Category: Middle Eastern

AlbuquerqueIndianMiddle EasternNew Mexico

Spicy Junction – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

While perusing the menu at Spicy Junction, you might hearken back to The Dream, the very eclectic restaurant owned and operated by Pakistan emigrant Babu Bhatt in an uproariously funny episode of Seinfeld. As Jerry Seinfeld observed about The Dream’s menu, “he’s serving Mexican, Italian, Chinese. He’s all over the place.” Spicy Junction’s menu is similarly diverse, a melange of Indian, Venezuelan, Middle Eastern, Indo-Chinese and even pizza and burgers splayed temptingly onto three individual menus. That the menu is so “all over the place” makes great sense in that the chef worked as a chef at the location’s previous tenant, El Chamo Arabe. In 2023, El Chamo Arabe introduced Duke City diners to a melange of Venezuelan and Mediterranean foods all in one menu.  While El Chamo Arabe now operates at Rio Rancho’s The Block (7805 Enchanted Hills Blvd.), its former chef and his bride took over the Menaul space.  They’re both Indian, but rather than serve Indian food exclusively, they decided to retain the existing menu and have added pizza.  If it sounds like an adventure in cuisine types you may not have thought go so well together, you’ll be more than pleasantly surprised at just how diverse…

AlbuquerqueMiddle EasternNew MexicoRating: Very Good

Nora’s Cafe – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

As a precocious sprout growing up in an agrarian hamlet in Northern New Mexico, I dreamt of travel and adventure.  My voracious reading habits included hours immersed in world book encyclopedias, world atlases and National Geographic magazines.   By my eighth birthday, I was creating maps of the world free-hand and knew more about history and our planet than most of my teachers.  I longed to visit and plunge myself in wonders and cultures that existed for me only in books.  My longing to experience the world outside of Peñasco was, in fact, the primary reason I joined the Air Force days out of high school.  While my service career did broaden my experiences, my desire to see and do even more has never waned.   Alas, now that my Kim and I have the financial means to travel virtually anywhere, health issues have left us more homebound than we would like. Thankfully, I can still travel vicariously through my brothers and sisters, all of whom have traveled the globe.  In 2024, my brother Mario and his better half Diana visited Petra in Jordan, one of the sites I first read about in preadolescence.  I don’t have a jealous bone in my…

AlbuquerqueClosed in 2024Dog FriendlyGone But Not ForgottenMiddle EasternNew Mexico

Habibi House – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

Before Al Gore invented the internet, it wasn’t easy for logophiles (lovers of words) like me to figure out what some words meant.  “Lover of words,” in my case was an understatement.  I was obsessed about learning every new word–its etymology (origin, definition and context, even what it used to mean) I came across.  It’s a wonder my parents (both educators) didn’t put this precocious, pedantic child up for adoption. Dictionaries were of little help as their content was mostly limited to English words.  The Velazquez dictionary was helpful when I wanted to learn a new Spanish word, but that, too, was limiting.  Alas, no comprehensive resource seemed to exist to sate my curiosity. Here’s an example of my dilemma.  The popular 60’s television show I Dream of Jeanie was replete with Arabic words.  For most people being entertained was enough, but not for me.  When a new word was used, I wanted to know what it meant–even if it was a proper name.  Jeanie’s master (played by the altitudinous Ted Cassidy) was named Habib.  No source or person of my acquaintance had any idea what “Habib” meant.  Surely, when Jeanie’s master’s parents named their son Habib, it was because the…

AlbuquerqueMiddle EasternNew MexicoRating: N/R (Not Rated)

El Chamo Arabe – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno11:01 PM

According to the New York Post, the beleaguered South American nation of Venezuela may be the easiest place on Planet Earth in which to become a millionaire.  Of course, a million Bolivars in the inflation-ridden nation is worth only about fifty-three cents.  In 2018, Venezuela’s Central Bank actually began printing $1,000,000 bills.  Years of hyperinflation devours the income of Venezuelans, leaving them hungry and struggling to buy food and medicine.  Many Venezuelans scour through garbage to find food while millions of others fled the country to build new lives across South America and beyond.   You wouldn’t know life in Venezuela is so difficult if you speak with Maria Laura, a perpetually smiling server at El Chamo Arabe. Maria Laura has reason to smile.  She’s been in the United States for only a month.  She’d prefer to extol the virtues of her country and its beautiful people rather than focus on Nicolás Maduro, the autocrat and dictator who has ruled Venezuela since 2013.  Maria Laura’s cousin Paola Maried co-owns El Chamo Arabe along with Ibrahim Jamaleddin.  Both are also immigrants who escaped Venezuela six years ago to make a better life for themselves in the United States.  Paola’s background is…

