Closed in 2017Gone But Not ForgottenMexicanNew MexicoRio Rancho

El Maguey – Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

On a 2010 episode of The Travel Channel’s No Reservations series, host Anthony Bourdain described pulque as “the sap of the maguey cactus” as well as “man juice” and “Mexican Viagra.” That may explain why so many aspiring middle-aged brewers across the fruited plain rushed to their local nurseries in search of the maguey plant. Although maguey may be plentiful even in the Land of Enchantment, extracting pulque is a laborious process involving four distinct steps, the first of which is called castration. The name of this step may also explain why so many middle-aged men quickly lost their enthusiasm for cultivating maguey. In parts of Mexico where the maguey is harvested, native Zapotec, Mixtec and Mixe producers actually ask the plant for permission to harvest it. With the utmost respect, they tell the maguey that its use will primarily be for celebratory rituals and not solely for the sake of profit. Soon after the dawning of 2017, Rio Rancho saw the launch of El Maguey, a Mexican restaurant named for the plant held in such high esteem throughout Mexico. At El Maguey, horchata may be the closest thing to the alcoholic beverage made from the sap of the maguey…

AlbuquerqueAmericanBreakfastDog FriendlyNew MexicoRating: Very Good

The Daily Grind – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno9:54 PM

Sometimes–such as when Teri, a faithful reader of this blog, recommended I visit The Daily Grind–being a lexicologist can be a detriment. The first thing that came to mind was the drudgery of the software development project to which I was assigned. Since the 1800s, “grind” has been synonymous with boring, tedious work as in “grinding away.” Why then would I want to visit The Daily Grind when the daily grind was visiting me everyday in the form of SQL databases, configuration scripts and dot-net framework. My Kim, who’s got all the common sense in the family, clarified that the type of grind to which Teri was referring had nothing to do with the tedium of the dog-eat-dog routine. The Daily Grind Teri recommended is a coffee shop she and her husband consider awesome. The term Daily Grind as used in the restaurant’s name refers to the daily grinding of coffee, a routine prefacing the luxurious indulgence in a steaming cup. The Daily Grind proudly serves Allegro Coffee, a subsidiary of Whole Foods which roasts flavorful coffee from Arabica beans. Two cups of cafe au lait sold me on this coffee. The Daily Grind has been making the daily grind…

AlbuquerqueRating: ExcellentVietnamese

Huong Thao – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno3:37 AM

In the year 2000 (ancient history by restaurant standards) when the Duke City had only a handful of Vietnamese restaurants, only one was listed on Zagat Survey’s Millennium Edition of the top restaurants in the Southwest. That restaurant was Huong Thao which was widely regarded at the time as perhaps the city’s very best Vietnamese dining establishment. Zagat Survey accorded Huong Thao a rating of “24” which categorized it as “very good to excellent.” The restaurant was praised for its “delicious traditional foods” and was singled out for its “no-puff” policies back when smoking was still allowed in Albuquerque dining establishments. In 2002, Huong Thao eked out a win over other highly-regarded Vietnamese restaurants in La Cocinita magazine’s (defunct) 2002 second annual critic’s choice awards. Garnering praise from an august body of panelists were the “herb-filled spring rolls” and “oh-so-crispy grilled pork.” Today, Huong Thao is a venerable presence, an elder statesperson among a phalanx of very good to outstanding Vietnamese restaurants throughout the Duke City. It remains a formidable favorite to this day because it’s not only retained loyal patrons, it’s cultivated new aficionados. From the very beginning, Huong Thao has held a reputation as a Vegan-friendly restaurant, earning…

AlbuquerqueDog FriendlyItalianPizzaRating: Very Good

Pizzeria Luca – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno9:14 AM

Can there truly be too many pizzerias? Perhaps only among pizzeria owners who don’t want much competition might you hear that ridiculous notion about one of America’s essential food groups. Take for example one monopoly-minded pizzeria owner in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania who had a resolute belief that there was too much competition in the area and determined to do something about it. It apparently didn’t dawn on him that by serving a better pizza or lowering prices, his business might improve. Instead, in the tradition of villainous scofflaws everywhere, he decided to sabotage his rivals. Alas, his exploits only proved fodder for late night talk show hosts who lampoon stupid criminals. In perpetrating his nefarious misdeed, the perfidious proprietor of the poor-performing pizzeria created such a ruckus that his intended victim quickly investigated and discovered a bag full of mice had been deposited in his drop ceiling. As luck would have it, two uniformed officers were dining at the presumably palatable pizzeria at the time. They quickly apprehended the would-be rodent rapscallion and charged him with criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, harassment and cruelty to animals. There’s no indication as to whether his room mate at the local hoosegow was Mr.…

