Papa Nacho’s – Albuquerque, New Mexico
“No one who cooks, cooks alone. Even at her most solitary, a cook in the kitchen is surrounded by generations of cooks past, the advice and menus of cooks present, the wisdom of cookbook writers.” …
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The Last Call – Albuquerque, New Mexico
“Ah, but after the sunset, the dusk and the twilight, when shadows of night start to fall. They roll back the sidewalk precisely at ten and people who live there are not seen again.” ~John …
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Juanita’s Comida Mexicana – Albuquerque, New Mexico
When writer Jeffrey Steingarten was named food critic for Vogue in 1998, he made it his quest to overcome any distaste he may have had for certain foods. Chief among the foods he disliked were …
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Albuquerque / Brunch / Closed in 2019 / Dog Friendly / Gone But Not Forgotten / Mexican / New Mexican / New Mexico
Cantina Nueva – Garduños – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Garduños just can’t seem to keep up with the Joneses, at least in terms of familial propagation. The 2010 United States Census indicates more than a million instances (1,425,470 to be precise) of the surname …
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El Agave – Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED)
“Why, this here sauce is made in New York City!” “New York City? Git a rope!” No matter how broad-minded we may perceive ourselves to be, most of us are burdened by covert biases and …
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Barbacoa El Primo – Albuquerque, New Mexico
“I went down Nagolitos looking for some barbacoa and Big Red. I went down to Nagolitos for some barbacoa and Big Red. Well, I could’ve had menudo but I got some cabeza instead. Give me …
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Acapulco Tacos & Burritos – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Acapulco–just the name evokes images of pristine sandy beaches, translucent blue waters, a comfortable climate, luxury hotels, and world-class gourmet cuisine. There are many reasons Acapulco has earned its nickname of the “Mexican Riviera,” after …
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Krazy Lizard – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)
I count in almost equal measure, friends, family members and colleagues who label themselves as either militant liberals or staunch conservatives. Despite what they may think, they have more in common than they’d ever admit. …
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Taqueria El Paisa – Albuquerque, New Mexico
“The immediacy of a taco, handed to you hot from grill and comal, can’t be equaled. You can stand there and eat yourself silly with one taco after another, each made fresh for you and …
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El Taco Tote – Albuquerque, New Mexico
As we perused the colorful menu hanging on the wall at El Taco Tote, my friends Captain Tuttle, Bob of the Village Of Los Ranchos and I pondered the veracity of images depicting gargantuan tacos …
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Los Compadres Restaurant – Albuquerque, New Mexico
In the vernacular and tradition of Hispanic Northern New Mexico, few–if any–titles were held in such esteem and reverence by elder generations as “compadre” (male) and “comadre” (female). In his Dictionary of New Mexico & …
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Albuquerque / Closed in 2019 / Gone But Not Forgotten / Latin American / Mexican / New Mexico / Rated 24
Maya – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)
My precocious niece doesn’t miss a beat. Ever attentive to adult conversation, she often stumps my brother and me with her surprisingly deep and thought-provoking questions. Case in point, when she overheard me telling my …
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Taco Fundación – Santa Fe, New Mexico
Consider it sacrilege if you will, but some pundits believe the taco is poised to become the most ubiquitous and popular dish in the fruited plain. One such heretic is eater.com’s Nick Solares who made …
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Gabriel’s – Santa Fe, New Mexico
Located fifteen miles north of Santa Fe, just south of Pojoaque and within minutes of two garish native American casinos, Gabriel’s is a culinary oasis back-dropped by nearby cedar, cottonwood and pine tree-laden hills and …
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B2B Tap Room – Albuquerque, New Mexico
“I’m a uniter, not a divider.” ~ George W. Bush, Governor of the Great State of Texas “No one wants to listen to politicians, but everyone wants to eat tacos. Tacos are the great uniter.” …
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El Maguey – Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED)
On a 2010 episode of The Travel Channel’s No Reservations series, host Anthony Bourdain described pulque as “the sap of the maguey cactus” as well as “man juice” and “Mexican Viagra.” That may explain why …
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Andele’s Dog House – Mesilla, New Mexico
Put a savvy foodie from Las Cruces and a gastronome from Albuquerque in the same room (preferably not a kitchen well stocked with knives) and you’re bound to start a culinary civil war. Such was …
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Señor Tortas – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)
In Albuquerque’s panoply of Mexican fast foods, the torta–despite all its heartiness and versatility–is the “Rodney Dangerfield” of cheap eats. It garners no respect, warranting nary a mention in annual paeans to the “best of” …
