First visit: April 29, 2013
Next visit: soon  

Watch for the logo

It all stared with “The Stand.”

If you’re looking for a casual, excellent taste of Northern New Mexico and Mexican traditional favorites and you happen to be within a fifty mile radius of Santa Fe, watch for a colorful beach umbrella logo identifying El Paragua restaurant.  The logo and the food products are constantly recognized by locals as “best” in the area.

One of the dining rooms

El Paragua is the outgrowth of what locals referred to as “The Stand,” which morphed into El Parasol, which is now a quick-fix taco/enchilada stand just next door to El Paragua.

The rooms are outrageously beautiful. Just inside the lobby, there is a huge tree growing up through the roof (hence the name “The Umbrella”), which is visible at the left of Paul Pacheco in the panoramic photo at the top of this review.  Read the history on the restaurant’s Website.

The Food

So the place is beautiful and warming. Is the food any good?

And how.

Chips and Salsa

Chips and Salsa

These are lightly fried and lightly salted delicious chips. The salsa, house-made, is a red and geen jalapeño-based concoction that borders on being really hot.  This is very tasty stuff indeed, and I rank it very high on the New Mexican salsa scale.

You might get hooked.

Menudo Rpjp, among the very best I have had.

Menudo Rojo 

Menudo is a traditional Mexican soup made with beef stomach (tripe) in a clear broth or with a red chili base. Usually, lime, chopped onions, and chopped cilantro are added, as well as crushed oregano and crushed red chili peppers.
Menudo is usually eaten with tortillas or other breads, such as bolillo or sopaipillas. It is often chilled and reheated, which results in a more concentrated flavor. The popularity of menudo in Mexico is such that Mexico is a major export market for stomach tripe from US and Canadian beef producer.

Sopaipillas

The version served here is just short ob being incendiary (the  way I like it), and is served with  Sopaipillas, which  are very good. 

Preparing menudo can be somewhat tricky. If the tripe is not cleaned and cooked properly, the result can vary between tough (chewy) or slimy and overdone. This tripe is the very best that I have encountered, and the whole dish is as perfect as I could expect. Paul had this dish, too, and agreed that it was superb.

Green Chile Cheeseburger

Green Chile Cheeseburger 

Those of you who know my tastes will remember that I will always try a Green Chile Cheeseburger (competition style, of course).  But a good menudo always trumps a good GCCB. Rising to the occasion, Jane ordered the GCCB with garnish. She hates menudo.

The GCCB was very good, juicy and nicely cooked, but not good enough to make its way to my GCCB Hall of Fame. The green lacked sufficient piquancy for me. The fries were just ok.

Chicken Chalupa

Chicken Chalupa 

Judy tried the chicken chalupa, which I usually shun.  It looked great, and she loved the taste. Chicken was moist and tender.

Accompanied with pretty good beans and rice.

Nice meal.

Capirotada

Capirotada  

My friend and fellow gastronome, Gil Garduño, told me some years ago that the capirotada here is excellent. Both he and I suffer from the  Bread Pudding Fixation Disorder (possibly genetically linked), so O was compelled to try this version.

It was great. Properly savory, and not too sweet. Wow. Second best that I have ever had.

A Recommendation

I have been driving through Española for five years while on my way to other destinations (to me, Española is not a destination)., such as Taos and Chimayó.  I wouldn’t have guessed that this place could harbor such a really good restaurant. I have been quite dissatisfied with several others here, save Angelina’s (best lamb in Northern New Mexico), which I love.

El Paragua puts Española on my dining destination map. Put it on yours, too.

Jane and Larry and Paul and Judy

What others are saying

Gil Garduño — New Mexico’s Sesquipedalian Sybarite

“If small businesses are the backbone of American commerce, then the good old-fashioned lemonade stand is the spinal cord.  That sagacious metaphor (for which I unfortunately cannot take credit) is an apt description for how El Paragua transcended its humble beginnings to become one of the culinary crown jewels of Northern New Mexico.

“The menu is unlike that of other New Mexican restaurants.  It’s more than an eclectic mix of American, Mexican and New Mexican items and includes a surprising array of mariscos (Mexican seafood) and steak.  The steak selections includes Churrasco Argentino, cooked in a green herb salsa chimichurri and served for two on a hot brazier.  Steaks and fish (try the pan-fried breaded trout almondine) are grilled over a mesquite-wood fire.  For less meaty fare, the lime-basted chicken with apple sauce is a delicious option.”

 Gil’s Rating: 21

 El Paragua Restaurant

 (505) 753-3211 

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Update: April 5, 2013

Break The Chain – Ryan Scott

You can’t keep a good man like Ryan Scott down. His radio talk show on KIVA 1550AM ran for 27 shows. Ryan is a fine radio host and drew some of the more interesting restaurateurs and foodies from Albuquerque to his show. I was saddened to see the show discontinued, as were many of my friends.

I am delighted to report to you that Ryan has created a new show in video format that is now available for viewing. The videos appear on YouTube in a channel named Break The Chain New Mexico.

The videos are created by Nick Layman of Nick Layman Media, and are very professional. The first episode was sponsored bu Rich Ford  of Albuquerque and Edgewood.

The Episodes

3. Paco’s International Smoked Cuisine — Published May 13, 2013 May

Break the Chain host Ryan Scott meets some regulars and Paco’s mom at the restaurant. Paco’s International Smoked Cuisine is truly a hidden gem in Albuquerque’s North Valley.

Paco’s Urbanspoon Reviews

2. Break the Chain Visits Torinos’@Home. April 12, 2013

Break the Chain host Ryan Scott visits Torinos’@Home, an Italian Restaurant in Northeast Heights of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He hangs out with regulars, new customers and the family who runs the restaurant in this episode. Visit it’s website athttps://torinosfoods.com/ to find out more information.

1.  Standard Diner with Chef Saul Panigaua. April 5, 2013

Break the Chain host Ryan Scott visits Standard Diner. It updates traditional diner classics with modern flair. Ryan took time to see it’s executive chef cook up some Standard Diner specialties. Visit it’s website http://www.standarddiner.com for more information on Standard Diner.

Latest visit: May 6, 2013
First visit: April 26, 2007 

Mary Joy Ford

Before we moved to New Mexico, we spent lots of time with a Santa Fe Realtor, Mary Joy Ford, searching for a place to live. She and her gentle husband Bob Sivinski treated us to a wonderful breakfast at the Plaza Cafe before embarking on our quest. The Plaza was then, and still is, a special joy to us.

The Plaza Café, Santa Fe’s oldest restaurant, has been serving highly acclaimed, authentic traditional dishes since 1918. Located on the historic Santa Fe Plaza, you won’t find a better view or atmosphere while you enjoy an authentic New Mexican experience. A favorite among locals and movie stars alike, everyone finds what they’re looking for at the Plaza Café.

