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AlbuquerqueGreekMediterraneanNew MexicoRating: Very Good

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

As a precocious stripling growing up long before Star Wars, Back to the Future and the Marvel Universe, my heroes were the gods of Mount Olympus.  In Greek mythology, the gods were incredibly powerful beings who controlled the forces of nature and human beings.  Their whims–often childish and unpredictable–dictated whether or not empires and human beings thrived or led lives replete with strife and woe.   These puerile gods possessed supernatural powers such as the ability to control the weather (Zeus), make others pregnant or get pregnant herself (Hera) and manipulate travel, paths, and sports (Hermes).  While Spiderman may have understood that with great power comes great responsibility, the gods were prone to fits of pique.  In such moments, they were predisposed to chaotic and violent outbursts.  You wouldn’t want to anger these childlike gods. Food  and drink in Greek mythology largely revolved around sweet, hallucinogenic, or healing substances, most frequently in the form of liquids, or fruit.  Ambrosia and nectar were allegedly the main substances consumed by the gods with ambrosia signifying immortality.  Figs are also commonly consumed.  Figs are most commonly associated with Dionysius, the god of wine and drunkenness and with Priapus, the Ron Jeremy of Greek gods. …

AlbuquerqueAmericanNew MexicoRating: Very GoodSandwich

The Sandwich Company – Albuquerque, NE

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

In 1967, John Poppy introduced the term “generation gap” in Look magazine.  Still used widely, the term refers to the “the chasm that separates the beliefs and behaviors belonging to members of different generations. This gap often manifests in varying thoughts, actions, and preferences between younger and older generations.”  According to Investopedia, “Differences may exist in politics, values, pop culture, and other areas.”  Among the ways in which a generation gap exists is in culinary exploration. TouchBistro, “an all-in-one point of sale and restaurant management system that makes running a restaurant easier” conducted a survey of more than 2,600 diners which revealed a wide expanse between generations when it comes to dining out.  TouchBistro discovered that younger generations–“56% of Gen Zers and 47%–of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.” Sadly, 35% of respondents from my…

AmericanBreakfast BurritosDog FriendlyNew MexicanNew MexicoRating: N/R (Not Rated)Santa Fe

The Pantry Dos – Santa Fe, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

There’s no annual event I enjoy more than the Roadrunner Food Bank’s Souper Bowl which takes place one week before some ballyhooed football game.  That game is the National Football League’s Super Bowl, a star-studded event in which the celebrity with the best name (Taylor Swift) doesn’t even play football.  Celebrities abound at the Souper Bowl, too, but they’re real people, the type of which you would enjoy sharing a meal with.  During my twelvth year of serving as a judge at the Souper Bowl, I had the privilege and pleasure of spending time with several of those local celebrities.  I wouldn’t trade a minute with them for an hour with Kendrick Lamar (whoever he is) or Taylor Swift. For years, two of those celebrities–Steph Duran of  Magic 995 and the legendary TJ Trout of 96.3 KKOB–have made morning and afternoons much more enjoyable (particularly when driving the city’s mean streets) for denizens of the Duke City.  Their astute observations and facial expressions (particularly Steph’s “Sally” face) as they sipped some thirty soups helped make the 2025 Souper Bowl thoroughly enjoyable.  You probably wouldn’t call Glenn Walters a “celebrity” unless you’re intimate with state government where he’s revered among the…

AlbuquerqueBar & GrillCajunDiners Drive-Ins and DivesDog FriendlyFood Network Eats New MexicoRating: Very GoodSouthern

Nexus Brewery – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno2:47 AM

Set in Albuquerque, Breaking Bad, AMC’s critically acclaimed television series may have left viewers with the impression that the Duke City is a haven for meth cookery and fried chicken joints.  Had the fair city been more accurately typecast, it would have have been portrayed as a mecca for microbreweries.  The Albuquerque Beer Scene blog says it best: “It’s like Portland, but with sun,”  a comparison which shows just how much the city’s microbrewery and brewpub scene has grown–and not just in terms of sheer numbers.  Duke City breweries have accorded themselves so well at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup that the city may soon be re-christened “Albeerquerque.” When the New Mexico Tourism Department launched the New Mexico True Ale Trail, the Duke City was its obvious epicenter both geographically and in terms of quantity.  The Land of Enchantment now boasts of nearly three dozen independent microbreweries, brewpubs, brew houses and taprooms with the largest concentration in its most populous city.  In fact, the Duke City is most certainly the hub of the Ale Trail with spokes traversing to just about ever corner of the state. High-quality craft beer can now be found throughout the Land…