Closed in 2023Gone But Not ForgottenMiddle EasternNew MexicoRio Rancho

Jerusalem – Taste of the Holy Land – Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno9:45 AM

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are inextricably tied to the ancient city of Jerusalem, the epicenter of sacred sites both unique and common to all three religions.  One of the oldest cities in the world as well as Israel’s capital city, Jerusalem has a prominent role in both the Old and New Testament.  According to Bible Study Tools, “the name “Jerusalem” occurs 806 times in the Bible, 660 times in the Old Testament and 146 times in the New Testament; additional references to the city occur as synonyms.” Surprisingly, Jerusalem is not directly mentioned by name in the Qur’an, even in its Arabic translation of Al Quds. As a lifelong Catholic (with the bad knees to show for it), the significance of Jerusalem was imprinted in my mind at an early age.  Catechism and Mass readings regaled us with stories of Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem as a precocious child listening, asking questions, and amazing Jewish teachers with his understanding.  We learned that Jerusalem was where a thirty-year-old Jesus was baptized by John, signaling the start of His ministry on Earth.  Jerusalem plays a prominent role throughout the life of Jesus, even onto His crucifixion at a knoll on the…

ArizonaDog FriendlyMiddle EasternRating: N/R (Not Rated)United States

Haji Baba – Tempe, Arizona

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

Visiting Haji Baba one day before the end of Ramadan in 2022, I pondered the Muslim observation of the month-long period  when the faithful are encouraged to give to charity, strengthen their relationship with God and show kindness and patience. Observed during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar by Muslims worldwide, Ramadan is a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community.  It dawned on me, a life-long Catholic, that not all “Papists” like me have the spiritual and physical stamina to refrain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset for an entire month.  I probably don’t.   That these thoughts came to mind when we were about to enjoy an exquisite repast wasn’t lost on me.  I thought about my friend and colleague Nader Khalil who wouldn’t be able to join us for dinner–and he’s been telling me about Haji Baba for years.  Nader does have the perseverance and stamina to observe the Ramadan fast every year.  He’s one of the very best, most genuinely kind people I’ve ever met.  In fact, if challenged by xenophobes to point out the best example of what a Christian should be, it’s always Nader that comes to mind–and he’s Muslim.  He’s…

AlbuquerqueClosed in 2022Gone But Not ForgottenMediterraneanMiddle EasternNew Mexico

Al Alwan’s Cafe – Albuquerque New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

“I hope I live long enough to see the children of Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria wake up to the sounds of birds not bombs.” ~Gigi Hadid Historians believe the name Syria derives from the Ancient Greek word “Seirios,” meaning, “sun-bright, glowing, blazing, and shining.” In Latin the equivalent term “Sirius” was used not only to denote the brightest star in the night sky and most prominent star in the constellation Canis Major (the greater dog), but to indicate “people from Syria.”  Officially today, Syria is known as the Syrian Arab Republic.  Lying in the east coast of the Mediterranean in the Middle East region which boasts of the most ancient civilizations in the world, Syria has historically existed in a cauldron of instability wrought by uprisings, conflicts and wars. Having been conquered by  Arabs, Persians and Ottoman Turks as well as having been a hub on the old Spice Road, Syria boasts of an ever-evolving cuisine that is an amalgamation of various culinary cultures and styles. Some of Syria’s traditional dishes are peppery, some colorful and some not so much. One commonality of all Syrian foods is exquisite flavors that will leave you wanting more. Alas, because of the…

AlbuquerqueClosed in 2022Dog FriendlyFood TruckGone But Not ForgottenMediterraneanMiddle EasternNew Mexico

