New Mexico Archives - Page 113 of 118 - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog

Bernalillo Closed in 2008 Gone But Not Forgotten Italian New Mexico

Capo’s Bottega Ristorante Italiano – Bernalillo, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoSeptember 15, 2006July 23, 201812:38 AM

Fifty years ago when Frank Venaglia opened the first of his family of Capo’s restaurants in Albuquerque, the Italian term “capo” didn’thave quite the notoriety it does today thanks to countless Mafia movies and the Sopranos television series. In the Mafia, capo is a shortened term for “caporegime” or “capodecina” which essentially translate to a high-ranking family member of a crime family who is in charge of a crew of soldiers–a captain so to speak. Today the Venaglia family owns and operates a family of four Italian restaurants-Capo’s Piazza (722 Lomas, N.E.) and Villa Di Capo (722 central, S.W.) in…

Albuquerque Closed in 2007 Fine Dining Gone But Not Forgotten New Mexico

Ambrozia – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoSeptember 13, 2006July 23, 201811:56 AM

theophany: an encounter with a visible manifestation of a deity. Greek mythology chronicles the adventures of the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus whose primary sustenance was ambrosia, a magical repast which bestowed immortality upon those who consumed it, including humans. The word ambrosia literally means “sweet smelling or delicious,” an appropriate description of the wonderful meals proffered at Ambrozia, an Old Town fine-dining establishment launched in 2003. While dining at Ambrozia probably won’t confer immortality, diners might feel they’ve partaken of divine gastronomy. The gods certainly conferred many culinary talents on Ambrozia’s proprietor and chef savant Sam Ethridge, one…

Albuquerque American Breakfast Brunch Closed in 2010 Gone But Not Forgotten

JB’s Restaurant – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoAugust 27, 2006July 23, 20184:37 AM

The first thing that comes to mind when someone invites me to a buffet is a paragraph from E. B. White’s 1952 classic Charlotte Web. In that paragraph, an old sheep describes the county fair to Templeton the lovingly irascible rat: “A fair is a rat’s paradise. Everybody spills food at a fair. A rat can creep out late at night and have a feast. In the horse barn you will find oats that the trotters and pacers have spilled. In the trampled grass of the infield you will find old discarded lunch boxes containing the foul remains of peanut…

Albuquerque Closed in 2009 Mexican

La Norteñita – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoAugust 19, 2006July 23, 201812:27 AM

The only disappointment (and it was a minor one) we experienced during our inaugural visit to La Norteñita was in not hearing the lively Mexican polka “Mi Nortenita” crackling over the restaurant’s tinny speaker system. That would have made our visit to “Old Mexico” complete. More than most Mexican restaurants in Albuquerque, La Norteñita (the little northern girl) has the look and feel of a restaurant in one of Mexico’s northern states. That means a kitchen and wait staff (and most customers) barely conversant in English, a lustrous color palate on the stark walls, mañana paced service and flavorsome food…

American Bakery Closed in 2008 Food Network Eats New Mexico Gone But Not Forgotten New Mexico Santa Fe

Cloud Cliff Bakery & Cafe – Santa Fe, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoAugust 6, 2006July 23, 20189:56 AM

In the 1880s, Northern New Mexico was a prolific wheat growing region. More than 250 varieties of wheat grew in its rocky but fecund soil. Thanks to a rural revitalization program called the Northern New Mexico Organic Wheat Project, the region’s wheat production is becoming genetic diverse once again. Today under the program’s auspices, more than 20 families are growing several heirloom wheat varieties which are marketed under the very popular Nativo label. The driving force behind the program is Willem Maltem, a former Zen monk who arrived in Santa Fe in the mid 1980s. To earn bread, Maltem sold…

Albuquerque Closed in 2007 Fine Dining Gone But Not Forgotten New Mexico Tapas

Graze – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoAugust 5, 2006July 23, 20181:57 PM

