Category: American

AmericanColoradoDog FriendlyRating: N/R (Not Rated)SandwichUnited States

Shuga’s – Colorado Springs, Colorado

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

Gastronomes shall not live on great restaurants alone.  Sometimes, our souls need to be fed, too.  Few cities can accomplish both feeding our bodies and nurturing our souls as well as Colorado Springs, a city of incomparable beauty and endless outdoors opportunities.  As a “foodie” destination, WalletHub ranked the city 70th overall from among 180 major U.S. cities (Albuquerque ranked 49th).  In terms of diversity, accessibility and quality, the Springs ranked 63rd nationally.  For affordability, it ranked 79th, indicating dining out and food-related costs are slightly higher than average.  Colorado Springs has a rapidly expanding independent culinary scene, food trucks…

AmericanColoradoRating: N/R (Not Rated)SouthernUnited States

Juniper Valley Ranch – Colorado Springs, Colorado

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

“Fried chicken just tend to make you feel better about life.” ~Minny Jackson (The Help) One of the most heart-warming scenes in the 2011 period drama The Help involved the character Minny Jackson (brilliantly portrayed by Octavia Spencer) teaching her employer, a lonely housewife named Celia Foote (played by Jessica Chastain), the art of Southern cooking through what has probably become the famous fried chicken lesson ever depicted on cinema.  Minny begins the lesson by delivering a sermon on Crisco, the “most important invention since they put mayonnaise in a jar.”   The naive and privileged Celia, who likely wouldn’t know…

AmericanColoradoRating: N/R (Not Rated)United States

Three Sisters Tavern – Colorado City, Colorado

Gil Garduno12:00 AM

“The Pueblo Chile represents Colorado’s history, heritage, and strong agricultural roots. The Pueblo Chile is simply the very best chile that exists and a key ingredient in delicious dishes across the state and country. The Pueblo Chile is part of Colorado’s past, present and future innovation and I look forward to the final selection for Colorado’s 2028 American Innovation Coin so that all Americans can see our Pueblo chile up close in pocket change and collector’s books.” ~Governor Jarod Polis. On 17 September 2026, Governor Jarod Polis of Colorado revealed that he has nominated Pueblo Chile to be displayed on…

BarbecueBurgersFood Network Eats New MexicoNew MexicoRating: GoodRestaurant Impossible

Greg’s BBQ – Belen, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

On our journey to together forever, my Kim and I have shared meals at thousands of restaurants.  Even when we haven’t enjoyed those meals, without exception we’ve enjoyed our times together.  We share everything…almost.  Maybe the only thing we don’t completely share is the extent, breadth and depth of my passion for food.  You probably won’t believe this, but I’m one of those “live to eat” types who’s certifiably obsessed with food–to the point of looking forward my next culinary adventure before my current meal is even done.  I self gloss as a gastronome, but foodie, gourmand or bon viveur…

AmericanNew MexicoRating: Very GoodSanta Fe

San Marcos Cafe – Santa Fe, New Mexico

Gil Garduno3:37 PM

Contrary to some popular opinion, roosters don’t crow just to be noisy or annoying. They crow as a sign of territorial advertising; they’re protecting their turf. At San Marcos Cafe, the cacophonous din of crowing roosters is understandable considering the throngs of hungry patrons infringing on their turf.  There was one famous fowl at the San Marcos Cafe who didn’t chicken out at the sight of guests.  Buddy the Chicken, master of all he surveyed, served as the restaurant’s unofficial valet parking attendant and maitre de.  Nattily attired in polychromatic plumage and a black bow tie, Buddy welcomed one all…

ChickenNew MexicoRating: N/R (Not Rated)Santa FeSoul Food

Anthony’s Soul Food – Santa Fe, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

I couldn’t help but ask Anthony Moore “Don’t you eat your own food?”  Anthony is the lean and lanky owner of the eponymous Anthony’s Soul Cafe in Santa Fe.  He explained that during a typical day he gets in some 12,000 steps (five to six miles) at his restaurant.  That, he claims, is the reason he doesn’t weigh four-hundred pounds. The peripatetic Anthony jokes that his role as owner also includes dish-washer, greeter, host, waiter, chef and whatever else is required during the day.  It’s not that he doesn’t have help.  We had expected to see Anthony’s son whom we…

AlbuquerqueBurgersNew MexicoRating: Very GoodRio Rancho

Stackers Burger Co. – Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

In baseball it’s called the “Triple Crown,”an incredibly rare achievement in which a player leads the league in average, home runs, and runs batted in.  To win the triple crown, a player must tremendous power to hit for distance as well as a very keen eye to hit baseballs thrown at nearly 100 miles per hour and place them on the field in positions that result in driving in runs.  In horse racing, the term Triple Crown represents a series of horse races for three-year-old Thoroughbreds, consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.  To win all three of these…

AmericanBreakfastNew MexicoNew Mexico Culinary Treasures TrailRating: Good

The Silver Screen Restaurant at El Rancho – Gallup, New Mexico

Gil Garduno4:22 AM

In the 1930s and 1940s, sometimes considered the halcyon days of Western movies, the Four Corners region was the site of many cinematic classics, quite a few featuring battles between the cavalry and “misplaced” American Indians.  Never mind that the Cheyenne and the Sioux actually lived hundreds of miles (and several states) away, the region’s dramatic topography was a perfect backdrop for cowboy conflicts with these Midwestern Indians. Besides that, Navajo “actors” were plentiful.  Producers would attire them in war bonnets, arm them with lances and hand them scripts in which they would invariably succumb to the “righteous might” of the…

ArizonaRating: N/R (Not Rated)Soul FoodSouthernUnited States

Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles – Scottsdale, Arizona

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

Thousands of unique, undocumented family nicknames are born every day. However, dozens of the most common, traditional English first names used today exist entirely because of historical childhood speech limits or toddler mispronunciations. That’s because when children learn to talk, their mouths struggle with hard consonant clusters. This leads to a linguistic process called “reduplication” (repeating syllables) or consonant swapping to make words easier to say. Over centuries, these toddler-friendly versions became standard legal names. My sister Dolores acquired one such nickname. When my brother George couldn’t pronounce “Dolores,” he began calling her Lorlie–not “Lolo” as you might expect. Even…

ArizonaBarbecueRating: Very GoodUnited States

Joe’s Real BBQ – Gilbert, Arizona

Gil Garduno3:05 PM

No ordinary Joe is this, critics would have you believe. Instead, they insist, this has been one of the best 59 restaurants in the Phoenix area (Phoenix magazine, 2002). Located in a 1929 brick building that saw its “hay day” in the golden age of agricultural Arizona, it retains the charm that helps make downtown Gilbert a popular destination.  Originally built in 1929, the building has had a long history. It was once home to a grocery store called Safeway Pay n’ Takit, storage building, movie theatre, lamp factory and finally a church before it was bought in 1997 and…

AmericanArizonaRating: N/R (Not Rated)United States

Texaz Grill – Phoenix, Arizona

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

My travels throughout the fruited plain have taught me that there are attitudinal differences between residents of different states. Most people have significant pride in their homestate and don’t necessarily think that highly of neighboring states. More than any state, the Lone Star state will broach no claims of superiority by any other state. The saying that “everything is bigger in Texas” actually means “everything is better in Texas.” Barbecue is better, football is better, country music is better and Tex-Mex is the only acceptable derivative of Mexican food.  Don’t ask me.  Ask anyone from Texas. Some forty years ago…