Spring Rollin’ – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Reclusive American poet Emily Dickinson insisted a light exists in spring that’s not present at any other time of year. If you’ve ever spent a winter in the Northern Hemisphere at a latitude of 42° or more, you know what it’s like to long for that light. You can relate to the irritability and restlessness of having fewer than eight hours of sunlight during winter months. You know what it’s like to head to work in the dark and return home in the dark. You know the confinement of cabin fever when persistent rain or snow keep you indoors for prolonged periods of time. If you’ve experienced long, dark winters, you celebrate the return of spring.

In northern climates, the advent of spring is celebrated as a return to warmer weather, new growth and increased daylight. While most countries celebrate spring festivals a couple of weeks after the much loathed Daylight Savings Time, China’s Spring Festival (better known as the Chinese New Year) begins somewhat earlier. Generally falling on a day between January 21st and February 20th in the Gregorian calendar, this spring festival is the grandest festival in China. China’s spring festival is a seven-day long holiday in which foods with symbolic meanings are eaten to bring celebrants good luck during the coming year.

Not surprisingly, one of the lucky foods associated with the spring festival are spring rolls (which explains the origin of their name). Traditional spring festival spring rolls are constructed with fresh vegetables, green shoots, and light wrappers to give them a delicate flavor and light texture meant to evoke spring. In Chinese tradition, spring rolls symbolize wealth. There’s even a saying about their wealth-imparting qualities: “A ton of gold‘ (because fried spring rolls look like gold bars) — a wish for prosperity.”

While spring rolls may have originated in China, they’re popular throughout Asia with several nations making their own variations on the basic form. Sometimes the term egg roll is used interchangeably, though more often there’s a clear distinction. Most people use “egg roll” to refer to the heavier versions of the dish which are wrapped in dense pastry and fried and “spring roll” for lighter rolls that often have paper-thin translucent wrappers and a more delicate flavor.

Evocative of the new growth associated with spring, an eatery dedicated to the spring roll opened its doors in March, 2019 at the Riverside Plaza in Albuquerque’s burgeoning west side. Fittingly named Spring Rollin’, the Lilliputian lair is owned and operated by the great folks who’ve wowed the metropolitan area with The Paleta Bar. It’s also fitting that the city’s second instantiation of the popular paleteria sits immediately next door the Spring Rollin’. Among its other neighbors at the Riverside Plaza are Hannah & Nates, Sakura Sushi & Grill and The Last Call.  With the 2021 closure of the beloved California Pastrami, its vacancy was short-lived when Spring Rollin’ launched its second Albuquerque location at that location, this space much larger.  A third location can be found in Colorado Springs.

Spring Rollin’ describes its product as “fresh gourmet spring rolls.”  Emphasis is on the term “fresh.”  All spring rolls are custom-made to order in front of customers.  Ingredients for spring rolls and egg rolls are chopped, diced, cut, sliced and otherwise prepared from scratch daily.  The menu includes four signature spring rolls and three egg rolls.  Intrepid diners also have the opportunity to “create your own rollin’,” a five-step process that lets you pick your own wrap (rice paper or lettuce), pick your own noodle (rice, egg or cucumber), pick your own protein (chicken, shrimp, beef, pork sausage, shrimp sausage, beef jerky or tofu), pick your own veggies (pickled daikon, radish and carrots; bean sprouts, cilantro, mint, basil, cucumber), and pick your own texture (crunchy fried egg roll skin, hot Cheetos, shrimp chips and cheese puffs).  Oh, don’t forget the dipping sauces: peanut, sweet chile, green chile, Sriracha lime and nacho cheese sauce with hot Cheetos crumbs.

23 March 2019 (Riverside Plaza): One Yelper described spring rolls as “mini translucent burritos,” but only one of the rolls is evocative of New Mexican cuisine. That’s the Fried New Mexico Egg Roll (mac n’ cheese, broccoli, green chile). Of course, what makes it New Mexican is the green chile, a blend which would rate about medium on most piquancy scales. For many of us, a good mac n’ cheese is elevated to a great mac n’ cheese with the addition of green chile so the pairing is a natural. Broccoli not so much. Try the other dipping sauces if you’re curious, but the most complementary sauce is the green chile sauce, a neon green chile with a nice flavor. Because of the characteristic crispiness of egg roll skins, your brain might be temporarily fooled into believing you’re enjoying a standard Chinese egg roll. Once your brain gets over that, you’ll quickly fall in love with these delicious designer egg rolls made the New Mexico way.

23 March 2019 (Riverside Plaza): The pork sausage spring roll (pork sausage, rice noodle, daikon, carrot, cucumber, lettuce) is more conventional and evocative of the spring rolls you’ve enjoyed at Vietnamese restaurants for years. Also reminiscent of your favorite Vietnamese restaurant are the peanut sauce and the sweet chile sauce which is definitely not made with New Mexico grown chile. If there’s one thing that sets Spring Rollin’s rendition apart, it’s the larger piece of sausage and greater quality of rice noodles. This is the type of sausage with which you’ll happily celebrate any life event, especially spring. Worthy accompaniment to the egg and spring rolls are the honey Sriracha shrimp chips, reminiscent in appearance of packing material, but with a delightful texture and flavor.

21 April 2023 (Cottonwood): Perhaps the best bargain at Spring Rollin’ is the Triple Combo (two egg rolls, two spring rolls and pho).  Technically spicy lemongrass soup isn’t a pho though it is a beef noodle soup.  It’s the Vietnamese soup with the most personality (translation: it’s spicy and piquant).  My cup (above) overflowed with ingredients, including several jalapeños on top.  Below the surface you’ll find smoked brisket and beef meatballs.  More than any spicy lemongrass soup I’ve ever had (and I’ve had dozens), Spring Rollin’s has the very best smoked brisket.  It’s smoked so well that it permeates the broth, infusing it with an almost “barbecue” quality.  The beef meatballs inherited some of that smokiness, too. 

21 April 2023 (Cottonwood): My Kim rarely passes up banh mi, the delightful Vietnamese sandwich.  It’s available at Spring Rollin’ with beef, chicken, tofu and pork sausage (her choice).  The sandwich is brimming with fresh ingredients, particularly with veggies (julienne carrots, cucumber, parsley) and is served with the de rigueur fish sauce.  The baguette is soft and chewy yet formidable enough to contain all the fresh, moist ingredients of the banh mi.  As with all great banh mi, the focus is not necessarily on the protein you select, but on the coalescence of flavors and textures.  Done well, you won’t even mind that the protein isn’t necessarily the star of the show.  Spring Rollin’s Banh Mi is done well!

You’ll want to wash these rolls down with housemade beverages such as the fresh mango-lemonade or maybe Vietnamese coffee.  Spring Rollin’ is a delightful and fun new way to celebrate spring or anything else any time of year.

Spring Rollin‘
6241 Riverside Plaza Lane, Suite C4  | 10131 Coors Blvd., N.W.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
(505) 792-7786 | (505) 312-7538
Website | Facebook Page
LATEST VISIT: 21 April 2023
1st VISIT: 23 March 2019
# OF VISITS: 2
RATING: 21
COST: $$
BEST BET: Fried New Mexico Egg Roll, Fried Pork Egg Roll, Pork Sausage Spring Roll, Mango-Lemonade, Honey-Sriracha Shrimp Chips, Pork Sausage Banh Mi, Spicy Lemongrass Soup, Triple Combo (2 Spring Rolls, 2 Egg Rolls, Pho)
REVIEW #1103