Category: Mediterranean

MediterraneanNew MexicoRating: Very GoodRio Rancho

Al-quds Mediterranean Grill II – Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

The penultimate day of the 2023 International Balloon Fiesta will be memorable for many reasons.  Foremost may be the 2023 annular eclipse whose path took it directly above the Balloon Fiesta Park, host of the world’s largest ballooning event.  That day will be imprinted on our minds for another reason–our inaugural visit to Al-quds Mediterranean Grill in Rio Rancho.   The second instantiation of perhaps Albuquerque’s most popular Middle Eastern restaurant is located on The Village on Rio Rancho, a timeworn shopping center that flourished in the early 1990s when Intel’s Fab 4 was fully operational. Neither owner Mohammad Abdeljalil or his son were in Rio Rancho during our inaugural visit.  Our server assured us that the menu at the original Al-qud’s is available.  That means Al-qud’s II assumed only the spot which previously housed Jerusalem: Taste of the Holy Land.  In all other respects it’s the Al-qud’s we’ve known and loved since discovering the original in November, 2018 when it was situated on the south side of San Pedro.  In subsequent visits, we were greeted by and well taken care of by Mohammed’s eldest son whose wife bakes all the magnificent pastries on display in a glass case. Al-Qud,…

AlbuquerqueGreekMediterraneanRating: Outstanding

Gyros Mediterranean – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno2:39 AM

It’s not easy being a gastronome about town when you make less than a thousand dollars a month and have a car payment, rent and a social life. Stationed at Kirtland in the early 1980s, my Air Force salary pretty much dictated that most of my meals were at the base’s chow hall (which thankfully was legions better than mystery meat meals at the Peñasco High School cafeteria). The little that was left of my meager monthly take-home pay meant social outings were pretty much of the cheap eats variety. The epicenter for many of my off-site meals seemed to be Cornell Drive where it was possible to find restaurants with a broad socioeconomic appeal–restaurants which nurtured a refreshing open-mindedness toward the cuisines of the world. Within easy walking distance of one another on Cornell, you could find battleship sized slices of pizza at Nunzio‘s (now Saggio’s), the very best lamb burger and green chile stew in the world at the long defunct Sheepherder’s Cafe, half a city block of full-contact eating at the Frontier Restaurant and a gourmand’s paradise of Greek food at Gyros Mediterranean. Though my first two years in the Air Force (happily served in the Boston…

AlbuquerqueMediterraneanNew MexicoRating: Outstanding

Anatolia Mediterranean – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

As a bumpkinly but book-smart twenty-year-old away from home for the first time, I practically ached for adventure, something different… the antithesis of  my agrarian upbringing.  The Air Force accommodated me, sending me first to the cultural, culinary and cosmpolitan region around Boston, Massachusetts.  It was an illuminating experience which I thoroughly loved, but after two years my wandering soul wanted to experience even further away lands.  Though very open-minded, the only places not on my “dream sheet” of assignment preferences were Thule, Greenland; Shemya, Alaska; and the country of Turkey.  The latter was based on having seen Midnight Express (on a date, no less).  Though centered in a Turkish prison, the movie gave me a wholly inaccurate portrait of Turkish culture.  I would rue that prejudice for the remainder of my Air Force career. Senior (and much wiser) mentors regaled me with tales of their experiences while stationed in Turkey.  Türkiye (the United Nations spelling since 2022), they told me, had everything I was looking for–a diversity of culture, a vastness of geographical features, geopolitical and religious history, an agreeable climate and unforgettable cuisine.  The latter, of course, was especially important to me, a young man having been weaned…

AlbuquerqueFine DiningGreekMediterraneanNew MexicoRating: N/R (Not Rated)

