Gone But Not Forgotten Archives - Page 57 of 58 - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog

Albuquerque Closed in 2007 Filipino Gone But Not Forgotten

Fil-Am Fast Food Mart – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoDecember 11, 2004July 23, 20181:50 PM

The pursuit of the secret to a happy life has led people to metaphysical, psychological and religious paths. Where it really should have taken them is to a tiny Albuquerque restaurant in a nondescript shopping center where the secret to happy living is posted for one and all to see. The elusive secret consists of only six simple steps: (1) Come to Fil-Am Fast Food Mart; (2) Check out mouth watering menu; (3) Select items that appeal to your tastes; (4) Pay and leave tip; (5) Leave happy; and (6) For best results, repeat tomorrow and the day after, and the day after, and the day after. I can vouch for one thing–dining at Albuquerque’s only Filipino restaurant will definitely…

American Burgers Closed in 2021 Gone But Not Forgotten Nevada United States

Burger Bar Las Vegas – Las Vegas, Nevada (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoNovember 23, 2004October 25, 202512:11 AM

In light of protracted enmity between America and France in recent years, you might think the notion of a French chef crafting an American institution, the hamburger, would be considered audacious at the least and heretical at the worse. True burger aficionados, however, are neither Francophiles nor Francophobes. We’re just crazy about burgers–the bigger, the better. That’s why when French chef Hubert Keller launched the Burger Bar, burger maniacs flocked to the restaurant’s sky bridge location connecting Luxor and Mandalay Bay. Keller improved on the concept of “build your own burger” by giving diners more options than Burger King ever thought possible with its “have it your way” campaign. Well heeled patrons with money to burn might well opt for…

Chinese Closed in 2015 Dim Sum Gone But Not Forgotten Nevada United States

Cathay House – Las Vegas, Nevada (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoNovember 21, 2004July 24, 20247:49 PM

There are two things I rail against which might classify some of my restaurant reviews as a bully pulpit. One is the incursion of chain restaurants, a pitiable parade of mediocrity that has largely resulted in the homogenization and “dumbing down” of the American palate. The other is the lack of authenticity in so-called ethnic restaurants, a lacking that often goes hand-in-hand with the culinary chaining of America’s restaurants. In my reviews of New Mexican food restaurants, I refer to this phenomenon as the “anglosizing” of New Mexican food (the Taco Bell phenomenon). In Chinese restaurants, this “Americanization” phenomenon manifests itself in the offering of deep fried, heavily coated meats bathed in a syrupy sauce (nee P.F. Chang’s). Restaurants which…

Albuquerque Closed in 2008 Gone But Not Forgotten Sandwich

Pastrami & Things – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoOctober 19, 2004July 23, 20181:57 AM

During a 1997 episode of Seinfeld, the “show about nothing,” George Costanza and his girlfriend du jour discussed introducing food into their lovemaking. George listed as potential candidates: strawberries, chocolate sauce, pastrami on rye with mustard and honey. His girlfriend, unfortunately, failed to appreciate the erotic qualities of pastrami. Ultimately George met up with a woman who declared pastrami to be “the most sensual of all the salted cured meats.” Their lustful appetites took over and they succumbed to the pastrami inspired throes of passion. I don’t know about pastrami being the most sensual of all salted cured meats, but do know there are few sandwiches quite as wonderful as a pastrami sandwich. Alas, not all pastrami is created equal.…

Closed in 2010 Gone But Not Forgotten New Mexican New Mexico Taos County

The Burrito Wagon – Taos, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoSeptember 24, 2004July 23, 201812:34 AM

Elvis Presley once crooned about “Memories pressed between the pages of my mind–memories sweetened through the ages just like wine.” Sometimes memories take you back to an idyllic time or place when things were simpler and food tasted better. Such is the case with my memories of the Burrito Wagon, a Taos institution I began frequenting shortly after its 1970 launch. No stereotypical “roach coach” to be derided and laughed at was this mobile kitchen serving the finest overstuffed burritos in Northern New Mexico. In my romantic’s mind, my unabashed affection for the Burrito Wagon took me to that idyllic time and place. Alas, the reality was that because the Burrito Wagon is not open on weekends, we hadn’t visited…

American Closed in 2008 Gone But Not Forgotten New Mexico Santa Fe

Cafe Pink – Santa Fe, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoSeptember 18, 2004July 23, 20185:08 PM

