Category: Rating: Very Good

Very Good – Good to very good food; generally solid; delivers consistent quality, strong technique, and a comfortable, enjoyable dining experience

Los Ranchos de AlbuquerqueNew MexicoRating: Very GoodSalvadoran

El Papaturro Restaurant – Los Ranchos De Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno5:30 PM

Driving north on Fourth one Sunday afternoon, my sharp-eyed Kim espied a new eatery with the curious name El Papaturro. Our first inclination was that the Pappas Restaurants group had made another incursion into the Land of Enchantment. It seemed to make sense considering the Pappas Restaurant Group, a family-owned and operated restaurant company based out of Houston, is the parent restaurant of Pappadeaux which has had a presence in Albuquerque since 2004. Pappadeux, a seafood restaurant with Cajun leanings, has several sibling eateries across the fruited plain, all sporting “Pappas” on their appellation. Seemingly covering all palates, the Pappas restaurant family includes Pappasito’s Cantina for the Mexican food lover in you, Pappas Seafood House, Pappas Brothers Steakhouse, Pappas Bar-B-Q, Pappas Burger and Pappas Grill and Steakhouse. Upon finally remembering that the trademark spelling for the Pappas family of restaurants calls for “Pappa” to be spelled with two p’s, we dismissed the notion that this was yet another restaurant in the burgeoning Pappas family. So what the heck, we wondered, is a Papaturro? Most likely, we reasoned, the term was probably Greek and not Spanish. With our combined vocabulary of Spanish and Spanglish words (including dozens of invectives), we would…

CorralesDog FriendlyNew MexicoPizzaRating: Very Good

Village Pizza – Corrales, New Mexico

Gil Garduno3:48 PM

Research has proven that taste buds are dulled by high altitude and cabin pressure, so as an aircraft climbs, our sense of taste diminishes by as much as 30 percent. That explains why many passengers praise airline food on flights in which meals are actually served. It’s probably not that the food is good; it’s more likely that their sense of taste is diminished. Alas, it’s not solely high altitude and cabin pressure which can diminish the sense of taste. On this blog I’ve catalogued some of those factors: the use of spices (i.e., cumin) that mask the purity, earthiness and richness of red chile; the use of inferior ingredients that can’t mask the lack of quality; the impairing effects of alcohol on the senses of smell and taste; improper preparation time and so forth. One factor I have not touched upon is “too much of a good thing.” At Village Pizza, the pizza buffet  (discontinued since the Cabrona Virus) was so inviting, so tempting, so alluring that you were bound to consume more than you should. In all its glory and splendor, the pizza buffet was as enticing as the sirens of Greek mythology who lured nearby sailors with…

AlbuquerqueBakeryNew MexicoRating: Very Good

Great Harvest Bread Co – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

The sense of smell, more than any of our other senses, influences our ability to recall past events and experience. Fragrance is considered one of the most potent mediums for conjuring up a memory. True enough, one of the most enduring sensory memories of my youth is associated with the amazing aromas that greeted me each time my mom baked bread in her oven.  How I wish I could relive those experiences now.  Stupid kids that we were, my siblings and I preferred our sandwiches made on Rainbo or Wonder Bread (available for the staggering price of 25-cents per loaf back then).  We thought only the “poor kids” packed school lunch sandwiches (in the days before free school lunches were the norm) made on homemade bread…worse yet, sandwiches made on tortillas.  My how times have changed. Sadly, today the singular joy of incredible yeasty bouquets wafting through the air is one younger generations may never experience.  Though bread baking experienced a resurgence during the dark days of the Cabrona Virus, much of it was done on bread makers.  From the standpoint of aroma, it just isn’t the same as loaves of bread being made on an old-fashioned oven.  If my…

AlbuquerqueBreakfast BurritosNew MexicanNew MexicoRating: Very Good

Papa Felipe’s Mexican Restaurant – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno5:24 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 the book’s title referred to the “death of the small eatery, or the reader’s impending doom from eating too much fried chicken, French fries and fried fish.” He indicated he was referring to “the impending onslaught of the nutrition police who will make all of this stuff illegal one of these days.” He also warned of the loss of “some variety and some local specialties that were once easy to find and are now hard or impossible to find due to chain restaurants.” Despite the onslaught of the ubiquitous national food chain, Stern was optimistic that “Americans have become more…

