{"id":15765,"date":"2012-06-26T13:12:36","date_gmt":"2012-06-26T19:12:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765"},"modified":"2022-12-03T10:04:53","modified_gmt":"2022-12-03T16:04:53","slug":"timbuctu-bistro-rio-rancho-new-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765","title":{"rendered":"Timbuctu Bistro – Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
The Timbuctu Bistro is on the southeast corner of the Mariposa Information Center<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

Growing up in bucolic Pe\u00f1asco back when fires were still started by rubbing two sticks together and mastodons roamed the Earth, I distinctly remember hearing playmates uttering the term “going all the way to Timbuktu.”\u00a0 Considering we all thought Albuquerque was a million miles away, we couldn’t imagine just how far away Timbuktu must be.\u00a0 Some of us reasoned it\u00a0 existed only as a figment of the imagination similar to Oz, Neverland and Atlantis (Hogwarts, Narnia and Jurassic Park for you Generation Yers).\u00a0 Even adult teachers whom we asked dismissed it as a distant land in deepest, darkest Africa though it was obvious they weren’t quite sure where it actually was…or if it existed at all.<\/span><\/p>\n

Though seemingly synonymous with “some far away place,” Timbuktu does exist and imaginative children of all ages do visit it on occasion.\u00a0\u00a0 Timbuktu is a city of some 50,000 citizens–the most remote city, in fact, in the country of Mali, the crown jewel of West Africa.\u00a0 It’s located between the southern edge of the mighty Sahara and the great bend of the Niger River.\u00a0 Not only is it far away, it is difficult to get there, the only reliable route in or out being by chartered aircraft.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Restaurant impresario and Timbuctu Bistro owner Nico Ortiz (far right) discusses the daily menu<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When you visit the Timbuctu Bistro in Rio Rancho, it’s pretty obvious how the restaurant got its name.\u00a0\u00a0 It’s about four miles north of the Santa Ana Star Center which even most of Rio Rancho’s citizenry erroneously believe is as far northwest as you can go and still be in the City of Vision.\u00a0 There’s a vast expanse of sage and sand as far as the eyes can see on both sides of the two lane Unser Boulevard on the way to Mariposa, the environmentally-responsible master-planned community in which the Bistro is located. The Bistro is housed in complex which was previously home to the much-missed Outlook Cafe<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Its perceived distance will likely make the Timbuctu Bistro a true destination restaurant, an\u00a0 exclusive enclave far away from the bustling well-beaten and well-eaten path that defines the Rio Rancho\u2019s dining scene. In truth, however, from the intersection of Rio Rancho\u2019s Unser and Southern Boulevards, the Timbuctu Bistro is almost equidistant to the Cottonwood Mall. There are far fewer traffic lights, no traffic snarls and once you\u2019re past the turnoff to Northern, virtually no other traffic and only a couple of residential neighborhoods.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
French Toast: two slices of locally-made Challah bread battered with a spiced orange liqueur, grilled golden brown and topped with vanilla whipped cream and fresh berries; served with warm syrup<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There’s another reason for the name Timbuctu Bistro.\u00a0 The charming restaurant which opened in May, 2012, is owned by Rio Rancho restaurant impresario Niko Ortiz, proprietor of the Turtle Mountain Brewing Company<\/a> and the Fat Squirrel Pub & Grille<\/a>.\u00a0 The first letters of each word in Turtle Mountain Brewing Company (TMBC) are virtually an acronym for Timbuctu, ergo the name.\u00a0 The Bistro is ensconced in a 1,200 square-foot corner space in the capacious two-story business center, a modern edifice with plenty of glass to take advantage of wondrous panoramic views.\u00a0 From the ground-level cafe, your views are of the Sandia, Sangre de Cristo, Manzano and Ortiz Mountains, views which seem even more spectacular from the patio.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Bistro has a beer and wine license, but for those of us who appreciate other adult beverages, there’s\u00a0 Villa Myriam Specialty Coffee<\/a>, a start-up franchise owned and operated by Juan and David Certain.\u00a0 The hand-picked Colombian\u00a0Arabica bean is hand-roasted in Albuquerque.\u00a0 It’s an excellent coffee, best described on the Villa Myriam Web site: “A very intense fragrance and aroma with an exotic flavor and a medium to heavy body, very balanced cup with a strong character and very pleasant after taste. With nutty cacao and hints of caramel smokiness notes. With the richness and flavor that makes Colombian coffee famous<\/em>.”