By Logan Schauer and Ally Bauer
photos by Ally Bauer
A Night at Louis'
A photo of Louis’ Basque Corner in Reno, NV- one of the oldest Basque restaurants in Nevada.
Photo credit: Ally Bauer.
RENO, NV-- Reno, NV is normally associated with prostitution, gambling and drugs. But hidden throughout the city-- and the rest of the state-- are hints of Basque culture. One of the oldest Basque establishments in Reno is a restaurant: Louis’ Basque Corner. At the intersection of Evans Avenue and 4th Street, you’ll find a small, almost clandestine white brick building. This is Louis’.
Louis’ has been a beloved part of Reno since the 1900s, but the building itself has a much deeper history. In 1907, John Barrett, a stonemason, built the Hotel Richelieu on the corner of what is now Evans Avenue. He operated a marble and granite company on this same property.
In 1913, the Lincoln highway began drawing more people into Reno, and the Hotel Richelieu began operating as a boarding house, accommodating Basque sheepherders who came to Nevada from the Pyrenees Mountains of France and Spain. The sheepherders spent summer and fall in remote areas of rural Nevada with their sheep herds, but when winter came, they returned to town, staying in hotels until it was time to go back to the high desert ranges.
In 1936, the ground floor of Hotel Richelieu became the Lincoln Bar, a 24-hour establishment condoning all the raunchiness Nevada is known for. After World War II, the hotel was renamed the Hotel Dude, perhaps as a nod to the divorce trade (divorce seekers were known locally as dudes). In the 1960s, the name was changed to the Lincoln Hotel, with a new Italian restaurant added to the bar space in 1963.
Then, in 1967, the restaurant we know and love today finally came to life. Louis and Lorraine Erreguible purchased the building from the Barretts, including the rooming house upstairs. They added a second dining room, and transformed the restaurant into Louis’ Basque Corner. A place where Basque sheepherders far from home could get a taste of their roots.
A map of the Basque Country
Louis Erreguible arrived in Reno from Mauleon, France in 1948. After rejecting a job herding sheep, he began to work in his new restaurant and later as a custom cabinet maker. Instantly popular among locals, the restaurant developed a national reputation for Basque cuisine served in a traditional family style.
Upon entering the dimly-lit building, you are immediately face-to-face with a bar filled with strangers talking as though they’ve known each other forever. Family pictures of the Erreguibles as well as of the Basque country filled the walls and the Basque colors paraded the room. Long tables surrounded by eight to 12 chairs fill three entire rooms. At six p.m. on a Friday night, we had expected it to be filled already, but it was quiet.
Family-style dining table at Louis'
Dinner at Louis'
A waitress in traditional Basque clothing
We were greeted by three servers, and seated at one of the “family-style” tables next to two couples we had never met before. Our waitress greeted us, dressed in traditional Basque attire. Luckily, we had made reservations, because by 6:15 p.m., the place was packed wall-to-wall. Kids were yelling, families laughing, and strangers becoming friends.
For $22, you get Louis’ traditional Basque dinner: homemade soup of the day (normally clam chowder), French bread, Basque beans, salad, French fries, a first course (roasted chicken), dessert, and a glass of house wine.
When our food was delivered, the table was already overflowing with the other couples’ food, personal belongings and wine bottles. Nothing was served how we thought it would be. Everything was served as though we were at home. Dishes were mixed and matched and nothing was organized. This is the traditional Basque family dinner for people who don’t have Basque family to dine with. But this is what makes Louis’, Louis’. “To us, you’re one of the family,” as they say.
You have the option to add another main course to this selection. Trust me, you won’t need it. This traditional multi-course meal was extremely filling and very satisfying. The clam chowder was one of the best ones I’ve ever had. The flavors from the other dishes complimented each other perfectly. We cleaned our plates.
Throughout dinner, our servers were very welcoming, charming and, at times, flirtatious. They checked on us every couple of minutes, despite being pulled in a multitude of different directions-- the kitchen, 20+ other families, the phone and the bar. Everyone was yelling and having a good time. You have to shout so the person next to you or across from you can hear you. Add their selection of wine to that, and you have a mighty good time.
If you’re brave enough (or simply enjoy strong alcohol), you can try Louis’ famous Picon Punch, a cocktail made with an Amaro liqueur, soda water, grenadine, a splash of lemon, and a bit of brandy floating on top. People come from around the country and world to try not only Louis’ food, but also the Picon Punch. We ended up not finishing ours because it was so strong, and we had to drive. But the table behind us ordered one for every person in the family. They then proceeded to finish their punches and promptly have them replaced. Whether you enjoy strong alcohol or don’t, you’ll want to be sure to sip slowly.
Louis' famous pecan punch
After we finished our meals, we forced some ice cream down, because what’s dinner without dessert? It was simple vanilla with chocolate syrup, but still delicious. Maybe it was the ambience or the food, but we didn’t want to leave.
Louis’ Basque Corner will be a large part of Reno-Basque culture for years to come. It is a statement to the fact that the family was able to maintain such a different culture amidst heavy American culture. One of the most important ideas to Northern Nevada Basque is keeping the culture alive far from its origins. The homemade food is expertly prepared, the picon punches flow freely and the conversation is never lacking. We will be sure to return.