Looking around our table, my friend Ryan “Break the Chain” Scott astutely pointed out the relative scarcity of pizza at our table. Considering the Eclectic Urban Pizzeria and Tap Room may have been the most eagerly awaited pizzeria to open in Albuquerque in years, you’d think a phalanx of foodies would be devouring our weight in pizza…and while three pulchritudinous pies did grace our table, so did such eclectic fare as pho, chicken wings, roasted chicken and Chimichurri skirt steak a la plancha. Despite the term “eclectic” on the pizzeria’s appellation, the menu’s vast diversity actually surprised us.
It’s a testament to his tremendous creativity and talent that Chef Maxime Bouneou can still surprise diners who for nine years reveled in his fabulous Italian creations at Torinos @ Home, the restaurant he founded with his beautiful bride and partner Daniela. Surprises at Torinos were usually of the “I can’t believe how good this is” variety. At Eclectic, surprises fall under the “I can’t believe he can prepare this so well” category, emphasis on “this.” Frankly we shouldn’t have been surprised at the diversity of dishes he prepares so well. Maxime isn’t a great chef who prepares great Italian food. He’s a great chef who can prepare virtually anything!
Maxime’s pedigree as a chef is very impressive though more diners are acutely aware he wowed (absolutely blew away is more like it) Food Network celebrity Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives than know that in his native France, he worked in Michelin two- and three-star restaurants. Maxime’s ability to coax unbelievable deliciousness out of everything he prepares isn’t just a matter of talent. He and Daniela are committed to using the highest quality, locally procured organic ingredients wherever possible. Moreover, he absolutely loves what he does and continually works at improving his craft.
Daniela is the yin to Maxime’s yang. They complete one another with a work and life synergy few couples ever achieve. It’s been that way since they met in Nice, France where she was working as maitre d’ at a four-star hotel and he was the hotel’s promising sous-chef. They were married shortly thereafter and moved to Santa Fe where they launched Torinos @ Home in 2006. While the kitchen has always been Maxime’s domain, Daniela runs the “front of the house” with an incomparable elan. Her buoyant personality makes her the perfect hostess where she shines unlike no other in New Mexico. To say the Bouneous were beloved is an understatement.
In February, 2016, Maxime and Daniela sold Torinos, an event their adoring patrons believed warranted an apron flying at half mast. For months, we all speculated as to where they would land and even if they would remain in New Mexico. Fortunately the Bouneous have fallen in love with the Land of Enchantment and in early April, 2016 announced the forthcoming launch of their next restaurant venture, an undertaking they named “Eclectic. Urban Pizzeria and Tap House.” For months, legions of Facebook friends anxiously awaited the next snippet of news about the Bouneous return. Along with a Web site depicting construction progress, the Facebook page was both a big tease and an appetite-whetting medium.
On Saturday, August 27th at precisely 11AM, Eclectic opened its doors, a “soft opening” in which Daniela and Maxime may have set a one-day record for most hugs dispensed (although Tim Harris might have something to say about that). Guests were as happy to see the Bouneous as they were to sample their culinary fare. By Eclectic’s official September 17th launch date, it’s probably accurate to say many of us fed by the Bouneous for years will already have fallen in love with Eclectic, a restaurant which more than lives up to its name.
Eclectic Urban Pizzeria and Tap House is located on Menaul, about three blocks east of University. Because there isn’t a direct turn-in to the restaurant from east-bound Menaul, you’ll have to double back if you took the University exit. And because the pizzeria doesn’t have vivid, eye-catching signage and its storefront is a bit recessed from the street, you might miss it if you’re headed west from Carlisle. If you are headed west from Carlisle and you see Twisters, you’ve gone just a bit too far. Though your inaugural effort to find Eclectic might engender increased familiarity with Menaul, you’ll never again pass it by. Nor will you forget it.
Eclectic’s ambiance is industrial, but warm with blonde woods, distressed red bricked walls, hand-scrawled menus on the wall, a corrugated bar and industrial style polished concrete floors. Table legs are made from metal pipes, the type used in plumbing. Menus on clipboards hang from hooks on each table. Large south-facing windows let in sunlight. Seating is more functional than it is comfortable though we’ve lingered long and happily during our first two visits with no ill effect. Even al fresco dining is available thanks to a pet-friendly patio that doubles the pizzeria’s seating capacity. This is just one cool place to be, especially if you’re dining with friends.
