The Flying Star Cafe at the crossroads of Corrales, Albuquerque and Alameda
Formerly known as the “Double Rainbo” and formerly affiliated with San Francisco based franchise of the same name, this burgeoning enterprise continues to be more than competitive despite the relentless onslaught of corporate competition, primarily from the ubiquitous Starbucks. In fact, this Albuquerque based institution appears poised to fight for the lucrative coffee market and has launched several Satellite Coffee stores throughout the city. Although I’m not a coffee drinker, Satellite Coffee has hooked me with an invigorating Mexican hot chocolate.
The city’s eight Flying Star locations throughout the city (and one in Bernalillo which launched in 2008) are a haven for anyone who wants to have fun, relax and enjoy genuinely great food and service. You’ve got to love the laissez faire atmosphere which includes a “come as you are” attitude and an extensive magazine rack (most people eschew the posted browsing etiquette). The Flying Star’s crowd is an eclectic mix of young and old alike whose common denominator is wanting a reasonably priced meal of high quality in a comfortable milieu. The Flying Star delivers and it’s done so for more than two decades.
As the Double Rainbo, it was named in Southwest Airlines’ Spirit magazine as one of the best places in their routes for the most important meal of the day–dessert. The dessert offerings are lavish indeed, including the ice cream which is sinfully rich and creamy.
The Patty Melt with French Fries
A September, 2002 Bon Appetit magazine named The Flying Star one of the “ten favorite places for breakfast in America.” For the most part I couldn’t agree more even though I must admit that it’s rarely for breakfast that we visit the Flying Star. When we do start off our morning at the Flying Star, a favorite entree is the machacado, a New Mexico chopped breakfast casserole or rather a menagerie of great ingredients melded together to form a terrific meal. The machacado includes turkey sausage (free range), bacon, eggs, spicy black beans, cheddar-jack cheese, potatoes, onions, tomatoes and your choice of red or green chile. It’s a feast for the eyes and the taste buds.
The Flying Star’s bakery also makes some of the best artisan bread in the city, particularly the whole wheat variety. The “staff of life” is always fresh and plays host to some of the best and most inventive sandwiches in town.
If you’re craving a moist and juicy green chile cheeseburger, the Flying Star’s New Mexico burger, served on an egg bun, is an excellent (albeit pricey at nearly $9) option. The green chile is only slightly piquant, but the accompanying red onion, lettuce and tomato are garden fresh and the melted Cheddar cheese tops a perfectly seasoned slab of hamburger to form an excellent rendition of New Mexico’s favorite burger.
The Miami Shrimp Stack
Meatatarians will also appreciate the ABC Patty Melt–”A” as in avocado, “B” as in smoked bacon and “C” as in Jack cheese all served on grilled rye. It’s a beautiful sandwich when ordered medium done with a pinkish hue that would be the envy of many a blushing bride.
Sandwiches and burgers come with your choice of French fries, homemade potato salad, coleslaw or a fresh fruit salad. For a mere pittance you can also substitute a little greens salad or soup. While the fries are actually pretty good, a refreshing alternative is a unique coleslaw flecked with red and green peppers as well as red onion. It’s not overly sweet or creamy and its component parts are invariably fresh and crunchy. Most coleslaw in Albuquerque is boring, but not at the Flying Star.
The Flying Star’s menu provides food for thought with a mission statement professing the restaurant’s concern as to what its patrons put into their mouths. They prove it with a commitment to establishing relationships with producers and growers of sustainable and humanely farmed meats, dairy and eggs. Burgers are crafted with 100% fresh and drug-free beef while the chicken is cage-free, veg-fed and drug-free. Health conscious diners will appreciate the wide variety of inventive fresh salads. All dressings are even made from scratch in the restaurant’s kitchen: Ranch, Bleu Cheese, Caesar, Spicy Sesame or House Vinaigrette.
Papas Got a Brand New Mac
One of my favorite salads anywhere is the Miami Shrimp Stack (pictured above right), a timbale of seasoned shrimp, black beans and fresh avocado chunks drizzled with Ancho BBQ sauce. This salad is served with freshly made blue corn tortilla chips and a crunchy little salad (cucumber, carrots, jicama and green onion). Its pretty as a picture plating resembles an expensive fusion dish and the high quality of ingredients belie the price (under ten dollars). Despite the seemingly disparate ingredients, flavors coalesce to create a happy harmony on your taste buds.