Dorothea – Fine Greek: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

“What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.” ~Hans Urs von Balthasar, Prayer The appellation Dorothea literally means “gift of God.”   It’s a name derived from the words dōron (gift) and theos (god). While the name itself is ancient Greek, there is surprisingly  (especially considering the easily titillated denizens of Mount Olympus) no figure in pagan Greek mythology with the name Dorothea.  Instead, Dorothea is the name of a prominent Christian saint, one christened the patron saint of florists, gardeners, and brides.  She is often depicted with a basket of roses and fruit.   The name Dorothea has variants in many different languages, including Dorothée, Dorotea, Dorota, Dorrit, Doretta and more. It has also inspired lots of cute nicknames, including Dora, Thea, Dot, Dottie, Doree and Dodie. Closer to home, Dorothea is an upscale Greek restaurant which first opened its doors in August, 2024.   The restaurant’s website explains that Dorothea is “named in honor of Dorothea, the mother of renowned Greek restaurant mogul Nick Kapnison, our establishment celebrates her legacy of love, elegance, and culinary excellence.”  Nick Kapnison is probably the closest Albuquerque has seen to a Greek god…maybe the deity of dining or demiurge of…

AlbuquerqueAmericanBreakfastBreakfast BurritosBurgersDog FriendlyGreekRating: Very Good

Vic’s Daily Cafe – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:02 AM

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?” “What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?” “I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet. Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “It’s the same thing,” he said.” Unlike the great philosopher Winnie the Pooh, many Americans, it seems, don’t equate breakfast with excitement. Studies show that far too many of us fuel our bodies with a “gobble and go” mentality that typifies our frenetic lifestyles. In 2007, one food service industry research firm concluded that most Americans spend no more than three minutes shopping for breakfast (at such paragons of nutritional virtue as McDonald’s and Starbucks).  Too many of us it seems would just as soon wait for lunch, our hunger being reason enough to overindulge. A food and health survey of Americans showed that 92 percent of respondents consider breakfast the most important meal of the day, yet fewer than half (46 percent) of them actually ate breakfast seven days a week. The most frequently cited reasons for not eating breakfast every day include “not being hungry after waking up” (59 percent) and “not enough…

AlbuquerqueGreekMediterraneanNew MexicoRating: Very Good

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 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 that with great power comes great responsibility, the gods were prone to fits of pique.  In such moments, they were predisposed to chaotic and violent outbursts.  You wouldn’t want to anger these childlike gods. Food  and drink in Greek mythology largely revolved around sweet, hallucinogenic, or healing substances, most frequently in the form of liquids, or fruit.  Ambrosia and nectar were allegedly the main substances consumed by the gods with ambrosia signifying immortality.  Figs are also commonly consumed.  Figs are most commonly associated with Dionysius, the god of wine and drunkenness and with Priapus, the Ron Jeremy of Greek gods. …

AlbuquerqueAmericanDog FriendlyGreekNew MexicoRating: Very Good

Tula’s Kitchen – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

Tula: “My mom was always cooking foods filled with warmth and wisdom… and never forgetting that side dish of steaming-hot guilt.” As it celebrates its twenty year anniversary the 2002 Rom-Com “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” remains as timeless and funny as it was when it debuted.  Moreover, it’s still a heart-warming movie with which some of us can relate.  In my estimation, it could easily have been called “My Big Fat Northern New Mexican Wedding” and it could have been set in Peñasco.  The similarities between Greek families and Northern New Mexican families around which I grew up were startling.  That’s especially true about the food, family and eccentricities, the latter especially prominent among the movie’s well-meaning and hovering aunts and the protagonist’s domineering father. My Big Fat Greek Wedding centers around Tula Portokalos, who at thirty is only woman in her family who has failed to find a nice, Greek husband and have babies.  Living at home, Tula works as hostess at her family’s restaurant, “Dancing Zorba’s.” Tula describes her younger self as a “swarthy 6-year-old with sideburns” who was shamed by blonde schoolmates for eating “moose caca” (moussaka).  Tula remains frumpy and insecure until early in her third decade when she practically…

AlbuquerqueMediterraneanRating: Outstanding

Al-qud’s Mediterranean Grill & Grocery – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno2:54 AM

