{"id":71240,"date":"2025-10-06T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T06:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=71240"},"modified":"2026-04-05T19:24:01","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T01:24:01","slug":"trail-rider-cedar-crest-new-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=71240","title":{"rendered":"Trail Rider – Cedar Crest, New Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Trail Rider, a Cedar Crest Staple<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

During the prehistoric and dark ages when I went to school, we were taught a song called “The Bear Went Over The Mountain.”\u00a0 When that wandering ursus got to the other side of the mountain, all he could see was the other side of the mountain.\u00a0 Ostensibly, this song recalls a bear’s fruitless journey to see what lies beyond.\u00a0 It symbolizes the endless nature of life’s constant undertakings, the continuous, sometimes futile, effort in life to find something beyond the current experience.\u00a0 Now, that’s the allegorical meaning of the song.\u00a0 In literal terms, a bear (or anyone of us) going over the Sandia Mountains won’t see the same sights or have the same experiences we have in the Albuquerque side of the mountain.<\/p>\n

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Restaurant Interior<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I joked with Joe, the extraordinary baker at Trail Rider, that most of the people who live on the morning side of the mountain (eastern slope) are old hippies.\u00a0 “Except for us<\/em>,” he clarified, noting my recent Opie Taylor haircut and his own closely shorn coiffure.\u00a0 Having grown up within easy walking distance of “The Hog Farm,” a hippie commune in Llano, New Mexico, I know a lot of old hippies.\u00a0 It’s always amused me how many of the anti-establishment sect in their youth have become staunch conservatives in their senior citizenry.\u00a0 Not all of them, mind you.\u00a0 Residents of the other side of the mountain may not reject mainstream societal values like the hippies of old.\u00a0 You get the feeling that they just want a slower paced lifestyle without the commotion and uproar of the big city.\u00a0 You’ll find many of them hanging out at Trail Rider, a Cedar Crest staple.<\/p>\n

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House-Smoked Pastrami Sandwich and Fries<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Trail Rider has become as much a part of the Cedar Crest landscape as the Sandias which backdrop the restaurant.\u00a0 When Ashlea Allen launched\u00a0 Trail Rider Pizza in 2006, she may not have envisioned her humble food trailer\u00a0 would eventually become a community hub of deliciousness and discourse.\u00a0 In the information age, it was inevitable that word of the Lilliputian trailer proffering prolific pizza quickly spread.\u00a0 In 2018, Trail Rider relocated to a brick-and-mortar space immediately next door to the Greenside Cafe<\/strong><\/a>, a long-time Cedar Crest favorite.\u00a0 With the 2025 closure of the Greenside Cafe, Trail Rider is poised to move into the space vacated by the largest restaurant in the village.\u00a0 The move will just about triple Trail Rider’s seating capacity, not including outdoor patio seating.<\/p>\n

While Greenside Cafe will be missed, Trail Rider is more than a suitable replacement.\u00a0 For one thing, Ashlea Allen has not scrimped on kitchen talent.\u00a0 In addition to Baker Joe, she brought on Chef Chris White to helm the kitchen.\u00a0 Chris and his bride Katie Calico once owned and operated the TFK Smokehouse & Art Bar <\/strong><\/a>in Albuquerque.\u00a0 Their smoker is used to imbue meats for Trail Rider with that telltale smokiness barbecue aficionados love.\u00a0 That smoke permeates the pastrami.\u00a0 Chef White’s talents aren’t limited to smoked meats.\u00a0 Perusing the menu is your first indication that this is no ordinary restaurant.<\/p>\n

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Slice of Pizza (Cheese and Onion)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Trail Rider is open seven days a week starting at 8:30AM when breakfast fare is showcased.\u00a0 Breakfast is served only until 11:00.\u00a0 Only two items–breakfast tacos and breakfast burritos–are on the breakfast menu, but there’s infinite variety in the construction of those two items.\u00a0 That includes you choice of red or green chile as well as proteins and ingredients.\u00a0 The remainder of the menu is segmented:\u00a0 Appetizers and Sides, Specials, Pizza, Pasta, Subs and Burgers, Tacos and Salads.\u00a0 You’ll find it challenging to decide what it is you want.\u00a0 Portions are very generous and reasonably priced.<\/p>\n

