{"id":5017,"date":"2010-10-25T11:14:09","date_gmt":"2010-10-25T11:14:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017"},"modified":"2026-03-31T19:27:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T01:27:13","slug":"annapurna-chai-house-albuquerque-new-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017","title":{"rendered":"Annapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine – Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Annapurna
Annapurna on 4th Street in the North Valley<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans, are a persistent irritant to any chef worth a damn. To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demi-glace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living. Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, and an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food<\/em>.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Anthony Bourdain’s dour diatribe on the “evils” of vegeterians and vegans is hardly unwonted. \u00a0The internet is rife with mean-spirited assailments against people who choose a plant-based diet that includes fruits, cereal grains, seeds, nuts and vegetables and may or may not exclude dairy products and eggs. \u00a0Reciprocation in kind is also well represented on the Internet by vegetarians and vegans who lambast the carnivorous cravings of meat-eaters. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Annapurna
Annapurna and its sprawling space<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This lack of civility and parochial discourse is usually reserved for politics and ideologues (on both sides of the aisle) who can’t concede any merit whatsoever about the opposing viewpoint. \u00a0It’s not enough to disagree with someone else’s opinion or choice, dissenters on both sides seem to have a base need to resort to derisive pejoratives. <\/span><\/p>\n

So, just how do you resolve differences of opinion without resorting to name-calling? \u00a0The answer may lie in an article published in the Society page of the New York Times<\/em> Sunday edition on May 5, 1918 which posited that “soap-boxers emitting hatred and trust” may be having trouble with their stomachs which sometimes direct human action more than the mind does. \u00a0 The writer observed that where there are points of disagreement, a good dinner usually settles them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Thaali
Thaali Plate: A cup of each of our Vegetables of the day, a cup of Dal, a cup of Sambhar, Basmati rice or brown rice, Chapati (\ufb02atbread), and your choice of a chutney, yogurt or raita.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The question then becomes just where to have that dinner. \u00a0Obviously in the case of vegetarians and meatatarians, it would be a challenge worthy of a sagacious Solomon. \u00a0For me, it’s enough of a challenge to get some of my friends and colleagues to try something new and different, something outside their comfort zone–somewhere like Annapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine, a world vegetarian cafe which touts itself as “the place for healing cuisine.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Most of my colleagues equate “healing cuisine” with medicine and believe vegetarianism should be practiced exclusively by rabbits. \u00a0Their idea of world cuisine is pizza, tacos and egg rolls. \u00a0Fortunately my friend and fellow Air Force retiree Randy Lake (who risked merciless taunting from our crew in ordering a veggie burger at the Stone Face Tavern<\/a>) and his beauteous better half Bonnie, like me, welcome a periodic respite from the mundanity of the “usual suspects.” \u00a0They were more than eager to visit Annapurna with me. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"South
South Indian Sampler Plate: One Miniature Masala Dosa, a piece of Vadai, a bowl of Sambhar with two Idlis and a side of coconut chutney<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Annapurna is a Sanskrit (the ancient language of the Hindus) word that literally means “complete food.” \u00a0As the goddess of food and abundance, Annapurna is also responsible for the nourishment of the family. \u00a0This isn’t nourishment in the American sense of caloric overachievement, but in the Hindu traditional sense and medical treatise for healing and prolonging life called Ayurveda. <\/span><\/p>\n

Ayurveda is a 5,000 year-old system of healing and well-being. \u00a0“Ayur” means “life” and “veda” means “knowledge,” hence the knowledge of longevity. \u00a0Ayurveda offers healing, rejuvenation and self realization through balanced foods, herbs, yoga, massage, aroma and meditation. \u00a0Ayurveda teaches how to pay attention to how and what is eaten and to take responsibility for our health. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"North
North Indian Sampler Plate: One cup of Saag with two paneer, one cup of Mataar with two paneer, one cup of our Bean of the Day, and your choice of Basmati or brown rice, one Chapati, one mini Dosa, or three Puri<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ayurveda prescribes purity of food (Sattvic) for healing and maintaining good health. \u00a0Sattvic food incorporates the six tastes in every meal: sweet, bitter, sour, astringent, salty and pungent. <\/span><\/p>\n