The St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Magdalena, New Mexico is adorned with ceramic statues, most familiar and easy to identify…at least for dyed-in-the-wool Catholics like me. After Sunday Mass one September, 2010 morning, we espied a statue of a saint clutching a curious implement to his chest. None of the parishioners we asked had any idea who the statue represented. Father Andy Pavlak, the parish vicar at the time, confirmed the statue depicted Saint Lawrence of Rome and the curious device he held was a gridiron, a metal grate used for grilling meat, fish, vegetables or any combination thereof. Father Pavlak went on to explain why Saint Lawrence clutched the gridiron. Saint Lawrence was one of seven deacons of ancient Rome who were martyred during the reign of Emperor Valerian. The manner of death he suffered was especially gruesome. The intrepid saint was grilled on a gridiron. As his flesh cooked, Lawrence is said to have cried out, “This side’s done. Turn me over and have a bite.” That probably explains why Saint Lawrence is the patron saint of comedians, butchers and roasters. He is also patron saint of several parishes throughout the Land of Enchantment. I suspect Saint…

AlbuquerqueGreekMediterraneanNew MexicoRating: N/R (Not Rated)

Gyros Shack – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

When my dear friend Adelchi Parisella introduced me to Greek food at Gyros Mediterranean back in the early ’80s, I thought to myself “now this is the food of the gods.”  As curious as any cat, I naturally researched whether or not the Greek gods of Mount Olympus actually did eat gyros and patates.  The only two “foods” I could recall the gods eating were ambrosia and nectar.  Research revealed that while ambrosia and nectar were the gods main source of substance, the haughty  mythological beings actually consumed other foods, none of which were gyros and patates. Dionysius, the the god of wine and pleasure and Priapus (a minor rustic fertility God, who protected the male reproductive organs)  were fond of figs.  Dionysius is also associated with intoxicating and hallucinogenic wine which lured gods and mortals alike to an ecstatic frenzy  No one particular god is associated with the lotus, but it must have been popular in that it was unanimously described as a narcotic, which brought about sleep and “forgetfulness.”  The’ eleventh labor of Hercules was to steal apples from “the garden of the Hesperides,” The  golden and gleaming apples were supposed to grant immortality to those who got…

2024 James Beard Foundation "Best Chef - Southwest" SemifinalistArizonaDog FriendlyJames Beard Foundation (JBF) Award Nominees & WinnersMediterraneanRating: N/R (Not Rated)United States

Source – Gilbert, Arizona

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

When Chef Claudio Urciuoli posed for a photograph with Source’s baker Ryan and chef Trevor, he sported a smile.  I joked with him about his stern countenance and he assured me that he really does have a sense of humor.  Despite the dissolution of his partnership at Pa’La, the acclaimed chef has every reason to smile.  He’s once again doing what he wants to do, operating a restaurant whose approach and raison d’etre are encapsulated in this statement from the restaurant’s website:  We are an ingredient driven, community centered, counter service restaurant, wine bar, and retail shop. Chef Urciuoli does indeed have a sense of humor and a personal warmth that really came across during our conversation.  He shared his vision for a casual Mediterranean restaurant where it’s all about the quality of ingredients.  He pointed out that Source is a counter-service affair with baked goods front and center at the counter and a menu suspended overhead.  All tableware is compostable save for wine glasses.  That speaks to his commitment to doing his part for the environment.  It irks him how relatively little the water-starved Valley is doing to conserve water.  He also believes much more could be done to…

AlbuquerqueMediterraneanNew MexicoRating: N/R (Not Rated)

Central Bodega – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

As if living just outside of Boston for two years just out of high school wasn’t thrilling (and filling) enough for this rustic clodhopper, New York City was only four hours (with good traffic) away.  There were more languages (800) spoken in New York City than there were people (500) in my hometown of Peñasco, not to mention a population of some 16-million.  All those languages meant a vast diversity of dining opportunities and I wanted to try them all.  Best of all, so many of them were available all day and all night long.  Large, hand-tossed slices of thin-crusted pizza were available from street vendors.  You could even find warm food at some of the Puerto Rican bodegas (owner-operated convenience stores) in the Bronx, home for my friends Carmen and Vladimir “Speedy” Gonzalez who graciously showed me around Metropolis.   At a neighborhood bodega, they introduced me to one of my favorite beverages, the legendary egg cream. Untapped New York describes a New York City bodega as “where the city’s character, diversity, and history are embodied in a physical space.”  Sadly, however, instead of being treated with reverence for being “lifelines for New York City’s food deserts” bodegas seem…