{"id":36183,"date":"2015-03-28T20:58:14","date_gmt":"2015-03-29T02:58:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=36183"},"modified":"2018-07-15T14:47:50","modified_gmt":"2018-07-15T20:47:50","slug":"cafe-caribe-albuquerque-new-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=36183","title":{"rendered":"Cafe Caribe &#8211; Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<figure style=\"width: 333px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 333px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 333\/500;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe01.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"333\" height=\"500\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe01.jpg?lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 333w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe01.jpg?size=128x192&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 128w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe01.jpg?size=256x384&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 256w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 333px) 100vw, 333px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cafe Caribe on Fourth Street Just North of Central<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">When you&#8217;re on one of the Caribbean islands, sometimes it&#8217;s hard to picture<br \/>\nhow they fit in with the rest, but when you see them all joined together<br \/>\nlike a necklace from space, you see the natural geographic connectedness of them all.<br \/>\n<strong>~Chris Hadfield<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">In virtually every sense, the Caribbean is a &#8220;melting pot.&#8221; It&#8217;s an amalgam, a hodgepodge, mishmash&#8230;a potpourri.  It&#8217;s a gallimaufry, a  confused jumble or medley of things.  It&#8217;s a blend of African, Amerindian, European, East Indian, Arab and Chinese influences.  Attitudinally, it&#8217;s  festive and vibrant, bold and beautiful, fun and exciting.  It inspires a joie de vivre.  So does the diverse and delicious cuisine prepared throughout the island nations.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">If you\u2019re wondering how you may have missed out on such exciting culinary fare, chances are you haven\u2019t. Every time you\u2019ve visited one of Albuquerque\u2019s Cuban restaurants, you\u2019ve indulged in the cuisine of one of the many Caribbean\u2019s island nations. You may have even visited the short-lived Jamaican restaurant that plied its wares on Central Avenue\u2026and if you\u2019ve ever visited the fabulous <a title=\"Talking Drums\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=15107\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Talking Drums<\/a> restaurant, you\u2019ve experienced not only the most sumptuous African cuisine, but some of the very best food the Caribbean has to offer.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 494px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 494px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 494\/329;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe02.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"494\" height=\"329\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe02.jpg?lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 494w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe02.jpg?size=128x85&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 128w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe02.jpg?size=256x170&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 256w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe02.jpg?size=384x256&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 384w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 494px) 100vw, 494px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The colorful interior of Cafe Caribe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">In recent years, the diversity of the island cuisine has been broached, though not featured exclusively, in such heralded eateries as the <a title=\"Guava Tree Cafe\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=11515\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Guava Tree Cafe<\/a> and <a title=\"Pasion Latin Fusion\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=12892\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pasion Latin Fusion<\/a>, both of whom were singled out by <em>Woman&#8217;s Day Magazine<\/em> for having \u201creenergized local palates.\u201d The reception Duke City diners has given these Pan-Latin fusion eateries seems to indicate Albuquerque is ready for much more. We\u2019re ready to embrace Caribbean cuisine in all its splendor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">In no way does that constitute my endorsement for the Bahama Breeze restaurant chain, an interloper now found in nearly forty cities across the fruited plain. Bahama Breeze claims to \u201cbring you the feeling of a Caribbean escape, offering the food, drink and atmosphere you\u2019d find in the islands.\u201d While some members of the \u201cchain gang\u201d will enjoy the faux island ambiance and facsimile food, for the rest of us, er&#8230;let\u2019s put it this way&#8230;Bahama Breeze is to Caribbean cuisine what the Outback Steakhouse is to Australian culinary fare.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 481px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 481px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 481\/476;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe03.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"481\" height=\"476\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe03.jpg?lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 481w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe03.jpg?size=128x127&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 128w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe03.jpg?size=256x253&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 256w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe03.jpg?size=384x380&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 384w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 481px) 100vw, 481px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mango-Lemonade and Passion Fruit-Lemonade<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">With the January, 2015 launch of Caf\u00e9 Caribe, adventurous Duke City diners need look no further than Fourth Street, just north of Central for an authentic Caribbean look and feel (not to mention taste and smell) that will transport you to the clear, azure waters of the Caribbean. Caf\u00e9 Caribe specializes in the types of dishes you\u2019d find in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Cuba. These dishes are all made with tradition and authenticity in mind. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">At the helm is veteran chef Alejandro Arteaga whose previous restaurant stints were in Los Angeles and New York City. Over his two decades plus as a chef, Alejandro has cut a wide swath across various cuisines, ranging from Mexican to Italian, Argentinian to Spanish. He surmised that a menu of Cuban and other Latin-Caribbean specialties would go over big in Albuquerque which has a reputation as a pretty open-minded hub of culinary diversity. <\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 486px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 486px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 486\/289;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe04.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"486\" height=\"289\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe04.jpg?lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 486w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe04.jpg?size=128x76&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 128w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe04.jpg?size=256x152&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 256w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe04.jpg?size=384x228&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 384w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 486px) 100vw, 486px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Empanadas Trio<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">You\u2019ll know you\u2019re getting close to Caf\u00e9 Caribe well before you get there. Two telltale signs serve as precursors to your visit. One is the festive, up-tempo music emanating from the restaurant\u2019s speakers. It\u2019s feel-good music with a beat even the rhythmically-challenged among us will enjoy. Even more inviting than the music are the evocative aromas coming from the kitchen. They may affect you in much the way the tintinnabulation of bells affected Pavlov\u2019s dogs.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">By the time you espy the slogan &#8220;Grab it.  Bite It.  Love It,&#8221; below the restaurant&#8217;s marquee, the pangs of hunger will have struck.  Savvy diners won&#8217;t even wait for the menu.  As soon as your server approaches, order the <em>empanadas trio<\/em>.  Now, if you&#8217;ve lived in New Mexico for a while, there&#8217;s a very good chance you&#8217;ve had an empanada or a thousand.  New Mexican abuelitas have been proudly making and serving these &#8220;turnovers&#8221; for generations and they won&#8217;t concede that anyone can make an empanada as well as they can.  With apologies to my own grandmothers, the empanadas at Cafe Caribe are pretty darned good.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 487px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 487px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 487\/342;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe05.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"487\" height=\"342\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe05.jpg?lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 487w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe05-300x211.jpg?lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 300w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe05.jpg?size=128x90&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 128w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe05.jpg?size=384x270&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 384w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 487px) 100vw, 487px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ensalada con Pi\u00f1a Y Pollo \/ Pineapple and Chicken Salad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">The empanadas trio offers your choice of Chicken Sofrito, Beef Picadillo or Four Cheese.  You&#8217;ll want to try at least one of each.  You&#8217;ll also want to visit on Mondays between 4 and 6 because every Monday is &#8220;empanada night&#8221; and you can have as many one dollar empanadas as your heart desires.  These gilded, crescent-shaped treasures are art on a plate, each addictively delicious.  The chicken sofrito (the Spanish trinity of chopped onion, garlic and bell pepper) and the Beef Picadillo (a melange of ingredients)  empanadas are stuffed deliciousness while the four cheese empanada exemplifies gooey, cheesy goodness.  The trio is served with a pleasantly piquant sauce that enlivened the empanadas even further.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">Cafe Caribe has the answer to any questions you might have about how to cool down on a balmy summer day. The answer, of course, is lemonade and not just any lemonade. Wash down your meal with an organic lemonade, limeade or mint lemonade. Better still, indulge in a <em>fruit lemonade<\/em> made with your choice of strawberry, guava, coconut, mango, mixed berries or passion fruit.  The tropical fruit flavors seem a natural complement to the tangy lemonade.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 486px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 486px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 486\/278;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe06.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"486\" height=\"278\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe06.jpg?lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 486w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe06.jpg?size=128x73&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 128w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe06.jpg?size=256x146&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 256w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe06.jpg?size=384x220&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 384w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 486px) 100vw, 486px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pernil Asado (Roasted Pork)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">Cafe Caribe&#8217;s salad menu lists four innovative and inviting salads.  The <em>golden pineapple chicken salad<\/em> may be the most &#8220;tropical&#8221; of the lot, a beautifully plated arrangement of mixed mesclun (a salad mix of assorted small, young salad green leaves), pineapple, dried cranberries, toasted almonds and grilled chicken.  There&#8217;s not much (if any) dressing on this salad which means the other ingredients had better be able to stand out on their own.  They do&#8211;and very well.  Texturally, the toasted almonds and dried cranberries provide a nice contrast to the crisp greens, juicy pineapple and perfectly grilled chicken all of which together create a very good flavor profile.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">With all due respect to the salad and even the empanadas, we visited Cafe Caribe for the <em>pernil asaldo<\/em> or Caribbean roasted pork.  