31 August 2016: My friends Bruce “Sr Plata” Silver and Bruce Schor who, because of this blog, enjoyed a kinship without ever having met, accompanied me on our inaugural visit. Walking into the restaurant was like old home week, a reunion of new and old friends. No sooner had we stepped in than we espied the charismatic Ryan Scott, his winsome wife Kimber and their precious angel Judah. Daniela and Maxime greeted us all like long-lost family. That’s pretty much how they treat everyone–and one of the reasons Eclectic will soon become Albuquerque’s favorite pizzeria and watering hole. Well that and the food. Oh, the food…
While a disclaimer cautions that the menu is subject to change without notice, in our experience every item on that menu is an absolute winner, a perfect ten. The first section of the menu is titled “Start With” and it included eight starters, each as appealing as the other. There are ten pizzas on the menu, including a “build your own” option. Save for the Reina Margherita, a vegetarian pizza, and the Quattro Formaggi, the pizzas are unlike any you’ll find in the city. Instead of the de rigueur “meat lovers” pizza for example, you’ll find a Nordik pizza with smoked salmon and capers. There are four items on the “Not A Pizza” section of the menu, entrees truly befitting the term “eclectic.” Those include roasted chicken, fish and chips, Chimichurri skirt steak a la plancha and beer braised short ribs. Three sides are also available as well as four decadent desserts.
31 August 2016: As we perused the menu, we enjoyed a bowl of spicy, eclectic olives (some with pits). Brine-cured green and reddish, the olives are meaty, fresh and rubbed with a pleasantly piquant chile. It’s not often, if ever, the flavor combination of briny and piquant is discussed on this blog, but the combination is surprising (there’s that word again). The piquancy level of the chiles is a degree or two of magnitude more intense than pimentos stuffed into olive centers (as in the olives used on martinis), but without compromising on aroma and flavor. Bruce Schor graciously allowed me to eat the single Thai bird pepper that helped give the olives their piquancy. It was an eye-opener.
31 August 2016: If he’s not Albuquerque’s foremost authority on chicken wings, Ryan is certainly their most prolific “appreciator.” My friend loves chicken wings, but not just any chicken wings. They’ve got to be better than good. When chicken wings earn the Ryan Scott seal of approval, you know they’re imbued with greatness. Ryan loved the “get your hands dirty” sriracha-lime wings at Eclectic. The unlikely combination of intense piquancy coupled with tangy, citrusy lime works surprisingly well with an optimum balance of two strong flavors. These meaty wings are accompanied with a buttermilk ranch dressing so good you’ll want to spoon it out of the ramekin, but it’s wholly unnecessary on the wings.
31 August 2016: “Don’t tell me Maxime does pho, too?” If that sentiment wasn’t outwardly expressed, it was certainly contemplated. Yes, Maxime does pho and it’s one of Daniela’s favorite items on the starters menu. Listed as Hot “PHO” YOU, it’s a spectacular soup though it could be debated as to whether it is or isn’t pho. Pho is technically a noodle soup and there are no noodles on this piping hot dish nor will you find the distinctive, aromatic essence of star anise, but those are technicalities. Call this “faux pho” if you will, but you’ll also be calling it absolutely delicious. Instead of the swimming pool-sized portion served at Vietnamese restaurants, Eclectic’s version is served in a small bowl with ladle. Maxime’s interpretation of pho is made with generous pieces of chicken, bamboo shoots, cabbage, nuoc mam, garlic and cilantro. It will blow you away!
31 August 2016: My friend Sr. Plata was on the first day of a low-carb diet when he espied big dips and dough on the menu. Needless to say, his low-carb effort was delayed by one day. Served with focaccia bread sticks is a triumvirate of terrific dips: humus, smoked trout and goat cheese, each a magnificent complement to the best focaccia you’ll find in the Duke City. If the notion of “smoked trout” dip channels memories of slick-talking salesman Dan Aykroyd hawking a Bassomatic, you’re probably not alone. Don’t let that notion stop you from enjoying this magnificent dipping sauce. Great as the dips are, the foccacia is fabulous–a precursor to the quality of the pizza crust to be enjoyed later.
31 August 2016: There are two versions of Brussels sprouts on the menu, one with bacon and one without. Sporting the curious appellation “Eat Your Brussels Carley,” they’re delicious with our without the pork candy. Named America’s “most hated vegetable” in a 2008 survey conducted by Heinz, Brussels sprouts are almost universally reviled. Many diners hate them without ever having tried them (probably because they heard someone else express their disdain for this villainous vegetable). Andy Griffiths even wrote an anti-tribute to Brussels sprouts. Entitled “Just Disgusting!,” its lyrics posit: “Who wouldn’t hate them? They’re green. They’re slimy. They’re moldy. They’re horrible. They’re putrid. They’re foul. Apart from that, I love them.” You’ll certainly love Maxime’s version!
1 November 2016: A Google search for “Ode to Macaroni and Cheese” will fruitfully return results, some of which are inspired and creative. One especially catchy ode was put to music, taking liberties with the Celine Dion song “Because You Loved Me.” I half expected my friend Bill to belt out a chorus or two of that ode. That’s how much he enjoyed Eclectic’s mac & cheese jalapeno dish. Anyone who’s been comforted by the warmth and deliciousness of macaroni and cheese can certainly understand that. Macaroni and cheese has uplifting qualities that make it the most revered of comfort foods…and if ever there was a poster child for how mac and cheese should look and taste, it would be Maxime’s version. Served in a cast iron pan, this turophile’s dream is a medley of cheeses: Fontina, Gorgonzola, Cantal and Mozzarella atop of which sit several sliced jalapenos. A little truffle oil gives it earthy notes your taste buds will appreciate. This dish is decadent enough to satisfy a nostalgic “back to childhood” pang for mac and cheese but it’s also sophisticated enough for grown-ups. What really makes this dish stand out, however, is that it’s both cheesy in a melty, gooey way (but not to the extent of ballpark nachos) and it’s caramelized, especially at the bottom of the pan. Caramelized cheese is so good, it could be used on a caramel apple.