We had every intention of ordering one of the pizzas for which Trail Rider is famous in these parts.\u00a0 I was especially intrigued by the cheeseburger pickle pizza (pickles on everything has become suddenly vogue).\u00a0 Alas, capturing my fancy on the menu was a house-smoked reuben<\/strong><\/em> (house-smoked pastrami, grilled onions, sauerkraut, house 1000 Island dressing and Swiss cheese on toasted rye).\u00a0 More than any reuben I’ve ever had (a number eclipsed only by our national debt), this reuben was smoked…not overly so, but more discernible than on any other reuben.\u00a0 The pastrami is sliced into thin shards.\u00a0 While the pastrami’s smokiness was prevalent, it was complemented by every other ingredient.\u00a0 The housemade 1000 Island dressing is creamy and rich with sweet and sour notes.\u00a0 It’s among the best we’ve had.\u00a0 Then there’s the toasted rye, two well toasted thick slices of rye so good it might make you cry for joy.<\/p>\n

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The Mary Lou (Turkey Sandwich)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Trail Rider got its start in the parking lot of Molly\u2018s Bar, its full name was Trail Rider Pizza.\u00a0 The restaurant earned its reputation for some of the best pizza in the metropolitan area.\u00a0 You can design your own pizza from a phalanx of ingredients or you can order from about ten different specialty pies including one bearing the curious appellation “DWI” (pepperoni, sausage, black olives, mushrooms, onions, and fresh tomatoes).\u00a0 If you don’t order a pizza<\/strong><\/em>, do yourself a favor and at least order a slice.\u00a0 It’s an excellent pie.\u00a0 Toppings for my initial slice were onions and cheese.\u00a0 Not surprisingly, the crust is magnificent.\u00a0 It doesn’t flop around like a floppy fish.\u00a0 Nor is it as stiff as a board.\u00a0 It’s somewhere in between with a crispy crust that chews nicely.\u00a0 The tomato sauce is terrific, too.<\/p>\n

My Kim’s sandwich choice is called the Mary Lou<\/strong><\/em> (house-smoked turkey breast, ham, mushrooms, onions, and green chile saut\u00e9ed and toasted with mozzarella).\u00a0 Naturally she asked for the green chile to be omitted.\u00a0 Unlike the well-smoked pastrami, the turkey breast has a very light smoke.\u00a0 That’s apropos for a more delicate and sweeter protein.\u00a0 To no surprise, the housemade hoagie roll was excellent.\u00a0 A molten blanket of mozzarella hides much of the sandwich contents.\u00a0 Sandwiches and burgers are served with a side of house-cut fries or you can substitute a side salad or seasonal soup for a pittance more.\u00a0 You can also substitute a gluten-free bun.\u00a0 \u00a0The fries are thin-cut with a good amount of salt.<\/p>\n

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Most Unique Tiramisu and Chocolate Mousse Cake<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Trail Rider’s dessert menu is the purview of Joe, the energetic baker with a deft touch.\u00a0 He wouldn’t commit to recommending any one pastry, essentially declaring them all to be delicious.\u00a0 And what an array of deliciousness you’ll ogle under pastry case glass.\u00a0 You’ll see such superb sweet treats as brownies, chocolate mousse cake, carrot cake, tiramisu and so much more.\u00a0 Tiramisu, as you may know, does not have to be coffee-flavored.\u00a0 Coincidentally not long after we enjoyed Trail Rider’s tiramisu<\/strong><\/em> made with lemon curds, scintillating four-time James Beard award-winning author Cheryl Alters Jamison<\/strong><\/a> was enjoying tiramisu in Italy.\u00a0 Her tiramisu was made from lemon and fresh mint, enhanced with a shot of limoncello.\u00a0 Trail Rider’s tiramisu was fantastic with lemon curd folding into delicate Italian lady fingers.<\/p>\n