For people watching, there may be no better Santa Fe venue than the outdoor patio at Cafe Pink, a 2004 addition to the “City Different” dining scene. The people watching is free and a meal at Cafe Pink is only slightly more expensive. Priceless might be a good term for the colorful mural depicting the Santa Fe fiesta scene past and present. That mural provides a backdrop history buffs might prefer studying to watching tourists with their mouths agape and their eyes wide with wonder at Santa Fe’s many historical attractions (the most striking of which is our incomparable blue sky). Despite being a relative newcomer, Cafe Pink has an impressive pedigree as a member of the famous Pink Adobe…

Albuquerque Closed in 2005 Gone But Not Forgotten Mexican

Fiesta Flavors – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoJune 30, 2004July 23, 20184:27 PM

Mixed fruit cups, buttered corn nibblet cups, fruity refreshing beverages and frozen fresh fruit treats are the centerpieces of several quickly growing niche chains, one of which launched an Albuquerque shop in the spring of 2004. That niche includes both diet and health conscious treat seekers as well as the growing Hispanic market, making the Duke City a natural choice for Fiesta Flavors. Niche or not, the intriguing menu has something for everyone. The fruit cups, whether mixed or as a single fruit offering, are served with your choice of three toppings: a sweet and creamy blend of sweetened and flavored sour cream, a low-fat and sugar free yogurt and best of all, the Fiesta chili blend of salt, lime…

Barbecue Closed in 2009 Gone But Not Forgotten Illinois United States

Bobby Q’s – Arlington Heights, Illinois (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoJune 17, 2004July 24, 202411:48 PM

I first read about Bobby Q’s on Chowhound’s Chicago board in November, 2003. A newcomer to the Chicago area barbecue scene launched in July, 2003, it was immediately embraced by barbecue aficionados who tend to dismiss most interlopers as pretenders and frauds. Within months, the restaurant named for the owners’ toddler’s pronunciation of “barbecue” was earning accolades and honors in a specialized area which tends to be cynical and unwelcoming. The house sauces, a spicy Cajun sauce and a sweet Texas sauce have both been accorded with national recognition–20th best barbecue sauce in the entire country and a third place honor for the Cajun sauce in Kansas City’s American Royal competition. In 2004, AOL’s City Guide Chicago made Bobby Q’s…

American Closed in 2010 Food Network Eats New Mexico Gone But Not Forgotten New Mexico Taos County

Joseph’s Table – Taos, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoMay 8, 2004June 18, 202312:07 AM

When chef and owner Joseph Wrede launched Joseph’s Table several years ago in Ranchos De Taos,dining patrons and pedantic critics alike were ready to beatify him (a culinary Saint Joseph). In 2000, Food & Wine magazine named him one of the top ten chefs in America, extolling his use of locally grown organic produce in “surprising, sensual ways.” The London Times called him “the voice of modern American cuisine.” Even Food Network luminary Bobby Flay came calling during a visit to Taos. On June 28, 2002, Wrede closed his restaurant to contemplate the lucrative lure of a corporate chef position. The Taos culinary world breathed a collective sigh of relief when he launched his new restaurant in December, 2003. Housed…

Arizona Barbecue Closed in 2025 Gone But Not Forgotten United States

Hap’s Pit Barbecue – Phoenix, Arizona (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoApril 28, 2004November 12, 20252:29 PM

Good barbecue in Arizona? You’d better believe it! Hap’s Pit Barbecue is one happening barbecue joint, one that its proponents believe its name is short for “happiness because that’s what it elicits from its diners–that and audible exclamations of “wow” and “yum.” Hap’s is a perennial listing on Phoenix magazine’s coveted best restaurant list and the only Phoenix barbecue establishment to earn a five star designation from the Arizona Republic newspaper. If you’re looking for national credentials, it’s been raved about on USA Today. Despite those impressive plaudits and accolades, what it took to get me to Hap’s was a recommendation by my great friend and fellow barbecue aficionado Dianna Peoples. I’d been fooled before by the magazine rants of…

Arizona Closed in 2015 Gone But Not Forgotten Steak United States

Pinnacle Peak Patio – Scottsdale, Arizona (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoApril 27, 2004July 24, 20243:12 AM

To a lexicologist like me, the word pinnacle has connotations of “the highest point of development or achievement.” In other words, it’s synonymous with ultimate, apogee, culmination, peak, summit, zenith, climax or apex…and those are just the synonyms (a word along with Thesaurus for which there are no synonyms) off the top of my head. At 3100 feet in elevation, Pinnacle Peak itself is one of the more prominent landmarks in North Scottsdale. Whether seen under a star filled night time canopy or beneath a cerulean summer sky, its weathered boulders, craggy spires and desert vegetation make it one of the more spectacular vistas in the area. Spectacular is certainly not a word you would use to describe the Pinnacle…