As inventive as the menu tends to be, it’s always a surprise to find something that is less than titillating. Considering we found the Mac & Cheese (Cheddar-jack and Velveeta cheeses melted into butter and cream then tossed with Curly Q imported cavatappi) boring and not nearly up to the restaurant’s high standards, we shouldn’t have been surprised that “Papa’s Gotta Brand New Mac” would be more of the same…with a twist. That would be the addition of sauteed crimini mushrooms, green onions and crispy chicken breast to the Curly Q cavatappi and creamy cheese sauce. The highlight of this adult macaroni and cheese is actually the crispy chicken breast which is tender and delicious. The chicken breast would make an excellent sandwich offering. I’d scrap the Velveeta and try a more flavorful cheese.
One of the Flying Star's decadent desserts
Okay, now to desserts, something for which the Flying Star is famous. In its Food and Wine issue (May 2007), Albuquerque The Magazine (ATM) accorded a “Hot Plate” award to the restaurant’s Raspberry Blackout, a decadent dessert worthy of adulation. A display case showcases some of the best looking desserts you’ll see anywhere. They’re so “pretty as a picture” perfect you might think they’re wax imitations of the real thing. Thankfully they don’t taste waxy.
Singling out one dessert at Flying Star is akin to singling out a single star from a Northern New Mexico night sky. It’s a daunting task sure to invite deliciously contentious debate. One choice might be the the turtle sundae (undoubtedly featuring New Mexican grown pecans), among the best anywhere.
You can almost imagine Mary Ann in her tight, skimpy shorts serving you the coconut cream pie, which like the one served on Gilligan’s Island isn’t overpoweringly sweet as some of its genre tend to be. The caramel apple pie topped with sumptuous vanilla ice cream is “mom worthy.” Still, my vote might go to a gigantic wedge of bread pudding cake, served with a luscious caramel sauce. The adjective decadent has nothing on this oh so rich dessert. It’s so rich you’ll have to share it with a dining companion.
Chocolate Shake
Make sure your meal also includes a chocolate shake. It’s served cold and thick with what doesn’t fit in the glass served to you in a steely vessel. The chocolate isn’t overly sweet as might be served at a fast food chain.
Being the proud father of the two most beautiful dachshunds ever conceived, I also appreciate the Flying Star Cafe’s commitment to our four-legged children who sometimes eat from the floor. The restaurant is helping the Animal Humane Association of New Mexico build a low-cost or free medical treatment center for pets. The center will help families who can’t afford to provide even basic medical care for their beloved pets. How can you not love this altruism?
As one of our favorite fun places to dine, I’d say the Flying Star really is a star that’s landed.
The Flying Star
3416 Central, S.E.
Albuquerque, NM
255-6633
LATEST VISIT: 25 October 2008
# OF VISITS: 14
RATING: 20
COST: $$
BEST BET: Turtle Sundae, Machacado, Baked Bread, New Mexico Burger, Coleslaw, Raspberry Blackout, Bread Pudding, ABC Patty Melt, Miami Shrimp Stack
Innkeeper says:
How appropriate that I was sitting in Flying Star and browsing my blog feed when I read this review. And one of my absolute summer favorites is the Miami Shrimp Stack!
Bruce says:
As a long time customer, I am generally very pleased with the quality of the food. However a recurring problem which seems to be getting worse rather than better – Hot food, particularly at breakfast – is not consistently served hot. This is even more frustrating as once the server brings the food to the table, they rarely if ever come by to check if everything is ok.
I have probably reduced the number of monthly visits to Flying Star by 1/2 in the last year.
Janice says:
Since they got rid of the Miami shrip stack, I’ve stopped going as much. That was my favorite item. I don’t eat beef or chicken so this was a nice alternative. I tried a tofu dish but the tufu was fried past recognition. I can always have their blueberry scones and the tuna sandwich. The prices are getting higher so they aren’t quite the bargin they used to be.
Weirdsmobile says:
While I enjoy the food at Flying Star as much as I ever have, the service seems to be getting worse and worse. With the prices they charge, they really have no excuse not to keep up their standards. That said, I haven’t had better croissants and soups in this town than at Flying Star.
Pat says:
I’ve been out of town for awhile (about a year), have moved back to Abq, and am wondering what happened to the Flying Star, specifically the one west of Downtown. While the coffee is still good–even the “regular” coffee–the prices have gone up on many of the entrees and the quality has gone down. Fortunately the desserts are still good, but the prices have gone up.
Just askin’.
Bruce says:
We made a return trip to Fying star this past weekend – at least 8 weeks since our last visit.
If I had any doubts before they were confirmed on this our final visit.
Prices increasing – portions getting smaller!
Luke-warm build your own omelet breakfast for 2 with coffee’s and a 1 side of sausage – over $36. It’s a shame – when done right their food has been excellent in the past – if a bit skimpy on the overpriced portions.