MexicanNew MexicoRating: N/R (Not Rated)

Andele’s Dog House – Mesilla, New Mexico

Gil Garduno5:54 PM

Put a savvy foodie from Las Cruces and a gastronome from Albuquerque in the same room (preferably not a kitchen well stocked with knives) and you’re bound to start a culinary civil war. Such was the case when I worked at Intel with a colleague who was born-and-bred in the City of Crosses. We were both adamant that the cuisine in our half of the state (mine being the upper half) was far superior to cuisine in the other (lower in her case) half. We debated every nuance that made our preferred cuisine distinctive from the other. We argued about the prominence of Mexican and Native American culinary influences, the preferred degree of piquancy in each region, whether or not cumin has any place in New Mexican cuisine, even whether the biscochito can truly be New Mexico’s official state cookie if it’s not as common in Southern New Mexico. Rather than squabbling like the prickly, contentious British Parliament, we could have spared ourselves hours of rancor by breaking sopaipillas together at restaurants in both Northern and Southern New Mexico. With detente based on a shared meal, we might even have become friends. Think of the missed opportunities to compare the…

BurgersNew MexicoRating: N/R (Not Rated)

Rockin BZ Burgers – Alamogordo, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:00 PM

Since its inception in 2009, a number of competitors across the length and breadth of the Land of Enchantment’s 121,593 square miles have competed in the New Mexico State Fair’s Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge. The inaugural champion was Badlands Burgers (since defunct) from Grants. Only one–a national chain at that–has repeated as champion. That would be Fuddrucker’s which reigned supreme in 2014 and 2015. In 2013, Sadie’s proved its culinary repertoire extends far beyond New Mexican food by winning the Challenge. After participating every year since the competition’s launch, Laguna Burger finally won it all in 2016. Two restaurants won the competition scant months after launching their restaurant operations–ABQ Brew Pub in 2010 and Rockin’ BZ Burgers in 2012. Rockin’ BZ Burgers, the sole Challenge winner currently not to have a presence in Albuquerque, was in business for all of four months when it clinched the top honors at Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge in 2012. Consider that for a moment. With fewer than 120 days in business, Rockin’ BZ bested a dozen seasoned competitors to earn the most coveted culinary title in New Mexico. That speaks volumes about its award-winning green chile cheeseburger. Never mind that the trophy was grievously…

AlbuquerqueClosed in 2020Gone But Not ForgottenNew Mexico

Hello Poké – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno3:34 PM

Ask most professional restaurant critics where to find the highest rated or best restaurant across the fruited plain (or even in their locality) and they’ll likely steer you in the direction of some highfalutin restaurant serving haute cuisine prepared by (or at least named for) a celebrated chef. With an exclusive wine cellar showcasing fine aged vintage, these white tableclothed pantheons of gastronomy are altars of excess. Obtaining a table could mean several months on a waiting list and a meal could set you back the equivalent of two months in groceries. For most of us dining at such establishments is a rare event reserved for special occasions. The difference between professional restaurant critics and the general dining population is that the latter isn’t necessary impressed by ambiance, cost and exclusivity. To the “average” Joe and Jane, it’s all about enjoyment and experience. The venue in which much of the general dining population expresses its likes and dislikes isn’t a newspaper or blog, but a crowd-sourced online presence named Yelp. In 2014, Yelp’s highest rated restaurant in these United States was a hole-in-the wall takeout eatery with the pedestrian name Da Poké Shack. Reflective of the “every man and woman”…

ChineseClosed in 2018Gone But Not ForgottenRio Rancho

Tao Chinese Bistro – Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno8:23 PM

