{"id":10451,"date":"2011-12-30T10:03:07","date_gmt":"2011-12-30T16:03:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=10451"},"modified":"2022-10-06T19:05:11","modified_gmt":"2022-10-07T01:05:11","slug":"2011-the-thrilling-filling-year-in-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=10451","title":{"rendered":"2011: The Thrilling & Filling Year in Food"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Friends who Feast: Paul Lilly, Bill Resnik, Gil Garduno and Bruce “Sr. Plata” Silver<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tis the season\u2026for year-end retrospectives in which the good, the bad and the ugly; the triumphs and tragedies; the highs and lows and the ups and downs are revisited ad-infinitum by seemingly every print and cyberspace medium in existence.\u00a0 It\u2019s the time of year in which the \u201cin-your-face\u201d media practically forces a reminiscence\u2013either fondly or with disgust\u2013about the year that was.\u00a0 It\u2019s a time for introspection, resolutions and for looking forward with hope to the year to come.\u00a0 The New Mexico culinary landscape had more highs than it did lows in 2010. Here\u2019s my thrilling (and filling) recap.<\/span><\/p>\n

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From Budai, Albuquerque’s best Chinese restaurant–Crispy Duck Stuffed with a Taro Root Paste<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In January, Bon Appetit<\/a><\/em> magazine named Tomasita\u2019s<\/a> of Santa Fe, one of America\u2019s \u201cbest chili spots.\u201d Alas, it was the exclusive \u201cchile\u201d named in the company of purveyors of \u201cchili\u201d in such hot beds of pepper piquancy and cumin contamination as Seattle, Washington; Washington, D.C., Cincinatti, Ohio; Springfield, Illinois and New York City. Bon Appetit<\/em> declared, \u201cThis is one of the best places to try stew-like New Mexican green chili (named after its green Hatch chiles), filled with your choice of pinto beans, posole, beef, chicken, or cheese. A crispy sopaipilla (puffy fry bread) comes on the side.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In January, Roadrunner Food Bank’s<\/a> Souper Bowl,\u00a0 Albuquerque’s foremost tasting competition–featured more than thirty of the Duke City’s finest restaurants showcasing their very best soups and desserts.\u00a0 The event serves as the Food Bank’s premier annual fund-raising<\/a> event. \u00a0The Souper Bowl winner (critic’s choice) for 2011 was the cream of mushroom soup with bacon from the Cold Water Fusion Restaurant<\/a>. \u00a0The grilled butternut squash soup from the Santa Ana Cafe<\/a> finished second.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Chicken Curry Stew with Mixed Vegetables from Cafe Dalat<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Shortly before Valentine’s Day, Open Table, Inc.,<\/em> which provides a free online restaurant reservation service, named its fifty “most romantic restaurants,” a list gleaned from more than seven million reviews submitted by Open Table diners on more than 12,000 restaurants across the fruited plain.

TheWondrous.Com<\/a> Web site named Santa Fe one of “America’s top ten cities for food lovers.” The article seemed as impressed with the fact that Santa Fe has two Whole Foods stores as it was with “New Mexican\u2019s twist on Mexican fare using blue-corn tortillas and locally grown chiles<\/em>.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Green Chile Philly with Fries from Itsa Italian Ice<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In February, the Daily Beast<\/a> asked the provocative question, “if America is fast-food nation, which city should be crowned capital<\/em>?” \u00a0Alarmingly, over a five year period ending in 2010, the United States saw a five percent increase in the number of chain restaurants, accounting for more than 15,000 chains. \u00a0Meanwhile, there was a one-percent decline in the number of independent restaurants. \u00a0Evaluating the thirty largest chains in nearly 500 cities, each with a population of at least 200,000 citizens, the online site determined that Albuquerque ranked 31st per capita in the number of fast food and chain restaurants. \u00a0The Duke City has more than 300 fast-food and chain restaurants–56.7 per 100,000 residents. \u00a0The chain with the largest presence in Albuquerque is Subway.<\/span><\/p>\n

For the second year in a row, Albuquerque’s \u00fcber chef Jennifer James<\/a> was nominated and was a semi-finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef: Southwest.\u00a0 Also nominated was Santa Fe’s Martin Rios, thus far the only chef to have participated on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America competition.\u00a0 New Mexico was not shut out from the most prestigious awards in the culinary world.\u00a0\u00a0 Edible Santa Fe<\/a>, an edition of the Edible Communities food network, won the James Beard award as the 2011 Publication of the Year.\u00a0 The quarterly publication promotes and celebrates the abundance of local foods in North Central New Mexico.<\/span><\/p>\n

