{"id":68928,"date":"2025-01-01T00:01:32","date_gmt":"2025-01-01T06:01:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=68928"},"modified":"2025-01-01T13:55:12","modified_gmt":"2025-01-01T19:55:12","slug":"gils-best-of-the-best-for-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=68928","title":{"rendered":"Gil’s Best of the Best for 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Welcome to Gil\u2019s list of my favorite dishes in 2024. These dishes were selected not for complex culinary preparations and exorbitant price points, but for the simple preparation of dishes that taste as if they were prepared by a chorus of angels in a celestial kitchen. These are the dishes most indelibly imprinted on my memory engrams\u2026the first dishes that come to mind when I close my eyes and reflect on the past year in eating. As with previous yearly compilations, every item on this list was heretofore unknown to my palate before 2024. Every dish was a delicious discovery from within New Mexico\u2019s sacred borders. In chronological order, my \u201cbest of the best\u201d are:<\/p>\n

January, 2024<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\"\"
Chicken Paprikash from Dolina<\/strong><\/a> in Santa Fe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2024, an esteemed panel of judges selected Annamaria Brezna O\u2019Brien of Santa Fe’s Dolina<\/strong><\/a> as a semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard \u201cBest Chef \u2013 Southwest\u201d award.\u00a0 Among the culinary gems for which Dolin is known is chicken paprikash.\u00a0 Dolina\u2019s\u00a0chicken paprikash<\/strong><\/em> (organic chicken cooked in browned butter, white onions, Hungarian paprika finished with sour cream and dumplings) is the very best I\u2019ve ever had,\u00a0 Chicken paprikash is a paragon of comfort food.\u00a0 It\u2019s rich, superbly seasoned, balanced and absolutely delicious.<\/p>\n

February, 2024<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\"\"
Kouign Amann from Albuquerque’s Burque Bakehouse<\/strong><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

in 2024, Albuquerque’s Burque Bakehouse<\/strong><\/a> was a finalist for the James Beard Foundation\u2019s \u201cOutstanding Baker\u201d award, one of the nation\u2019s most prestigious honors recognizing leaders in the culinary and food media industries.\u00a0 The Bakehouse offers breads and pastries you won’t fine elsewhere.\u00a0 My favorite is the kouign amann<\/strong><\/em>, a superb pastry which originated in Brittany, a region in Western France.\u00a0 What sets it apart from similar pastries (such as the cronut), is that it\u2019s delightful crunchy (thanks to the caramelization of sugar) and gooey at the same time with pronounced, heavenly notes of caramel.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Green Chile Cheeseburger Soup From Slate Street Billiards<\/strong><\/a> in Rio Rancho<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My favorite event of every year is the Roadrunner Food Bank’s<\/strong><\/a> Souper Bowl and it’s not solely because I’ve been asked to judge the metropolitan area’s best soups for twelve years.\u00a0 Held on the Sunday following some ballyhooed football game means it’s soup season.\u00a0 You won’t find more variety and comfort food deliciousness than at the Souper Bowl.\u00a0 2024’s winning soup was the\u00a0green chile cheeseburger soup<\/strong><\/em> from Slate Street Billiards<\/strong><\/a> in Rio Rancho.\u00a0 This enchanting elixir tastes very much like a green chile cheeseburger. \u00a0A very good one!<\/p>\n

April 2024<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\"\"
French Onion Soup from La Vie Est Un Bistro<\/strong><\/a> in Silver City<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If a trip to Silver City was solely to experience La Vie Est Un Bistro’s<\/strong><\/a> transformative French onion soup <\/strong><\/em>the trip would be worth it.\u00a0 At first bite we declared it the best French onion soup we\u2019ve ever had as we pondered its uniquely wonderful flavor. \u00a0Though the soup was made with the \u201cusual\u201d ingredients\u2013beef stock, white onions, Gruyere, crusty French bread\u2013Chef Pierre told us other ingredients included rosemary, thyme, sherry, red wine, Balsamic vinegar and sugar. \u00a0The beef broth, Gruyere and onions imparted a wonderful umami while just the right amount of sugar gave the soup a balanced flavor profile with sweet and savory notes.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Green Chile Cheeseburger from the Adobe Deli<\/strong><\/a> in Deming<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More than a decade after having helped inaugurate the New Mexico Tourism Department’s New Mexico Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail, I discovered the very best green chile cheeseburger<\/strong><\/em> I’ve ever had.\u00a0 Sadly it’s a four-hour drive to have another because that burger can be found only at the Adobe Deli<\/strong><\/a> in Deming.\u00a0 Sure, I\u2019m prone to hyperbole, but this burger checks all the boxes\u2026especially memorability. \u00a0 What most set this burger apart, however, is the freshness and moistness of a beef patty which is essentially ground steak, a thick half-pound of beef prepared to your exacting specifications.<\/p>\n

May, 2024<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\"\"
Coconut French Toast with Fruit From Clafoutis<\/strong><\/a> in Santa Fe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