1 November 2016: There’s a disclaimer on Eclectic’s Web site which cautions that “menu is subject to change without notice.” You’ll want to visit Eclectic’s Web site daily so you’ll be up-to-speed on what the daily special is. In the past week, daily specials have included such alluring offerings as a green chile cheeseburger, patty melt, oyster po’ boy and the Tuesday special—tacos. Tacos, which come in all shapes, sizes, colors and price points have become as American as apple pie and baseball. At Eclectic, soft, steamed white corn tortillas are engorged with your choice of carne asada, chicken or fish and they’re value-priced so you can afford two or ten of them. Filled generously with planks of tender, fried Pollock and cabbage slaw, these beauties are served with a wedge of lime, a perfect foil for the fish.
31 August 2016: For many gastronomes the very notion of roasted chicken elicits if not an outward yawn, an ennui. Leave it to Maxime to enliven what is often a ho-hum dish. A generously applied pasilla chile and lime rub precedes a deeply penetrating heat roasting in the brick oven. The pasilla imbues the chicken with a unique flavor. Pasilla, the dried form of the chilaca chili pepper, is an aromatic, brownish red chile that smells somewhat like prunes and has a mild, rich and almost sweet taste with just a hint of residual bitterness. It’s increasingly finding favor among bold chefs such as Maxime who are skilled at building concordant flavors with diverse ingredients. The roasted chicken is served with a green mango chutney which complements the chicken very well.
1 November 2016: Had King George III’s government attempted to tax fish and chips, it’s conceivable the revolutionary war would have started earlier (presuming that the colonists brought fish and chips across the pond). It’s become increasingly rare in cafes and restaurants across the fruited plain to find a menu that doesn’t offer fish and chips, an indication that Americans, too, love this dish. Most of the time fish and chips at American restaurants are passable…or at least better than what you’ll find at Long John Silver’s. Every once in a while, you find a version of fish and chips so good, you wonder if maybe one of Her Majesty’s culinary staff prepared it. Eclectic’s version is such a dish. Instead of the heavily-breaded, golden-hued planks with a mountain of French fries to which you might be accustomed, what arrives at your table are driftwood-sized logs that are more Dijon-colored than canary gold. That’s because Maxime uses Stout on his batter. Not only does the Stout impart a darker hue, it tempers the strongly flavored Pollock, a lovely whitefish with a flaky texture. Instead of British “chips” (French fries), the fish is served with housemade potato chips, infinitely better than you’ll find at any grocery store.
9 December 2016: During the eight years we lived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, I must have consumed at least one boatload’s worth of po’ boys. What differentiates New Orleans’ most famous sandwich from your run-of-the-mill sub sandwich is its humble origin as a sumptuous sustenance provided to striking streetcar drivers. Because of the abundant local resources of the Gulf Coast and bayous, fried seafood–particularly shrimp and oysters–po’ boys are the most popular option. In New Mexico, it may be easier to find a prize pearl inside an oyster than to find an outstanding oyster po’ boy or sandwich. Leave it to the genius of Maxime Bouneau to construct one that’s every bit as good as the very best you’ll find in New Orleans. Nestled in Maxime’s incomparable soft, chewy, delicious focaccia are a netful of oysters, a single lettuce leaf and a housemade remoulade you’d swear came out of Louisiana. The oyster po’ boy is served with a ramekin of tangy coleslaw which (hmm, wish I’d thought of this sooner) would go well inside the po’ boy. Even better, ask for a side of curry fries, the best you’ll have anywhere.
15 April 2017: On June 16, 2017, the Albuquerque Isotopes will officially change their names for the day in honor of New Mexico’s sacrosanct green chile cheeseburger. On that day, the Isotopes will become the Albuquerque Green Chile Cheeseburgers and will sport a custom uniform adorned with a special green chile roaster patch on the left sleeve , a New Mexico state flag with a toothpick for a pole on the right sleeve and a black hat with a burger. It promises to be the hottest promotion in the history of the franchise, but it won’t be as hot as a green chile cheeseburger at Eclectic. Maxime doesn’t chop and dice the chile he uses on the burger. He unfurls an entire chile and nestles it atop a molten slice of Pepperjack cheese which blankets a thick beef patty. Lettuce, red onion and tomatoes are served on the side. The chile has a pleasant piquancy with enough heat to get this volcano-eater’s attention. It’s also got a nice roasted flavor that hearkens to mind the aromas of green chile being roasted under our salubrious skies. This is a green chile cheeseburger which goes best with truffle fries. If you’d like additional heat, don’t opt for the standard American mustard. Ask for a dollop or two of the whole grain mustard which has got the kick of horseradish, but won’t take anything away from the great flavor of the green chile cheeseburger.