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Delicias Cafe – Albuquerque, New Mexico
There’s no denying the ever-increasing popularity of Mexican food across America, but it may surprise you to learn that in the estimation of some sources, it has supplanted Italian food as the favorite ethnic cuisine …
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Casa Diaz – Bernalillo, New Mexico (CLOSED)
The siren song of a small town living has always appealed to Irma Rodriguez who just can’t see herself in the big city. Having grown up in Gallup, New Mexico, she appreciates the sense of …
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Mariscos Mazatlan – Rio Rancho, New Mexico
A rotund, ripening, red tomato is featured prominently on license plates issued in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. This is indicative of the state’s prominence in growing the “love apples” from which its rich salsas …
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El Zarandeado – Albuquerque, New Mexico
“Anyway, like I was sayin’, shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey’s uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, …
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Leilani’s Cafe – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)
Restaurants come and restaurant’s go. It’s not hard to tell when a bad restaurant is nearing its demise. The telltale signs practically scream at you. Service is indifferent in spite of (or maybe because of) …
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Mariscos La Playa – Albuquerque, New Mexico
There’s deliciousness and there’s delicious irony on the menu at Mariscos La Playa. The deliciousness is more readily apparent. It’s part and parcel of virtually every item on the menu. You have to understand a …
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Viva Mexico – Albuquerque, New Mexico
All too often faulty premises are based on a lack of information or experience. Take for example, British author Simon Majumdar, a recurring judge on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America who once declared “given …
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Los Potrillos – Santa Fe, New Mexico
Faced with a situation that renders us incredulous, many of us might yammer incoherently, complain vociferously or maybe even utter colorful epithets. Such moments, it seems, are best expressed with succinct precision, a rare skill …
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EPAZOTE ON THE HILLSIDE – Santa Fe, New Mexico (CLOSED)
Epazote. That’s a word that can make an intrepid chef’s toque blanche resemble the white flag of surrender. If you’re a culinary savant and haven’t heard of epazote, it’s probably because the chefs at restaurants …
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Chicharroneria Orozco – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair Warm smell of colitas rising up through the air ~Hotel California – The Eagles Among the many alluring olfactory temptations emanating from dilapidated and timeworn …
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El Norteño – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)
No Mexican restaurant in Albuquerque has a pedigree that approaches that of El Norteño, a venerable elder statesperson in the Duke City’s burgeoning and constantly evolving Mexican restaurant scene. El Norteño has been pleasing local …
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Panaderia El Dorado – Albuquerque, New Mexico
“Over the Mountains of the Moon, down the Valley of the Shadow, ride, boldly ride…if you seek for El Dorado.” ~Edgar Allan Poe In the 16th century when the Spaniards reached South America, natives regaled …
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La Super Rica Taqueria – Santa Barbara, California
Truly legendary restaurants, those which can legitimately be called institutions–and there are very few of them–don’t just inspire return visits; they inspire pilgrimages. Institutions have generally stood the test of time by remaining consistent over …
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El Sabor De Juarez – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Before it was embroiled in the grip of violence born of warring drug cartels vying for control of the drug traffic destined for the United States…before its shameful history of violence against women was uncovered…before …
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Panchito’s Restaurant & Bakery – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)
“Let’s get one thing straight: Mexican food takes a certain amount of time to cook. If you don’t have the time, don’t cook it. You can rush a Mexican meal, but you will pay in …
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Lindo Mexico Grill & Seafood – Albuquerque, New Mexico
In the entire world, there may not be a national anthem that inspires as much heart-felt pride as the Mexican ballad Mexico Lindo Y Querido. It is a hauntingly stirring proclamation of the balladeer’s profound …
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Rey’s La Familiar Restaurante – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)
Many similarities exist between writing beautiful lyrics for a memorable song and developing a great recipe for memorable food. Great lyrics involve putting together the right words so that they flow easily around a meaningful …
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El Agave Restaurante and Tequileria – San Diego, California
Tequila has long endured a legacy of scorn, derision and misinformation. It’s been a proving ground for manhood among frat boys downing shooters to show their mettle. Urban myths and legends have long been believed …
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