It’s highly unlikely ancient Chinese philosophers ever intended the concept of Tao to be used as an approach for the serial seduction of women, but that was the premise of the 2000 movie The Tao of Steve. Filmed in the Santa Fe area, this campy romantic comedy centered around a corpulent, underachieving former philosophy student who christened his approach after the somewhat stolid “cool” epitomized by three Steves: Steve McQueen, Steve McGarrett from Hawaii Five-O and Steve Austin from The Six Million Dollar Man. The Tao of Steve–which proves a very successful approach for sexual conquests–is comprised of three rules: ((1) Be desire-less. If your body language indicates a lack of interest, a woman’s attraction to you will increase. (2) Be excellent. Grasp the opportunity to showcase your talents, thereby proving your sexual “worthiness.” (3) Be gone. Leave women wanting more by not overstaying your welcome. For years, the concept of Tao has been and is being demonstrated in ever more creative and unique ways. There was the Tao of Pooh, an introduction to Taoism using the beloved fictional character of Winnie the Pooh. The Tao of Bow Wow taught pet owners how to better communicate with and relate to…

AsianClosed in 2018Gone But Not ForgottenJapaneseKoreanRamenVietnamese

Nanami Noodle House – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno3:13 PM

If Chinese superstitions have any credence, some of us may not be long for this world. Chinese superstitions posit that long noodles symbolize a long life. Ostensibly, if you cut your noodles, you’re cutting your life short. Instead of cutting your noodles, the Chinese advocate slurping up long noodles without breaking them. When it comes to noodles, the Chinese should know. After all, they’ve been preparing noodles longer than any culture in the world. In 2005, archaeologists uncovered a 4,000-year-old bowl of noodles in Northeast China, the earliest empirical evidence of noodles ever found. Buried under ten feet of sediment, an overturned sealed bowl contained beautifully preserved, long, thin yellow noodles made from two kinds of millet. Archaeochemist Patrick McGovern indicated that “even today, deft skills are required to make long, thin noodles like those found” at the Chinese site, adding that “this shows a fairly high level of food processing and culinary sophistication.” If you’ve never seen the art-and-science process of hand-making noodles, it should be on your bucket list–and because the process is quickly becoming a lost art, you should place it near the top of that list. Fortunately you don’t have to go far to witness veritable…

AlbuquerqueAmericanClosed in 2019Gone But Not ForgottenHot DogsNew MexicoRating: Excellent

Chumlys Southwestern – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno12:01 PM

The old Jewish proverb “worries go down better with soup than without” may just be the most understated aphorism about soup ever uttered. When soup is discussed, it’s usually with a sense of warm nostalgia, perhaps even reverence. We ascribe such adjectives as comforting, restorative, soothing, nourishing, hearty, warming and fulfilling to that nostalgic elixir in a bowl. The number of adjectives would probably quadruple if we attempted to describe soup’s qualities of deliciousness in addition to its satisfying properties. There’s no doubt that a luxurious bowl of steaming soup has life-affirming attributes. Is it any wonder one of the most popular paperback series of all-time is named for soup–the Chicken Soup For the Soul series, an inspirational and uplifting anthology? Soup is so much more than nostalgia in a bowl, more than a comfort food favorite. Though good year-round, soup has its own season, one that doesn’t necessarily follow a calendar. It just seems tailor-made for the chill and bluster of winter. Indeed, there is much anecdotal and even some scientific evidence to support claims that soups can help restore us back to health when we’re under the weather and wrapped up tightly under blankets. On days that make…

AlbuquerqueClosed in 2018Gone But Not ForgottenMexicanNew MexicoSandwich

Señor Tortas – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno9:12 PM

In Albuquerque’s panoply of Mexican fast foods, the torta–despite all its heartiness and versatility–is the “Rodney Dangerfield” of cheap eats. It garners no respect, warranting nary a mention in annual paeans to the “best of” virtually everything else Alibi and Albuquerque The Magazine readers care to celebrate. Long overshadowed and under-appreciated, the humble torta presents a glaring contrast to its culinary cousin, king taco. While the taco has become a pop culture diva, the torta has been relegated to a homely afterthought. It’s become cool to consume tacos, but tortas are the porn of fast food–usually kept wrapped until it’s time to enjoy them. Could it be that there are still people who don’t know what a torta is? That may well be because the name “torta” is often confused for some sort of cake. One wonders if its popularity would have exploded if “Torta Bell” franchises had spread across the fruited plain instead of Taco Bell. Whatever the reason for its relative anonymity, tortas are long overdue recognition and adulation from the mainstream masses in the Duke City. While the culinary cultures in such cosmopolitan and urbane cities such as Los Angeles and Denver have embraced the torta, Albuquerque…