15 April 2017: When perusing Eclectic’s menu, it surprised us to find corn grits. Considering Maxime cut his teeth In European restaurants, we would have expected polenta. “Aren’t grits and polenta the same thing?”, you ask. Well, they’re both made from stone-ground cornmeal, but they’re traditionally made from two different types of corn. Southern grits are traditionally made from dent corn while polenta is made from flint corn which has a finer texture. Texturally, grits can come across as somewhat mushy, while polenta tends to be more coarse and toothsome. At any regard, both can be delicious if prepared correctly. Maxime prepares grits as well as most chefs in the Deep South do. Imbued with gorgonzola, a veined Italian blue cheese with a strong, sharp flavor and cream to temper that sharpness, the grits are surprisingly good. They shouldn’t be. Everything Maxime prepares is excellent or better.
15 April 2017: Maxime’s focaccia bread is the best we’ve ever had! It’s better-than-bakery-quality bread that goes well with virtually anything you can imagine, but is wonderful all by itself. Though we could subsist happily on the big dips and dough, our very favorite starter, the pate & focaccia also beckons. The pork pate, a small, dense brick of ground pork, unctuous pork fat, herbs and spices fashioned into a spreadable mini-loaf is terrific on its own, but elevated in flavor when spread on the focaccia. At under ten dollars, it’s a bargain. The pate and focaccia are served with an eye-watering whole grain mustard that will clear your nasal passages as well as a small ramekin of cornichons, the delightful miniature sour French pickles made with mini gherkin cucumbers, each about two inches in length. The cornichons have an addictive crunch and an acidic bite which balances the richness of the pate.
31 August 2016: Eclectic’s “Build Your Own” pizza offers more options than just about any pizzeria you’ll ever find–and not just the boring “usual suspects” line-up of toppings. The build your own starts with tomato sauce, mozzarella and Cantal (a raw cow’s milk cheese with a pleasant milky aroma and a nutty, buttery flavor that finishes just slightly acidic). It’s the canvas atop which you can build your own masterpiece. Bruce (to avoid confusion with the other Bruce (Sr. Plata), let’s call him Bruce 1.0) added pork sausage and imported Gorgonzola, both excellent choices. The first thing you’ll appreciate about an Eclectic pizza is the aroma which precedes it out of the brick wood-burning oven. The taste and texture deliver on the promises made by the aroma. Waifishly thin, the pizza is imprinted with a pinto pony char and just a slight cornicione, an Italian term for the “lip” or puffy outer edge of the pizza. Both the sausage and imported Gorgonzola are first-rate.
31 August 2016: Who says pizza has to be based on tomato sauce? Certainly not Maxime who also offers one based on cilantro-pesto and another based on buttermilk. Yes, buttermilk! Unable to decide from among five tempting options, I asked the more decisive (and infinitely cuter) Kimber to order for me. Her choice, the North Shore (cilantro pesto, roasted chicken, smoked bacon, pineapple, cantal and mozzarella cheese) was outstanding! The cilantro pesto has a real zip that impregnates the wondrous crust thoroughly. As always, the combination of pineapple and bacon proved magical, the two disparate ingredients playing off one another in contrasting harmony. The bacon is thick and smoky, wholly unlike the tiny bacon bits some pizzerias use. The true test of pizza greatness, however, is how it holds up to refrigeration–essentially how good it is for breakfast. The North Shore is just as good cold the next day as it was out-of-the-oven. This is true pizza greatness!
6 September 2016: “How about dinner. I know a place that serves great Viking food.” Those words, uttered by the immortal Police Squad Lieutenant Frank Drebben gave me pause to reflect on Viking food and whether or not any restaurant in America actually serves it. Not even Google the Infallible (doesn’t that sound like a Viking name?) could find a single Viking restaurant across the fruited plain. If a Viking restaurant did exist, they’d be well advised to copy Maxime’s Nordik Pizza (buttermilk, smoked salmon, capers, red onion, cantal and mozzarella cheese). Only a pizzaioli genius could conceive of such a masterpiece. He hadn’t finished his first slice when my friend Larry McGoldrick, the professor with the perspicacious palate, declared it second only to the Funghi & Tartufo from Piatanzi as his favorite pizza in the world. It is indeed a delicious pie, albeit one not everyone will enjoy. The smoked salmon, in particular, has an intensely smoky, fishy flavor and aroma.
6 September 2016: As a self-admitted mad scientist in the kitchen, experimentation with ingredient combinations brings me as much joy as frustration, as many successes as failures. When the ingredient combinations don’t complement one another, it’s “curses, foiled again!” Dazzling Deanell, on-the-other-hand, seems to have a Midas touch. She always seems to know what to order at restaurants and, as we discovered at Eclectic, she knows how to put together a perfect pie. The make your own beauty pictured above includes roasted red peppers, black olives, mushrooms and sausage. Sounds pretty standard, right? Not when the sausage is so magnificently fennel-kissed with notes of pleasant piquancy. Excellent ingredients make for an excellent pizza. Sausage will evermore grace any pizza we order at Eclectic.