Interestingly, in the west, it’s generally accepted that the human tongue can discern only four different tastes and that all tastes in the dining experience are combinations of those four: sweet, bitter, sour, and salty. By contrast, the Chinese have long believed that the human tongue possesses a fifth taste sensation–one that can detect pungent foods. \u00a0The Sattvic recognition that there are six discernible tastes should be a siren’s call to all adventurous foodies.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ABC
ABC (Avocado, tempeh Bacon, Cheddar cheese, spinach, tomatoes, and chipotle dressing)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As Randy, Bonnie and I found out during our inaugural visit to Annapurna, the depth of flavors in virtually every bite will certainly invigorate and stimulate seemingly every one of your ten-thousand taste buds. \u00a0Even if you don’t consciously attempt to discern each of the taste sensations, you’ll swear you’re tasting them in every mouthful. \u00a0Of course adventurous, exotic and taste awakening sensations don’t mean as much if the cuisine doesn’t measure up in deliciousness.<\/span><\/p>\n

At Annapurna, deliciousness is part and parcel of every dining experience. \u00a0It’s Indian cuisine to the nth degree and an order of magnitude better than most vegetarian cuisine. \u00a0It’s cuisine that provides pleasure in every forkful, a sensual delight in every meal. \u00a0The Alibi described every platter at Annapurna as a “delicacy.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Masala
Masala Dosa (Dosa filled with a spicy vegetable mixture. Served with Sambhar and coconut chutney)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

First-time visitors need not despair about what to order, especially if you’re already somewhat familiar with Indian cuisine. \u00a0The menu is extremely user friendly with vivid color pictures of many entrees as well as inviting descriptions of the entrees. \u00a0To the greatest extent possible, the food is locally grown and is always freshly prepared every day. \u00a0That is an amazing feat considering the breadth of the menu, a multi-page compendium of Ayurvedic deliciousness. <\/span><\/p>\n

An Annapurna dining experience is not only meat-free, you won’t find white flour, white salt, white sugar, sodas or alcohol and with the exception of homemade paneer (a traditional, unaged, non-melting farmer’s cheese made by curdling heated milk with lemon juice or other food acid) and a traditional milk-based chai (a tea brewed with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs), you won’t find much dairy either.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Annapurna’s Gourmet Pizza adorned with green chile, Kalamata olives and tempeh bacon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The menu changes seasonally–another Ayurvedic principle based on the seasons knowing what you need during each quadrant of the year. \u00a0In addition to the mostly traditional Indian cuisine, the menu also includes some “western” or rather “westernized” entrees such as pizza, sandwiches, veggie burgers, lasagna, wraps and even a brunch burrito.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the very best ways to acquaint yourself with the menu is by ordering one of the sampler plates. \u00a0Fortunately the first three items on the menu feature three grand sampler plates with an impressive array of delicious dishes. \u00a0The Thaali Plate<\/em>, for example, includes a cup of each of the restaurant’s vegetables of the day, a cup of Dal (a yellow split mung bean soup with vegetables), a cup of Sambhar (a spicy, brothy yellow split mung bean soup with vegetables), Basmati or brown rice, Chapati (flatbread) and your choice of chutney, yogurt or raita. \u00a0This is a stellar plate with a lot going on. \u00a0It will put a smile on your lips and bring warmth to your heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Shepherd’s Pie: Lentils, carrots, celery, and greens smothered in a sweet potato topping and baked until golden. Served with a side salad<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The South Indian Sampler Plate<\/em> is referred to on the menu as a “combination for the curious.” \u00a0It features one miniature masala dosa (an Indian crepe filled with a spicy vegetable mixture), a piece of Vadai (a deep-fried cake akin to an Indian hushpuppy), a bowl of Sambhar with two Idlis (soft, fluffy white, round discs made of rice and lentil batter which might remind you of dumplings) and a side of coconut chutney. \u00a0Every bite of every item is absolutely delicious, a joy to eat.<\/span><\/p>\n