When uncredentialed food critics (like me) sing the praises of a restaurant, their fulsome rants might not garner much notice, but when professional chefs and critics are unabashedly effusive about that same restaurant, you’d be well advised to listen. Graze, launched in December, 2002 by chef luminary Jennifer James, has had all the cognoscenti waxing poetic. La Cocinita magazine’s best chef award winner for 2002, James has been all but beatified, so prolific is her reputation. Renown for melding seemingly disparate ingredients into concordant meals, she is as much an artist as a chef. Note: In September, 2006, Jennifer James…

Albuquerque Closed in 2014 Gone But Not Forgotten New Mexican

La Esquina Restaurante – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoJune 16, 2006July 23, 201812:11 AM

It’s pretty common knowledge that several years ago, a state legislator submitted a resolution to declare “red or green chile” the official “state question“. On April 8, 1999, Governor Gary Johnson signed the bill making the resolution law. Less known is the fact that the New Mexico state legislature also passed a resolution approving an official state answer. It’s no surprise that “red and green” or “Christmas” has been adopted as the official answer of the great state of New Mexico? Why red or green? In the hundreds of restaurants throughout the Land of Enchantment in which chile is served,…

Albuquerque Closed in 2009 Gone But Not Forgotten New Mexican

505 Southwestern – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoJune 10, 2006July 23, 20184:32 PM

Area code 505 was one of the original area codes established in 1947 and for nearly 60 years, that sole area code sufficed to serve all of New Mexico. With the state’s surging population, however, numbers available with the 505 prefix were eventually exhausted. The Federal Communication Commission provided area code relief in the form of a second area code (575). A new area code for the Albuquerque area wasn’t in the makings, but it would not have had implications for 505 Southwestern which would not have changed its name even had the area code changed. 575 Southwestern Chile Factory & Cool Stuff To…

Albuquerque Closed in 2008 Gone But Not Forgotten Japanese Sushi

Taka Sushi – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoJune 2, 2006July 23, 20184:14 AM

Just as you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, you shouldn’t judge a restaurant by its exterior facade…or even its interior for that matter A good example of this is Taka Sushi, a venerable Japanese restaurant on the city’s southeast quadrant. From the outside, Taka Sushi lacks the polish and veneer of its competitors, appearing more like a remnant of the 1960s with dated paint and austere signage. It isn’t much better when you step inside. Clutter (or “casual and homey” as Scott Sharot called it in his terrific tome New Mexico Chow), not feng shui, seems to define…

Albuquerque Closed in 2009 Gone But Not Forgotten Mariscos Mexican

Ay Caramba – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoMay 22, 2006July 23, 20184:00 AM

Ay Caramba! That tired old Spanish expression was part of American pop culture long before Bart Simpson popularized its usage on episodes of The Simpsons animated television series. The expression translates to “confound it!” or maybe “Holy Cow” and is generally used to register surprise. You can almost imagine the Mexican equivalent of Robin, the Boy Wonder of Batman fame exclaiming “Ay Caramba” as he and his crime-fighting partner stumble onto yet another perilous plight. My hopes were that I’d be exclaiming “Ay Caramba” at how great the food is at this mom-and-pop restaurant which launched in 2005. After all, my…

Española New Mexican New Mexico New Mexico Culinary Treasures Trail Rating: Very Good

El Paragua – Española, New Mexico

Gil GardunoMay 17, 2006April 5, 20264:05 AM

If small businesses are the backbone of American commerce, then the good old-fashioned lemonade stand is the spinal cord.” That sagacious metaphor (for which I unfortunately cannot take credit) is an apt description for how El Paragua transcended its humble beginnings to become one of the culinary crown jewels of Northern New Mexico. In 1958, the Atencio brothers, two precocious entrepreneurs growing up in the enchanting Española valley did the old-fashioned lemonade stand one better. They built a stand in which they sold their mother’s tacos and tamales. The stand’s overhanging roof provided respite from the rain, hence the name…

Category: New Mexico