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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 ended her affiliation with Graze, leaving it in the hands of her business partner Michael Chesley. On January 27, 2007,…

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, you’ll invariably be asked to state your preference–red or green. The fact that the state legislature approved resolutions for both a…

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 Eat just wouldn’t have the same poetic lilt. In the mid 1990s, 505 Southwestern was one of our favorite dining…

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 the restaurant’s decorating style. Leave the spit and polish to trend followers who are impressed with over-the-top flamboyance (can you…

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 friend and colleague Steve Coleman has a relatively high opinion of the restaurant’s “sister” restaurant in Canutillo, Texas, a restaurant…

Albuquerque American Closed in 2011 Gone But Not Forgotten

McGrath’s – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoApril 30, 2006July 23, 20182:46 AM

At the turn of the 19th century, “Sex and the City” in Albuquerque may have meant a trip to the area near the bustling train station in which nearby “hospitality houses” catered to rail-riding clientele. The heart of the Duke City’s red light district was the area around Third and Copper where ladies of the evening entertained their guests in red light cottages, the most famous (and infamous) of which was Lizzie McGrath’s Vine Cottage. Today the heart of the burgeoning area which once housed Albuquerque’s red light district is the posh Hyatt Regency hotel, a 21-story high rise with two distinctive pyramidal roofs that help make it the city’s second tallest building. The Hyatt’s signature restaurant, McGrath’s is named…

Albuquerque Barbecue Closed in 2008 Gone But Not Forgotten

Tony Roma’s – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoApril 22, 2006July 23, 201812:07 AM

With more than 260 locations worldwide, Tony Roma’s can be found from Aruba to Venezuela and 25 countries in between. As of August 30th, 2005, one of the most famous barbecue chains in the world can also be found in Albuquerque where truly great barbecue is more scarce than precious, life-giving water. Alas, while the addition of Tony Roma’s may give the Duke City one more barbecue restaurant, it still does not have a great barbecue restaurant. Tony Roma’s claim to fame is its baby back ribs for which it helped make America go hog wild. This self-proclaimed “Famous for ribs” restaurant launched in 1972 in North Miami, Florida. We first experienced it in London, England in 1984 and last…

Albuquerque Rating: Very Good Specialty

Boba Tea Company – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoApril 21, 2006April 5, 20263:17 AM

On June 7, 2005, the launch of Albuquerque’s first made “you suck” acceptable in polite vernacular. Long a pop culture term of mock derision, “suck” refers, in this case, to the drawing in of liquid refreshment by creating a vacuum in the mouth. More specifically, it refers to the act of sucking through an oversized straw, the tea, milk tea, hot tea, slush and smoothie beverages at the Boba Tea Company. The Boba Tea Company is the brainchild of Vi and Hoa Luong, the enterprising duo which made Cafe O one of the city’s best restaurant launches (and lunches) in 2004. Wanting to create a “Starbucks for the younger generation” the Luongs have revolutionized tea drinking with a quantum departure…

Albuquerque Closed in 2008 Gone But Not Forgotten New Mexico Seafood

Gruet Grille – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoApril 20, 2006July 23, 201811:14 AM

In an inordinate number of the thousands of newspaper restaurant reviews I’ve read over the years, the savvy, sophisticated restaurant critic is typically accompanied to the week’s anointed dining destination by a nameless and faceless “dining companion.” In some cases, the sole purpose of the dining companion seems to be serving as a “foil” for the sage critic. Where the critic will order the most mellifluous sounding, multi-syllabic mélange on the menu, the bumpkinly dining companion usually orders something so uncultured it horrifies the critic. Naturally, this makes for a “balanced” review in which accolades are lavished on the critic’s astute choice of cuisine while the dining companion’s slovenly selections are treated sympathetically. When Carrie Seidman, the Albuquerque Tribune’s brilliant…

Albuquerque American Closed in 2007 Gone But Not Forgotten New Mexico

Starky’s – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoApril 1, 2006July 23, 20183:48 PM

Sometimes a new restaurant makes such a tremendous first impression that you’re torn between wanting to shout from the rooftops about your new find and wanting to keep your new find to yourself so that the new gem remains your carefully guarded little secret. Wanting to ensure the restaurant has a prosperous future, you’ll naturally take the former course and tell all your friends and neighbors about your newfound treasure–all the while keeping your fingers crossed that the incursion of “less deserving patrons” doesn’t change those things that made such a great first impression on you. Starky’s is such a restaurant. Situated on the site of the old Assets Grill restaurant (once hailed as one of the city’s very best…

Albuquerque Cajun Closed in 2008 Gone But Not Forgotten National Chain

Copeland’s – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil GardunoMarch 10, 2006July 23, 20182:09 PM

Having lived 90 miles outside of “The Big Easy” for almost eight years, we were naturally filled with the spirit of laissez les bon temps roulette (let the good times roll) when we found out the 48th Copeland’s restaurant in America was launching on our backyard in Albuquerque’s West side in November, 2001. We had been back in Albuquerque for six years and were experiencing withdrawal symptoms that only a fix of heartily spiced Cajun cuisine could quell. Copeland’s we thought would be a welcome breath of fresh air for the Duke City, albeit not the steamy, salt-kissed air of the Louisiana coast. Copeland’s is a restaurant with which we were quite familiar when it wasn’t the national presence it…