AlbuquerqueFine DiningNew MexicanNew MexicoRating: Outstanding

Ex Novo Brewing Co. – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

After years of design and construction, Ex Novo new taproom and restaurant opened its doors in July, 2024.  The 11,500-square-foot edifice is broken into two levels.  On the first level, you’ll find  the restaurant, kitchen, taproom, indoor seating and a large patio.  A full-service bar with food service can be found upstairs in the spectacular mezzanine.  A large outdoor patio accommodates one-hundred guests and will eventually provide live music.   An adjacent  cafe and deli called Sammy’s Cafe & Deli.opened in October, 2024. Sammie’s offers an all-day breakfast menu as well as some of the most sought-after sandwiches imaginable (a pastrami reuben, banh mi, Italian, etc.) Brought in to lead Ex Novo during its founding was Marc Quiñones, one of the most heralded and talented chefs in New Mexico.  At  Level 5 Rooftop Restaurant, Chef Quiñones conceptualized the idea of “Contemporary New Mexican Ranch Cuisine’ which celebrates New Mexico’s historical reliance on the bounty of the earth and its plentiful wildlife.  Chef Quiñones channeled the way New Mexicans preserved and prepared foods a century ago.  He brought that concept with him to Ex Novo.   The chef parted ways with Ex Novo not quite a year after having led the restaurant during…

AlbuquerqueAmericanBreakfast BurritosRating: Excellent

Ironwood Kitchen – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno10:29 AM

I’m not sure Matt Moody could sell milk to the lactose intolerant or ice to an eskimo, but it would be hard to bet against him. The genial owner of the Ironwood Kitchen on Albuquerque’s sprawling far northwest, Matt has a rare enthusiasm for both his restaurant and his recipes.  He won’t just describe a dish on the menu, he’ll tell you how it’s prepared and may even give you the genesis of its ingredients. That type of enthusiasm and confidence is infectious. Matt is also wise and experienced enough to understand the customer is always right…even if he doesn’t agree with them.  When my friend Bill Resnik and I practically accused him of being a “Cuminista” for using cumin on his red chile, he listened to our diatribe then related his long history in having prepared that chile to much popular acclaim in the Mesilla Valley Kitchen restaurant in Las Cruces.  Despite the success of his chile recipe in the Las Cruces area, he researched the Duke City market, determined we’re quite a bit more finicky  about the purity of our chile and removed cumin from his recipe.  You’ve got to like a restaurateur who caters to the market. …

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Culver’s – Payson, Arizona

Gil Garduno7:08 PM

In the summer of 2022, two of my sisters spent a nearly three weeks in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. They visited the breathtaking snow-capped mountains of the Alps and took Europe’s highest cable car to the top of the Matterhorn.  They walked in picturesque villages reminiscent of your favorite fairy-tale as well as medieval towns resplendent with covered bridges, waterfront promenades, historic buildings replete with frescoes painted by the masters, and sun-drenched plazas with bubbling fountains.  Naturally, my questions about their vacation were centered on cuisine.  Dolores, one of my sisters, recalled most fondly the bread and butter served with every meal on their excursion.  She’s a Garduño after my own heart. During our years in Europe, my Kim and I were surprised at the ubiquity of butter on sandwiches.  It didn’t matter what other ingredients were used in the construction of a sandwich; each slice of bread was buttered lavishly.  Our favorite was a buttered floury bap with Branston pickle and Cheddar cheese.  We also grew to love butter sandwiches with bacon.  Frankly, a butter sandwich with extra butter was also quite good. As common as butter was in England (where we lived), the French slathered it on even more generously.…

ArizonaFilipinoRating: OutstandingUnited States

TAMBAYAN FILIPINO FOOD – Phoenix, Arizona

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

When my Kim required physical therapy after a brief hospitalization, extraordinary physical therapist Lana Ramos was dispatched to our home where she worked with my Kim for several weeks.  Lana was wonderful–a superb and patient coach for my injured bride and a knowledgeable and patient source of knowledge for me.  Having been around many Air Force colleagues married to Filipino women, I developed a fondness for both the culture and cuisine of the Philippines.  Lana reignited that fondness by answering my questions and clarifying a few misconceptions I had.  When my Kim successfully completed her physical therapy, Lana prepared lumpia for us.  It had been a long time since we’d had lumpia. Lana told us that she and several compatriots journey to the Phoenix area periodically to get their fix of Filipino cuisine which–until September, 2024 could not be found at an Albuquerque eatery.  Then came Cindy Recile, an effusive and radiant personality who named her take-out establishment “Barkada’s ABQ” for the Filipino word for “friends” or “group of friends.”   Barkada’s is not a sit-down restaurant in which you can linger to enjoy fabulous flavors.  Instead, you’ve got to use social media to order food which you can pick up…

