Sherman’s Deli & Bakery – Palm Springs & Palm Desert, California
Not everyone appreciated my friend Bob’s stark honesty as much as I did. For nearly twelve years, Bob was my…
Crepe Crepe – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)
Richard Olney, a cookbook author best known for his books on French country cooking described crepes thusly: “their greatest pitfalls derive,…
Campo at Los Poblanos – Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico
A simple day laborer at a wealthy estate, Ysidro began his days by rising early and attending Mass. His fellow…
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…
Tortilla Flats – Santa Fe, New Mexico
“Beans are a warm cloak against economic cold.” ~John Steinbeck, Tortilla Flat In his 1935 novel Tortilla Flat, John Steinbeck…
Cheeky’s – Palm Springs, California
Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw is widely credited with the aphorism “England and the United States are two nations divided…
Butters Pancakes & Cafe – Scottsdale, Arizona
“Spread your tiny wings and fly away And take the snow back with you Where it came from on that…
66 Diner – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Known as “America’s Highway” and celebrated by author John Steinbeck as the “Mother Road,” the legendary Route 66 meandered across…
Chile Time Restaurant – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)
“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a…
Lindy’s Diner – Albuquerque, New Mexico
“Get your kicks on Route 66” is the mantra of nostalgic motorists who have lobbied for generations to preserve the…
Counter Culture Cafe – Santa Fe, New Mexico
Counterculture. Growing up in rural Taos County four decades ago, I don’t know how many of us understood that the…
Garcia’s Kitchen – Albuquerque, New Mexico
One of the central themes of William Faulkner’s magnus opus Absalom, Absalom! is that no two people experience the same…
The Daily Grind – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Sometimes–such as when Teri, a faithful reader of this blog, recommended I visit The Daily Grind–being a lexicologist can be…
Vick’s Vittles Country Restaurant – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Possum shanks; pickled hog jowls; goat tripe; stewed squirrel; ham hocks and turnip greens; gizzards smothered in gristle; smoked crawdads.…
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…
Burritos Alinstante – Albuquerque, New Mexico
A couple of days before my Kim and I were to be married (some three decades plus ago), my mom…
Mannie’s Family Restaurant – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)
“The other night I ate at a real nice family restaurant. Every table had an argument going.” ~ George Carlin…
Chocolate Maven Bakery & Cafe – Santa Fe, New Mexico
In the polytheistic world of the Mesoamerican cultures (which include the Aztecs and Mayans), Quetzalcoatl was revered as the creator…