French toast were invented by the Romans in 300AD, but it was the French who perfected them\u2026and it\u2019s Clafoutis which has managed to improve on perfection. \u00a0Clafoutis<\/strong><\/a>\u2019 coconut French toast<\/strong><\/em> with fresh fruit may be the best French toast I\u2019ve ever had\u2026and I\u2019ve had more French toast than une poign\u00e9e of French diners.\u00a0 Picture two slices of eggy, charred French bread with a liberal sprinkling of coconut and powdered sugar topped with deep-purple blackberries with strawberries on the side.\u00a0The marriage of shredded coconut and syrup is magical.<\/p>\n

June, 2024<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\"\"
Chilean Sea Bass a la Nage from Alkeme<\/strong><\/a> in Santa Fe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Compiling a list of the best dishes I was blessed to enjoy in 2024 is hard enough, but to single one dish out as “best of the best from among the best” is even more challenging.\u00a0 That one dish–the star among stars–is the Chilean Sea Bass a la Nage<\/strong><\/em> from Santa Fe’s Alkeme <\/strong><\/a>which garnered James Beard Foundation – Best New Restaurant semifinalist honors in 2024 \u00a0Quite simply, this is one of the most delicious fish entrees I\u2019ve ever had (and I lived in Massachusetts and on the Mississippi Gulf Coast).\u00a0 \u00a0This transformative tender-fleshed, \u00a0mild, slightly sweet tasting fish is prepared in a well-flavored court-bouillon) with coconut milk and lemongrass.\u00a0 It’s sheer magic!<\/p>\n

\"\"
Rio Tacos<\/strong><\/a> in Albuquerque Has Moved The Bar for Outstanding Tacos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Is there any food as humble as tacos?\u00a0 Humility aside, tacos<\/strong><\/em> have become not only mainstream, but a creative canvas upon which innovation is running rampant.\u00a0 Rio Tacos<\/strong><\/a> isn’t buying it.\u00a0 Instead of heaping on non-traditional ingredients, the Rio Tacos menu is replete with such standard taco ingredients as carne asada, al pastor, chicken adobada and quesabirria.\u00a0 Best of all, the proteins are grilled on a charcoal brasier (a large metal container in which coal or charcoal is burned).\u00a0 The difference is noticeably delicious.<\/p>\n

September, 2024<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\"\"
Combination Plate From Barkada’s ABQ<\/strong><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Filipinos have a deep sense of community and belonging\u00a0 They have a compulsion to sharing their food.\u00a0 Sadly, until 2024 the Duke City didn’t have a Filipino restaurant from which wonderful Filipino favorites could be found.\u00a0 Then came Cindy Recile, an effusive and radiant personality who named her take-out establishment for the Filipino word for “friends” or “group of friends.”\u00a0 You’ll want to order her terrific food for all your friends.\u00a0 Make it a combination plate which includes lumpia, chicken adobo and Filipino picadillo.\u00a0 Barkada’s ABQ<\/strong><\/a> is a find!<\/p>\n

\"\"
Churrasco Steak & Potatoes from Ex Novo<\/strong><\/a> in Albuquerque<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2024,\u00a0 three restaurants–Alkeme<\/strong><\/a>, Level 5 and Ex Novo<\/strong><\/a>–served the best meals I enjoyed during the year.\u00a0 All were exceptional from start to finish, every bite a flight to ecstacy.\u00a0 When Chef Marc Qui\u00f1ones at Ex Novo confided that his favorite dish on the “large plates” menu was the churrasco steak and potatoes<\/strong><\/em> (outside skirt steak, twice-cooked potatoes, grilled tomato, caramelized corn, tomato coulis), we knew we had to have it.\u00a0 Chef Qui\u00f1ones will never lead you wrong.\u00a0 He’s one of the very best chefs in New Mexico, a 2024 James Beard “Best Chef-Southwest” semifinalist.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Chicken Mole Enchiladas from Escondido<\/strong><\/a> in Santa Fe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

October, 2024<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Escondido\u2019s chicken mole enchiladas<\/strong><\/em> (achiote braised chicken, mole negro, sesame seeds, chipotle crema, cilantro-lime rice, beans) are in rarefied air–equal to or better than any mole dish in the Land of Enchantment.\u00a0 Increasingly mole has begun to rival my affection for chile.\u00a0 Restaurants such as Escondido<\/strong><\/a> in Santa Fe prepare it so well, your taste buds might believe they’re enjoying mole in Oaxaca.\u00a0 A three-time winner of Food Network competitions, Chef Fernando Ruiz launched one of the most anticipated (cue Carly Simon here) restaurants of the year.\u00a0 It’s not easy to find (the first time), but well worth the effort.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The Crazy Reuben From Sammy’s Cafe & Deli<\/strong><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chef Marc Qui\u00f1ones may be best known for his prowess with high-end cuisine, but as the sandwich menu at Sammy’s Cafe & Deli<\/strong><\/a> proves, he is a sandwich artist.\u00a0 Sammy’s offers \u00a0a medley of familiar sandwiches and breakfast favorites constructed with Chef Qui\u00f1ones touches.\u00a0 Ever sandwich warrants “best of the year” consideration, but it’s the Crazy Reuben<\/strong><\/em> (house-brined and roasted corned beef brisket and Swiss cheese on thick marble rye with housemade Russian dressing topped with fresh sauerkraut) ensnared my affections.\u00a0 I’m crazy about this fabulous sandwich!<\/p>\n