We have eaten there dozens of times. The Plaza is like a magnet—it keeps drawing us back. We have brought many friends here. It is the place where I ate on my final trip from Maryland to New Mexico to take up residence (in Corrales. Sorry, Mary Joy.).

Posole Christmas

The food ranges from very good to sensational. Posole and Menudo are very good. Chicken Mole Enchiladas are sensational, with a rich and complex sauce that is probably better that what your Abuelita made. Try the Pumpkin Posole in the late fall–is is a real taste treat. Get the Menudo very spicy.

This is not a fancy place. Formica and chrome. Neon beer signs. Yeah, it’s ’50s funky. I love funky diners. The service is spot-on. One grandmotherly server looked at me and told me what I needed. She was right (Pumpkin Posole and hot Mexican Chocolate).

Waiting outside for a table

I have eaten in many fine places in Santa Fe. I keep returning to the Plaza. I feel like driving up there right now, but I no longer see well enough to drive.Anybody want to chaufer?

Thanks for the introduction, Mary Joy.

 Some History

Lincoln Avenue, West Side of the Santa Fe Plaza ca 1918 – 1920

“The Plaza Café, Santa Fe’s oldest restaurant, has been serving highly acclaimed, authentic traditional dishes since 1918. In 1947, Dionysi Razatos, a Greek immigrant with an American dream, took over the Plaza Café and his family has been feeding Santa Fe ever since. Danny (his Americanized name) married a local girl named Beneranda and together they ran the Plaza and raised six children. As their children grew they all worked at the Plaza and helped to create what the restaurant is today.

Dan Razatos and Pomonis in the Plaza Restaurant 1947

“The Razatos family kept the traditional cooking methods and flavor combinations of New Mexico and added some recipes from Greece, all the while keeping with the classic American diner experience. This is why you’ll find everything from blue corn green chile carne asada enchiladas with a warm pillowy sopaipilla to chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and moussaka with a Greek salad on the side.

The Plaza Café, Lord’s Studio, and the Plaza Bar on Lincoln Avenue, ca 1955

 ”In addition to producing food that is hand crafted and made only of the freshest ingredients, Andy Razatos (the youngest of the Razatos family and current Chef) has created a menu with modern interpretations of traditional diner food such as crispy calamari, fresh halibut ceviche and quinoa fritters. Andy is also responsible for the Plaza’s award winning desserts such as Apple Cajeta Pie, Red Velvet Cake and Coconut Cream Pie.

This is one of the very best Iced Lattes that you are likely to find.

 ”Located on the historic Santa Fe Plaza you won’t find a better view or atmosphere while you enjoy an authentic New Mexican experience. A favorite among locals and movie stars alike, everyone finds what they’re looking for at the Plaza Café! While you’re there don’t hesitate to ask for Andy. He’s back in the kitchen but enjoys meeting his customers and getting their feedback. “

Reopening after the fire

There was a tragic fire that destroyed most of the interior of this historic place. Now that it has reopened, I wanted to take some of my children to this place, which has been one of my favorites ever since I first walked in the door back in 2007 with Mary Joy and Bob.

There are some minor changes. It still looks much like it did, but the neon light strips ate gone from the area above the counter. There is now gleaming stainless steel service counter visible to all. The tables and booths are the same. I felt right at home here.

Service Station

Counter

New Look

Chicken Mole Enchiladas

Chicken Mole Enchiladas 

Chicken enchiladas topped with our savory mole sauce and sour cream. Served with beans and rice.

One of my favorite Mexican dishes is chicken mole.  The mole enchilada dish at the Plaza is also among my favorites. I have had it nearly a dozen times. The mole is very rich and complex, and the chicken is tender and still juicy. This is a winner.

Pork Burrito

Pork Burrito 

A traditional flour tortilla filled with your choice of  calabacitas, chicken, pork, chopped steak, or fresh sliced prime rib and smothered with red or green chile and cheese.

Mt son Christopher Robin had this excellent burrito. Very good beans and rice on the side. The red chile is excellent, and slightly higher than medium on my piquancy scale. Can’t go  wrong with this for lunch or dinner.

Beef Enchilada

Beef Enchilada

Authentic corn tortillas rolled (when ordering yellow and flat if ordering blue), filled with your choice of calabacitas, chicken, pork or chopped steak. Then smothered with red or green chile and cheese; served with pinto beans and Spanish rice.

Another son, David Lawrence, had these enchiladas for his lunch. He had then smothered with red and green (Christmas). He liked the red a bit more, but allowed that both were excellent. Can’t get this stuff in Atlanta, he said. This is true.

Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros

Two fried eggs on a yellow or blue corn tortilla. Smothered with your choice of red or green chile and topped with jack cheese. Served with beans, hash browns and a flour tortilla.

David’s wife, Shelly, had there and allowed that she has never had anything Mexican or New Mexican quite this good. Certainly not in Atlanta. 

Green Chile Cheeseburger

Green Chile Cheeseburger 

Seems like every place in New Mexico prepares their own version of the GCCB, and Plaza is no exception. This competition-style piece of deliciousness is hand ground, hand formed, and cooked to perfection exactly as I requested. Juicy medium rare, it dripped down my cheeks. Very tasty. The green was medium piquant (maybe 5-6 out of 10), but it lacked that crucial smokiness. Good, but not perfect.

Green Chile Grilled Cheese

The fries are forgettable. Mealy on the inside and slightly oily on the outside. The should be double cooked. 

The Green Chile Grilled Cheese sandwich is exemplary. Perfect texture on heavy wheat bread. The slaw is very good, and certainly a better choice than the fries. This is Diner Food par excellence. 

Sopaipillas

Sopaipillas

A sopaipilla is traditionally made from leavened wheat dough (or a mixture of wheat flour and masa harina) to which some shortening or butter is added. After being allowed to rise, the dough is rolled into a sheet that is then cut into circular, square or triangular shapes. The shapes are 8-10 cm in size for the longest dimension (if intended for a dessert) or 15-20 cm (if intended to be stuffed for a main course). The shapes are then deep-fried in oil, sometimes after allowing them to rise further before frying: the frying causes the shapes to puff up, ideally forming a hollow pocket in the center.

Common throughout the American Southwest, it is generally served as a dessert with honey poured between its two layers. New Mexican cuisine typically serves them in place of bread, or filled with ingredients common to tacos and enchiladas. Carne adovada stuffed sopaipillas  are among my favorite New Mexican dish.

The sapas at the Plaza are in a virtual tie with those at Rancho de Chimayó Restauranté and at Marlene’s New Mexican Restaurant (in ABQ, sadly closed). Puffy, flaky, and just slightly sweet.

Chris reading the menu. Go for it, dude.

Waiting to get in

The Plaza still looks the same from the outside. This will always remain as one of my all-time favorite places to visit.

Glad to have you back. Still mt first choice for real food in Santa Fe.

