New York Times political reporter Jennifer Steinhauer made a cross county trip from San Francisco to New York during October 2008. She wrote a column on the food she encountered along the way, and had this to say about the lamb shanks at the Martin:
“This was hands down the best meal I have had on the road. If you find yourself in Winnemucca, I highly recommend the lamb shank with garlic mashed potatoes — emphasis garlic — with mint jelly. A more tender, falling-off-the-bone shank you may not consume again soon.”
Read the entire post Road to November: Eating Across America in the New York Times.
In December of 2009 Thom Patterson of CNN Travel offers four midway suggestions that may brighten a tedious road trip from one region of the nation to another. He comments about the Martin:
I-80 between California and Utah: Basque food oasis
“For generations Reno has been well-known as Nevada’s “Biggest Little City in the World,” but road-trippers with a taste for good food often talk about a tiny town about 2½ hours northeast along I-80.
The Basque community that settled in Winnemucca’s high desert in the mid-19th century is still going strong…The fare at the century-old Martin Hotel is repeatedly praised by foodies on Chowhound.com.
Chefs at the Martin serve tasty meals, including Basque lamb dishes and traditional pork loin solomo, say fans. Established as a rooming house for traffic along the nearby Southern Pacific Railroad, the hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places…”
Read the entire post Halfway destinations brighten tedious road trips on CNN.com
More Online Reviews
| The dishes kept coming. And all of them were good. For comfort, charm, and an incredibly filling meal, please swing off the main drag to find this place. … |
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| One of the most memerable meals of my life. Yes, that is saying a lot, but it really was. It’s not everyday that you are stuffed full before your entree is even served!I actually liked it better than the Star in Elko NV. … |
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| The Martin Hotel was recommended as the best place to eat in Winnemucca. It probably is, the fare is fairly standard Basque. There was a lot of food and most of it was very well prepared. I really enjoy lamb and most Basque … |
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Wonderful food! It’s such a great experience we’re taking the train from San Francisco to Winnemucca specifically to have dinner at the Martin Hotel.
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| Wonderful food! It’s such a great experience we’re taking the train from San Francisco to Winnemucca specifically to have dinner at the Martin Hotel. « Hide |
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| Poster Ivegas has it right! Our hotel’s desk clerk (a young local woman) told us The Martin is the best, and now we know why. There are no set seatings (eg, 6:00, 7:00, etc.) for the 8- to 12-person tables; everyone who comes in … |
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| This restaurant came up on the official Winnemucca website, and was recommended (as well) by our hotel’s front office staff. When we first pulled up to the “hotel“,my sister and I were skeptical,as the restaurant is located in a … |
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| Huge amounts of terrific food. Unusual dishes. Fun atmosphere (wine is included with the meal). The side dishes alone are more than a full meal. I especially enjoyed their potato soup, the garlic potatoes, and the combination of a green … |
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| The food is excellent. We had Basque food elsewhere on this trip and it was nowhere near as good. It’s the best Basque food we’ve eaten. Guests share tables, in the Basque family style. The historic hotel has a great old west look … |
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| Nov 11, 2007.Just came back from a week in Winnemucca. Ask the locals what Basque restaurants are best. A few names came up: Martin Hotel, San Fermin, Ormachea.Tried Martin and San Fermin, I liked Martin so much I went back 3 times. … |
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| This is the kind of hidden treasure that we love to find. It is an out of the way place in an old hotel. The service if family style and the waitresses take good care of you. But best of all is the food. It is definitely worth a … |
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