November, 2024<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\"\"
A Duo of Duck From Level 5 Rooftop Restaurant<\/strong><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Chef Sean Sinclair assumed the helm at Hotel Chaco’s spectacular Level 5 Rooftop Restaurant<\/strong><\/a>, it was a given that he would introduce a phenomenal fine-dining menu replete with life-changing dishes.\u00a0 Among them is a duo of duck<\/strong><\/em> (seared duck breast, leg, and thigh confit tamale topped with spiced duck demi. Served with agave roasted golden beets and micro arugula), my Kim’s choice for best thing she ate all year.\u00a0 The blend of corn masa ameliorated by duck fat and luscious duck meat was certainly among the best high-end tamales I’ve ever had.<\/p>\n

December, 2024<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\"\"
My Mom’s<\/strong><\/a> Little Bowl Of Love<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chef Marie Yniguez named her restaurant “My Moms<\/strong><\/a>” in honor of the moms she holds dearest–her grandmothers, wife Karla, mother Olga and daughter Ryan.\u00a0 A loving mom herself, Marie feeds restaurant guests as she would her own family.\u00a0 If love is the ingredient all moms use in their cooking, plenty of love is readily apparent in the\u00a0Little Bowl of Love<\/strong><\/em> (chile con carne, fideos, pinto beans, calabasitas and shredded Cheddar)\u2013in the same bowl.\u00a0 It’s a heart-warming bowl of love prepared as only a wonderful mom can prepare it.\u00a0 In my eyes, Marie can do no wrong.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Luigi’s Signature Pizza (Deep-Fried Pizza Crust) From Luigi’s Ristorante & Pizzeria<\/strong><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Americans love pizza–we consume 100 acres of it every day here in the United States. That’s 3 billion pizzas, or 46 slices (23 pounds), of the savory pie for every person in the country, every year.\u00a0 Admittedly, I’ve been below average in pizza consumption for years.\u00a0 That’s starting to change thanks largely to Luigi’s Ristorante & Pizzeria<\/strong><\/a> in Albuquerque.\u00a0 Luigi’s prepared the three best pizzas–carne adovada, combo Sicilian, and Luigi’s signature pizza–I had this year.\u00a0 Perhaps the best is Luigi’s signature pizza<\/strong><\/em> with its deep-fried crust topped with artichoke hearts, prosciutto and cheese.<\/p>\n

That’s it, dear readers, a compilation of the best dishes I enjoyed in 2024.\u00a0 Please feel free to share your own \u201cbest of the best\u201d New Mexico dining choices for 2024 by commenting to this post. Who knows? Maybe in 2025 they\u2019ll make it to my list, too.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome to Gil\u2019s list of my favorite dishes in 2024. These dishes were selected not for complex culinary preparations and exorbitant price points, but for the simple preparation of dishes that taste as if they were prepared by a chorus of angels in a celestial kitchen. These are the dishes most indelibly imprinted on my memory engrams\u2026the first dishes that come to mind when I close my eyes and reflect on the past year in eating. As with previous yearly compilations, every item on this list was heretofore unknown to my palate before 2024. Every dish was a delicious discovery from within New Mexico\u2019s sacred borders. In chronological order, my \u201cbest of the best\u201d are: January, 2024 In 2024, an…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":67067,"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":[2615],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-68928","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gils-best-of-the-best"],"yoast_head":"\nGil's Best of the Best for 2024 - 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=68928\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Gil's Best of the Best for 2024 - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Welcome to Gil\u2019s list of my favorite dishes in 2024. These dishes were selected not for complex culinary preparations and exorbitant price points, but for the simple preparation of dishes that taste as if they were prepared by a chorus of angels in a celestial kitchen. These are the dishes most indelibly imprinted on my memory engrams\u2026the first dishes that come to mind when I close my eyes and reflect on the past year in eating. As with previous yearly compilations, every item on this list was heretofore unknown to my palate before 2024. Every dish was a delicious discovery from within New Mexico\u2019s sacred borders. 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These dishes were selected not for complex culinary preparations and exorbitant price points, but for the simple preparation of dishes that taste as if they were prepared by a chorus of angels in a celestial kitchen. These are the dishes most indelibly imprinted on my memory engrams\u2026the first dishes that come to mind when I close my eyes and reflect on the past year in eating. As with previous yearly compilations, every item on this list was heretofore unknown to my palate before 2024. Every dish was a delicious discovery from within New Mexico\u2019s sacred borders. 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