How many times have you heard an elected official referred to as a “jackass?” In the village of Corrales, that term could conceivably not be used as a pejorative. Every year during the last weekend of the Corrales Harvest Festival, a pet mayor is named. If the newly elected mayor is unable to fulfill his or her duties, a pet mayor pro tem is named to assume the duties of the mayoral office. Corrales has long prided itself on being a paragon of democratic values and inclusivity though the winning candidate is usually a dog or a horse. In 2022, the winning candidate was a peacock and in 2020, it was Chip, a five month old miniature donkey.
Unlike human elections in which the legitimacy of campaign fund sources (and how those funds are used) is often in question, pet mayor elections are based on a tally of dollar-ballots cast for each. Votes are one dollar each with ballot boxes available throughout the village. Nor will you find candidates bad-mouthing one another or railing against fake media coverage. Campaign slogans tend to be more friendly, too. In 2021, for example, Jewel, a Standard Poodle’s slogan was “The world needs more love, belly rubs, and paws-itivity!” If mayoral approval ratings were compiled, you can bet the Corrales pet mayor receive universal praise.
I was unable to ascertain whether or not a mule has ever earned the lofty title of the pet mayor of Corrales. Mules, unfortunately, have a couple of things going against them. They’re stereotyped as lazy and as stubborn, qualities you wouldn’t want to see in an elected official (unless perhaps you’re in Toronto). When we first espied signs throughout the village for “Mulas” we naturally wondered if a mule was running for pet mayor. Bruce Terzes, the extraordinary photographer and my trusted source for restaurant news in Corrales discovered and apprised me that Mulas was to be the name of a new restaurant to be launched at the former site of the Corrales Bistro Brewery.
After months of waiting, Mulas opened its doors on March 15th. We were there the following day. When we asked Elizabeth Holguin, the restaurant’s effusive owner about the name Mulas, she said the name was a natural considering the village’s name and equine population. Mulas (Spanish for mules), horses and donkeys are pretty common in Corrales, a haven for all animal types as evinced by signage reading “Coyotes Live Here, Too.” Elizabeth and her husband Gabriel also own Debajo Tapas, an Albuquerque Old Town area showcasing Spanish tapas.
From the outside, there aren’t many apparent changes to the complex housing Mulas save for a single mule bearing a burden perched on a platform. Inside, however, changes are readily apparent–and dramatic. Walls are festooned with mule-themed accoutrements such as horseshoes fashioned in the shape of a mule, harnesses and other frontier New Mexico farm and ranching implements. Views to an expansive kitchen are now available. A large trastero is one of that kitchen’s highlights. So is the pizza oven which should get a lot of use.
Unlike so many restaurants which have start-up problems jumping up and biting them, Mulas operates with the seasoning of a long-term restaurant. Attribute that to Elizabeth, a hands-on leader who doesn’t shy away from working alongside her staff while meeting guests. As of our visit, Mulas was still pending its liquor license and wasn’t available for dinner. It’s open only for lunch from Wednesday through Sunday (closed Monday and Tuesday). Mulas does plan on offering brunch the weekend of March 23rd.
The menu is a unique melange of Spanish, Mexican, New Mexican, Native American and American dishes honoring the Land of Enchantment’s multi-cultural heritage. Appetizers, in particular, lean heavily toward Spanish contributions to New Mexico’s culinary heritage. In fact, the most expensive item ($36) on the menu is the charcuterie tabla which showcases imported meats and cheeses, nuts, bread, fruits and housemade green chile jam. The Ensaladas & Sopas (salad and soup) section of the menu lists only three items, including gazpacho, the legendary Spanish cold soup. “A Taste of Home” on the menu delivers on its implied promise, highlighting such New Mexican favorites as pork tamales, burritos and a green chile cheeseburger. Other sections on the menu are dedicated to tacos, bocadillos and pizza. Yes, pizza…and it’s a good one.
Our appetizer choice was certainly unique. Called botanas del cordero (lamb snacks), it was part salad, part sandwich. The menu describes this item as four botanas, slow-roasted lamb atop Navajo fry bread, garnished with avocado, arugula and roasted red pepper. Navajo fry bread was a bit of a misnomer. We had expected one large fry bread, a crispy pillow of deep-fried dough with a soft interior. Instead, four individual slices of crispy bread were presented with the aforementioned items on top. The one item on this dish that truly stood out was the slow-roasted lamb, tender tendrils of which were perfectly seasoned and absolutely delicious. In recent years, arugula has become a de rigueur item on pizzas. To find it on “Navajo fry bread” was a surprise in that it interacted very well with the roasted lamb. This is an entree-sized appetizer. We wound up taking most of it home. By then, the fry bread was too crispy to eat–even after heating it. Scraping off the other ingredients and nestling them on a tortilla took care of that problem.