6 September 2016: When my Kim espied a pizza named “Paysanne,” she thought the menu’s creator may have misspelled “Paisano”, an Italian term for compatriot. While that might make good sense, the pizza’s actual name really is “Paysanne” and if there’s one term which defines Maxime’s genius it might be this one. Paysanne describes meals prepared simply. Even Maxime’s most complex dishes and most creative combinations aren’t a mishmash of designer ingredients thrown together. Take the namesake “Paysanne” pizza, for example. It’s constructed with buttermilk, smoked bacon, mushroom, red onion, olives, cantal and mozzarella cheese. Simple, right. It’s simply delicious, a flavorful feast for the eyes and taste buds.
2 September 2016: My father-in-law loved short ribs, maybe even more than Adam did. He would have flipped over the beer braised short ribs at Eclectic. Martha Stewart once declared “there is perhaps no purer beef flavor than that of a short rib.” Ironically, short ribs were once disdained by chefs as “poor man’s food.” Under the right hands, however, this fairly modestly priced cut can be coaxed to rich, unctuous tenderness and complexity thanks to a basic braise. At Eclectic, the short ribs are served sans bone, but somehow they retain the silken richness of bone-in short ribs. Braised in beer, cherries and Pasilla chiles, the ribs are available in three sizes: small, medium and large. The medium is the size of a small roast with huge flavors.
2 September 2016: With only five desserts on the menu, you’d think it would be easy to decide which one to order. Under Maxime’s deft touch, they’re all bound to be great. Bread pudding not being an option made the choice easier for me. With fresh memories of the sumptuous peach cobbler at The County Line Restaurant there could only be one choice. Served in a cast iron pan, the rhubarb cobbler is superb! With a lip-pursing tartness, the rhubarb is counterbalanced by the sweetness of the ice cream and the savoriness of the pie crust.
In its annual Food & Wine issue for 2017, Albuquerque The Magazine awarded Eclectic Urban Pizzeria & Tap House a Hot Plate Award signifying the selection of its Chocolate Chile Shake as one of the “dishes…that’s lighting a fire under the city’s culinary scene.” Considering the thousands of potential selections, to be singled out is quite an honor.
Eclectic Urban Pizzeria may be the new kid on the block, but it may already be the answer to the supplications of pizza lovers across the Duke City for a transformative pie, one that’s not merely very good, but truly outstanding. As Ryan pointed out, however, pizza may not even be the best item on the menu. Repeat visits are a must!
ECLECTIC URBAN PIZZERIA AND TAP HOUSE
2119 Menaul, N.E.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
LATEST VISIT: 15 April 2017
1st VISIT: 31 August 2016
# OF VISITS: 6
RATING: 25
COST: $$
BEST BET: Spicy eclectic olives mix, Wings hot and tangy, Hot “PHO”YOU, Big dips and dough,Eat your Brussels Carley, Roasted chicken, North Shore, Beer Braised Short Ribs, Rhubarb Cobbler, Nordik Pizza, Paysanne Pizza, Fish & Chips, Fish Tacos, Mac & Cheese, Oyster Po’ Boy, Curry Fries, Green Chile Cheeseburger, Corn Grits, Pate and Focaccia
I wish they would reopen! I thought it always was a terrible location, off a busy street that was so loud making it hard to enjoy eating outside. How out taking a risk against all odds opens ng up in Corrales, NM???
Alas Sr. Plata….A+ for Effort! LOL Alas, I think Euro roots and the pull of “Provence” http://tinyurl.com/y75yy7ke (altho we have a field of ‘purple majesty” along Rio Grande http://tinyurl.com/yd9z3kny and unmatchless sunsets) Provence is too strong.
Indeed, I have fond memories of Corrales being the “in” destination for fine dining in the ’70s…e.g. Casa Vieja/Rancho de Corrales. And still…thankfully…today there is something about going straight or turning north from 528…to go to Indigo Crow as well as Hannah & Nate’s/Perea’s/Village Pizza… that sets a mood…a draining of city-life. Unfortunately, our faux “Restaurant Row” along “true” Coors seduces us to be just on-the-run chompers/munchers. In addition, past rumors persist within me, that the Folk and Admin. of Corrales are anti-business per anti traffic. As best as I remember, after the fire at reportedly popular Calico Cafe, they had to up and leave…build elsewhere….per onerous zoning requirements to rebuild, e.g. make the septic tank BIGGER as they washed too many dishes or people poohed too much straining the Village’s septic cleaning runs.
…..Hmmm….If someone were to come along and purchase a property on Corrales Rd. where you turned off to enter a drive alongside a vineyard on one side with a field of lavender on the other, which ended in an edifice of oh let’s say like Casa Rondena whose back/eastfacing side opened and was glass walled-in capable for seating views of the Bosque/RioGrande and Sandias….might the Bouneous then re-think again of going back to their fine dining offerings but to now challenge Maxime’s chefery talents per being a diversity of French Italian on the “upper floor” with a more casual Eclectic pizzeria on the first floor?