In contrast we had a great, satisfying and hot dinner at the new recently reviwed by Gil -Blue Cactus Cafe – price for 2 less than $26.
In the future we plan to stick to The Range, Calico Cafe and Slate Street Cafe for our local breakfast jaunts and will try the breakfast at the Blue Cactus soon.
Neil says:
It’s official — I can’t afford to eat at Flying Star anymore. Not only are their prices way too much these days, but their portions are way too small. $15 for a meal that still leaves you hungry gets a thumbs down from me.
Noel Paz says:
Yeah.. the prices have gone up like the altitude of a flying star. They do need to pay for those magazines. I wonder how many get sniped. I have to say though that it has the upward mobility feel like shopping at Whole “Paycheck” Foods.
It is a good meeting place though for parents of soccer teams, meeting potential home buyers, craigslists point of contact, even bible meetings and study groups. What does tell you. I’ve been there a lot. And despite of the price hike they do seem to have a lot of patrons except for the Bernalillo branch.
Jackie says:
My husband loves the coconut pie at Flying Star. I don’t care for coconut; so I’m not a good judge. We live in FL, and I’d like to make him a pie like this. Does anyone know the recipe, or can someone give me a hint as to how it’s different from a regular coconut meringue pie? All he knows is that he LOVES it, and we can’t afford to travel to ABQ for pie.
Bob of the Village of Los Ranchos says:
Jackie, Lest you haven’t tried, here’s the contact page http://www.flyingstarcafe.com/contact.htm for FS where you can suggest/ask the Bernstein’s, the owners, http://flyingstarcafeandsatellitecoffee.wordpress.com/2010/06/ to consider offering a recipe now and then (which they could use as a re-hook to the website). More directly, the Exec. Pastry Chef is Willem Blom at http://flyingstarcafeandsatellitecoffee.wordpress.com/2010/05/
‘Chow’
Kathy says:
Sorry to say, but my once-favorite, weekly hangout has been replaced by Weck’s. Flying Star’s soaring prices, mediocre food and even rude service have lost my business for good. Or rather, not so good. Friends have reported similar disappointment.
mary says:
the cake price are ridicules high. My son didn’t want to be a sucker for paying those price for any food there. I do like the cake(resberry black out), but can’t afford to buy it often.
I wish i can find high quality cake and reasonable price in town.
Bruce Schor says:
Just came back from lunch at TFS and have an observation re the rising cost of food in the USA
The Flying Star seems to have taken an approach to those skyrocketing prices which is counterproductive.
Instead if raising their prices they are using a “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” approach.
I particularly like their version of a Cuban sandwich which they call a Cubano Torta.
Very tasty if not completely authentic.
It was so small I had to check if the gave me a half sandwich with my soup.
My wife’s Acapulco Salad, her fave, was also a shadow of its former self without the previously grilled shrimp which were replaced by a small non-grilled version.
I do understand the economics of rising food prices but I would rather pay a bit more than pay the same price and get less.
I think TFS is going about it the wrong way.
Matt Waters says:
I just finished lunch at the Flying Star on Paseo and Wyoming NE.
Nothing short of extreme disappointment.
My wife oirdered one of the salads with shrimp on it,and I ordered the Turkey Jack sandwich. My wife was being polite when she critiqued the saled as “ok.”
My sandwich was lightly toasted sourdough bread (barely toated) and sopping with some kind of grease. Everytime I lifted it to take a bite I had to use a napkin and wipe the grease from my fingers. It came with some chopped turkey breast, green chile, and jack cheese. Rather then put the cheese and chile on the same side they were on opposite sides, and the sandwich was slipping apart everytime I touched it. (maybe it was the grease on the bread I’m not sure, but if the put the chile and the cheese on the SAME side it might have held together better.) The sandwich came with a pile of fries that were cold (not even warm), and they were greasy. Along with two iced teas our bill came to $26.92.
Stop!
For thirty bucks I could have taken her to Pappadeux’s and had blackened catfish dinners. I could have gone to the cooperage and had prime rib sandwiches with soup and salad bar. I could have gone to Los Cuates and had the left side of the menu.
THE VERY LAST TIME I go to Flying Star.
THE VERY LAST TIME I let them ovecharge me for mediocre food at best!
Morgain says:
Matt, believe it or not, the folks at Flying Star want to know when you’re not happy with the food. In this particular case, it sounds as if whoever prepared it did a lousy job. If you don’t let the management know, they can’t fix it. I do understand why you wouldn’t want to go back, but I encourage you to call the Paseo location and let the manager know about your experience.
Barbara says:
Actually, I’ve found that the Flying Star does NOT want to know when you are not happy with the food. And their desserts are overpriced and often stale.
