Albuquerque Archives - Page 10 of 82 - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog

Albuquerque Closed in 2025 Dog Friendly Gone But Not Forgotten Mexican New Mexico Tacos

Taco Santo – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoMarch 28, 2025June 29, 202612:01 AM

NOTE: In July, 2025, Taco Santo ceased operating as a taqueria, reverting back to Holy Burger, long one of the city’s most popular burger joints. Jay Rayner, one of my very favorite restaurant critics and authors, has an inimitable gift for luring readers with reviews that go far beyond describing food. His review of Santo Remedio, a Mexican restaurant in London, is one such example, starting with his astute observation about the debate between authenticity and verisimilitude in culinary culture: “All too often in the food world, the war of expertise becomes a lumbering battle between the Real Thing and the…

Albuquerque Breakfast Burritos New Mexican New Mexico Rating: Very Good

Papa Felipe’s Mexican Restaurant – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoMarch 20, 2025May 1, 20265:24 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…

Albuquerque Greek Mediterranean New Mexico Rating: Very Good

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoFebruary 14, 2025April 3, 202612:01 AM

As a precocious stripling growing up long before Star Wars, Back to the Future and the Marvel Universe, my heroes were the gods of Mount Olympus. In Greek mythology, the gods were incredibly powerful beings who controlled the forces of nature and human beings. Their whims–often childish and unpredictable–dictated whether or not empires and human beings thrived or led lives replete with strife and woe. These puerile gods possessed supernatural powers such as the ability to control the weather (Zeus), make others pregnant or get pregnant herself (Hera) and manipulate travel, paths, and sports (Hermes). While Spiderman may have understood…

Albuquerque American New Mexico Rating: Very Good Sandwich

The Sandwich Company – Albuquerque, NE

Gil GardunoFebruary 11, 2025April 4, 202612:01 AM

In 1967, John Poppy introduced the term “generation gap” in Look magazine. Still used widely, the term refers to the “the chasm that separates the beliefs and behaviors belonging to members of different generations. This gap often manifests in varying thoughts, actions, and preferences between younger and older generations.” According to Investopedia, “Differences may exist in politics, values, pop culture, and other areas.” Among the ways in which a generation gap exists is in culinary exploration. TouchBistro, “an all-in-one point of sale and restaurant management system that makes running a restaurant easier” conducted a survey of more than 2,600 diners…

Albuquerque Bar & Grill Cajun Diners Drive-Ins and Dives Dog Friendly Food Network Eats New Mexico Rating: Very Good Southern

Nexus Brewery – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoJanuary 23, 2025April 5, 20262:47 AM

Set in Albuquerque, Breaking Bad, AMC’s critically acclaimed television series may have left viewers with the impression that the Duke City is a haven for meth cookery and fried chicken joints. Had the fair city been more accurately typecast, it would have have been portrayed as a mecca for microbreweries. The Albuquerque Beer Scene blog says it best: “It’s like Portland, but with sun,” a comparison which shows just how much the city’s microbrewery and brewpub scene has grown–and not just in terms of sheer numbers. Duke City breweries have accorded themselves so well at the Great American Beer Festival…

Albuquerque Fine Dining New Mexican New Mexico Rating: Outstanding

Ex Novo Brewing Co. – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoJanuary 17, 2025April 3, 202612:01 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…

Albuquerque American Breakfast Burritos Rating: Excellent

Ironwood Kitchen – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoJanuary 9, 2025May 1, 202610:29 AM

I’m not sure Matt Moody could sell milk to the lactose intolerant or ice to an eskimo, but it would be hard to bet against him. The genial owner of the Ironwood Kitchen on Albuquerque’s sprawling far northwest, Matt has a rare enthusiasm for both his restaurant and his recipes. He won’t just describe a dish on the menu, he’ll tell you how it’s prepared and may even give you the genesis of its ingredients. That type of enthusiasm and confidence is infectious. Matt is also wise and experienced enough to understand the customer is always right…even if he doesn’t…

2022 James Beard Foundation - "Best Chef - Southwest" Semifinalist Albuquerque Breakfast Breakfast Burritos Closed in 2026 Gone But Not Forgotten James Beard Foundation (JBF) Award Nominees & Winners New Mexican New Mexico Rating: Outstanding

My Moms – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoDecember 13, 2024August 1, 20265:01 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…

Albuquerque Chicken Dog Friendly Fusion New Mexico Rating: Very Good

Happy Chickenzz – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoDecember 7, 2024April 5, 202611:02 AM

“And believe me, a good piece of chicken can make anybody believe in the existence of God.” ~Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Two things came to mind when my friend Nader and I approached Happy Chickenzz during our inaugural visit in September, 2019. First, I mused, “if happy cows come from California (a 2002 marketing campaign for California cheese), where do happy chickenzz come from.” My second rumination was to wonder if the ‘zz’ at the end of the word chicken is an indication that the chicken is so boring, it’ll put your taste buds…

Albuquerque Candy Chocolate New Mexico Rating: Very Good

Theobroma Chocolatier – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoDecember 7, 2024April 5, 202610:48 AM

For many men, February 14th is the most dreaded day of the year. It’s a day in which our boundless capacity for bad taste comes to the fore. Though well-intentioned, when it comes to women and romance, we’re clueless. You might not know it, but shopping for women is the biggest cause of anxiety among American men. There’s nothing like the crushingly disappointed look on your lover’s face as she unwraps the latest bad gift to quell the ardor in a man’s heart. Worse, our anguish has been made public thanks to the annual global dissemination of an e-mail entitled…

Albuquerque New Mexico Rating: Good Thai

Thai Spice – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoDecember 2, 2024April 4, 20266:31 PM

“Thai food ain’t about simplicity. It’s about the juggling of disparate elements to create a harmonious finish. Like a complex musical chord it’s got to have a smooth surface but it doesn’t matter what’s happening underneath. Simplicity isn’t the dictum here, at all. Some westerners think it’s a jumble of flavors, but to a Thai what’s important, it’s the complexity they delight in.” ~Chef David Thompson Complexity of flavors, disparate elements, a jumble of flavors…these are the expectations diners have come to expect from Thai restaurants. The underlying foundation of Thai cuisine, going back to Chinese influences as early as…