I’m wondering, BOTVOLR, have you thought of opening a restaurant?
Considering you advanced knowledge of the area and it’s history, coupled with the dozens and dozens of suggestions for making local eateries great again I would think any place you opened would be a slam dunk.
Cheap, cheaper, and cheapest prices for good food, extended parking, for classic muscle cars, breathtaking views, it would be the ultimate Chica magnet.
Looking for investors? They should be lined up to get a piece of the action.
Have your people call my people, let’s talk.
Really needs your opinions why they closed the business? Location?
Yes, I think location was THE major problem. It was also a big problem with Torinos as it was a perfect location for the lunch crowd near so many businesses but at dinner time nobody goes over there. Additionally everyone working in the area eventually found them for lunch but not being visible from the street is a no-no in Albuquerque.
I am also confident that Max means it when he says he will never open another restaurant. In five years he may find that a B&B is a royal pain but Provence has many more employment opportunities for a great chef than Albuquerque.
As someone said Corrales could be an excellent location for an upscale restaurant but in spite of what that person says Corrales has a MAJOR and deteriorating groundwater problem and it needs a sewage system. Barring that it does need large septic holding tanks.
I wish they would reconsider and open up something bordering on Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Corrales. I think its becoming a good area or even where the new Slapfish just open and is so crowded. I just don’t think of going to Menaul and I25 for great food and be unique on that street. I am just saying. Dont want to see them go!!!
We went by for Daniela and Maxime’s last two nights which became very loud & raucous parties if you didn’t know what it was about. Seating was almost impossible and Daniela was really whooping it up. They are looking to sell their property then return to Provence to open a B&B at the foot of the Alps. Maxime is adamant that he will never open another restaurant. He told me that business had been great for a year then just died the second year. it is a real loss.
We spent the weekend in Peñasco so we couldn’t make it to Eclectic. What a shame that Albuquerque couldn’t support two of the most talented restaurateurs to grace our state. The restaurant industry is very fickle. Diners (and critics) seem drawn to shiny new restaurants, the “new kids in town.” Perhaps indicative of our human need for constant new sources of stimulation and gratification, we flock to new restaurants like moths to a flame. In our minds, new seems to translate to fresh and exciting. We seem drawn to the spit, polish and promise of new restaurants in our constant quest for new and different. How quickly we forget the old (or not as new) favorites of yesterday. I’m so sorry and more than a bit ashamed I didn’t visit Maxime and Daniela more often.
Oh my! Another sad Closing: http://tinyurl.com/y9zj35xh
Arrivederci e migliori auguri per il tuo futuro!
Fino ad un altro momento,
Bob
Bobby, you have ruined our day. I had noticed recently that their business had been terrible and Daniela and Max were spending less time there but I didn’t realize things were that bad.
It is obviously to late to do them any good but we will be there tonight.
Last night in our 13th visit to this wonderful establishment we were surprised to see the daily special was a Carne Adovada, Green Chile, Pinto Bean and Cheese Burrito so we both ordered one and I added a Pasole Soup with Red Chile. I was shocked to find that the Red Chile in both looked and smelled like a Texas Red. I, of course asked Daniella whether they had learned to cook these in France or Italy. She said, “No-here.” It also tasted like an especially wonderful Texas Red except the noted Texas culinary expert Sheldon Cooper says that if it has beans it isn’t chili.
The menu and myself rated the heat level as medium. The Child Bride rated it incendiary. A few traditionalist food bloggers would have rated the meal inedible. I gave it a 26.
Whoa! Went for E’s Special for this weekend of Polish Sausage (aka Kielbasa) and Sauerkraut (aka Kapusta). Love coincidences as my Sis just told me last weekend she froze a stash of 5 qts. If truth be told, I hated the stuff (kapusta) when served almost everday as part of the hot lunches in my Polish grammar school. Woe were you…if ya didn’t eat it! Anyway, as my “taste” has matured, I’ve come to enjoy it. Alas, I was thinking a bowl with slices of Kielbasa…lo that there would be some teeth pulling “Polish” Rye on the side. Instead, I was treated to a tasty Focaccia filled sandwich! Eh, they be Italians!!! Both the kielbasa and kapusta had “the taste”, but it was kicked up a notch with banana chile sprinkles, given our jaded tastes per years of eating New Mexican!!!! Ole! Daniela was indeed her hospitable self in this new, relaxed funky setting!
I’m so happy that Daniela and Maxime are back with another venue. This time a wonderfully “Eclectic” menu with selections like Fish & Chips, Mac & Cheese Jalapeno, Brussel Sprouts. For the umpteenth time, this dynamic duo blew me away with a delicious lunch.
I enjoyed Dips and Dough, a fish taco (it was taco Tuesday after all), the spicy olives, and a Nordic Pizza. Everything was “roll-your-eyes-and-groan” wonderful.
