September 2026 - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog

Red and Green: New Mexico’s Food Scene is On Fire – September, 2026

Gil GardunoSeptember 30, 2026September 30, 20261:01 AM

LAYING THE SMACK DOWN IN SANTA FE: While becoming a superstar in the wild and wacky world of wrestling during the late 1990s and early 2000s, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was renowned for his microphone skills and catchphrases. Among the catchphrases he popularized and made part of the American vernacular was the term “smackdown,” a term which means starting a physical fight or winning a contest easily. The “Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment” often threatened to “layeth the smackdown” on his hapless opponents while propelling the term “smackdown” into the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Locally, the good folks at Edible New…

Albuquerque Breakfast Brunch Japanese New Mexico

Shoku House – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoSeptember 24, 2026September 26, 202612:01 AM

My friend and frequent dining companion Bill Resnik has plied his project management skills throughout the world. His travels afforded him the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of cuisine and wine. You might think his culinary memories would be reserved for foods of the fine dining category. You would be wrong. One of the foods he frequently waxes poetic about is a simple egg salad sandwich that came from a vending machine at a convenience store in Japan. It made such an impression on him that he obsessed about figuring out how to duplicate that sandwich. With his engineering…

Albuquerque Breakfast Breakfast Burritos Mexican New Mexican New Mexico Rating: Excellent

La Sierra New Mexican Restaurant – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoSeptember 19, 2026September 24, 202612:01 AM

“I eat uno, dos, tres, quatro burritos Pretty soon I can’t fit in my Speedos Well, I hope they feed us lots of chicken fajitas And a pitcher of margaritas” ~Taco Grande by Weird Al Yankovic While perusing the slogans–One Bite And You’re Hooked; Cooked Slow, Served Hot, Loved Fast; Hot Chile makes Everything Better” on the windows of La Sierra, I half expected to see lyrics from the “Weird “Al Yankovic song “Taco Grande” (a parody of the song “Rico Suave”). What I didn’t expect was for La Sierra to live up to its self-aggrandizing hype. Of course, diners…

Barbecue Burgers Food Network Eats New Mexico New Mexico Rating: Good Restaurant Impossible

Greg’s BBQ – Belen, New Mexico

Gil GardunoSeptember 18, 2026September 21, 202612:01 AM

On our journey to together forever, my Kim and I have shared meals at thousands of restaurants. Even when we haven’t enjoyed those meals, without exception we’ve enjoyed our times together. We share everything…almost. Maybe the only thing we don’t completely share is the extent, breadth and depth of my passion for food. You probably won’t believe this, but I’m one of those “live to eat” types who’s certifiably obsessed with food–to the point of looking forward my next culinary adventure before my current meal is even done. I self gloss as a gastronome, but foodie, gourmand or bon viveur…

Asian Lao New Mexico Rating: Excellent Rio Rancho Sushi Thai

Vong Sushi Thai and Laos Cuisine – Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Gil GardunoSeptember 17, 2026September 21, 202612:01 AM

Grammatically any of the following is correct: Laotian cuisine, Lao cuisine or the cuisine of Laos. Just don’t ever call it “Laosy cuisine.” That would not only be a malapropism, it would be wholly inaccurate. The cuisine of Laos is among the most dynamic and delicious in Southeast Asia, if not the world. One of the reasons Laotian cuisine doesn’t receive the accolades it deserves is because of its neighbors. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia bordered by Myanmar (formerly Burma), China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. To some extent, these neighbors (at least China,…

Albuquerque New Mexico Rating: N/R (Not Rated)Seafood

LURE Raw Bar – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoSeptember 13, 2026September 19, 202612:01 AM

LURE. Restaurant names don’t get much better or more meaningful than that. If you’re a reader, the term “lure” may bring to mind Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick which recounts the ultimate psychological pull of the ocean, famously kicking off when Ishmael explains his urge to “sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.” Perhaps “lure” conjures Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea which explores a profound, elemental relationship and mutual reverence between an aging fisherman and the deep ocean. Many other novels have used imagery and verbiage to bring to life the lure of the…

Albuquerque Italian New Mexico Pizza Rating: N/R (Not Rated)

Seemo’s Slices Pizzeria & Market – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoSeptember 12, 2026September 21, 202612:01 AM

College students are known for their poor and unhealthy eating habits. Without mom to ensure they get some semblance of a balanced and nutritious diet, students indulge in copious amounts of cheap foods such as burgers, ramen and pizza. A recent study found that 13 percent of Americans consume pizza on any given day. Right now college students are at the top of that list. About 20% to 22% of children and teens eat pizza on any given day, according to studies published in the medical journal Pediatrics. That doesn’t mean every single student eats a slice every 24 hours.…

New Mexican New Mexico Rating: Excellent Santa Fe

The Pantry Restaurant – Santa Fe, New Mexico

Gil GardunoSeptember 11, 2026September 12, 202612:09 AM

“Although the skills aren’t hard to learn, finding the happiness and finding the satisfaction and finding fulfillment in continuously serving somebody else something good to eat, is what makes a really good restaurant.” In 1948, just three years removed from the second “war to end all wars” Santa Fe was hardly the sophisticated and cosmopolitan tourist haven Conde Naste Traveler magazine readers have named one of their favorite travel destinations for 21 consecutive years. With a population of around 25,000 citizens, Santa Fe’s art, cultural and architectural attractions weren’t nearly as well known as they are today, but then, the…

Albuquerque Fine Dining Rating: Outstanding

The Artichoke Cafe – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil GardunoSeptember 8, 2026September 9, 20263:29 AM

“These things are just plain annoying. After all the trouble you go to, you get about as much actual “food” out of eating an artichoke as you would from licking 30 or 40 postage stamps. Have the shrimp cocktail instead.” – Miss Piggy Miss Piggy, that shrill and garrulous walking side of bacon, may not appreciate the humble artichoke much, but among both health conscious and discerning diners, the artichoke has long been a healthful and delicious dining option. Considered a “super food” for its high antioxidant, fiber, potassium, phosphorous, iron, calcium and magnesium content, artichokes have long been used…

American New Mexico Rating: Very Good Santa Fe

San Marcos Cafe – Santa Fe, New Mexico

Gil GardunoSeptember 2, 2026September 3, 20263:37 PM

Contrary to some popular opinion, roosters don’t crow just to be noisy or annoying. They crow as a sign of territorial advertising; they’re protecting their turf. At San Marcos Cafe, the cacophonous din of crowing roosters is understandable considering the throngs of hungry patrons infringing on their turf. There was one famous fowl at the San Marcos Cafe who didn’t chicken out at the sight of guests. Buddy the Chicken, master of all he surveyed, served as the restaurant’s unofficial valet parking attendant and maitre de. Nattily attired in polychromatic plumage and a black bow tie, Buddy welcomed one all…

Month: September 2026