Category: Dog Friendly

AlbuquerqueAsianClosed in 2023Dog FriendlyFood TruckFusionGone But Not ForgottenNew MexicoVietnamese

Cafe Nom Nom – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

NOTE:  Cafe Nom Nom no longer operates out of the Boxing Bear Brewery.  The Nom Nom Facebook page seems to indicate it now operates out of a food truck, but no information is provided as to days in which it is available to diners. “Nom nom.” It sounds innocent enough. Parents–yes, including parents of four-legged fur babies–utter it in baby talk intonations to get our children to eat something, especially when that something is “good for them” but doesn’t actually look or taste good. Nom nom was, of course, the favorite expression of Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster as he ravenously…

AlbuquerqueDog FriendlyNational ChainNew MexicoPizzaRating: Very Good

California Pizza Kitchen – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno6:51 PM

No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. This is Gil’s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog, champion of the mom-and-pop restaurant, defender of the independently owned eatery, supporter of the family owned and family operated diner…and this is a review of a chain restaurant. No, this blog has not been hijacked by some corporate cabal bent on corrupting the American diet with homogeneous mediocrity…and no, this review was not written under duress or the promise of free food. It was written of my own free will, sound mind and full accord. Lest you condemn this seemingly traitorous affront, hear me out. Several years…

AlbuquerqueChickenDog FriendlyNew MexicoSpecialty

KūKri – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

In one of the most famous soliloquies ever penned, Juliet Capulet pondered “What’s in a name?  That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”  As restaurateurs know, the success or failure of a new restaurant can hinge on many factors, not the least of which is an intriguing name.  Great restaurant names can create an aura that elicits salivation even before a guest has stepped through the door.  A restaurant’s name should add to its allure not cause potential guests to ponder what the heck it means. That is…unless you’re a logophile (someone who…

AlbuquerqueDog FriendlyFood TruckMexicanNew MexicoRating: Very GoodTacos

Don Choche Tacos Y Cerveza – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno7:40 PM

“Well, there’s not a taco big enough for a man like me That’s why I order two or three Let me give you a tip, just try a nacho chip It’s really good with bean dip.” ~Weird Al Yankovic – Taco Grande Philosophers and scholars have long pondered just what Rodin’s The Thinker was thinking about.  Okay, some people were probably wondering why he was naked, but mostly we wondered what deep philosophical ruminations occupied his mind.  Theories abound.  Was he contemplating the meaning of life?  Musing about what is truth?  I have my own theory. I believe The Thinker…

AlbuquerqueAmericanBakeryBreakfastBreakfast BurritosDog FriendlyRating: Excellent

The Flying Star – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno4:39 PM

In the ancient Chinese art and science of Feng Shui, flying stars are used to assess the quality of the energy flow (qi) in a given place at a given time. The positive and negative auras of a building are charted using precise mathematical formulas to determine the wealth, academic, career, success, relationships and health of a building’s inhabitant. By understanding the course of harmful and beneficial flying stars, appropriate Feng Shui cures can be employed to mitigate the effects of those harmful stars while enhancing the positive effects of the beneficial stars. While founders Jean and Mark Bernstein may…

AmericanBurgersDog FriendlyNew MexicanNew MexicoRating: Very GoodTruth or Consequences

A & B Drive In – Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

Gil Garduno11:55 PM

For five very memorable seasons, Michael Newman, the charismatic and ebullient host of New Mexico True Television and Melinda Frame, the show’s brilliant producer-director had the very best jobs in the world. Though not expressly stated, their true job titles should have been “Ambassadors for the Great State of New Mexico” because that’s what they really were. Every Sunday (8:30AM on KOB-TV Channel 4), they showcased the Land of Enchantment in all its magnificent splendor and incomparable beauty. With the flair of gifted raconteurs, they knew just when narration was necessary and when it was best to let spectacular backdrops…

ArizonaAsianClosed in 2023Dog FriendlyFusionGone But Not ForgottenHawaiianRating: N/R (Not Rated)United States

Roy’s Restaurant – Phoenix, Arizona (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

“Viejo El Viento,” one of my favorite songs during my youth in Peñasco asked “como vas a comparar el original con la copia?,” essentially how can you compare the original with a copy.  As our Christmas visit to Roy’s at the JW Mariott in Phoenix proved, sometimes the “copy” is so good that it becomes a life quest to see if the original matches up and sometimes there’s so little difference between the original and the copy that only the most discerning palate can tell the difference.  It appears a “backstory” is in order. In 2013, the featured special at…

ArizonaDog FriendlyItalianPizzaRating: N/R (Not Rated)United States

Pomo Pizzeria – Scottsdale, Arizona

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

When you visit the Valley of the Sun, the very last thing you expect is a record-setting, all-day rain that keeps you indoors most of the day.    An all-day rain in December, however, is infinitely preferable to an all-day rain during monsoon season when the occasional deluge in 100-degree weather is exacerbated by humidity equalled only in a steam bath.  Staying indoors isn’t a bad thing.  It gave us the opportunity to study where we should enjoy dinner on Christmas Eve 2021.  My sister Anita, the only other gourmand in the family, had some recommendations which will have to…

2026 James beard Foundation: "Best Chef - Southwest" SemifinalistArizonaBarbecueDog FriendlyJames Beard Foundation (JBF) Award Nominees & WinnersMichelin: Bib GourmandRating: N/R (Not Rated)United States

Little Miss BBQ – Phoenix, Arizona

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

If you grew up in New Mexico, you’ve likely heard some variation of that tired old epigram “The reason New Mexico is so windy is because it’s bordered by Arizona which sucks and Texas which blows.”   If any truth whatsoever can be ascribed to that witticism, New Mexico should have fabulous barbecue because it’s bordered by Arizona which has great barbecue and Texas which has the best barbecue in the universe.  Alas, virtually every barbecue aficionado I know agrees that the Land of Enchantment’s barbecue has a lot to be desired.  It’s “good” most will agree, “better than it…

ArizonaDog FriendlyRating: N/R (Not Rated)SpanishTapasTapasUnited States

Tapas Papa Frita – Scottsdale, Arizona

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

While dining at a restaurant in Phoenix, our stomachs roiled a bit as a pesky fly took a nosedive into my glass of Mexican Coca Cola.  By the time our server returned, the acid in the Coke had completely dissolved the fly.  There was no evidence remaining that a fly had drowned in the carbonated water.  If anything, that little escapade gave credence to one of two stories that explain the origin of Spanish tapas.  In this particular origin story, the genesis of tapas was in the working class taverns of Andalusia where field workers used slices of bread and…

2023 James Beard Foundation "Best Chef - Southwest" SemifinalistArizonaClosed in 2024Diners Drive-Ins and DivesDog FriendlyGone But Not ForgottenJames Beard Foundation (JBF) Award Nominees & WinnersMexicanUnited States

Barrio Cafe – Phoenix, Arizona (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno9:55 AM

A neighborhood should never be defined solely by grids and lines on a map or by a physical area where people live.  Nor should a neighborhood be defined by areas made homogeneous by restrictive covenants.  Neither should it be defined by brick-and-mortar landmarks.  What truly makes a neighborhood is its diverse and unique characters. Some are quirky and eccentric, some are brash and loud, others are indistinct and don’t stand out, but all are essential in weaving that beautiful neighborhood tapestry, that compendium of personalities that make up a community. The 16th Street “Barrio” neighborhood in Phoenix, Arizona is rich in…