Plaza Café Downtown

(505) 982-1664

Ranked #2 on my New Mexico Top Ten List

54 Lincoln Ave 
Santa Fe, NM 87501
www.thefamousplazacafe.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Plaza-Cafe…
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Latest visit: April 22, 2013 
First visit: August 10, 2012 

Nothing prepared by Michael Gonzales
at Cafe Bella Coffee is less than perfect.
There. I’ve said it.

Ask Michael why there’s a bike on the wall.Wanna have a good cuppa? Urbanspoon lists 97 coffee shops in Albuquerque. However, many of the places on that list are not what I would call coffee shops, but restaurants that also sell coffee.

There are chains like Starbucks, Satellite, Krispy Kreme, and Badass, among others.  These serve coffee that is inferior to that served up at the really good places, like Grove Café & Market, Golden Crown Panaderia, Cafe Giuseppe Espresso, Michael Thomas Coffee, Napoli Coffee, and now Cafe Bella Coffee. I am not a coffee expert, but Andrea Lin is, so ask her for more recommendations.

Cafe Bella Coffee is the brainchild and dream come rue of Michael Gonzales, a classically trained chef,nonstop talker, and coffee freak. He knows coffee. And tea, too. Bella has become somewhat of a community center for artists, musicians (there is often live music on some evenings—watch the Facebook page), car collectors, and whomever loves coffee, delicious panini,, and good conversation. You know. A coffee house. I grew up in coffee houses, as did many of you.

Michael and Nikky

Cafe Bella Coffee on the New Mexico Style  Show , with Nikki Stanzione.

KASA – Nikki is joined by Cafe Bella Coffee’s Michael Gonzales to talk about the coffee and food that they serve, as well as about their partnership with the Rio Rancho Art Association. Michael also makes a delicious Grilled Apple Panini.

The coffee

Michael writes:

“The coffee served at Cafe Bella Coffee is single source locally micro roasted specialty coffee. We offer a rotating selection of coffees from around the globe for our daily drip coffee. We rotate coffee that is ordered in a 14 day supply. This way we are able to expose our drip coffee customers to a wide range of amazing flavor notes and tones. Customers enjoy tasting and talking about the different characteristics of the drip coffee we offer. We carry at any time 2-4 different coffees and sell whole bean by the 1/2 and 1lb. We are happy to offer professional grinding if needed.

“Our espresso is our only blend that has been created to maximize our equipment capabilities delivery that wonderful crema in every shot we serve. Comprised of no less than 4 single source beans from around the world our signature espresso is a favorite of our customers.

“Our decaf is Fair Trade Organic and is decaffeinated by mountain water steam process resulting in a less dry or “musty” decaf with excellent aroma and flavor profile. If we did not tell you it was decaf you may not know.

“We do not offer a French Roast, we feel the darker french roasts tend to rob artisan beans of their natural flavors. Dark French Roast is used often in the commodity coffee market as an aid to mask impurities or age. Many people can experience coffee after breath, upset stomach, headaches and bitter after taste which is often be associated with the carbon properties in French Roast coffee.”

Check out the Coffee Menu. You will not get better coffee anywhere in the Duke City.

The eats

Watch the KASA video featuring Nikki and Michael. You will begin to understand his passion for food. He makes an apple panini right before your eyes. I could almost taste it.

Last Wednesday Michael asked me when I would be coming up for lunch. I replied that I would as soon as I could find a ride (I don’t see well enough to drive), and he offered to send someone to get me. I replied that I would get a ride from a beautiful blonde, and arranged that for the next day. Linda, one of my newest old friends, is sitting in the middle of the panorama photo at the top of this review.

Slow Smoked Carne Panini

Slow Smoked Carne Panini.

We Nuevo Mexicanos are accustomed to having Carne Adovada slow cooked in red chile, but this panini was filled with pork, baby field greens, mozzarella cheese, and a juicy mayo-based sauce and expertly grilled on the press until the cheese  hit that just melted liquid state. This is by no means a dry panini, but five paper napkin sloppy. The fillings  exploded onto my taste buds. Best panini I have ever had. Anyplace.

Slow-Smoked Carne on Pita with Michael’s special take on Cuban Coffee

Michael tries to partner with local restaurants. He gets the carne from Gary West’s Smokehouse BBQ in Rio Rancho. Excellent choice: Gary construchs what I think is the very best BBQ in the area.

On another day, Michael created a similar Carne Panini, but this time on Pita put through the panini press. Fabulous. Michael  also brewed up a Cuban-like coffee drink for me: Two shots of his special espresso with some granulated cane sugar were put in the extractor basket, and the resulting beverage is among the very best I have ever had. Anyplace. Great lunch.

Turkey Panini

Turkey Panini

Linda, my beautiful blonde companion, is not a pork fan, so Michael built her a sliced turkey panini with baby field greens and the same mozzarella treatment. I have not seen such a look of sheer delight on her face before, and we have shared many meals together. Best that she has ever had, too. Two Best in show dishes so far.

Espresso Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie

Espresso Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie

Michael thought that we needed something sweet to end the lunch with, so he brought us this brownie to share. One of my all-time favorite candies is the venerable Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup (yours too?). Add a hint of chopped nuts and some powdered espresso, and you have this amazing brownie. If the panini were Best in Show, the brownie was Best of Best in Show for the whole year. My mouth is watering as I write these words. OMG!

Bergamot fruit

Oh yeah — my latte was perfect as was Linda’s Earl Grey.  The Earl Grey blend is named after the 2nd Earl Grey, British Prime Minister in the 1830s and author of the Reform Bill of 1832, who reputedly received a gift, probably a diplomatic perquisite, of tea flavored with bergamot oil. Bergamot orange is a small citrus tree that blossoms during the winter and is grown commercially in Italy. It is likely a hybrid of Citrus limetta and Citrus aurantium. The tea at Bells is very heavily infused with this delicious oil. This is the real stuff, not that Twinings crap. Good choice.

Thanks for the nudge, Michael. Linda and I will be back after a few sessions at Defined Fitness. This was a perfect lunch. If you haven’t yet gone to Cafe Bella, listen to Old Larry. Go. Now.

What others are saying

Gil Garduño — New Mexico’s Sesquipedalian Sybarite

Rating: 23 

Gil’s friends Bruce “Señor Plata” Silver and Paul “Boomer” Lilly in front of Cafe Bella Coffee in Rio Rancho

“Admittedly this techie is a relative neophyte to the lure of the coffee sirens.  Only in the past ten years or so have I rekindled my appreciation and love for the nuanced depth of flavors conferred by this stimulating and satisfying elixir.  Few things in life have become as pleasurable to me as the tantalizing aroma of fresh coffee beans followed by the soul-warming, palate-pleasing flavors of a rich, gourmet blend.  As an adventurous voluptuary, it also pleases me to no end that coffee actually has almost twice as many flavor-characteristics discernible by human senses than wine does (take that, oenophiles).