AmericanBurgersNew MexicoRating: Very GoodSocorro

Yo Mama’s Grill – Socorro, New Mexico

Gil Garduno1:05 PM

Such was my bumpkinly naivete that my virgin ears weren’t subjected to a “yo mama” joke until shortly after my 19th birthday. The site was the Non-Commissioned Officer’s (NCO) club at Royal Air Force (RAF) Upper Heyford in England. The event was an irreverent ninety-minute show featuring brazen comedian Redd Foxx whose explicit brand of humor both shocked and thrilled the American-culture-starved audience. Foxx’s repertoire included lampooning nearly every ethnic group in the audience, invective-laden raunchiness that would make a stripper blush and a unique take on virtually every social taboo of the time. It was truly the antithesis of political correctness. Still, it was the “yo mama” jokes that shocked me most. As an unabashed mama’s boy, it rankled me that anyone would mock the sacred institution of motherhood. Subsequent research revealed that “yo mama” jokes have been fashionable almost since time immemorial. Several sources confirm that the oldest “yo mama” joke is approximately 3,500 years old. The progenitor to Redd Foxx was a student in ancient Babylon who inscribed six riddles on a tablet. Although the riddles lose much in translation, one of them certainly poked fun at the promiscuous proclivities of someone’s mother. After Stephen Colbert failed…

BurgersDog FriendlyNew MexicoRating: Very GoodRio Rancho

Laguna Burger – Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Gil Garduno2:59 PM

For the second year in a row, Livability.com has named Rio Rancho as one of the “top 100 places to live in America.”  The City of Vision ranked 81st with a “LivScore” of 714.  That measure takes into consideration eight broad categories:  Economy, Housing  and Cost of Living, Amenities, Transportation, Environment, Safety, Education, and Health. Santa Fe was the only other city in New Mexico to make the top 100 list, ranking 98th with a LivScore of 694.  In 2023, the City of Vision earned a ranking as the 86th place to live based on the Livability’s quality of life score. Theories abound as to what accounts for the improvement–from 86th to 81st–in Rio Rancho’s ranking.  I’ve got my own theory.  In February, 2014, Laguna Burger announced its expansion to Rio Rancho where it will be housed within the sprawling Latitudes complex.   Latitudes,  the first store of its kind in the metropolitan area, combines the elements of a neighborhood market and a convenience store with competitive gas prices.  Until early in 2024, Latitudes housed Mac’s Steak In The Rough. Laguna Burger’s Rio Rancho space is the 3,000-square-foot restaurant previously occupied by Mac’s.  It’s situated on Rio Rancho Blvd. near Westside…

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. …

AlbuquerqueAmericanNew MexicoRating: Very GoodSandwich

The Sandwich Company – Albuquerque, NE

Gil Garduno12:01 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 which revealed a wide expanse between generations when it comes to dining out.  TouchBistro discovered that younger generations–“56% of Gen Zers and 47%–of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.” Sadly, 35% of respondents from my…

AlbuquerqueBar & GrillCajunDiners Drive-Ins and DivesDog FriendlyFood Network Eats New MexicoRating: Very GoodSouthern

Nexus Brewery – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno2:47 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 and World Beer Cup that the city may soon be re-christened “Albeerquerque.” When the New Mexico Tourism Department launched the New Mexico True Ale Trail, the Duke City was its obvious epicenter both geographically and in terms of quantity.  The Land of Enchantment now boasts of nearly three dozen independent microbreweries, brewpubs, brew houses and taprooms with the largest concentration in its most populous city.  In fact, the Duke City is most certainly the hub of the Ale Trail with spokes traversing to just about ever corner of the state. High-quality craft beer can now be found throughout the Land…

AlbuquerqueChickenDog FriendlyFusionNew MexicoRating: Very Good

Happy Chickenzz – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno11:02 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 to sleep. You know, zzzzz. As we were quick to learn, it’s not only the chickenzz who are happy here.  So are diners.  Endorphin-rush happy! Fully sated and blissfully happy! As for putting taste buds to sleep, these chickenzz have so much personality, so much depth of flavor, so much  that they’ll wake up the most staid of taste buds and delight even the most pedantic of palates. Happy Chickenzz started off as one of six original food pods at the pristine El Vado multi-use complex on Central Avenue just east of the Rio Grande.  In October, 2024, Happy Chickenzz…

AlbuquerqueCandyChocolateNew MexicoRating: Very Good

Theobroma Chocolatier – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno10:48 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 “ten worse Valentine’s Day gifts.” Most men would rather find themselves on the annual “Darwin Awards” e-mail similarly circulated worldwide than to recognize their contribution to the infamous worse Valentine’s Day gifts e-mail.  The truth is, many of us would have a better chance of completing a Rubik’s Cube in record time than picking out the perfect Valentine’s Day gift. It’s no wonder you hear so many men whining about the “obligatory” nature of gift-giving during this “commercial” holiday. Let’s be honest. The XY chromosome pairing has better equipped us for shooting at things and watching sports than it has…