AnnouncementsRed or Green - New Mexico Food Scene is on Fire

Red and Green: New Mexico’s Culinary Scene Was on Fire in 2024

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

T’was the year that was, a banner year for Gil’s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog with more milestones having been achieved. Most significantly to your friendly neighborhood restaurant review blogger was the continued dialogue–your sharing of comments noting contentment, humor, news or displeasure with me or some other food topic. There are now 14,455 comments on 1,442 reviews. My edacious publicist Bob of the Village of Los Ranchos (BOTVOLR) retains the lifetime commenter achievement award with well over 1200 comments over the life of the blog.  In 2024, however, he was supplanted by the always clever and witty Lynn Garner as the year’s most prolific commenter. 2024 saw the launch of several new restaurants, several of which appear to have long-term appeal.  The year also saw the closure of several stalwarts, some of whom served the Duke City for decades.  Among those are Monica’s El Portal and Caruso’s Italian Restaurant in Albuquerque and Mucho Gusto in Santa Fe. Here is a list of the most popular reviews on Gil’s Thrilling… MOST POPULAR REVIEWS: 2024 MOST POPULAR REVIEWS: ALL-TIME Gimani: A Slice Bar – Albuquerque Mary & Tito’s (Albuquerque) East Ocean Chinese & Seafood – Albuquerque Buckhorn Tavern (San Antonio) Mulas – Corrales The…

AmericanArizonaDog FriendlyRating: ExcellentUnited States

Culinary Dropout – Scottsdale, Arizona

Gil Garduno12:04 AM

With a name like Culinary Dropout, you might expect an edgy and provocative venue, something hip and trendy where all the beautiful blonde  women of Scottsdale come to mix with bad boys.  That expectation might be reenforced by Old Town Scottsdale website which describes Culinary Dropout:  “From the chefs on the line with silver-studded ears and Mohawk hairdo, to the inked-up, decked-out bar staff mixologists shaking and stirring some of the most creative cocktails, we’re all dropouts here.”  Instead, we found a rather innocuous vibe, akin to maybe Chili’s on a slightly rowdy day. Most of the diners were coupled, some ferrying toddlers carrying the gene code that will propagate beautiful blondes.  Others strode in with pampered pooches in strollers that cost more than our car.  Live music was smooth and mellow, the antithesis of raucous rock we had expected. Heck, many people who might use that mild oath were among the crowd. Located in the pricey real estate section of Scottsdale’s Old Town (Waterfront), Culinary Dropout may defy any impression you may have based on its name alone.  You might find, as we did, it’s family friendly, grandma approved.  Now that I’ve ruined its reputation, let me tell you what…

Gil's Best of the Best

Gil’s Best of the Best for 2024

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

Welcome to Gil’s list of my favorite dishes in 2024. These dishes were selected not for complex culinary preparations and exorbitant price points, but for the simple preparation of dishes that taste as if they were prepared by a chorus of angels in a celestial kitchen. These are the dishes most indelibly imprinted on my memory engrams…the first dishes that come to mind when I close my eyes and reflect on the past year in eating. As with previous yearly compilations, every item on this list was heretofore unknown to my palate before 2024. Every dish was a delicious discovery from within New Mexico’s sacred borders. In chronological order, my “best of the best” are: January, 2024 In 2024, an esteemed panel of judges selected Annamaria Brezna O’Brien of Santa Fe’s Dolina as a semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard “Best Chef – Southwest” award.  Among the culinary gems for which Dolin is known is chicken paprikash.  Dolina’s chicken paprikash (organic chicken cooked in browned butter, white onions, Hungarian paprika finished with sour cream and dumplings) is the very best I’ve ever had,  Chicken paprikash is a paragon of comfort food.  It’s rich, superbly seasoned, balanced and absolutely delicious. February, 2024…