The pernil is marinated in a myriad of Latin spices that imbue it with garlicky and citrus notes, a flavor profile made possible only through slow, meticulous preparation.  The roasted pork more closely resembles the pulled pork of Southern barbecue than it does cochinita pibil, the luscious shredded pork dish prepared so wondrously at <a title=\"El Norte\u00f1o\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=268\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">El Norte\u00f1o<\/a>.  The shredded pork, served in a plentiful portion, is fluffy and moist, tempered with pickled red onions and served with a yellow rice.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 486px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 486px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 486\/312;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe07.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"486\" height=\"312\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe07.jpg?lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 486w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe07.jpg?size=128x82&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 128w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe07.jpg?size=256x164&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 256w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe07.jpg?size=384x247&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 384w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 486px) 100vw, 486px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Arroz Con Pollo with Pinto Beans<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">Perhaps even better than the pernil asado (which is excellent) is the <em>arroz con pollo<\/em>, a chicken and rice dish made with saffron rice, shredded chicken, sofrito, peas and carrots.  My Kim called it the best arroz con pollo she&#8217;s ever had while I&#8217;d be challenged to choose between Cafe Caribe&#8217;s version or the one served at <a title=\"Ajiaco Colombian Bistro\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=35427\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ajiaco Colombian Bistro<\/a>.  It&#8217;s amazing how moist and delicious a rice dish can be made (if only someone could teach New Mexicans how to make it).  It&#8217;s so good you may want to finish it all in one serving, but so plentiful, you could have a second meal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">Just because peaches aren&#8217;t native to the Caribbean doesn&#8217;t mean enterprising chefs can&#8217;t incorporate them into delicious desserts.  Appropriately, one of the best ice cream-based desserts anywhere in Albuquerque, is called the <em>Peach Paradise<\/em>.  It&#8217;s easy to taste why.  A large goblet is hard-pressed to contain the generous scoops of French vanilla ice cream with its characteristically richer and deeper flavor notes than regular ice cream along with whipped cream, a cherry sauce and sliced peach halves.  It&#8217;s an excellent dessert with refreshing qualities and the superb flavors of fresh peaches and rich French vanilla.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 333px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 333px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 333\/501;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe08.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"333\" height=\"501\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe08.jpg?lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 333w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe08.jpg?size=128x193&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 128w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Caribe08.jpg?size=256x385&amp;lossy=2&amp;strip=1&amp;webp=1 256w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 333px) 100vw, 333px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Peach Paradise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\">As if you need any more reasons to visit, Cafe Caribe provides live music every Friday.  They offer vegetarian dishes and gluten-free options every day.  It&#8217;s a family-owned and operated restaurant with an experienced chef who aims to please.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Verdana;\"><strong>Cafe Caribe<\/strong><br \/>\n102 4th Streeet, N.W.<br \/>\n<strong>Albuquerque, New Mexico<\/strong><br \/>\n<span class=\"baec5a81-e4d6-4674-97f3-e9220f0136c1\" style=\"white-space: nowrap;\">(505) 242-2378<\/span><br \/>\n<strong>LATEST VISIT<\/strong>: 28 March 2015<br \/>\n<strong># OF VISITS<\/strong>: 1<br \/>\n<strong>RATING<\/strong>: N\/R<br \/>\n<strong>COST<\/strong>: $$ &#8211; $$$<br \/>\n<strong>BEST BET<\/strong>: Peach Paradise, Arroz Con Pollo, Roasted Pork\/Pernil, Empanada Trio, Ensalada Con Pi\u00f1a Y Pollo <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you&#8217;re on one of the Caribbean islands, sometimes it&#8217;s hard to picture how they fit in with the rest, but when you see them all joined together like a necklace from space, you see the natural geographic connectedness of them all. ~Chris Hadfield In virtually every sense, the Caribbean is a &#8220;melting pot.&#8221; It&#8217;s an amalgam, a hodgepodge, mishmash&#8230;a potpourri. It&#8217;s a gallimaufry, a confused jumble or medley of things. It&#8217;s a blend of African, Amerindian, European, East Indian, Arab and Chinese influences. Attitudinally, it&#8217;s festive and vibrant, bold and beautiful, fun and exciting. It inspires a joie de vivre. So does the diverse and delicious cuisine prepared throughout the island nations. If you\u2019re wondering how you may have&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36188,"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":[440,688,262,587,141],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36183","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-albuquerque","category-closed-in-2016","category-closed","category-latin","category-new-mexico"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Cafe Caribe - Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED) - Gil&#039;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=36183\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Cafe Caribe - Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED) - Gil&#039;s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When you&#8217;re on one of the Caribbean islands, sometimes it&#8217;s hard to picture how they fit in with the rest, but when you see them all joined together like a necklace from space, you see the natural geographic connectedness of them all. ~Chris Hadfield In virtually every sense, the Caribbean is a &#8220;melting pot.&#8221; It&#8217;s an amalgam, a hodgepodge, mishmash&#8230;a potpourri. 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