My Kim’s dessert choice was a chocolate mousse cake<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 This masterpiece is moist with a light and creamy mousse filling and a smooth chocolate ganache on top.\u00a0 It’s a rich and decadent dessert defined by its moist chocolate cake;\u00a0 airy, whipped chocolate mousse and a generous ganache topping. The contrasting textures of dense cake and light, silky mousse create a luxurious eating experience.\u00a0 This is among the best chocolate mousse cakes we’ve enjoyed in New Mexico.<\/p>\n

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Joe, an Extraordinary Baker<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We were seated across the aisle from baker Joe, almost close enough to sneak a bite of the three-layer carrot cake to which he was putting the finishing touches.\u00a0 With the precision of Michelangelo sculpting a slab of priceless Carrara marble, Bob lovingly decorated each layer, creating a masterpiece sure to be enjoyed by diners.\u00a0 Joe has an impressive pedigree.\u00a0 He’s an veteran of the Gulf War where he kept his brothers-and-sisters-in-arms well-fed.\u00a0 After a twelve-year service career, he worked as a baker at Flying Star<\/strong><\/a> back when it was still known as Double Rainbow.\u00a0 After his stint at the Central Avenue eatery, he became the baker at the Greenside Cafe.\u00a0 From the Greenside Cafe, it’s an easy hop, skip and jump to Trail Rider.<\/p>\n

You might find it challenging to move past the pastry case which greets you as you enter the restaurant.\u00a0 Some of the most pulchritudinous pastries in the state beckon.\u00a0 They’re all baked on the premises by the talented Joe.\u00a0 Breads on which the restaurant’s sandwiches and burgers are constructed are also house-made.\u00a0 That includes the canvas on which each pizza is constructed.\u00a0 \u00a0Trail Rider may have acquired its reputation for the best pizza on the morning side of the mountain, but their pastries and breads aren’t anybody’s Miss Congeniality.<\/p>\n

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Joe Created This Beautiful Carrot Cake Right Before Our Eyes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Should you trek to the other side of the mountain, one of your stops should be at Trail Rider where a talented kitchen staff will feed you well.\u00a0 You might not want to return to the twilight side of the hill.<\/p>\n

Trail Rider<\/strong>
\n12165 New Mexico 14
\nCedar Crest, New Mexico<\/strong>
\n(505) 281-6068
\nWebsite<\/strong><\/a> | Facebook Page<\/strong><\/a>
\nLATEST VISIT<\/strong>: 6 October 2025
\n# OF VISITS<\/strong>: 1
\nRATING<\/strong>: N\/R
\nCOST<\/strong>: $$
\nBEST BET<\/strong>: House-Smoked Reuben, The Mary Lou (Turkey Sandwich), Slice of Pizza, Tiramisu, Chocolate Mousse Cake
\nREVIEW #1490<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

During the prehistoric and dark ages when I went to school, we were taught a song called “The Bear Went Over The Mountain.”\u00a0 When that wandering ursus got to the other side of the mountain, all he could see was the other side of the mountain.\u00a0 Ostensibly, this song recalls a bear’s fruitless journey to see what lies beyond.\u00a0 It symbolizes the endless nature of life’s constant undertakings, the continuous, sometimes futile, effort in life to find something beyond the current experience.\u00a0 Now, that’s the allegorical meaning of the song.\u00a0 In literal terms, a bear (or anyone of us) going over the Sandia Mountains won’t see the same sights or have the same experiences we have in the Albuquerque side…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":71243,"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":[21,540,703,141,68,5647],"tags":[1030,2044,5211,4195,5209,5205,5206,5207,5201,5204,5203,5210,5202,2523],"class_list":["post-71240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american","category-breakfast","category-dog-friendly","category-new-mexico","category-pizza","category-rating-n-r","tag-breakfast-burritos","tag-breakfast-tacos","tag-chef-chris-white","tag-chocolate-mousse","tag-greenside-cafe","tag-house-made-bread","tag-house-made-desserts","tag-house-smoked-meats","tag-house-smoked-reuben","tag-joe-the-baker","tag-pizza-slice","tag-tfk-smokehouse","tag-the-mary-lou-turkey-sandwich","tag-tiramisu"],"yoast_head":"\nTrail Rider - 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