The menu refers to the North Indian Sampler Plate<\/em> as “a combination for the hungry.” \u00a0It features a cup of Saag (a spinach and mustard leaf based curry dish) with two paneer, a cup of Mataar (a creamy, spiced tomato and pea soup) served with three paneer, a cup of the bean of the day and your choice of Basmati or brown rice as well as one Chapati, one mini dosa or three Puri (a puffed, savory fried bread. \u00a0Mataar Paneer is my very favorite Indian dish and Annapurna’s rendition is among the very best I’ve ever had, so flavorful, so soul-warming that days later it still pervaded my mind. \u00a0If the menu didn’t offer so many other intriguing options, this sampler platter could become a habitual favorite.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Two stack gluten- free pancakes made from scratch with a batter containing freshly ground cardamom and a variety of seasonal fruit. Served with organic maple syrup<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“As easy as ABC,” an idiom which describes something that’s very easy is an apt name for one of the least complex items on the menu. \u00a0“ABC<\/em>” in this case stands for A<\/strong>vocado, tempeh b<\/strong>acon and C<\/strong>heddar cheese which along with spinach, tomatoes and chipotle dressing form a wrap which might have you thinking “BLT.” \u00a0That’s in large part due to the tempeh bacon (sometimes referred to as fake-on) which has the flavor and consistency of bacon with far fewer calories and fat. \u00a0Served with salad and your choice of masala fries or a cup of the soup of the day, it’s Annapurna’s version of an American classic–sandwich and fries.<\/span><\/p>\n

A far more exotic culinary adventure can be had with a Masala Dosa<\/em>, a South Indian crepe\/pancake made with rice and urad dal (a whitish lentil), rolled and filled with a spicy vegetable mixture that includes carrots, potatoes, onions and more (perhaps lentils). \u00a0Indian spiciness is not nearly the same as the spiciness found in New Mexican food. \u00a0While this entree has some piquancy, it’s spice-based and not chile-based and doesn’t have the “burn” of New Mexico’s official vegetable. \u00a0The spicy vegetable mix is intensely spiced and strongly flavored in the most pleasant sense. \u00a0The Dosa is whisper thin and crisp. \u00a0At about ten inches in length, it may at first glance appear daunting in size, but it’s light and substantial at the same time so finishing one shouldn’t be a problem for even smaller eaters.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Lasagna: Thick pasta, house-made marinara, butternut squash, zucchini, and eggplant, baked golden. Served either vegan or with Mozzarella<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Annapurna’s menu is eye-catching for its surprises.\u00a0 It’s a rare vegan restaurant and even more rare Indian restaurant in which you’ll find Shepherd’s Pie, Lasagna, Pizza, Pancakes and even Burritos.\u00a0 A line-up with such diverse items seems more appropriate for one of those all-you-can-eat restaurants which server every conceivable item under the sun, but none of them well.\u00a0 The difference is that Annapurna’s rendition of the aforementioned items is very well executed…and that’s no longer a surprise to anyone who frequents this outstanding restaurant.<\/span><\/p>\n