\u00a0\u00a0 Only at Cafe Bella<\/a> have I had a better Cafe Au Lait in New Mexico.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Crab Cake Benedict: Two green chile crab cakes topped with poached eggs smothered in house-made Hollandaise and served with hash browns<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Timbuctu Bistro is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday from 11AM to 3PM and for dinner Tuesday through Sunday starting at 5PM.\u00a0 Brunch is served Saturdays and Sundays from 9AM to 3PM.\u00a0 The menu is surprisingly ambitious considering the Bistro’s tiny confines, though it’s not an especially large menu (four appetizers, three salads, seven lunch entrees, six dinner entrees and eight brunch entrees).\u00a0 It’s a menu wholly unlike that at either of Niko Ortiz’s other restaurant ventures and it has a distinct New Mexican influence.\u00a0 Burgers and sandwiches dominate the lunch menu while more sophisticated offerings (including a red chile bourbon glazed salmon) are available for dinner.\u00a0 Aside from the salads, the most vegetarian-friendly<\/strong> items on the menu are a quesadilla (flour tortilla with Monterey Jack, tri-colored bell pepper-onion mix served with guacamole and sour cream) and a hummus cups (red chile hummus piled into crisp cucumber cups, each garnished with diced tomato, a pita chip and fresh basil) appetizer.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Brunch is the best of two worlds\u2013not quite breakfast and not quite lunch, but the best of both. It\u2019s a leisurely weekend repast which makes you feel you\u2019re getting away with something, as if you\u2019re defying your mom\u2019s mandate not to have dessert before the main entree.\u00a0 The Timbuctu Bistro has some of the standard New Mexico brunch favorites such as a breakfast burrito and French toast, but some are distinct enough not to be classified as the “same old, same old.”\u00a0\u00a0 Take the French Toast<\/em>, for example.\u00a0 Two slices of locally-made Challah bread are battered with a spiced orange liqueur then grilled golden brown and topped with vanilla whipped cream and fresh berries.\u00a0 The spiced orange liqueur adds a nice citrusy touch and it’s hard to dispute that Challah bread makes the very best French toast.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Classic Breakfast: Two fried eggs over easy, two slices of bacon, a tortilla and yogurt with fresh fruit<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For a uniquely New Mexico twist on a traditional favorite, you can’t beat the Bistro’s Crab Cake Benedict<\/em>, two green chile crab cakes topped with poached eggs smothered in house-made Hollandaise and served with hash browns.\u00a0 My friend\u00a0 Larry McGoldrick<\/a>, the professor with the perspicacious palate, contends “green chile is strictly forbidden<\/em>” on crab cakes, but I believe these would make a convert out of him.\u00a0 The crab cakes are fashioned from jumbo lump crab meat which is impregnated with the incomparable flavor of New Mexico roasted green chile–only enough to be discernible, not to dominate.\u00a0 For good measure, the house-made Hollandaise is lightly dusted with red chile.\u00a0 Only at the Gold Street Caffe<\/a> will you find a comparable Southwest influenced Eggs Benedict dish.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

If you’re not in an adventurous mood, the Bistro offers a Classic Breakfast<\/em> option (two eggs any style with your choice of bacon, house-made chorizo (cumin added) or Canadian bacon served with hash browns and sourdough toast).\u00a0 You can also substitute a tortilla and yogurt with fresh fruit for the hash browns and sourdough toast.\u00a0 The yogurt is sweetened with honey, a nice contrast to the tangy, fresh berries and the creamy, pleasantly sour flavor of yogurt.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
The Pi\u00f1a Burger: Half-Pound Beef Patty topped with a tequila pineapple salsa, Canadian bacon, Provolone and Teriyaki served on ciabatta<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lunch options include three intriguing gourmet burgers, all of which start with a half-pound beef patty on ciabatta.\u00a0 One of the burgers, the Pi\u00f1a burger<\/em>, answers the question as to what a burger version of a Hawaiian pizza might look and taste like.\u00a0 The beef toppings include a tequila pineapple salsa, Canadian bacon, Provolone and teriyaki sauce.\u00a0 The saltiness of the Canadian bacon (which not even Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman<\/a> can distinguish from ham) is a nice foil for the sweet-tart flavors of the finely chopped pineapple and the nuttiness of the Provolone.\u00a0 The ciabatta is toasted so the edges are crisp and the insides are soft.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