I was fortunate to enjoy lunch with non-other than Mr. Garduno himself, who had the fish and chips. These huge logs of stout-battered pollack were accompanied with house-made chips and a couple of tartar sauces. Gil shared a piece and it was moist, crispy, and delectable. Guess what I am having next time?
Try it next time you are with a group that is hungry but can’t decide what they want. There is something for everyone.. Cheers.
Soozi and I made our first visit to Eclectic yesterday – Not dissappointed. Fantastic Food and a great selection of local brews. They have hit a home run!
This Saturday is their Grand Opening celebration – 11:00am til 9:00PM.
I’m sure Daniela and Maxime would love to see all the FOGs.
Wow.
Eclectic has earned my Best Newcomer of 2016 award.
http://www.abqtopten.com/blog/hall-of-fame/
Sr. Plata/FGFABQ noting: “We (meaning Sr. Plata) share our initials, BS, (easy BOTVOLR, anybody can hit a lobbed softball), we’re members of the same tribe,….” Ok Ok! Despite seeing my team getting desecrated/decimated 52-6 by ‘Bama per the onset of the real football season, I’ll put aside the possibility of being zinged with a Lucy moment coming at me http://tinyurl.com/jnuz98o to add my 2 cents. Whoa! Love ‘the same tribe’ reference’! Additionally, it is great to see the two of ya’s doing expanded Comments about a place and more particularly about its offerings continuing a sporadic trend of others who have added to a few more recent offerings elsewhere! While “Great food…Great setting” Comments by others is surely appreciated, getting down into the weeds is quite helpful! “The sprouts could make even the most anti-brusselsprout eater undergo a conversion.” I had the Sprouts at Mas-Tapas/Andaluz when dining recently with my Daughters. Oooeee, we found them tough/tasteless. Admittedly, I was remiss in not commenting on. Elsewise, I had previously enjoyed my intro to them at The Steer that Stumbled and used it as a “standard”. For Sr. Plata: “Is Glutten-free pizza coming in the near future,….” Yo it is already here and, as is the ‘custom’ elsewhere, is 2 bucks extra….http://www.eatdrinkrepeat.us/menus
Ooops…what a delight to walk in to find a FOG couple who had intially came to the Pueblo Harvest Cafe Gathering, graciously offering a seat at their table. (Alas, after a delightful conversation and chewing their ears off, I’m having (BLUSH!) a Senior Moment (despite my age!) remembering their names…these Folks in the forefront of the pic “Perusing the menu” https://www.nmgastronome.com/?s=fog). They came yesterday per the Review/Comments. Dang it, I was going to try the sprouts, but their generosity in sharing the Rhubarb Cobbler, which we all agreed was 2 Halluces Up without the ice cream, and a piece of pizza and my beer sufficed. Oh wait, there was my order of the ever so tasty “Hot Pho You” with its bit of a tang complimenting the variegated array of veggies and the just right sized “niblets” of chicken. (If anyone can recommend a “canned soup” that they’ve delighted in that is not overkilled with Sodium, please share so I don’t have to venture out on the nippy days ahead, but wish to just cuddle at home some time.)
Fogger Jim and the place itself: No and Alas, it is not the tearoom setting of olden days, but is a nicely created ambiance ala today’s (moderne) Zeitgeist for a casual evening of chowing down on adventurous offerings to tease the palate. As with many such places Fogger Jim, in a couple of years your hearing too will become such to not notice the ambient chatter which to me is encouraging that Folks aren’t buried in their electronics…LOL. (It always amazed me in Vegas, how they could move out the slots and tables in the early AM and replace a whole casino with somewhat noise abating carpeting after only a year’s use, with most of us none the wiser!)
“Chow!”
I can only hope readers of this blog start to employ comments about food like mine and Sr. Plata’s. That should first and foremost be the most important part of the commentary. Per MHO, lol.
Another suggestion for finding a low sodium soup would be to look for one of the many soups labeled “low sodium”. I would suggest Amy’s organic soups although they tend to be more expensive than Campbell’s. Beware of the term now used by the soy sauce manufacturers, “reduced sodium”. It infers while lower than regular sodium it’s a long way from “low sodium”.
I do think that a restaurant with hard surfaces adds to the noise level but it didn’t seem that all uncomfortable at the long table at which we sat. There were 7 of us including Judah (hope my spelling is correct), Ryan’s adorable daughter who didn’t have all that much to say. Let’s remember it is a pizzeria not a place of worship although it could be said any place run by Maxime and Daniela is a cathedral of excellent food.
Is Glutten-free pizza coming in the near future, that and Deep-Dish pizza would both be a hit! And guess what, I am still tasting the memories of the roasted chicken in my mouth and my mind, could we have a satellite restaurant in the Rii Rancho/Corrales area??
YIPEE! They’re back!
Tuesday finally came and the Millingtons rushed down. I immediately recognized the location from the middle-late 70’s. Just to the East had been Molzen Corbin Consulting Engineers from whence I as a visiting Engineer would watch the comings and goings at what had been a massage parlor where actual massages were not given but the police would “visit” on occasion.