Take, for example, the gourmet pizza<\/em>. Its canvas is a wheat-free and yeast-free herb crust. \u00a0 (As an aside, Nations Restaurant News<\/em>, a respected trade magazine, reports that the most popular pizza toppings in India are pickled ginger, minced mutton and paneer.) \u00a0 Standard toppings are a house-made classic marinara, organic mozzarella, zucchini, eggplant and onion.\u00a0 Optional toppings include portabello mushroom, tomatoes, Feta cheese, Kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, green chile, roasted bell peppers and tempeh bacon.\u00a0 With perhaps the exception of tempeh bacon, doesn’t that sound like a pie you might find at a pizzeria? <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Greek Wrap: Babaganoush (eggplant), spinach, feta, and tomatoes. Served with a side salad (red pepper vinaigrette) and a creamy lentil soup<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You don’t even have to close your eyes to imagine it’s a pie from one of Albuquerque’s fine pizzerias.\u00a0 Your eyes and nostrils won’t deceive you; it looks and smells like a very good\u00a0pizza.\u00a0 Better still, it tastes like a very good\u00a0pizza.\u00a0 My inaugural offering included three optional toppings: green chile, tempeh bacon and Kalamata olives.\u00a0 The combination of a tangy sauce generously applied on the pie and a nicely roasted green chile made for a lively flavor tease. \u00a0 The tempeh bacon, while not bringing to mind a fennel-kissed sausage or Canadian bacon, imparts a porcine smokiness to the pie. The crust doesn’t have the chewiness or char you might find on a pizza, but it holds up well against the weight of all the toppings.<\/span><\/p>\n

The lasagna<\/em>, a favorite of my friend Se\u00f1or Plata, is very much reminiscent of lasagna you might find at an Italian restaurant.\u00a0 It’s constructed from thick pasta, a house-made marinara, butternut squash, zucchini and eggplant baked golden.\u00a0 Se\u00f1or Plata orders it with mozzarella, but vegans can opt to have it sans cheese.\u00a0 Served in a casserole dish, it arrives at your table some twenty to thirty minutes after you order it and it remains steaming hot throughout your meal.\u00a0 Several Duke City restaurants offer a vegetarian lasagna, but Annapurna’s is the best.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Pasta special of the day: pasta, beans, tomatoes, cheese, red peppers and parsley with a dinner salad.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lovers of breakfast at anytime, even low-carb diners, will be thrilled to find Annapurna serves pancakes<\/em>–a short (but definitely not small in circumference) stack of gluten-free pancakes made from scratch with a batter containing freshly ground cardamom served with organic maple syrup.\u00a0 The pancakes are delicious with or without the syrup but purists might miss spreading butter on these tasty orbs.\u00a0 Nearly the circumference of the plate in which they are served, they’re easily big enough to share, but you might not want to because they’re quite good.<\/span><\/p>\n

My Cotswolds friends in England might accuse the colonists of heresy if they saw the ingredient list on Annapurna’s Shepherd’s Pie.\u00a0 Traditionally made with a mashed potato crust and lamb mince, Shepherd’s Pie is as English as the Queen’s jewels.\u00a0 Taking liberties with this popular English standard, Annapurna’s rendition is made with lentils, carrots, celery and greens smothered in a sweet potato topping baked until golden.\u00a0 With all due respect to my English home of more than three years, Annapurna’s Shepherd’s Pie is better than any I had in England.<\/span><\/p>\n

Annapurna is owned by Yashoda Naidoo, a former accountant who pursued her passion for healing food and launched the first instantiation of her restaurant in 2002 near the University of New Mexico. \u00a0Today there are three Annapurna restaurants in the Land of Enchantment, including one in Santa Fe. \u00a0The most recent to launch is on North Fourth Street in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque.<\/span><\/p>\n

