Asian Archives - Page 2 of 21 - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog

Fan Tang – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoJuly 10, 2025July 13, 202512:01 AM

For “city dwellers” Chinese restaurants are ubiquitous. There’s one in every corner Most urbanites were weaned on Chinese food. It’s as much a part of their diet as “American” food. Those of us who grew up in the “sticks” during the stone age had to travel great distances to find Chinese food…and when we did find a Chinese restaurant, we really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. Everything we knew about that mysterious, exotic cuisine came from television programs in the days long preceding the Food Network. Every once in a while, mention was made on one of those television shows about egg foo young. I’m thinking maybe Maxwell Smart may have mentioned egg foo young during…

Albuquerque Bakery New Mexico Vietnamese

Le Bakery – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoJuly 5, 2025July 25, 202512:01 AM

“What colonialism does is cause an identity crisis about one’s own culture.” ~Lupita Nyong’o Academy Award Winning Actress Much as we might believe geopolitics has no place in a food blog, food and geopolitics are undeniably intertwined. Perhaps nowhere is that more evident than in the history of Vietnam. In the 17th Century, France began a trade relationship with Vietnam. Two centuries later, France began the colonization of Vietnam. For six decades, France ruled over the Southeast Asian country, essentially relegating the indiginous population to second-class status, if not servitude. During this time, French influence spread across Vietnamese cuisine, architecture, culture, art and cuisine – an influence which continues to live on across the country today. The French influence on…

2025 James Beard Foundation "Best Chef - Southwest" Semifinalist Asian James Beard Foundation (JBF) Award Nominees & Winners Korean Oklahoma Steak United States

Birdies by Chef Kevin Lee – Edmond, Oklahoma

Gil GardunoMay 14, 2025May 20, 202512:01 AM

My Kim and I regard ourselves as ambassadors for the great state of New Mexico, especially when we travel. We’re often asked where we’re from. Invariably we run into people whose perceptions about the Land of Enchantment are far from kind. Some actually believe Breaking Bad is a documentary about the condition of life in New Mexico where wild west lawlessness is rampant. If only perceptions of New Mexico were as gracious and kind as those of Oklahoma. Throughout our week-long sojourn in the Sooner State, state pride was palpable. You would expect that from locals, but some of the nicest things we heard about Oklahoma were from visitors like us. Most visitors were genuinely touched by just how nice…

2023 James Beard Foundation - "Best Chef - Southwest" Finalist 2024 James Beard Foundation "Best Chef - Southwest" Finalist Asian James Beard Foundation (JBF) Award Nominees & Winners Lao Oklahoma United States

Ma Der Lao Kitchen – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Gil GardunoMay 13, 2025May 20, 202512:01 AM

In Italian, the term “mangia, mangia,” is an encouragement to enjoy food abundantly. In Spanish, the polite phrase “Buen Provecho” translates to “enjoy your meal.” The French term for “enjoy your meal” is “bon appétit” while the Cajun equivalent is “Allons manger.” You’re probably acquainted with most of these terms, but here’s one you may not know. In Lao, “Ma Der!”(ma-derr) is a phrase that basically means “come eat! or “come through!” Throngs of Oklahoma City’s savvy diners have been coming to eat at Ma Der Lao Kitchen since 2022. It’s a good bet not all of them realize the meaning of the restaurant’s name. Perhaps some of them believe “Ma Der” is someone’s mother. Even if not everyone understands…

Oklahoma United States Vietnamese

Pho Lien Hoa – Oklahoma City

Gil GardunoMay 11, 2025May 20, 202512:01 AM

“Oklahoma, Where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain And the wavin’ wheat Can sure smell sweet When the wind comes right behind the rain.” ~Oklahoma by Rodgers & Hammerstein The setting for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s revolutionary 1943 Broadway hit Oklahoma showcased wide-open plains and rugged landscapes that painted both a literal and metaphorical canvas. The vastness of the territory mirrored the boundless dreams and limitless energy of its inhabitants. This award-winning musical depicted the ushering in of organized statehood, a challenging transition from mostly unsettled agrarian land. That transition parallels the characters’ personal journeys toward growth and self-discovery. Oklahoma became a timeless classic largely because of the stirring music, but also its celebration of love, community, and resilience among…

Albuquerque Asian Chinese Fusion New Mexico

El Palacio Imperial – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoApril 12, 2025April 25, 202512:01 AM