You can also substitute a marinated portabello mushroom cap or eight-ounce chicken breast on any burger for no additional charge.\u00a0 Better still, if you’re on a no- or low-carb diet, substitute the ciabatta for two large portobello buns. My friend Paul “Boomer” Lilly swears by this on “The Green Machine<\/em>,” Timbuctu’s rendition of a green chile cheeseburger which also includes applewood smoked bacon, green chile, Cheddar, spicy chipotle mayo and a fried egg.\u00a0 All burgers and sandwiches come with your choice of tri-color rotini pasta salad or classic potato salad, but you can substitute a side salad or classic potato salad for a dollar more. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
The Green Machine: half-pound beef patty (normally served on ciabatta, but pictured above with two portabello mushrooms in lieu of buns) topped with applewood smoked bacon, green chile, Cheddar, spicy chipotle mayo and a fried egg.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Aside from the burgers, the lunch menu offers a quesadilla, five sandwiches and a Pasta Al Fresco<\/em> entree (angel hair pasta tossed in garlic white wine sauce with capers, grape tomatoes and basil chiffonade served with garlic toast points and your choice (for a cost) of a four-ounce chicken breast, four-ounce salmon, spicy Italian sausage or citrus-marinated shrimp.\u00a0 It’s a surprisingly sophisticated entree with a richness of flavors.\u00a0 The Italian sausage has a nice kick to complement the buttery silkiness of the fine pasta.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

Dinner at Timbuctu is a more upscale event with a smattering of New Mexican and Southwest inspired entrees (Southwest Alfredo, Red Chile Bourbon-Glazed Salmon, Fajitas and Carne Adovada) among a chops menu some steak houses would envy.\u00a0 The veal chop and herb-crusted rack of lamb are knocking on the forty dollar price point, but if they taste nearly as good as they’re described on the menu, they’ll be worth the price.\u00a0 Burgerphiles can also have The Green Machine if they’re so inclined.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Pasta Al Fresco: Angel hair pasta tossed in garlic white wine sauce with capers, grape tomatoes and basil chiffonade served with garlic toast points and spicy Italian sausage<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Timbuktu has long had the connotation of a place so distant that going any farther is inconceivable.\u00a0 The Timbuctu Bistro may someday be known not for being the furthest away (at least from the city’s population center) of Rio Rancho’s restaurants, but for being a viable, delicious dining option worth the drive from anywhere in the area.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Timbuctu Bistro<\/strong>
\n2500 Parkway Avenue
\nRio Rancho, New Mexico<\/strong>
\nLATEST VISIT<\/strong>: 26 June 2012
\n1st VISIT<\/strong>:\u00a0 12 May 2012
\n# OF VISITS<\/strong>: 2
\nRATING<\/strong>: 19
\nCOST<\/strong>: $$
\nBEST BET<\/strong>: Crab Cake Benedict, Classic Breakfast, French Toast, Coffee Au Lait, Pi\u00f1a Burger, The Green Machine<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Growing up in bucolic Pe\u00f1asco back when fires were still started by rubbing two sticks together and mastodons roamed the Earth, I distinctly remember hearing playmates uttering the term “going all the way to Timbuktu.”\u00a0 Considering we all thought Albuquerque was a million miles away, we couldn’t imagine just how far away Timbuktu must be.\u00a0 Some of us reasoned it\u00a0 existed only as a figment of the imagination similar to Oz, Neverland and Atlantis (Hogwarts, Narnia and Jurassic Park for you Generation Yers).\u00a0 Even adult teachers whom we asked dismissed it as a distant land in deepest, darkest Africa though it was obvious they weren’t quite sure where it actually was…or if it existed at all. Though seemingly synonymous with…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46952,"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":[21,165,607,262,141,265],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american","category-brunch","category-closed-in-2013","category-closed","category-new-mexico","category-rio-rancho"],"yoast_head":"\nTimbuctu Bistro - Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED) - 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=15765\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Timbuctu Bistro - Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED) - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Growing up in bucolic Pe\u00f1asco back when fires were still started by rubbing two sticks together and mastodons roamed the Earth, I distinctly remember hearing playmates uttering the term “going all the way to Timbuktu.”