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One of the Turtle Mountain’s inventive pizzas: Prime rib, A1 steak sauce, blue cheese dressing, mushrooms and onions<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In April, Poor Taste Magazine<\/a> took a stab at naming the 100 best spots in America for brunch.\u00a0\u00a0 Two Santa Fe institutions made the list.\u00a0 Harry’s Roadhouse<\/a> was touted as “a green-certified southwestern gem that takes to heart the notion of blending quirky comfort and hearty square meals.”\u00a0 The Pantry Restaurant was highlighted for its unique omelets which are “crammed full of chile relleno and covered in more chile and cheese, served with a side of carne adovada.”\u00a0 Only one New Mexico restaurant made the magazine’s list of America’s 100 greatest “cult” restaurants which are defined as “restaurants having a highly devoted customer base and which appeal to both locals and tourists.”\u00a0 The lone honoree was Albuquerque’s El Pinto<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u00a0 had the privilege and pleasure to be one of five bloggers selected by\u00a0<\/span>Frommer\u2019s Budget Travel Magazine<\/span><\/a><\/em> to contribute to an article called \u201cAmerica\u2019s Best Food Regions<\/em>\u201d published in its May, 2011 issue. Each of us was given 500 words to explain why the cuisine of our respective regions reigns supreme over other the cuisine of other culinary regions.\u00a0 If you’re interested, the other regions showcased were the New Orleans area Cajun Country, Austin, Texas’s barbecue, Portland, Oregon’s fresh foods and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s Old World cuisine.\u00a0 The “Chile Country” region truly does stand out!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Flan from Mariscos Altamar<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 2011 edition of the New Mexico Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail was announced during a press conference on May 26th.\u00a0 The thirty purveyors of New Mexico’s iconic burger receiving the most votes were automatically placed on the trail along with an additional 36 choices selected by a committee of culinary experts.\u00a0 Receiving the most popular votes was LotaBurger<\/a>, a long-time Land of Enchantment institution.\u00a0 The other top five vote-getters were Bobcat Bite<\/a>, Taco Box, Owl Cafe<\/a> and the Buckhorn Tavern<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In June, 2011, New Mexico Magazine<\/a> published its second annual “Best Eats<\/a>” issue. The magazine showcased dishes ranging from fine-dining to New Mexican \u201csoul food.\u201d They came from some of New Mexico\u2019s most popular restaurants as well as from tiny, off-the-beaten path gems which have become dining destinations in their own right. Seven culinary experts weighed in on New Mexico\u2019s best green chile cheeseburger, New Mexican soul food, fine-dining meal, enchiladas, vegetarian New Mexican food, road food, local seasonal ingredients, contemporary Native American food, chocolate and carne adovada.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Beauty and the Beasts? Break the Chain host Ryan Scott and Bill Resnik flank Antoinette Knight, owner of Mary & Tito’s<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On May 14th, the charismatic and personable Ryan Scott made the dialogue about food in the Duke City more interactive by launching a revolutionary radio program called “Break The Chain.”\u00a0 Break The Chain<\/a> wasn\u2019t about breaking or bankrupting heavily bankrolled chain restaurants. It\u2019s about breaking the chain \u201chabit,\u201d the inclination many have to visit the ubiquitous and convenient chains. Break The Chain was a celebration of local mom-and-pop restaurants, aiming to show the many outstanding alternatives to the familiar chains.\u00a0 The show had a home on 1550 KIVA AM until November 15th.\u00a0 During its six month run, Break the Chain introduced listeners to many of the movers and shakers in the dining scene.<\/span><\/p>\n

When he traveled to Albuquerque for a taping of the Travel Channel\u2019s Man vs Food Nation<\/a> (which aired for the first time on June 22nd, 2011) a stop at Grandma Warner\u2019s K&I Diner<\/a> was a must for host Adam Richman.\u00a0 No longer an active competitor in man\u2019s quest to eat ridiculous amounts of food, Richman recruited three Albuquerque residents\u2013all named Travis\u2013to test their gurgitator\u2019s mettle against the Travis on a Silver Platter:\u00a0 three flour tortillas, beef and beans, sausage-infused red chile and shredded Cheddar.\u00a0 Man vs Food Nation also visited two other purveyors of prodigious platters–The Frontier Restaurant<\/a> and Sadie’s Dining Room<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A double-meat green chile cheeseburger from Perea’s Tijuana Bar in Corrales<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