Mediterranean Kitchen – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

A few years ago if you told some of us we should follow a Mediterranean diet, we probably would have salivated at the prospect of having pizza and wine every day though we would have wondered how we could possibly lose weight on such an indulgent diet.  Today, the Mediterranean diet is widely recognized by dieticians as one of the most heart-healthy ways to eat.  Moreover, studies consistently show that a diet adhering to the principles of the traditional Mediterranean diet is one associated with longevity. In truth there is no one standard Mediterranean diet.  In fact, the term is rather generic and is based on the traditional eating habits of the sixteen or so countries which border the Mediterranean Sea.  Because of differences in culture, agricultural production, ethnic background, religion, economy and geography, eating styles vary among those countries and even among regions within each country.  There are, however, some commonalities. A Mediterranean-style diet typically includes olive oil as the primary source of fat; fruits, vegetables, bread and other grains, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds in abundance; and only moderate amounts of dairy products, eggs, fish and poultry.  There is very little red meat in this diet and plant-based…

AlbuquerqueClosed in 2016Closed in 2022Dog FriendlyGone But Not ForgottenIndianMiddle EasternNew Mexico

Tikka Hut – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

The cynosure of Tikka Hut, an Indian Fusion restaurant on First Street, is a colorful mural that pays tribute to the extraordinary and constantly evolving history of Mexican cuisine.   The mural depicts the mesmerizing countenance of a beautiful indigenous maiden, maybe even the infamous Malinche herself.  Immediately below the maiden is a Muslim Dhow sailing the azure waters of the ancient world.  The mural was commissioned when the name on the restaurant’s marquee read “Urban Taqueria.”   It’s an evocative spray-painted masterpiece that should inspire contemplation and discussion. It certainly will if you ask owner Hanif Mohamed about it.   Hanif is not only a restaurant impresario who’s owned an extraordinary portfolio of diverse restaurants, he’s quite a culinary historian.  To him and other savvy cognoscenti of contemporary cuisine, the roots of Mexico’s food extend far beyond the influence of the Spanish conquistadores.    Chat him up and he’ll explain how Spanish cuisine itself evolved significantly under the 800 years of Moorish rule of the Iberian Peninsula. He relishes discussing the trade routes that introduced exotic spices and seasonings  which dramatically changed (and improved) the flavor profile of that region’s cuisine that (let’s face it) would otherwise be fairly bland.…

AlbuquerqueClosed in 2023Food TruckGone But Not ForgottenMiddle EasternNew Mexico

Mama Zahira Foodies – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno1:00 AM

FROM THE BITE:  “In Albuquerque alone, there are too many places doing falafel for us to dine at them in quick succession. That’s despite the Wacky Iraqi’s temporary relocation to Michigan (he tells us he hopes to return in a few years). It’s so easy to be judgmental, to take things at face value…to assume.  As my friend Bruce “Sr. Plata” Silver and I approached Mama Zahira Foodies’ order window, we espied the self-deprecating term “The Wacky Iraqi in Albuquerque” scrawled by the vehicle’s rear wheel well.  The term “wacky” made us wary.  It’s just not a term we associate with great food.  No sooner had we reached the window when we were greeted by Riadh Seheem, a thickly accented, very gregarious gentleman who couldn’t wait to tell us about his food truck.  Talking a mile a minute with the unfettered enthusiasm of a child at Christmas, he raved about his truck’s menu.  Yes, it would have been far too easy to be judgmental, but what a mistake that would have been. A quote from French emperor and brilliant military strategist Napoleon Bonaparte now comes to mind and it has nothing to do with an enemy’s tendencies in battle.  That…

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URBAN COCINA – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno5:28 PM

if you believe the idea for delivery food started with Domino’s Pizza and its promise of 30-minute delivery or free, you’d be sadly mistaken.  Nor did take-out originate with Chinese restaurants in California and their wire-handled white paper buckets. Both delivery and take-out food predate the fruited plain by several centuries. Take-out had its genesis back in ancient Rome with the creation of the thermopolium, essentially a street kitchen.  The thermopolium provided the only opportunity to purchase ready-to-eat food for citizens who couldn’t afford a kitchen of their own.  Hot food was stored in big clay pots inserted in a counter and likely served in a manner similar to modern fast foods. On the other side of the globe and closer to the Land of Enchantment, another ancient civilization, the Aztecs of Mexico, had gigantic open air markets. Within these markets vendors sold “to go” food, mostly tamales.  These markets were the progenitors of the street food markets still so plentiful throughout the Land of Montezuma.  Neighborhood and citywide markets–both covered and open-air–offer wide-ranging and delicious regional food, selling everything from tacos to chapulines (grasshoppers) to huitlacoche (corn smut) and so much more. Though not quite as ancient a practice…