“The quality is telling in some of the very best coffee you’ll find in New Mexico. A simple cafe au lait (drip coffee with steamed milk) practically had me cursing the acerbic qualities of the unnamed and ubiquitous industry leader. Cafe au lait, which has been described as the French version of a latte, is a doubly-strong coffee (especially in New Orleans where chicory is added), but as Cafe Bella proved to me, strong doesn’t have to be bitter or caustic. Made from beans grown in Honduras, the cafe au lait was smooth, delicate and rich with slightly sweet notes.”

Cafe Bella Coffee

(505) 306-6974 

St Clair Winery & Bistro

Latest visit: April 14, 2013
First visit: January 24, 2011 

About…

St Clair Winery has been a local landmark since 1984, drawing visitors from across the nation. Located in the Mimbres Valley wine appellation, in Deming New Mexico, St Clair Winery’s traditions are preserved by Florent and Emmanuel Lescombes, carrying on their family’s six-generations history of winemaking. They produce over seventy different  wines under many labels, including Blue Teal, DH Lescombes and St Clair. With 120 acres of producing vineyards located in the high desert in pyramid valley, outside of Lordsburg, New Mexico, they have found the ideal climate and fertile soil to grow the best quality grapes. St Clair’s state of the art winery, New Mexico’s largest, offers numerous award winning wines for your enjoyment. Just like New Mexico’s first vintners, our goal is to produce great wines and foods for your enjoyment in the company of friends and family.

During the summer of 2005 St Clair  opened their Albuquerque Bistro near historic Old Town. The  Winemaker and Master Chef collaborated to create a menu that features French Country dishes paired with our award winning New Mexico wines. The comfortable dining room and refreshing outdoor patios are sure to make your dining experience a true pleasure. Enjoy a glass of our refreshing St Clair Chardonnay while you listen to live jazz music Wednesday through Sunday nights.

A Quick Lunch

While driving around the outskirts of Old Town on the way to an appointment, the lunchtime hunger hit us. We shun the touristy dumps near the Plaza, and lucked upon the St. Clair Winery & Bistro. Our good fortune.

Fruited Chicken Salad

The lunch menu lists sandwiches, soups, salads, paninis, and some pasta dishes, all sounding luscious. Not having the time to loll about with some nice wine, we quickly ordered a Fruited Chicken Salad and a Cuban Panini, and asked for the Jackson Square Bread Pudding if they could get us out in a half-hour. The excellent staff got us out in plenty of time for our appointment without feeling rushed. Nice and very attentive people. When we came in, there were many tables from which to choose, and when we left, there were at least thirty eager patrons queued up. Nevertheless, we never felt rushed.

Cubano

The chicken salad consisted of white meat chicken with dried fruit on a bed of spring greens topped with sliced almonds, and Jane declared it to be very good. I have a thing for Cubanos, and have been disappointed in several Albuquerque versions of this classic sandwich. The Cubano here is very close to being authentic (it had provolone instead of Swiss and Creole mustard instead of plain yellow), but it was loaded with quality ham and pork and had good pickle, all served lightly grilled on a demi ciabatta. Among the very best I have had in The Land of Enchantment.

Jackson Square Bread Pudding

I am a Bread Pudding freak (an affliction I share with my friend Gil Garduño). The Jackson Square Bread Pudding had a taste and texture that immediately rocketed it to third place on my New Mexico Bread Pudding list. Not too dry and not too wet, it is just right. Goldilocks surely would have loved it, as did I. Not too sweet, either. Wow. Jane thought it to be every bit as good as that at Barry’s Oasis.

St. Clair Winery & Bistro was a real find. We surely will return for a dinner with some excellent and reasonably priced New Mexico wine. And more of that Bread Pudding.

A Lie surely Return

Three Ladies with Cheryl

We returned to SCW&B with some of our dearest friends, gastronomes all. What originally drew us here was the appearance of Soul Sanctuary, a jazzy blues band. Clay Benard, the keyboards player is a friend of Cheryl, who made a special trip from Atlanta to hear Clay’s  performance. For a special musical treat, an old friend of Clay, Wendy Beach, sang along with them. She is spectacular, and the band performed fabulously. Watch for their return. But this is about food, not the band. Did the food and wine live up to our expectations?

And how!

Soul Sanctuary with Wendy Beach. Great blues.

Prime Rib

Prime Rib 

Wine infused and rubbed with fresh garlic. Served with au jus and roasted garlic mashed potatos and fresh sautéed vegetables.

Bob is a red meat and red wine kind of guy. He tells me that this prime rib is easily among the best he has had in this town. He would have liked it to be sliced about ¼-in.  thicker. Very tender and juicy, and cooked to perfection.

Grilled Salmon

Grilled Salmon

Jane and I just spent two weeks touring Alaska and the Yukon Territories, where there is no shortage of excellent fresh salmon.  Ordering salmon here in the High Desert can be a treacherous experience — crummy salmon poorly prepared. The St Clair kitchen deserves kudos for the preparation of this wonderful dish. It is perfectly grilled to the correct degree of doneness, and melts in the mouth. Very fresh taste and expertly prepared, this is easily among the  tastiest salmon in the desert. Served with a tasty rice and nicely sautéed veggies.

Spinach Salas with Chicken

Spinach Salad with Chicken

Two of the ladies tried this simple salad and both declared it to be delicious. The spinach was tender and not soggy, and tastes like it had just come from the garden. Beautifully grilled slices of tender chicken breast topped the dish. This is a delicate and thoroughly satisfying dish. Looks beautiful on the late, too.

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala

A well-trimmed expertly grilled chicken breast served atop a bed of penne and smothered with a light mushroom Marsala sauce. Many Italian restaurants make this too ed, and soused with Marsala. St Clair’s version is light and very tasty. The penne was just al dente. Great mushrooms. While not the traditional treatment, this dish was superb.  Served with sautéed veggies, this was a very satisfying dish. I would return for another meal built around this dish.

Pot Roast with garlic mashed potatos and veggies

Slow-Cooked Pot Roast

So you think you don’t like pt roast? This one will change your mind.

When I was growing up in Maryland, pot roast was traditionally served for our Sunday mid-day meal. The pot roast served here put’s my mother’s to shame. Slow cooked, fall-apart-fork-tender beef is superb. The gravy is rich and complex. Served with garlic mashed potatos (excellent) and lightly sautéed vegetables, this is a dish that I intend to return to often. It is perfect.

Crabcakes

Bistro Crabcakes

Zesty, with a hint of green chile, they are made to order, seared, and served with a  lemon and a delicious tartar sauce, and covered with bits of red onion and red bell peppers. I really love Maryland Crabcakes laced with Old Bay Seasoning, but these at St. Clair are very good. They are nicely  browned and have a  a soft texture, they are among the best I have found here in the high desert. Surprise.