June saw the launch of an outstanding new food blog called Larry’s Albuquerque Food Musings<\/a>.\u00a0 Written by Larry McGoldrick, the professor with the perspicacious palate, the blog not only showcases some of New Mexico’s best restaurants in very well-written reviews, it provides information on a variety of food-related topics.\u00a0 Larry’s reviews are brutally honest and they’re based on years of studying and understanding cuisine of all genres–its provenance, its traditions, its components.\u00a0 New food blogs–most very poorly written and soon to be abandoned–seem to crop up weekly, but Larry’s has got staying power because he knows what he’s talking about.<\/span><\/p>\n

The July edition of Sunset Magazine<\/a> invited readers to start their cars and bring their appetites for a journey to the “absolutely best places to eat along Western highways.” The magazine rated the “top 41 road food spots in the West, giving the Land of Enchantment plenty of love.\u00a0 Both of San Antonio’s famous purveyors of green chile cheeseburgers nonpareil, the Owl Cafe<\/a> and the Buckhorn Tavern<\/a> were among the five burgers selected as best in the west.\u00a0 Also showcased was the great road food route which starts just outside Santa Fe at the San Marcos Cafe<\/a> then proceeds along the Turquoise Trail to the Mine Shift Tavern<\/a> to a delicious terminus at Cedar Crest’s Greenside Cafe<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sophia’s regular pancakes and blue corn pancakes (Photo courtesy of Bruce “Se\u00f1or Plata) Silver<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the season premier of the Sundance Channel’s Ludo Bites America<\/a> show which first aired on July 19th, nomadic chef Ludo LeFebvre transformed Santa Fe’s Tecolote Cafe<\/a> into Ludo Bites Tecolote.\u00a0 The premise of the show is that the eccentric chef travels across the country and creates a “pop-up” restaurant on an existing restaurant premises.\u00a0 Only New Mexico’s piquant peppers were a match for Ludo’s temper in this entertaining half hour.<\/span><\/p>\n

In its July-August, 2011 issue, National Geographic Traveler<\/a> showcased Albuquerque’s Golden Crown Panderia<\/a>\u2019s biscochitos. An article entitled \u201cfive American desserts worth the trip\u201d described them as \u201cfragrant, infused with anise, this flaky shortbread coated with cinnamon.\u201d A more succinct way to describe them is absolutely wonderful!\u00a0 It was a huge year for the Duke City’s most famous bakery whose turkey bread sculpture was featured in a November 22nd article on BBC Travel Magazine<\/a>.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

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My friend Sandy Driscoll enjoys a green chile cheeseburger from Bobcat Bite in Santa Fe<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A study released by Business Insider<\/em> in July confirmed that Albuquerque loves its chain restaurants, particularly those specializing in fast food. The report rated the Duke City as 68th from among the largest 100 cities in America in terms of fast-food spending. Using a consumer data service called Bundle, the study analyzed spending data to see where consumers spend the most and eat most often at the most prominent fast food denizens: McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s,KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Arby’s.<\/span><\/p>\n

The August, 2010 edition of the Food Network Magazine<\/em> named the “best pizza” in each state. The Land of Enchantment’s representative on this list was a pizza named the “Santa Fe” and fittingly, it can only be found in our state capital’s Rooftop Pizzeria<\/a>.\u00a0 This award-winning pizza, available by the slice or whole pizza, is crafted with grilled chicken, Alfredo sauce, pi\u00f1on nuts and green chile on a blue cornmeal crust. <\/span><\/p>\n