“Tradition is everything. It’s very important. But we need to remember that the traditions of today Were the modernity of the past. And that the things we think are very science fiction type of things Will be the traditions of tomorrow.” ~Chef Jose Andres Chef Jose Andres was the founder of the World Central Kitchen which provides large-scale relief to communities affected by natural disasters and conflicts around the world. He’s one of Time Magazine’s world’s 100 most influential people. He earned a Presidential Medal of Freedom for his altruism as well as for being the Spanish-American culinary innovator who popularized tapas in the United States. His list of accomplishments and the reach of his philanthropic efforts mark him as…

Asian New Mexico Rio Rancho Thai

Thai Cuisine – Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Gil GardunoApril 8, 2025April 9, 202512:01 AM

New Mexican men can be so haughty. (I don’t include New Mexican women in this categorization because they’re generally smarter.) We laugh at what Californians, Arizonans and especially Texans call “chili.” We pride ourselves on machismo, some of which is on display even when we eat out. We never ask if the chile is hot. We assume (and hope) it is so we can prove how tough we are. We question the manhood of any New Mexican who prefers his chile “mild.” Mild chile is for children and law enforcement officials in Uvalde, Texas. Give us chile with the piquancy of napalm or volcanic lava. Give us chile even Satan can’t eat. Yeah, right! I’ve seen New Mexican men wheeze…

Albuquerque Asian New Mexico Thai

Sa! Thai Restaurant – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoApril 2, 2025April 4, 202512:01 AM

In 2023, TasteAtlas, an “encyclopedia of flavors, a world atlas of traditional dishes, local ingredients, and authentic restaurants” compiled a ranking of the 100 best cuisines in the world. The highest rated cuisine in the world (to no surprise) was Italian followed by Japanese then Greek. Thai cuisine was ranked 17th in the pantheon of great cuisines, just one slot ahead of American cuisine (whatever that is). TasteAtlas also named Phat Kaphrao (also known as Pad Grapao or “holy basil stir-fry”), a dish made from meat, chili and basil, as the “best stir-fried dish in the world.” Among the highest rated dishes, Phat Kaphrao ranked third overall. Considering 395,205 dishes were rated, Phat Kaphrao’s place in the standings signifies it…

Albuquerque Asian Closed in 2025 Gone But Not Forgotten New Mexico Rated 25 Vietnamese

SAIGON CITY – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoMarch 21, 2025November 12, 20257:54 AM

My brother in blogging Ryan Cook describes his first day in Vietnam: “So, my first stop in Vietnam was the capital, Hanoi. My honest first impressions… what the hell have I let myself in for. Seriously…The roads are chaos! The ride from the airport to the hostel was basically 40 minutes of holding my breath and cringing. How someone wasn’t killed in front of my eyes was a miracle! However, this is something you later don’t even bat an eyelid at after a day or two. Throughout the country, the roads are all complete lawless chaos…BUT it works! Everyone is so insane on the road, the chaos works. I did not see a single accident in my entire journey –…

Albuquerque Bakery Coffee New Mexico Sandwich Vietnamese

Banh Me & You – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoMarch 12, 2025March 29, 20258:47 AM

According to The Tanner Food Group, a a food consultancy focused on international trade, industry preparedness and regulatory activities, there are now nearly 8,000 Vietnamese restaurants stateside. Food Scientist Michael Murdy, founder of robustkitchen.com attributes the popularity of Vietnamese food to the “wide range of flavors and textures associated,” specifying that “the combination of sour, sweet, savory, and spicy flavors, as well as the use of fresh herbs and vegetables, makes Vietnamese food particularly attractive to people.” From among the nearly 8,000 Vietnamese restaurants on this side of the pond, it’s a good bet many of their menus are graced with banh mi, the sandwich melding French and Vietnamese flavors and techniques. I first encountered the banh mi during one…

Asian Barbecue Fusion Texas United States

Loro Asian Smokehouse & Bar – Austin, Texas

Gil GardunoFebruary 26, 2025March 1, 202512:01 AM

An average person spends 52 days of their life standing in line (queueing) and that not just at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The most notorious offenders are, of course, supermarket lines, public transportation, the post office, airports and barbecue joints in the great state of Texas. Okay, that last one may not be true though it certainly feels that way. Franklin BBQ in Austin has nothing short of a cult following–and probably the longest lines of any barbecue joint in Texas. Standing in line is part of the Franklin BBQ experience. Online sites advise that “wait times during the week at Franklin Barbecue are typically 2-3 hours and on weekends closer to 4 or 5 hours.” Smoked meat…