Dessert Tray. There’s more.

Dessert Tray

Save room for desserts. This collection looks marvelous.

Praline Bread Pudding

Praline Bread Pudding

A taste you won’t forget. made with golden raisins, chopped pecans. butterscotch & egg custard. topped with a homemade bourbon sauce.

The bourbon sauce is made with brown sugar, and is among the very best I have encountered. Not too sweet. Just right. The texture was perfect — not dry, not wet, but silky smooth with a completely satisfying mouth feel. I still have this near the top of my Bread Pudding Hall of Fame. It is no longer called Jackson Square Bread Pudding, but who cares — it’s one of the great ones.

St Clair Winery & Bistro has now earned a place on my Honorable Mention List. Rightfully so.

Bob eyes the wine pour

The wines we tasted

Blue Teal Pinot Grigio is a dry, versatile wine with a touch of sweetness and rich flavors, making it ideal for many different taste preferences. This wine has a soft green hue, which perfectly alludes to the green aromas and flavors of the wine. The nose is full of green melon, pine grass and undertones of dried herbs. The flavor is rich with lemongrass, melon, subtle dried herbs and soft vanilla.

DH Lescombes Syrah

DH Lescombes Syrah We use two different methods of fermentation to produce this wine. Two thirds go through a standard fermentation, with a maceration period of 7-10 days, the final third goes through a cold maceration process. This process helps to add to the heavy berry, when one wine is blended with the other. The end result is a wine full of complexity, its’ color is a heavy garnet, with tinges of violet on the edges. The flavor and aromas carry tones of spice, wood, berries, and a mildly rich earthiness with subtle, well-integrated tannins.

DH Lescombes Cabernet Sauvignon A deep ruby, almost garnet color, with a rich and thick viscosity announce the round mouthfeel that this full-bodied red has. Integrated tannins are found in the finish, while the flavor is bright with dark cherries, cassis, and a subtle leather meatiness. While it is more of a fruit forward presentation, this wine is multi-dimensional and complex. It is well balanced and uses French oak successfully to add complexity and layers.

Our server told us that this Cab is the restaurant’s most popular wine. Very good, nice finish.

Had a Few

What Others are Saying…

Gil Garduño— New Mexico’s Sesquipedalian Sybarite. 

“The bistro’s menu is a vehicle for the diversity of St. Clair wines which are used to accentuate the sauces and gravies on most menu items as well as salad dressings and even the bistro’s signature soup d jour.  The menus describe the best wine pairings for the bistro’s delicious French country dishes.  An old-world style dining room and spacious outdoor patio provide an enjoyable venue for generally very good dining.  Live jazz music Wednesday through Sunday nights will enliven your dining experience.

“The bistro has the audacity to call one of its desserts Jackson Square bread pudding. Having sampled almost every bread pudding offered within blocks of Jackson Square, we savored the opportunity to debunk or validate whether this dessert warranted its name.  This wonderful bread pudding passed muster! A New Orleans French toast thick slice of bread is topped with golden raisins, white and dark chocolate, egg custard and topped with homemade butter rum sauce. This bread pudding ranks as one of the five best in New Mexico on both mine and excelsior Larry McGoldrick‘s rankings.”

Neal Anderson — Local-iQ

“Strong word of mouth has circulated about this establishment near Old Town for the past few years and, after a pair of summer visits, I find that praise well-deserved. The casual-dining restaurant successfully pairs New Mexican wines and continental fare in a relaxed, trend-free setting. The award-winning winery operates out of the Deming area, and St. Clair also manages another bistro in Las Cruces.

“During our first visit, my dining companion and I enjoyed the alfresco atmosphere on a warm Friday evening and appreciated the staff’s quick response to our request for patio seating on the building’s east side. We also appreciated that the hostess secured the wobbly table for us. It seemed, though, that we were caught at the height of the nightly rush as our lone server valiantly struggled to keep up with water, silverware and wine glasses.”

St. Clair Winery & Bistro

Gonzalo, Alejandra, and the pulchritudinous Sara Correa

Latest visit: April 15, 2013
First visit: April 13, 2013 

I first heard of Sara’s Pastries and Deli from a brief article in the business section of the ABQ Journal on March 11, 2013.  Jane and I spent our honeymoon (May 1977) in Peru, visiting Lima, Cuzco, and Machu Picchu. We fell in love with the food (and the pisco sour!). Seafood you wouldn’t believe. Fresh fruits and melons for breakfast. Unbelievably good baked goods and pastries. Street food (like anticuchos — skewered marinated beef heart, grilled).
And my ophthalmologist  Ana Huaman, who keeps me from going blind, is from Peru. I like Peru. 

When we finally got a chance to eat at Sara’s, we were quite surprised (and delighted) to find a standing-room crowd. I asked Alejandra, Sara’s daughter, if the sizeof the crowd was unusual, and she told me that while the place was definitely doing well, the appearance of a glowing review the day before by my friend Andrea Lin Had pulled people out of their Saturday stupor for a try at good Peruvian food. “We got slammed  today,” said Alejandra, “in a good way.” Business had been so good that day that the bakery case was nearly empty. I guess we’ll have to come back soon (earlier in the day, of course) to try some of the beautiful tarts. 

Sara came to this country about ten years ago. She spent some years translating Victoria’s Secret sales information into Spanish and training the Call Center workers to answer queries multilingually. About five years ago, her husband, a house builder, fell victim to the construction slowdown  and near the same time the Victoria’s Secret in Rio Rancho gave it up. This afforded Sara and the rest of her family to start her bakery and deli, which allowed her the opportunity to pursue one of her loves: Peruvian food and pastries. Her food is prepared with much love.

We decided to order more food than we could possibly eat, and we ate it all anyway. We just couldn’t stop. 

The Food  

Roasted Pork Sandwich on Fresh Bun

Roasted Pork Sandwich 

Homemade roasted pork, lettuce, red onions with habanero peppers, and a choice of a signature sauce all served on our fresh baked French bread. Side of chips. 

One of my favorite sandwiches in the Duke City is the Cubano served at The Guava Tree. Sara’s roasted pork ranks right up there with Anamargarita Otero’s Cubano. The pork is tender and succulent.  The red onions add just the right amount of piquancy. If you want it hotter, just ask. They understand fire eaters. The fresh baked bun is perfecy. 

Pork Sandwich on Multigrain

If you ask, Sara will put this combination on multigrain bread for you and give you the sauce in a separate cup’ This is what our old friend Cheryl did. She is from Atlanta and cannot abide hot stuff. 

These sandwiches are served with Miss Vickie’s kettle cooked chips in many flavors. Great texture and taste. My favorite is the Jalapeño chips. They have  a great bite, and they bite back.   