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From Pasion, one of Albuquerque’s most exciting new restaurants–a fruit ceviche: pineapple, apple slices, grapes, bananas and creme fraiche<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Food Network’s popular “The Best Thing I Ever Ate<\/em>” program gave New Mexico just a modicum of love. The premise of this show is that restaurateurs and chefs know where to eat. It answers the question \u201cwhere do food stars and chefs eat in their free time\u2013when they\u2019re paying.\u201d\u00a0 The three New Mexico restaurants showcased were the Pie Town Cafe<\/a> which pastry chef extraordinaire Duff Goldman declared serves America’s best pie (a green chile apple pie); Santa Fe’s Pink Adobe<\/a>, purveyor of the amazing Steak Dunigan which chef Rahm Fama declared as “better than mine”; and Santa Fe’s Cafe Pasqual’s<\/a>.\u00a0 In an episode entitled “Eggstraordinary,” chef Chris Santos declared the Huevos Barbacoa the best egg dish he’s ever eaten.\u00a0 Chef Fama returned to his hometown of Santa Fe for a “Best Thing” episode entitled “Childhood Favorites.”\u00a0 In the episode, he recalled the joys of noshing on Frito pie from the original Five & Dime General Store<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Santa Fe’s incendiary cuisine was the sole focus of “Heat Seekers,” another Food Network show which aired in August, 2011. Hosts Aaron Sanchez and Roger Mooking tested their masochistic mettle by sampling some of the city’s most incendiary cuisine. They started by sampling the mouth-watering, eye-watering carne adovada at Tomasita’s<\/a> then proceeded to Kakawa<\/a> for hot, hot, hot chile truffles and chocolate-chile elixirs.\u00a0 The most piquant plate on their visit was a pulled pork sandwich from Cowgirl BBQ & Western Grill<\/a> ostensibly so hot even locals couldn’t take it.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

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Two flavors of the Chocolate Cartel’s incomparable gelato served at Nicky V’s Neighborhood Pizzeria<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gridskipper<\/a>, an online service providing maps and news for urban travelers wrote in September that “despite what AMC’s Breaking Bad would have you believe, Albuquerque, New Mexico isn’t all meth cookery and fried chicken franchises. Instead, the city’s most sought after vice is undeniably the vaunted green chile cheeseburger, so popular in the state that it has its own government-funded trail (of tears, depending on how emotional you get about food<\/em>).\u00a0 The site listed some eight purveyors of green chile cheeseburger perfection throughout the Duke City.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

In October, the New York Times<\/em> Travel Magazine spent 36 hours in Albuquerque<\/a>.\u00a0 From the article’s inauspicious beginning (<\/span>FREE association with \u201cAlbuquerque\u201d used to yield \u201cBugs Bunny\u201d and \u201cthat airport you go through to get to Santa Fe.\u201d)<\/span>, you had to know the article had nowhere to go but up (as in very favorable toward the Duke City).\u00a0 It wouldn’t be a good visit without sampling some of the city’s best dining.\u00a0 The Magazine raved about the double-shot espresso milkshake and baked goods at the Golden Crown Panaderia<\/a>.\u00a0 It called carne adovada the “lifeblood” of Mary & Tito<\/a>‘s and praised the “bowling alley location, farm to table produce and a chef-owner with Chez Panisse credentials” at Ezra’s Place<\/a> as adding “up\u00a0 to hipster overload” anywhere but Albuquerque.\u00a0 As with many national publications, no visit to the Duke City would be complete without a meal (or several) at the Frontier Restaurant<\/a> where you can get “a killer cinnamon roll dripping with molten cinnamon goo.”\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In November, Andrew Zimmern, host of the Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods visited New Mexico to test the mettle of his iron cast stomach against some of the Land of Enchantment’s unique foods.\u00a0 Though the show is really about investigating culture through food, most people tune in to see if Zimmern can eat the unique local foods.\u00a0 He proved up to the task, enjoying blood pudding (morcillas) at a matanza in Valencia county and buffalo kidneys, testicles, liver and heart at the Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe.\u00a0 Zimmern also sampled prairie dog at the Zia Pueblo.\u00a0 It wasn’t all adventure eating, however.\u00a0 He also filled up on green chile cheeseburgers at the Bobcat Bite.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

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Moules Curry at P’tit Louis Bistro on Gold Street<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Geronimo<\/a>, widely regarded as the best restaurant in the state, was the only New Mexico restaurant recognized by the Forbes Travel Guide (formerly the Mobil Travel Guide) as a four-star restaurant.\u00a0 The travel guide names four- and five-star restaurants and spas.\u00a0 Only 25 restaurants across the country achieved a five-star designation. <\/span><\/p>\n