\u00a0 Considering we all thought Albuquerque was a million miles away, we couldn’t imagine just how far away Timbuktu must be.\u00a0 Some of us reasoned it\u00a0 existed only as a figment of the imagination similar to Oz, Neverland and Atlantis (Hogwarts, Narnia and Jurassic Park for you Generation Yers).\u00a0 Even adult teachers whom we asked dismissed it as a distant land in deepest, darkest Africa though it was obvious they weren’t quite sure where it actually was…or if it existed at all. Though seemingly synonymous with…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nmgastronome\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-06-26T19:12:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-12-03T16:04:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Timbuctu09.gif\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"475\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"318\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/gif\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Gil Garduno\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Gil Garduno\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=15765#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=15765\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Gil Garduno\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/423b9c3eeeb199e43ab4f1f584fa67bf\"},\"headline\":\"Timbuctu Bistro – Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED)\",\"datePublished\":\"2012-06-26T19:12:36+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-12-03T16:04:53+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=15765\"},\"wordCount\":1869,\"commentCount\":14,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=15765#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2012\\\/06\\\/Timbuctu09.gif\",\"articleSection\":[\"American\",\"Brunch\",\"Closed in 2013\",\"Gone But Not Forgotten\",\"New Mexico\",\"Rio Rancho\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=15765#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=15765\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=15765\",\"name\":\"Timbuctu Bistro - Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED) - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=15765#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=15765#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2012\\\/06\\\/Timbuctu09.gif\",\"datePublished\":\"2012-06-26T19:12:36+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-12-03T16:04:53+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=15765#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=15765\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=15765#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2012\\\/06\\\/Timbuctu09.gif\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2012\\\/06\\\/Timbuctu09.gif\",\"width\":475,\"height\":318},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=15765#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Timbuctu Bistro – Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED)\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\",\"description\":\"Follow the Culinary Ruminations of New Mexico's Sesquipedalian Sybarite. 1,522 Restaurant Reviews, More Than 14,900 Visitor Comments...And Counting!\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"\",\"contentUrl\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/423b9c3eeeb199e43ab4f1f584fa67bf\",\"name\":\"Gil Garduno\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/140571d25459ad5954bce10ffc2f8c8d21c92edf345ea30e6145c3e68a417af1?s=96&r=pg\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/140571d25459ad5954bce10ffc2f8c8d21c92edf345ea30e6145c3e68a417af1?s=96&r=pg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/140571d25459ad5954bce10ffc2f8c8d21c92edf345ea30e6145c3e68a417af1?s=96&r=pg\",\"caption\":\"Gil Garduno\"},\"description\":\"Since 2008, the tagline on Gil\u2019s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog has invited you to \u201cFollow the Culinary Ruminations of New Mexico\u2019s Sesquipedalian Sybarite.\u201d To date, more than six million visitors have trusted (or at least visited) my recommendations on more than 1,300 restaurant reviews. Please take a few minutes to tell me what you think. Whether you agree or disagree with me, I'd love to hear about it.