Chicken Salad Croissant

Chicken Salad on a Fresh Croissant.

Classic chicken salad made with house-made mayonnaise served on a croissant. 

Everybody makes chicken salad. What sets this creation apart from the pack is the delicateness of the dressing and spicing. And the croissant is, well, fabulous.   

Red Peruvian Tamale

Peruvian Red Tamales 

Steamed red Peruvian chile corn masa, stuffed with chicken and black olives. Side of red onions with habanero peppers. 

So you’re from New Mexico and you think that all tamales are the same. 

Think again. 

This is not your red chile/pork/masa tamale, but a whole different thing. Served on a banana leaf (instead of corn husks), and covered with more of those tangy red onions, these tamales are incredibly delicious masterpieces. If you want them really hot, just ask. I’ll try the green tamale on my next visit.  

Tres Leches

Tres Leches “My Way” 

A popular Latin American sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk, topped with Italian meringue and sprinkled cinnamon.

 This is the very best tres leche that I have had in the duke City. Moist and not soggy. Sweet but not too sweet. A joyous dessert.  

Pecan Temptation

Pecan Temptation 

Pecan cake filled with dulce de leche and whipped cream, drizzled in dark chocolate. 

This, like all of Sara’s creations, is edible art.  I usually turn up my nose at pecan stuff, but this may change my mind. It’s that good. 

Dulce de Leche Napoleon

There are lots more desserts. I probably won’t eat my way through the entire collection. But, on a subsequent visit after an early morning balloon flight,  we tried the fruit tarts and the Dulce de Leche Napoleon. Our guests tried the Spinach Quiche. Good breakfast. Good coffee, too. 

Mixed Fruit Tart

Spinach Quiche

If I could drive, I would probably eat here at least once a week. Sara’s artistry has won my heart. And my palate, too. 

How about some anticuchos, Sara? Please.  

Sara’s Menu

Dr. Cheryl and Dr. Jane

Two days after I wrote a review on Urbanspoon, Sara’s rose to the top of
Urbanspoon’s Talk of the Town List (Albuquerque): April 15.

What others are saying 

 Gil Garduño — New Mexico’s Sesquipedalian Sybarite 

Empanada

“The most centrally-located of Albuquerque’s three Peruvian restaurants is Sara’s Pastries & Deli, ensconced in the increasingly familiar Journal Center Market Place, a strip mall quickly becoming a very popular dining destination. Sara’s neighbors include the nonpareil Torinos @ Home, El Pollo Picante, Twisters Burgers & Burritos and other restaurants. Launched in February, 2013, Sara’s Pastries & Deli fills a niche in offering the delectable and decadent dessert offerings of Peru.

“There’s a venerable saying in Peru that translates to something like “Peruvians have two stomachs—one for food and another for dessert.” That idiom illustrates the passion with which Peruvians approach desserts, which, ironically were virtually unknown prior to the arrival of the Spanish. As with the entirety of Peruvian cuisine, desserts are heavily influenced by the streams of immigrants which settled in the country. The resultant cultural and culinary mix is why you shouldn’t be surprised if you see arroz con leche, pastel tres leches or even tiramisu on the dessert menu of a Peruvian restaurant.” 

Andrea Lin —Star Food Writer for the Albuquerque Journal

Sara Correa holds cups of her mousse while posing in front of her cafe’s dessert display.

“Albuquerque has Asian cuisine in spades, and Italian, French and Mexican, too. Peruvian, however, is less familiar around our city, a fact sure to change with three distinct Peru-centric restaurants that have opened since 2011.

Sara’s Pastries and Deli

 (505) 385-8247

Bakery, Sandwiches/Subs, Latin American, $ 

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Latest visit: March 17, 2013
First visit: March 10, 2010 

If  you stop after ordering the Falafel, you will miss some of the most delicious treats that Central Ave. has to offer, such as

• Beef and Lamb Shawarma 
• Chicken Shawarm a Specialty Spiced “Chicken Tika”
• Kafta Kabob
• Shish Kabob
• Sahara Burger
• Tabouli Salad
• Lentil Soup
• Fattoush, and lots more.

We first  there on a  Friday evening before a UNM event. The aromas met us in the parking lot, and we knew we were in the right place.

Omar Neshewat, Sahara’s friendly owner

The owner, Omar Neshewat,  was behind the counter, and proudly displayed dishes and desserts as they emerged from the  various ovens. The aromas were heavenly, as was the food.

One of my favorite Middle Eastern dishes us Shawarma. Shawarma (Arabic: شاورما‎) is a Levantine Arab  meat preparation, where lamb, chicken, turkey, beef, veal, or mixed meats are placed on a spit (commonly a vertical spit in restaurants), and may be grilled for as long as a day. Shavings are cut off the block of meat for serving, and the remainder of the block of meat is kept heated on the rotating spit. Although it can be served in shavings on a plate (generally with accompaniments), shawarma also refers to a sandwich or wrap made with shawarma meat. Shawarma is eaten with tabbouleh, fattoush, taboon bread, tomato, and cucumber. Toppings include tahini, hummus, pickled turnips and amba. It is now a fast-food staple worldwide.  

Lamb and Beef Scharwama

I ordered the Beef and Lamb Shawarma dinner and Jane ordered Falafel and Fattoush Salad. Rice, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Falafel, and a small Fattoush Salad accompanied the Beef and Lamb Shawarma. Everything was excellent — neither dry nor soggy. The spicing was just right. The Falafel may well be the best in the city. Certainly the best I’ve had here. The Fattoush is the best that Jane or I have ever had. Everything here is perfect. 

At various other times, we have had Stuffed Grape Leaves, Chicken Shawarma, Gyros, and more. Equally perfect. The rice accompaniment is notable for its flavor and texture. 

Stuffed Grape Leaves

Chicken Schwaema

Gyros Plate with a side of Falafel

There are two sorts of Middle Eastern eateries in this area: Large and fancy (like  Mykoonos and    Yanni’s) and small and comfy order-at-the-counter places (like Sahara and Yasmine’s). They are all good.  Mykonos  still remains my large favorite, but Sahara is my newest favorite small place.

Sahara Middle Eastern Eatery    

(505) 255-5400 

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March 9, 2013 

3rd Annual Taste of Rio Rancho. 

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If you were there, please fill in this survey, which will help make next year’s Taste ever better. 

I went to see  what Rio Rancho restaurants have to offer at the 3rd Annual Taste of Rio Rancho presented by CenturyLink. The event provides attendees with FREE food sampling and live music from Point Blank, CRB, and Al Hurricane & Al Hurricane Jr. 

The food was good and tasty. 
The music was good and loud. 
The attendees were smiling as they braved some rather long lines to sample some of their favorites. Some looked incredulously at the Green Chile Apple Cheesecake provided by Toro Bar and Grill  by (yeah, really. It was great.) 