Jim Millington says:
In truth I kissed off the Flying Star several years ago. The food seems to be factory made somewhere and shipped to the restaurant. I could be completely wrong about this but if I am they have made a great imitation of factory food. I always thought that their deserts were great but I never eat desert anywhere without challenging the waiter to sell the Child Bride on the idea. Born and raised in Korea she almost never buys, the only deserts she likes are the Korean cake stuffed with some sort of sweet bean that I just can’t stand. Imagine how porkulant I would be if she liked sugar. Barbara is probably right as I have a several year gap on the quality.
Morgain says:
Barbara, I’m sorry to hear that that has been your experience. While I certainly agree that they can be overpriced and underwhelming, I’ve generally had success when having asked a manager to fix something that was ill-prepared. Clearly, mutiny is our only option. *grin*
Cheryl says:
Live out of town and buy your gluten free peach raspberry muffins. I buy all you have when in town which is not very many ever because they are soooo good that you are out of them! May I have your recipe? Your restaurant is unique and I love your menu!
SMC says:
I’ve eaten at FS since they opened, but I rarely go any more. Most of the food is insanely expensive (a bowl — very shallow — of chicken soup — tasty but basically empty — with a big fluffy motzah ball in the middle, for $10+? Are they CRAZY? Breakfast hash, newly introduced, gluten-free, and very tasty but basically made of *potatoes* and served as a smallish dollop in the middle of a plate, for $10+? Putting an egg on top doesn’t justify the price). At first, I assumed they jacked up their prices to help finance their ever-growing string of locations; then they went ape-shit with portion control. Now they sell ever less substantial slivers of cake and pie for the price of a good sandwich somewhere else. Baked goods are still high quality, but prices are outrageous.
They seem to have pruned or kicked out their long-time, experienced staff (or rotated them to other sites, or the staff people quit) so they seem routinely understaffed and disorganized, not so much behind the counter as out on the floor. Plates sit under the hotlights for 10-15 minutes before the lone runner on duty picks them up for rather languid delivery, so everything is both lukewarm *and* overcooked (that is, withered by long spells under the hotlights). I really resent how the owners set up a pleasing and well-priced food experience, jacked up prices while spreading all over the city, and are now running it all into the ground. They seem to be sucking quality out at every level, which of course translates into more profit into the owners pockets but frustration for customers.
Is this still a family-owned enterprise, or have the Bernsteins sold it all off and walked away, leaving it floundering in decreasing quality and increasing prices? If not, what *is* going on? Yes, these are hard times, but treating customers expectations of quality and reasonable pricing with contempt (Im talking about bosses now, not staff — let’s be clear about that) is not a good way to survive bad times. Wait — I re-read the posts above, and apparently the Bernsteins are still the owners; but I did hear from staff that they went “corporate” in a big way not long ago. Maybe that’s the genesis of the disastrous “pinche portion” policy that’s leading longtime customers like me to find better alternatives elsewhere.
Altogether, a sad story, IMO.
Bob of the Village of Los Ranchos says:
Alas Sad-SMC, I’ve tried to be supportive of FS as a “local” by being hush per the variety of great venues(including those with nice patios not overlooking parking lots), but I too feel the Bump…well actually a Poke…to 9 bucks for a half sandwich/soup or salad nowadays is going beyond the previously already edgy bucket(even with due respect to my Capricorn roots!!!) even tho the egg salad is to salivate for!
Spurious Trivia for which I stand to be corrected: Originally, lest I be mistaken, this was originally named Double Rainbow…primarily a place for Yuppie Yum-Yums in ABQ’s Nob Hill. I’m purely guessing that a place in “Frisco” called them on the use of the name* per e.g. did ya ever try to trudge up to the top of Powell St. to what is known in SF as Nob Hill as well? http://tinyurl.com/9a2rzya? * Many years ago I tried to get the then ‘fledgling’ CheeseCake Factory of initially Calif. to come on out to ABQ in consideration of its menu items being yummy despite being more pages than Atlas Shrugged!!! They replied they couldn’t register the name in NM as there was already Dee’s Cheese Cake Factory on Menaul across from American Furniture!!!
“Chow!”
Bruce Schor says:
I feel somewhat vindicated after my comment of May 2011 offering my opinion of the approach to rising food prices by TFS.
My only hope is that the owners read our comments and take heed and choose to remedy the situation and not by offering magnifying glasses with every meal.
“We know our portions are shrinking, but try using the accompanying magnifier to view your meal” doesn’t seem to be the answer.
The dining experience consists of food, service, ambiance and price. And one can’t live by desserts alone, although I’d consider it with TFS’s creme brûlée beignets.