In the December, 2011 edition of New Mexico Magazine Cheryl Alters Jamison was introduced as contributing editor for all things culinary. Cheryl, who along with her husband Bill, is a four-time James Beard award-winning author is an authority on New Mexican food. She has served as the New Mexico Tourism Department’s culinary tourism liaison for three years, conceiving and implementing such initiatives as the New Mexico Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail<\/a> and the New Mexico Culinary Treasures Trail<\/a>. In December, Cheryl launched the Tasting New Mexico blog<\/a>, a scintillating read. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Monica and Rene Coronado, proprietors of Pollito Con Papas, one of the very best new restaurants launched in 2011<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In December, James Beard award-winning blog Serious Eats<\/a> created a list depicting “29 touristy spots in America that are actually good,” “tried and true tourist destinations that are actually worth your time and effort.”\u00a0 Only one New Mexico restaurant–Tomasita\u2019s<\/a> in Santa Fe–made this list.\u00a0 To Tomasita’s credit, it’s as popular with locals as it is with tourists.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Several restaurants fell victim to the worldwide economic malaise.\u00a0 Closing their doors for the final time after years of enthralling diners were such favorites as the Cajun Kitchen<\/a> which served Albuquerque for 24 years and Leona’s Restaurante de Chimayo<\/a>, a northern New Mexico staple for nearly two decades.\u00a0 Also closing were restaurants with a national profile such as La Fonda Del Bosque<\/a> which garnered recognition from Hispanic<\/em> magazine as one of the 50 best Hispanic restaurants in the United States in 2003 and 2004\u2013a remarkable achievement that came within three years of its launch.<\/span><\/p>\n

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White chocolate and cherry bread pudding from the Dragonfly Cafe & Bakery in Taos<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2011 was another banner year for readers of Gil\u2019s Thrilling (and Filling) Blog who aren’t at all shy about expressing themselves with passion, humor and one-upmanship. Faithful readers Bob of the Village of Los Ranchos and Larry McGoldrick both achieved the 100 comments milestone.\u00a0 There are now more than 3,300 reader comments on my reviews.\u00a0 I value your comments immensely and appreciate that you thought enough of my blog this year to have voted me as one of the Duke City\u2019s five best bloggers for 2010 in Albuquerque The Magazine<\/a>\u2019s annual \u201cbest of the city\u201d issue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Year in Review: 2021<\/a> |\u00a02020<\/a> |\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>2019<\/a><\/strong> | 2018<\/a><\/strong> | 2017<\/a><\/strong> | 2016<\/a><\/strong> | 2015<\/a><\/strong> | 2014<\/a><\/strong>| 2013<\/a><\/strong> | 2012<\/a><\/strong> | 2011<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0| 2010<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tis the season\u2026for year-end retrospectives in which the good, the bad and the ugly; the triumphs and tragedies; the highs and lows and the ups and downs are revisited ad-infinitum by seemingly every print and cyberspace medium in existence.\u00a0 It\u2019s the time of year in which the \u201cin-your-face\u201d media practically forces a reminiscence\u2013either fondly or with disgust\u2013about the year that was.\u00a0 It\u2019s a time for introspection, resolutions and for looking forward with hope to the year to come.\u00a0 The New Mexico culinary landscape had more highs than it did lows in 2010. Here\u2019s my thrilling (and filling) recap. In January, Bon Appetit magazine named Tomasita\u2019s of Santa Fe, one of America\u2019s \u201cbest chili spots.\u201d Alas, it was the exclusive \u201cchile\u201d…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47037,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[533,2340],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-announcements","category-red-or-green-new-mexico-food-scene-is-on-fire"],"yoast_head":"\n2011: The Thrilling & Filling Year in Food - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=10451\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"2011: The Thrilling & Filling Year in Food - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Tis the season\u2026for year-end retrospectives in which the good, the bad and the ugly; the triumphs and tragedies; the highs and lows and the ups and downs are revisited ad-infinitum by seemingly every print and cyberspace medium in existence.\u00a0 It\u2019s the time of year in which the \u201cin-your-face\u201d media practically forces a reminiscence\u2013either fondly or with disgust\u2013about the year that was.\u00a0 It\u2019s a time for introspection, resolutions and for looking forward with hope to the year to come.\u00a0 The New Mexico culinary landscape had more highs than it did lows in 2010. Here\u2019s my thrilling (and filling) recap. 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Here\u2019s my thrilling (and filling) recap. 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