Month: May 2005

AlbuquerqueClosed in 2017Gone But Not ForgottenNational ChainSandwich

Quizno’s – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno

Just as owning a BMW might diminish your appreciation of any other car you’ll ever have (unless it’s another BMW), eating sub sandwiches in New England will devalue your estimation of any sub sandwich you’ll ever have anywhere else. From Maine to Delaware, sub sandwiches in all their sobriquets (grinders, torpedoes, heroes, etc.) are so far superior to sandwiches served anywhere else in the country that you’ll invariably find yourself making unfair comparisons. Nothing else quite fills the bill. After moving to Denver, New York native James Lambatos wanted Mile High City residents to experience an Italian sub similar to what he experienced growing up in the Big Apple. He founded Quizno’s in 1981 as an upscale version of Subway…

AlbuquerqueAsianClosed in 2007FusionGone But Not Forgotten

Asia Restaurant – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno

Proprietor Nan Nguyen and his wife launched Asia Restaurant in April, 2002 and have experienced steady, if not spectacular customer traffic.  Repeat business from faithful patrons in a small, intimate setting with only 12 tables give the Nguyens the opportunity to get to know their clients. Although both from a small village in South Vietnam, Nan worked for years in a Chinese restaurant, hence a menu offering both Vietnamese and Chinese food.  Our inaugural visit was shortly after the restaurant’s grand opening and typical of Albuquerque, the restaurant was packed with curiosity seekers. We were the only diners during our second visit and had a splendid time discussing the nuances of Vietnamese cuisine.  After learning of my affection for durian,…

BurgersClosed in 2012ColoradoGone But Not Forgotten

Conway’s Red Top – Pueblo Colorado (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno

Bigger may not always be better, but it can be pretty darn good. The gargantuan world famous hamburgers at Conway’s Red Top earn their “one’s a meal” reputation, but fell short in my estimation as one of the best hamburgers in America. A “people’s choice” mainstay in local newspapers, those humongous burgers earned acclaim as among the best hamburgers in America by no less than Michael and Jane Stern’s, America’s preeminent Roadfood experts. These burgers of legendary proportion have–similarly to patrons who can actually finish them–grown larger over the years. A giant hamburger is an eight ounce ground beef patty prepared to order with lettuce, tomatoes and onions on a six-inch bun baked locally in Pueblo. It’s a no frills…