I stayed away from Blakes, Dairy Queen, Baskin Robbins, and Sushi King in order to conserve belly space for some of my Rio Rancho favorites; many of them were exhibiting. 

If you missed this event, mark it on your calendar for next year. You will be delighted. 

¡Buen Provecho!

Some of my Favorite Exhibitors 

Joe’s Pasta House. Kassie dishing it up.

Joe’s Pasta House is among my personal favorites in Rio Rancho. Or anyplace, for that matter. 

Smokehouse Barbecue

Gary West’s Smokehouse is my favorite Barbecue joint in The Duke City. I am glad that it is just up the hill from my Corrales home. 

Fat Squirrel

What else can I say other than that they have created a competition -style green chile cheeseburger named the el McGoldrick. Of course this place is one of my favorites. Duh. 

Latitudes

Latitude’s is the place to pick up some really tasty food for your next outing. They put together a dynamite egg salad croissant. 

Eat here and get gas. 

Cazuelas

Las Cazuelas is the first Mexican/New Mexican restaurant that I discovered shortly after I arrived in Corrales from Burtonsville, MD. You know what they say about first loves. Get a chicharrone burrito here. With red, of course. 

Chamisa Hills

Chamisa Hills Golf and Country Club is new to me, and is on my wish list. The food they prepared for the ToRR was among the very best in the building. Nice people. 

Pizza 9

We first went to the RR Pizza 9 when we found out that they had a gluten-free pizza close to our house. My personal favorite here is not the pizza (which is really good), but the Chicago Italian Beef sandwich. Get yours with giardiniera. 

Two more of my favorites were exhibiting, but my camera crapped out. Rats. They are 

The Buffet Table at Namaste

Slow Smoked Carne Panini at  
Cafe Bella Coffee

I am anxiously awaiting the opening this summer of Prime and Mariscos Altamar. Both of these places are among my ABQ favorites, and we should all welcome them to Rio Rancho when they open here. 

Churros Con Crema y Cajeta
at Mariscos Altamar

Angry Sicilian at Prime

Here’s a complete list of participants:

• Aldo’s New York Style Pizza by Venezia’s, 
• Baskin Robbins, 
• Blake’s LotaBurger, 
• Café Bella Coffee, 
• Café Connection, 
• Cazuela’s Seafood & Mexican Grill, 
• Chamisa Hills, 
• Chili’s, 
• Chill Zone, 
• Dairy Queen, 
• Einstein Bros Bagels (Coming Summer 2013),
• El Mezquite Market, 
• Fat Squirrel Pub & Grille, 
• Hot Tamales, 
• Joe’s Pasta House, 
• Latitudes, 
• Mariscos Altamar (Coming Summer 2013), 
• Matheson Winery, 
• Namaste,
• O’Hares Grille & Pub, 
• Pizza 9, 
• Prime by Vernon’s (Coming Summer 2013), 
• Schlotzky’s, 
• Smokehouse BBQ, 
• Sushi King, 
• Toro Bar & Grill, 
• Turtle Mountain Brewing Company  

Much more space than last year

The Hungry Mob

It’s a Pub. I Like Pubs. And now, it’s even better. 

Latest visit: March 7, 2013
First visit: March 2, 2010

Go back and read about my first few visits. Corned beef and cabbage. Steaks. Lovely prime rib. I have been there almost a dozen times. The review on the page you are reading now is from my first visit after new owners and management took over. 

Friday Night Prime Rib

Pubs are fun. I love them.  Pubs are places where you can get some good food. Pubs are places where you can get some bad food, and anything in between, and the quality is often unpredictable. No matter, Pubs are to be enjoyed with your friends. Watch a game. Scream and shout. Meet new friends. Have fun.

During my latest visit, I noticed that the menu looked different. As some of us were sipping a pint of Moose Drool (a superb dark brown ale from Blue Sky Brewery in Montana, my daughter, visiting us from El Paso, blurted out, “Holy crap, dad. They have a cheeseburger named after you. “

Shre enough, the mesn read

“ el McGoldrick – Named after local burger afficianado Larry McGoldrick. Prepared “competition style” this patty is prepared on the flat top for extra flavor, topped with Cheddar Cheese and Roasted Hatch Green Chile. That’s the way Larry gets it and how we recommend it, but if you want extras for $1 ea. we will oblige.”

el McGoldrick GCCB on the new menu

The el McGoldrick GCCB, competition style, of course

Well, I had to have me some of that namesake GCCB. I asked our server to have the kitchen make it medium rare, you know, like three-napkins juicy. Well, that’s what I got, and it was perfectly cooked on a lightly toasted bun. Delicious, though I would prefer the green chile to be much more piquant (I am a fire eater, an affliction that I share with my ssesquipedalian sybarite fiend Gil Garduño). Makes me proud to be a New Mexican. You need to try this beauty.

Slider menu description

You might also want to try the plate of sliders so you can sample more new signature burgers in smaller portions. The menu desgribes this plate as

“Slider Trio Platter – For those that like a little variety, we offer up 3 of our most popular  signature Burgers in miniature form. The Jameson, Belfast and El McGoldrick served along side a mound of Fries.”

This is what my daughter had, and she was wowed. Bowled over. She, of course, liked the el McGoldrick best.

Why the new menu? Because Fat Squirrel has new owners, my friends Greg and Nicole Villareal. Nicole is the light behind another of my favorite restaurants in the Duke City, Nicky V’s Neighborhood Pizzeria. Greg and Nicole have full management control and will be co-owners as soon as some legal details are completed. They knew long ago that I like my GCCBs competition style, and …. I am honored.  The new menu retains many of the very popular items from the old menu. Fine fish ‘n chips (my friend Bob of the Village of Los Ranchos thinks that the FS version is best in town) , corned beef and cabbage, steaks and prime rib, and other great pup food.

So what else did we have?

Guiness Beef Stew

Jane had a lovely bowl of Guinness beef stew that she raved about. Thick and rich, the hearty portion was too big for her to finish, so I had the rest for lunch two days later. Absolutely delicious.

Linda had the corned beef and cabbage, which is one of my old standbys. Get a double order of the apple and bacon laced concoction. Among the very best in town.

Jägerschnitzel

Bob had a great plate of Jägerschnitzel: “Hunter’s Schnitzel”—depending on the area in which it is served, it may or may not be breaded, and is served with cream mushroom sauce. (Jägerschnitzel may also refer to an eastern German variant made of Jagdwurst, which originated in the former East Germany.) He also  had the apple-bacon cabbage.

Grilled Pub Sirloin (9-oz)

Nine-ounce Pub Sirloin

Nine-ounce Pub Sirloin with a red wine and mushroom reduction. This comes with grilled veggies (carrots, onions, sweet red peppers, broccoli) and I had a side of Smoky Apple Cabbage while Jane settled for a house salad with some oil and vinegar.