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/%20\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/nmgastronome\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/nmgastronome\\\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Timbuctu Bistro - Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED) - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Timbuctu Bistro - Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED) - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","og_description":"Growing up in bucolic Pe\u00f1asco back when fires were still started by rubbing two sticks together and mastodons roamed the Earth, I distinctly remember hearing playmates uttering the term “going all the way to Timbuktu.”\u00a0 Considering we all thought Albuquerque was a million miles away, we couldn’t imagine just how far away Timbuktu must be.\u00a0 Some of us reasoned it\u00a0 existed only as a figment of the imagination similar to Oz, Neverland and Atlantis (Hogwarts, Narnia and Jurassic Park for you Generation Yers).\u00a0 Even adult teachers whom we asked dismissed it as a distant land in deepest, darkest Africa though it was obvious they weren’t quite sure where it actually was…or if it existed at all. Though seemingly synonymous with…","og_url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765","og_site_name":"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nmgastronome\/","article_published_time":"2012-06-26T19:12:36+00:00","article_modified_time":"2022-12-03T16:04:53+00:00","og_image":[{"width":475,"height":318,"url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Timbuctu09.gif","type":"image\/gif"}],"author":"Gil Garduno","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Gil Garduno","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765"},"author":{"name":"Gil Garduno","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#\/schema\/person\/423b9c3eeeb199e43ab4f1f584fa67bf"},"headline":"Timbuctu Bistro – Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED)","datePublished":"2012-06-26T19:12:36+00:00","dateModified":"2022-12-03T16:04:53+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765"},"wordCount":1869,"commentCount":14,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Timbuctu09.gif","articleSection":["American","Brunch","Closed in 2013","Gone But Not Forgotten","New Mexico","Rio Rancho"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765","url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765","name":"Timbuctu Bistro - Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED) - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Timbuctu09.gif","datePublished":"2012-06-26T19:12:36+00:00","dateModified":"2022-12-03T16:04:53+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Timbuctu09.gif","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Timbuctu09.gif","width":475,"height":318},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15765#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Timbuctu Bistro – Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED)"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/","name":"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","description":"Follow the Culinary Ruminations of New Mexico's Sesquipedalian Sybarite. 1,522 Restaurant Reviews, More Than 14,900 Visitor Comments...And Counting!","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#organization","name":"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"","contentUrl":"","caption":"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#\/schema\/person\/423b9c3eeeb199e43ab4f1f584fa67bf","name":"Gil Garduno","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/140571d25459ad5954bce10ffc2f8c8d21c92edf345ea30e6145c3e68a417af1?s=96&r=pg","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/140571d25459ad5954bce10ffc2f8c8d21c92edf345ea30e6145c3e68a417af1?s=96&r=pg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/140571d25459ad5954bce10ffc2f8c8d21c92edf345ea30e6145c3e68a417af1?s=96&r=pg","caption":"Gil Garduno"},"description":"Since 2008, the tagline on Gil\u2019s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog has invited you to \u201cFollow the Culinary Ruminations of New Mexico\u2019s Sesquipedalian Sybarite.\u201d To date, more than six million visitors have trusted (or at least visited) my recommendations on more than 1,300 restaurant reviews. Please take a few minutes to tell me what you think. Whether you agree or disagree with me, I'd love to hear about it.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/%20","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nmgastronome\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/nmgastronome\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15765"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15765\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62216,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15765\/revisions\/62216"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/46952"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}