First, the only bad thing: It is an echo chamber and a birthday party had a few kids with great lungs. My ears are still ringing. Even after they left the place the place was still loud though nobody was making much noise.
Everything else was great. I wanted short ribs but better half wanted pizza so, knowing she wouldn’t eat much of it, we split a Prosciutto which was wonderful and very filling. I followed up with an order of Spicy eclectic olives mix (very large and good). Now stuffed we were through but happy. Next time no pizza.
I love the place.
I hope to get down there soon and try it! Thank you for an excellent review, Gil 🙂
And the winner by unanimous decision is ………… Eclectic!
Additionally, I finally I got to meet Bruce (Sr. Plata) Silver. Simply put, a gentleman in every sense of the word. We share our initials, BS, (easy BOTVOLR, anybody can hit a lobbed softball), we’re members of the same tribe, and both of us like good food.
Ryan Scott, Gil Garduno, Sr. Plata and I all had the same impression of Maxime and Daniela’s newest venture Eclectic. Terrific, in a word.
It feels authentic right down to the aromas coming from the high tech pizza oven.
It’s set on 800 degrees Fahrenheit and cooks the pies in about 3-4 minutes.
I expected, based on the word of mouth, a pizzeria first and foremost. I was pleasantly surprised to see a menu that had pizza, excellent thin crust pizza with both a “build your own” section and a goodly number of masterly created combinations. It also included fish steak and chicken, along with other fine items thereby earning it’s name, Eclectic.
I chose a mozzarella and red sauce based version to build on.
I added both pork sausage and imported Gorgonzola. The taste, the aroma, both first rate.
The other basic sauce available was a white, buttermilk based version that sounds intriguing. Next time.
The menu, while not like a Frontier Diner list of everything culinary from A to Z, was short and every dish listed sounded worthy of another trip back.
Sr. Plata had the roast chicken with a side of roasted brusselsprouts. The sprouts could make even the most anti- brusselsprout eater undergo a conversion.
The chicken was a big winner as was my pizza but wait, there’s more.
Ryan Scott’s wife really enjoyed her steak. Gil ventured into Asia with a bowl of Maxime’s version of Pho and was not disappointed. Followed the Pho with his pizza and made no secret of his enjoyment.
There were chicken wings, spicy olives, and a three dip appetizer with what might just be the best housemate focaccia bread for dipping into the hummus, the goat cheese and a very very good smoked trout dip.
An aside: the spicy olives had one of those small thinnish red peppers often used in Chinese spicy dishes. I jokingly offered it to Gil to try thinking there was no way he would take up the offer. He plucked the little sucker out of the dish, popped it into his mouth and his reaction was a very muted controlled “that’s spicy”.
I would have been gulping water, eating bread and any other remedy to the fiery heat from the pepper. My admiration for Gil increased by leaps and bounds.
If you thought highly of Torino’s@home you shouldn’t be surprised at how good the food is at Eclectic.
One visit will engender the desire to go back and back and back.
One warning, I think Eclectic needs better signage, both Gil’s wife Kim and I missed the restaurant on the first pass by and had to double back to find it. It’s set back a bit from the road and somewhat obscured by the outside tables. Don’t give up, a second pass will lead to the promised land that is Eclectic.
I hope that you realize you have really upset me! Eclectic Urban Pizzeria and Tap House is not open Sunday or Monday therefor we must wait until Tuesday to indulge. Couldn’t you have waited until Monday evening to publish?
Ryan pretty much summed up what I felt which was me experiencing an Awesome Awesome Meal that went way beyond my Expectations!! First, meeting Bruce Schor was truly an honor as we represent the Tribe from each coast and then being surprised by Ryan Scott and his family and joining them made this meal with Gil an Amazing Treat, it was an impromptu FOG that I won’t forget. Ok, enough being sentimental….I had the full Roasted Chicken and I have to say it was Fabulous containing the most delicious flavors, crispy on the outside, moist on the inside and beyond ‘finger linking good’! I know I will be back soon for some more with perhaps Senorena Plata by my side. It came with a chutney sauce which was really good but I chose to eat it as is and not distract the taste. I had the Brussel Sprouts (without bacon) as a side and it was really good, it had a great taste and none were left. And as Gil said above, I did have to delay my low carb diet for some really good bread that was really cooked pizza dough that first was amazing by it self (breads are my downfall) but then was accompanied by hummus, goat cheese and get this, smoked trout… I didn’t think a dip made with trout would be so amazing but it really was. I had a chance to meet the owners, they are really nice people that have a goal to create an eating experience and food that one feels totally alive. I asked FOG to check this out and help make and then keep this marvelous restaurant popular and one of the key Restaurants of Albuquerque. I do have a problem, that braised short rib looks so good, what do I get next time… yes, I hear you say get the Rib and then I hear get the Chicken (Gil will say get both), what a nice dilemma….
This review was excellent! I enjoyed it so much I decided to look like I was sleeping in the picture.
It was a great lunch, made even better by getting to spend time with Gil and Bruce times two.
I expected it to be outstanding, and it was. Simple as that.