Japanese Kitchen – Albuquerque, New Mexico
For generations, traditional New Mexican food as it had been served for generations by Hispanic families in Northern New Mexico was surprisingly rare in restaurants throughout the Land of Enchantment. Many restaurants throughout the state served “Mexican” style food similar to what our neighbors in Arizona and Texas offered. That meant insipid chile lacking the flavor and piquancy which has become a hallmark of New Mexican cuisine. Once restaurants such as Rancho de Chimayo began serving traditional New Mexican food, the genre immediately made tremendous inroads, quickly usurping the popularity of the interlopers. Though tradition has certainly not gone by the wayside, New Mexican food has both grown and evolved over the years largely through the influence of “Santa Fe…