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Chris Covert, managing partner for MacKenzie River Pizza Co. at The Reserve, makes a pizza.
Photo by Christine H. Wetzel.
A sourdough crust, plus different toppings and sauces, give the pies at MacKenzie River Pizza Co. a variety of flavors.
Photo by Christine H. Wetzel.
| Wednesday, November 21, 2001
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal COLUMN: APPETIZERS: Ken White Reserve eatery adds signature touches to its pizza, decor
From the crust to the toppings, MacKenzie River Pizza Co. at The Reserve, 777 W. Lake Mead Drive in Henderson, attempts to serve a different kind of pie. It all starts with a sourdough crust, "the backbone of our product," says owner Jeff Pappas. "It's thick, but not heavy. It's real sourdough made with our own seasonings." The sourdough crust is made daily on-site, and it's used for the restaurant's sandwiches as well. MacKenzie River also offers various pizza sauces, including barbecue, pesto and tomato-based. And the cheese topping is a blend of white cheddar, mozzarella and grated Parmesan. In decor, the Montana-based restaurant, started in Bozeman in 1993, has the look of a lodge, with paintings and murals of Montana wildlife scenes; a carved wooden bear near the entrance; lodgepole rafters, tables and chairs; and a tin ceiling. And a signature piece of decor that can be found in every MacKenzie River restaurant will be in place soon: a fisherman's boat that hangs from the ceiling. "It's a unique experience environmentwise as well as the food," says Ray Villaman, a partner in the restaurant that opened at The Reserve last weekend. The company won the 1998 Hot Concept award from the Nation's Restaurant News trade publication. Among the pizza selections, all in medium (12 inches) and large (16 inches) sizes, are the Long Rider, consisting of fajita chicken, black beans, jalapeño peppers and sliced red onions; the Veggie, with broccoli, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, sliced red onions and black olives; the Madison, with bacon, mushrooms, ricotta, cheddar and provolone; and the Rancher, topped with ground beef, pepperoni, bacon, sliced red onion, green peppers and tomatoes (each $12.99 for medium, $14.99 for large). The more nontraditional pizzas include the Athenian, with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, leaf spinach, tomatoes, feta, sliced red onions and kalamata olives; the Hot Hawaiian, with barbecue sauce, fajita chicken, bacon, jalapeño peppers and pineapple; the Avalanche, featuring a garlic Alfredo sauce with fajita chicken, tomato slices and basil; the Rustler, with MacKenzie River salsa, fajita chicken, black beans, diced tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, sliced red onions, black olives, jack cheese and cheddar; Thai Pie, with traditional Thai peanut-ginger sauce, basil, marinated chicken, chopped green onions, sliced red peppers and roasted whole peanuts; and the Angler, a pesto-based pizza with leaf spinach, smoked trout and sliced almonds (also $12.99 for medium, $14.99 for large). In addition, the restaurant features take-and-bake in which diners can order a pizza made up and take it home and bake in their own ovens. MacKenzie River also offers appetizers. Lodgepoles are baked sourdough sticks with olive oil and garlic, three-cheese blend and marinara ($3.99). Cowboy Nachos are blue corn chips with a marinade of fajita chicken, tomatoes and red onions topped with green onions, black olives, black beans, jalapeño peppers, jack cheese and cheddar. They are served with a side of sour cream and the house-made salsa ($6.99). Salads include the Vegas Bowl, romaine and red-leaf lettuce topped with fajita chicken, broccoli, mushrooms, provolone and cheddar; the MacKenzie Cobb, with fajita chicken, crumbled bacon, boiled egg, avocado, tomato and crumbled blue cheese on a bed of salad greens; and the Thai salad, with romaine and red-leaf lettuce topped with basil, marinated chicken, green onions, mandarin oranges, sprouts, sliced red peppers, carrots, and sesame seeds and peanuts sprinkled on top ($6.99 each). Sandwich selections include Cool Smokin' Turkey, with smoked turkey, tomato, leaf spinach, feta, black olives and a light pesto mayonnaise; Santa Fe chicken, with fajita chicken, tomato and sliced red onion topped with provolone and light pesto mayonnaise; the Willow Creek, with sliced smoked turkey, bacon, avocado, spinach, tomato, melted three-cheese blend and light mayonnaise; and the Longhorn, consisting of lean roast beef, tomato, leaf spinach, sliced red onion, Monterey Jack and spicy horseradish sauce ($6.99 each). All sandwiches are served with a side of blue corn tortilla chips. The restaurant also has pasta dishes on the menu, including Old Faithful, capellini with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and basil in a marinara sauce ($6.99); the Trail Boss, sausage and rigatoni with garlic cream sauce and marinara plus spinach, garlic, sliced mushroom and yellow onions ($9.99); the Mount Charleston, baked rigatoni with a blend of garlic cream sauce and marinara, chopped garlic, basil, three-cheese blend, olive oil and toasted bread crumbs ($9.99); and the Ranch Hand, with jumbo raviolis stuffed with ricotta with a chunky marinara and olive oil, garlic and basil ($9.99). Beer, including the Taste of West house brand microbrew made for the restaurant by Pyramid, and wines are available. The 135-seat restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Pappas says the restaurant, which has locations in Billings, Bozeman, Missoula, Helena, Great Falls, Kalispell and Belgrade, Mont., and Boise, Idaho, plans to expand in the future to other Station Casinos properties. Appetizers is a weekly informational column about new developments on the Las Vegas dining scene. Items should not be considered reviews or recommendations and none is a paid advertisement.
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