut gallery, commenting on our insanity on choosing El Pollo Loco for dinner while visiting the gambler's mecca of Reno, Nevada. Sure, considering the almost endless casino buffets you have to choose from, and the fact that Reno sports restaurants catering to any taste imaginable, it does seem a little far-fetched that we'd dine a a fast food restaurant. El Pollo Loco features HUGE differences that set them apart from the other fast food joints offering faux-Mexican food, Pollo Loco has a lot to offer, and for us, on Tuesday evening, September 25, 2007, after a hard night of losing money at the local casinos, El Pollo's grilled chicken was exactly what we were looking for, to enjoy for our evening's dinner.
Photo: The El Pollo Loco on Virginia Street looks like any other Pollo Loco in Reno, or Anywhere, U.S.A.. Yes, El Pollo Loco is a chain restaurant, and yes, they're considered fast food, and if you're a regular reader of this web site, you'll probably note that we tend to avoid, or at least not publish our encounters at fast food restaurants. El Pollo doesn't claim to produce authentic Mexican cuisine, but they come very close, as their chicken is grilled, not fried, and they offer corn tortillas and pinto beans on the side, not to mention that they feature an extensive salsa bar, stocked with fresh, in-house made salsa, that tastes authentically Mexican. Their salsa bar features four vanities of delicious salsa, including house salsa, avocado salsa, pico de gallo and chipotle salsa. I like the fact that the salsa bar is serve-yourself, all-you-can-eat style, which fits my form of dining.
Photo: Sharlene ponders the many choices offered at the lighted menu located above the order counter. The kitchen is located to the rear of the counter, and the photo clearly shows chicken cooking on their grill. El Pollo advertises their chicken as "flame-broiled," and no matter what you call it, its cooked behind the counter, before your eyes, over a grill, that features real mesquite wood for seasoning. Like every other fast food restaurant, you walk up to the counter, make your selection from the lighted menu, pay for your food, and exchange, you receive a number, if you order your meal to-go, like we did. While waiting for your number to be called, you head over to the salsa bar and load up on their delicious, free salsa, and sample some of their freshly cooked tortilla chips.
Photo: In typical, automated, fast-food style, these folks are preparing surprisingly delicious and healthy meals. The El Pollo Loco, located on South Virginia Street, in Reno, uses the same formula as all of their stores, so if you've eaten at one restaurant, you've eaten at 'em all. The personnel act as automated drones, performing their chores with mechanical precision, wear painted-on smiles, and are very efficient at what they do. They will give you a delicious, yet very generic meal, that anybody can afford that will fill you up, keep you anticipating your next visit, and leave a smile on your face, especially when you get out you calculator and add up your calorie intake; you're in for a pleasant surprise: You've only taken in 600 calories, after enjoying a delicious, filling meal!
Photo: Our delicious meals consisted of two pieces of flame-broiled chicken, a side salad, a side of pinto beans, warmed corn tortillas, and lots of Pollo Loco's in-house-made salsa to garnish the meal. I love El Pollo Loco, and I recommend that you visit one of their restaurants if you're looking for a delicious, low-calorie, faux-Mexican meal.
El
Pollo Loco
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