Category: New Mexican

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The Range – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

It’s not very often (actually never) I consult Google’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) engine, much less copy and use AI-generated blather verbatim. When at a loss for words as to how to describe a “real foodie,” I liked Google’s definition so much I’m sharing it: “A real foodie is someone with a deep passion and appreciation for food, beyond just eating to survive. They actively seek out new and diverse culinary experiences, enjoy exploring different cuisines, and are knowledgeable about food preparation, ingredients, and even the cultural context of food.”  One of the key characteristics of a real foodie (according to AI) is “Social: They enjoy sharing their culinary discoveries with others, whether through social media, blogs, or in-person gatherings.” That last characteristic…

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MARY & TITO’S CAFE – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno2:17 AM

Old-timers whose opinions I respect consistently rate Mary & Tito’s as Albuquerque’s best restaurant for New Mexican food, a restaurant that has been pleasing the most savvy and indoctrinated palates alike since 1963. It takes a lot to impress some of those old-timers, none of whom see much substance in the flash and panache of the nouveau restaurants and their pristine veneer and effusive, over-the-top flamboyance. These guys and gals are impressed only by New Mexican food the way their abuelitas prepared it–unadorned, authentic and absolutely wonderful. If you want to evoke their ire, take them to one of the chains. Worse, try sneaking some cumin into their chile. Just how good is Mary & Tito’s? In a span of…

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Los Altos Grill – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

For almost four and a half decades, Charlie Elias, an avuncular septuagenarian with the energy of a teenager,  greeted his customers at Charlie’s Backdoor, his eponymous Northeast Heights restaurant.  On a hot sunny day, there was probably no more welcome respite from the sun’s blinding rays and scorching heat than Charlie’s. The minute you walked in, the temperature seemed to drop 20 degrees thanks to the restaurant’s subdued lighting and heat.  On cold winter days, there was no surcease of warmth courtesy of Charlie’s friendly and welcoming nature which made guests feel right at home   As Charlie began to wind down his lengthy career, his son Jamie, became the restaurant’s official ambassador, a smiling presence who met and greeted all patrons…

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Del’s Restaurant – Tucumcari, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

The 1950s was the era of American Graffiti and Happy Days.  Motorists were getting their kicks on Route 66 and listening to Wolfman Jack howl as he spun Rock Around The Clock at 45rpm.  Vestiges of that era are still teeming in Tucumcari, the easternmost major town in the Land of Enchantment along Interstate 40.  Known by locals as “the town that’s two blocks wide and two miles long,” Tucumcari’s main thoroughfare traces the route blazed through town by old Route 66.  That route is festooned with vibrant neon signage that cuts a luminous swath through the town. The nocturnal spectacle of glowing neon might be the siren’s call that has drawn generations of “cruisers” to Tucumcari Boulevard. Not quite…

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Papa Felipe’s Mexican Restaurant – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno5:24 PM

In 2009, James Beard Award-winning food journalists Jane and Michael Stern published a terrific tome entitled 500 Things to Eat Before It’s Too Late. Despite the ominous (some might say fatalistic) name, the book is actually a celebration of the best dishes that are unique to this country. The Sterns, who have been focusing on quirky All-American food haunts since 1977, describe in delicious detail, the best dishes proffered at roadside stands, cafes, street carts throughout the fruited plain. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Michael Stern was asked if the inclusion of the words “too late” in the book’s title referred to the “death of the small eatery, or the reader’s impending doom from eating too much…

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Chope’s – La Mesa, New Mexico

Gil Garduno4:00 PM

During my Kim’s inaugural visit shortly after we retired from the Air Force in 1995, we ran into a former Las Cruces resident now living in the nation’s capital. His near teary-eyed testimony about how much he missed Chope’s was more powerful than a Sunday sermon.   When he kissed the hallowed ground in front of Chope’s, we knew he meant it.  An elderly gentleman recounted the time Chope’s salsa was so hot it made him hiccup for three days.  A middle-aged woman from Las Cruces rhapsodized about Chope’s chile rellenos, her testimony practically eliciting involuntary salivation in the impromptu audience of queued patrons.  Chope’s has had a similar effect on most its guests for six generations. Perhaps the consummate mom-and-pop…

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The Pantry Dos – Santa Fe, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

There’s no annual event I enjoy more than the Roadrunner Food Bank’s Souper Bowl which takes place one week before some ballyhooed football game.  That game is the National Football League’s Super Bowl, a star-studded event in which the celebrity with the best name (Taylor Swift) doesn’t even play football.  Celebrities abound at the Souper Bowl, too, but they’re real people, the type of which you would enjoy sharing a meal with.  During my twelvth year of serving as a judge at the Souper Bowl, I had the privilege and pleasure of spending time with several of those local celebrities.  I wouldn’t trade a minute with them for an hour with Kendrick Lamar (whoever he is) or Taylor Swift. For…

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Ex Novo Brewing Co. – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

After years of design and construction, Ex Novo new taproom and restaurant opened its doors in July, 2024.  The 11,500-square-foot edifice is broken into two levels.  On the first level, you’ll find  the restaurant, kitchen, taproom, indoor seating and a large patio.  A full-service bar with food service can be found upstairs in the spectacular mezzanine.  A large outdoor patio accommodates one-hundred guests and will eventually provide live music.   An adjacent  cafe and deli called Sammy’s Cafe & Deli.opened in October, 2024. Sammie’s offers an all-day breakfast menu as well as some of the most sought-after sandwiches imaginable (a pastrami reuben, banh mi, Italian, etc.) Brought in to lead Ex Novo during its founding was Marc Quiñones, one of the…

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My Moms – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno5:01 PM

“God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.” —Rudyard Kipling Should you have the pleasure of getting to know Chef Marie Yniguez, even a little, you’ll come away with three absolute certainties.  First, Albuquerque’s arguably most famous celebrity chef is unabashedly herself.  The happy, loving, gregarious person you’ve seen on numerous Food Network culinary competitions doesn’t have a pretentious bone in her body.  She is as genuine and sincere as they come.  Though she left the hardscrabble mining town of Hurley, New Mexico a lifetime ago, she remains a country girl at heart. And even though she was as a semi-finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s “Best Chef – Southwest” honor in 2022, she remains as humble as…

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Lavender Cocinita – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

According to Simply Beyond Herbs, “many people find lavender’s gentle fragrance helps center their thoughts and enhance cognitive abilities. It can provide a sense of mental freshness, enabling one to think and make decisions more clearly; this is particularly beneficial during intense work, studying, or when facing challenging tasks requiring heightened concentration.  Whether used as an essential oil, dried flowers, or as part of a relaxing environment, lavender’s influence on mental clarity is valued by many who seek improved focus and a clearer mind.” Hmm, sounds like something we all can use. If you’ve ever attended Los Ranchos De Albuquerque’s annual Lavender Festival, you can probably benefit from lavender’s calming effect as you vie for a parking spot up close…

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Monroe’s New Mexican Food – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno2:38 AM

If I’ve learned anything from dining at Monroe’s, it’s that I shouldn’t leave the restaurant with any regrets.  Invariably what I end up regretting most often is that I didn’t have the green chile cheeseburger, one of the very best in town, if not the Land of Enchantment.  It’s a green chile cheeseburger so good that I’ll order it during three consecutive visits before ordering anything else on the menu–and when I don’t order it, I lament not having had my ardor quelled by its utter deliciousness. Some may question how a restaurant with such an “Anglicized” appellation as Monroe’s can possibly proffer such an enchanting green chile cheeseburger, much less any other  excellent New Mexican cuisine.  Frankly, it could…