The steak was perfectly grilled to our exact specifications: medium rare. Juicy, tender and delicious. The mushroom-red wine reduction added a nicely finished taste to a really good piece of choice beef. You should now order this with the new Signature Side:  Smoked Gouda Scalloped Potatos.

Smoked Gouda Scalloped Potatos

Smoked Gouda Scalloped Potatos

This is one of the Signature Sides on the new menu. It goes great with steaks and prime rib. Wonderfully rich and tasty, it should not be missed.

Jeff, our server, told me how to put it together. Get some smoky Gouda (I get it from Sam’s Club), grate it with some Parmesan, and layer it, some cream, and thinly sliced potatos several times in a glass baking dish, and bake it until it looks right and the spuds start to soften. Don’t overcook lets the spuds get mushy. If you, like me, prefer a crusty scalloped potato dish, turn up the oven heat and bake until the top gets crusty. Heavenly.

Dessert, anyone? 

Not that we need resserts, but I can’t pass by a bread pudding, and several others (especially Bob, can’t pass by apple crisp.

Bread pudding and apple crisp with vanilla ice cream

Bread pudding was good, but not good enough to earn a spot on my Bread Pudding Hall of Fame (competition for a spot here is fierce). On the other hand, If I maintained an Apple Crisp Hall of Fame, this version would place well. Not too sweet, but just right. Try both of these desserts.

Until the new menus are posted on the updated Web site, you can see what’s new in the burger department. This is fine stuff.

I feel that Greg and Nocole will make one of my favorite Friday night places even favoriter.

Read my earlier review.

Fat Squirrel Pub & Grille

(505) 994-9503

3755 Southern Blvd SE
Rio Rancho, NM 87124

www.fatsquirrelpub.com/index.html
View menu: Pub Fvorites
View menu: Burgers 
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First visit: February 25, 2013 

Interior

The Duke City houses several gourmet burger shops and several gourmet pizza shops, all excellent. Now we have a bona fide gourmet hotdog emporium, and it’s about tine. The Urban Hordog Company is the brainchild of real estate entrepreneur David Kleinfeld.  The  Bloomberg Businessweek states on January 21, 2013:

“Move over, gourmet burger phenomenon: The day of the dog is here. Urban Hot Dog Company at 10250 Cottonwood Park Dr., near Ellison and Old Airport Road, is the hot dog joint for the diner with a sophisticated palate.

Owner David Kleinfeld.
Photo courtesy Edible Santa Fe.

“Opened in October by former Scalo’s managerturned-commercial-realestate entrepreneur David Kleinfeld, the 1,600-squarefoot space offers dine-in and carry out options for all ages.

“The concept takes a humble all-beef Nathan’s frankfurter and dresses it up with fun and fancy toppings like pico de gallo, sauteed mushrooms, and fresh fried ancho chiledusted onion strings.

“Vegetarians can also find menu items like the marinated tofu grilled with green curry vegetables. And for folks who are gluten intolerant, there is the ecodog made of grass-fed beef containing no nitrates.

“What gourmet burgers did for hamburgers we’re doing for hot dogs,” Kleinfeld said. Prices range from $1.99 for plain fries to $6.25 for the “B&B,” a Guinness-soaked bratwurst grilled and topped with house-made sugared beets, fresh local goat cheese and fresh mint.

“A hot dog with beets? Kleinfeld said he tested out all the recipes on friends, neighbors and family members before he opened and the beets and goat cheese proved a hit. Kleinfeld said he tries to get as many ingredients as possible from local producers. The goat cheese is from Old Windmill Dairy in Estancia; buns are from Pastian’s bakery in Albuquerque.”

Quality ingredients and great service in a
modern setting make Urban Hotdog Company the best place to get a
Gourmet Hotdog or satisfy that craving for a traditional favorite.
Along with great dogs and sausages, they have a daily “Not-Dog” special,
hand-cut  fries and other great eats.

Sure, you can get a Nathan’s at Sam’s Club for about a buck-and-a-half. Good, but it ain’t a gourmet dog in any way.  What makes the UHDC’s offerings so good is the cleverly done additions. And, to be sure, you can have UHDC make you a bdog with mustard, relish, and onions — you know, like you can get at the ball park. But then you will miss all the fun and delicious taste of a full-blown gourmet hotdog.

The Goodies

Chicago Dog

The Chicago Hotdog

I lived in Chicago for fifteen years, and ate Chicago Doge as often as I could. Got  them at Byron’s on Irving Park on my  walk from my condo on the lake to the bleachers at Wrigley Field. The version at UHDC is nearly authentic (the real Chicago Hot Dog is made with Vienna All Beef wieners, not Nathan’s), but Nathan’s 1/6-size dogs provide an acceptable substitute.  This is one really fine dog. It would be perfect if it had more than one sport pepper. Jane thought this dog to be better that that server up at The Chicago Dog on Central. I didn’t — really close, though.

Crunchy Onion Dog

Crunchy Onion

Fresh fried ancho chile dusted onion strings with UHDC chipotle mayo

I decided to break out of my ChiTown rut and tried this creation, and wow! am I glad that I did.  This is a beautiful  blend of Southwest flavors that enhance the dog experience. The crunch of the onions adds a novel touch, lifting the humble dog to soaring heights. This could easily become a new favorite if the onions were a tad less oily.

You will not get one of these in Chicago. So there.

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potato Fries

As well prepared as any I have had, and without even a hint of oiliness. Much tastier than white potatos, these fries are so good that I might go out of my way to get them.

Some folks have complained in other  venues (such as Urbanspoon) that these Dogs are overpriced. Get over it, impecuniousness ones. Or go to Sam’s Club for the bargain basement plain-Jane version. Me, I treat my alimentary canal with respect and give it superior stuff. UHDC wins this contest in a romp.

 Gil Garduño, New Mexico’s Sesquipedalian Sybarite,  says:

“With my predilection for the “strangest” or most unique items on any restaurant menu, my inaugural visit proved a fun culinary adventure as well as a challenge.  How, after all, do you determine the strangest, most unique item on a menu replete with unique and different items?  The “tamest” of the four hotdogs I split with my Kim was the Crunchy Onion Hotdog crafted with fresh-fried Ancho chile dusted onion strings with the restaurant’s signature chipotle mayo.  Texturally the crunchy onions are a success, but neither the Ancho chile nor the chipotle mayo packed much discernible punch and were overwhelmed by the thick hot dog itself, a salty, garlicky and thick wiener with a lot of flavor.  The buns, made locally byPastian’s Bakery, are soft and pliable, but substantial enough to hold in the copious ingredients of some hot dog creations.”

Urban Hotdog Company

 (505) 898-5671 

American, Hot Dogs/Sausages,
$ Free Wi-Fi 

Paradise Hills
10250 Cottonwood Park NW Suite 400H
Albuquerque, NM 87114

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