Annapurna Chai House<\/span><\/strong>
\n5939 4th St NW
\nAlbuquerque, New Mexico<\/strong>
\n(505) 254-2424
\nLATEST VISIT<\/strong>:\u00a0 7 June 2011<\/span>
\n1st VISIT<\/strong>: \u00a025 August 2009
\n# OF VISITS<\/strong>: 6
\nRATING<\/strong>: Excellent<\/strong><\/span> – High quality dining experience; very good to excellent food, attentive service, and a well-maintained atmosphere; worth a detour.
\nCOST<\/strong>: $$
\nBEST BET<\/strong>: \u00a0Thaali Plate, South Indian Sampler Plate, North Indian Sampler Plate, Mango Lassi, Masala Dosa, ABC, Gourmet Pizza, Shepherd’s Pie, Lasagna, Cardamom Pancakes, Greek Wrap<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans, are a persistent irritant to any chef worth a damn. To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demi-glace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living. Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, and an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food.” Anthony Bourdain’s dour diatribe on the “evils” of vegeterians and vegans is hardly unwonted. \u00a0The internet is rife with mean-spirited assailments against people who choose a plant-based diet that includes fruits, cereal grains, seeds, nuts and vegetables and may or may not exclude dairy products and eggs. \u00a0Reciprocation in kind is also well represented…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5024,"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":[440,523,563,570],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-albuquerque","category-indian","category-rating-excellent","category-vegetarianvegan"],"yoast_head":"\nAnnapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine - Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico - 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=5017\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Annapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine - Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"“Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans, are a persistent irritant to any chef worth a damn. To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demi-glace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living. Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, and an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food.” Anthony Bourdain’s dour diatribe on the “evils” of vegeterians and vegans is hardly unwonted. \u00a0The internet is rife with mean-spirited assailments against people who choose a plant-based diet that includes fruits, cereal grains, seeds, nuts and vegetables and may or may not exclude dairy products and eggs. \u00a0Reciprocation in kind is also well represented…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017\" \/>\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=\"2010-10-25T11:14:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-01T01:27:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/Annapurna05.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"444\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"319\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\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=\"15 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=5017#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=5017\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Gil Garduno\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/423b9c3eeeb199e43ab4f1f584fa67bf\"},\"headline\":\"Annapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine – Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico\",\"datePublished\":\"2010-10-25T11:14:09+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-01T01:27:13+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=5017\"},\"wordCount\":2656,\"commentCount\":18,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=5017#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2009\\\/08\\\/Annapurna05.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Albuquerque\",\"Indian\",\"Rating: Excellent\",\"Vegetarian\\\/Vegan\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=5017#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=5017\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=5017\",\"name\":\"Annapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine - Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=5017#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=5017#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2009\\\/08\\\/Annapurna05.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2010-10-25T11:14:09+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-01T01:27:13+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=5017#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=5017\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=5017#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2009\\\/08\\\/Annapurna05.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2009\\\/08\\\/Annapurna05.jpg\",\"width\":444,\"height\":319},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=5017#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Annapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine – Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico\"}]},{\"@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":"Annapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine - Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico - 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=5017","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Annapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine - Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","og_description":"“Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans, are a persistent irritant to any chef worth a damn. To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demi-glace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living. Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, and an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food.” Anthony Bourdain’s dour diatribe on the “evils” of vegeterians and vegans is hardly unwonted. \u00a0The internet is rife with mean-spirited assailments against people who choose a plant-based diet that includes fruits, cereal grains, seeds, nuts and vegetables and may or may not exclude dairy products and eggs. \u00a0Reciprocation in kind is also well represented…","og_url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017","og_site_name":"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nmgastronome\/","article_published_time":"2010-10-25T11:14:09+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-01T01:27:13+00:00","og_image":[{"width":444,"height":319,"url":"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/Annapurna05.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Gil Garduno","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Gil Garduno","Est. reading time":"15 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017"},"author":{"name":"Gil Garduno","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#\/schema\/person\/423b9c3eeeb199e43ab4f1f584fa67bf"},"headline":"Annapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine – Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico","datePublished":"2010-10-25T11:14:09+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-01T01:27:13+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017"},"wordCount":2656,"commentCount":18,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/Annapurna05.jpg","articleSection":["Albuquerque","Indian","Rating: Excellent","Vegetarian\/Vegan"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017","url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017","name":"Annapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine - Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/Annapurna05.jpg","datePublished":"2010-10-25T11:14:09+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-01T01:27:13+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/Annapurna05.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/Annapurna05.jpg","width":444,"height":319},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=5017#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Annapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine – Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico"}]},{"@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\/5017","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=5017"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5017\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78505,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5017\/revisions\/78505"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5017"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5017"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5017"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}