There are five pizzas on the menu. Frankly the pizza dough would have made a better platform for the botanas del cordero than the Navajo fry bread did. I tried to dissuade my Kim from ordering a Margerita Pizza (wood-fired, fresh basil, tomato) which I’ve always found as boring as driving through Iowa. Thankfully the accommodating staff allowed her to top the pizza with shredded pork. Okay, it’s no longer a Margerita, but it’s a a fabulous pie…the very best Margerita I’ve ever had. First, the wood-fire oven does a magnificent job, imparting a delicious char on the cornicione (the an Italian term for the “lip” or puffy outer edge of the pizza). More than any pizzeria of recent memory, the wood fire had a wood fire flavor. Cheese, sauce and basil worked together in beautiful harmony to impart memorable flavors. Before settling on the Margerita pizza, I asked for a sample of the roasted corn salsa so my Kim can determine if it’s too piquant for her. It was indeed too much for my delicate bride, but it was perfect for me. That salsa is featured on the Rio Grande pizza, a future choice for me.
Several years ago the wonderful and talented Lesley King proclaimed “Northern New Mexico Enchiladas” as among “the most unforgettable Northern New Mexico Experiences,” indicating that there are few things more New Mexican than the enchilada. I read that as a mandate, typically ordering enchiladas every time we visit a restaurant for the first time. Mulas made that decision especially challenging because there were so many items on the menu I also wanted to order. Fittingly listed on the “Taste of Home” section of the menu, the enchiladas (three green chile chicken, red Chimayo chile beef or cheese served with Spanish rice and pinto beans). Ask for one of each. The red Chimayo chile was especially resplended in its complexity and sweet notes. Few things in life are as wonderful as Chimayo chile. The green chile chicken enchilada was superb thanks to moist tendrils of shredded chicken. The beans were wonderful!
Our dessert was perhaps mislabeled. It’s called a buñuelo and like the aforementioned Navajo fry bread didn’t look much like what it’s supposed to be. It’s wholly unlike any of the hundreds of buñuelos I’ve had. Our first impression was that our dessert was churros topped with a scoop of vanilla drizzled with caramel. By any name, call this dessert delicious. Almost every survey (and there have been many) on America’s favorite ice cream flavor indicates the land of the sugar-free and dessert crave prefers vanilla to all other flavors. My Kim certainly does. She enjoyed the buñuelos as much as I enjoyed the chile.
Mulas may not be the next pet mayor of Corrales, but here’s betting it’ll be a huge hit. Though the name may be a bit confusing at first, it’ll jump to the tip of your tongue after your first visit. It’s a winner!
Mulas
4908 Corrales Road
Corrales, New Mexico
(505)
Website | Facebook Page
LATEST VISIT: 17 March 2024
# OF VISITS: 1
RATING: N/R
COST: $$
BEST BET:
REVIEW #1383
Your “Johnny on the spot” – or should I say “Gil on the spot” review looks encouraging. You didn’t mention if the patio was open for dining and canine friendly? It certainly looks inviting, compared to the previous iteration. We will have to check them out soon.
Thank you, Bruce. The expansive patio is both available for dining and canine friendly.
For now Mulas is open for lunch only from 11AM to 3PM, but when the liquor license is issued it will be open for dinner, too.
Today (March 24) Mulas is offering brunch. It would be a great day to visit.
We made it to Mulas yesterday and enjoyed our lunch outside. We always liked the fact that the patio location, east of the building – buffers quite a bit of the noise from busy Corrales Road. There were quite a few diners for a Thursday afternoon (1:45ish). Mixed feelings on the food though – Soozi’s red beef enchilada’s were plentiful and excellent! My made to order “Medium Rare” Mula burger was very tasty due to the excellent green chile, swiss cheese and all the other fixings. The downside this wasn’t enough to kill my disappointment that the ample portion of burger was on the well-done side of medium. I asked our excellent server if I indeed ordered it medium rare and he confirmed that I did. Told me my order got mixed with another and they graciously remade the burger. Unfortunately, while the second one was a bit better – (it wasn’t totally dry) – it was still a far cry from medium rare. I Wish I had stuck to my intent to try the pizza on your recommendation. All in all for a new restaurant we were encouraged and will definitely return. Also I’ll repeat what I’ve seen in other reviews – Their prices are very reasonable!
Thank you, Bruce. I’m so glad you had a good experience at Mulas. Medium-rare is a degree of doneness very few restaurants have mastered. Similarly, you don’t often a pizza with a “light” char.
Chile””
That pizza looks burnt
Chile””