Welcome addition to Corrales dining
Seventh visit: July 19, 2014
First visit: June 8, 2014
The Spot Cafe is located in the heart of Corrales in the space recently vacated by The Oasis. Aaron and Deb Worrell have been in the restaurant business for more than 20 years. Serving comfort food at great prices and just a seven-minute walk from my Corrales home, this place has already become one of my favorites.
The servers are bubbling over with enthusiasm and charm. They treat me like I am family. Mayling Garcia, no longer at Perea’s Tijuana Bar, is now here, much to my delight. Mayling, a long-time Corraleña, is famous in these here parts for her Glass Armonica artistry.
The Victuals
My, oh my, this stuff is good. The menu is still in its foemative stage because Aaron wants to make sure that his customers get what they want.
Biscuits and Gravy
Biscuits and Gravy
Biscuits and Gravy can be dreadful in the wrong hands. Not here.
These are the very best Biscuits and Gravy I have ever had. Anyplace. Perfection. Super-flaky biscuits, tasty gravy that is not oversalted, sausage patty that is delicious and not greasy, and perfectly fried eggs. My grandchildren love this dish, which has already earned a place on mt Best Dishes of 2014 List. Aaron has a real passion for this kind of food. food.
Pecan Waffle
Pecan Waffle
This waffle is better than any your momma ever made. Aaron starts making the batter as soon as the ticket arrives. This it the epitome of freshness, and the texture is perfect. The pecans are lightly toasted. Served with eggs any style and your choice of meat (Deanell had ham and scrambled), this is a fabulous breakfast. Get some red chile for the eggs — it’s among the best in the city.
Pancakes
Pancakes
As with the waffle, the batter is not started until the ticket arrives. The pancakes are thick but very light and airy. I had mine with sausage links, eggs over easy, and hash browns, which were crispy (no soggy stuff here) and oil free. Great breakfast.
Bot can he do lunch?
And how!
BBQ Pork Sliders
BBQ Pork Sliders
Served with Cole Slaw, which is so good that I will ask Aaron to make me a batch for my next crabcake party. Good pork, good tangy BBQ sauce (slightly sweet, and the sliders are the right size. The small buns are nondescript, and don’t detract from the pork. Really good.
Shaved Beef Sandwich
Shaved Beef Sandwich
Shaved tri-tip beef with two cheeses served on a green chile roll. Heavenly juicy (dripped down my chin). Delicious.
I got this with a cup of green chile chicken enchilada soup, which I usually shun as being trite. Not here — the soup is good enough to earn a high place in competitions such as the Roadrunner Food Bank’s Souper Bowl. Really fine green chile finish.
Chicken Tacos
Chicken Tacos
Tacos are tacos, right? Nope. These are lovingly handmade tacos made with the freshest ingredients you are likely to find anywhere in the city.
My friend Barbara Chase had these, and was delighted. She gobbled them down before I could steal a bite.
Buffalo Wings
Buffalo Wings
I rarely order wings. Christina said that they are excellent, and Mayling was just leaving with a bagful for her lunch. Recommendations I could not resist.
Among the very best I have ever had (including in Buffalo). Meaty and slightly crisp (no soggy wings here). The sauce is plenty picante. I have become a fan.
GCCB. Competition style, of course.
Green Chile Cheeseburger
This is not on the menu, which lists an angus burger with all kinds of superfluous (to me) stuff. I asked Christina to have Aaron make ma a competition-style GCCB, medium rare. Juicy. He did, and it was among the best I have had. Tasty, and the green was smoky and picante. Nicely done.
Order the slaw side. I will stop making slaw at home, and will have Aaron make enough for my guests the next time I prepare my famous Maryland Crabcakes for my friends.
Chicken and Waffles with a Honey-BBQ Glaze
Chicken and Waffles
My son Chris told me on Facebook that he likes chicken and he likes waffles, but didn’t think they belonged together. This dish is a traditional and highly popular one in the U.S. South. And there are at least three places in the Duke City where you can gorge on this delight. So, Chris — try this dish sometime.
Aaron’s version at The Spot Cafe is fabulous. The chicken is lightly breaded and fried to perfection and covered with a delicious honey-BBQ glaze. The waffle is light and airy, being made from scratch as soon as the ticket hits the kitchen, and is the epitome of all waffles.
You can eat very well here. I did.
OK. Now what about dinner?
Not yet. Still waiting for the Beer/Wine permit, which as we all know takes the politicians and bureaucrats forever in this state. Maybe early-middle of July? I’ll let you know.
Another of my favorite servers, the pulchritudinous Christina, tells me that in addition to a regular menu there will be rotating specials. Friday, for instance, will be seafood, and she allows that there will be bay scallops. Can’t wait — I am from the Chesapeake Bay area.
I predict that The Spot Cafe will become another Corrales destination restaurant.
What others are saying
Gil Garduño: New Mexico’s Sesquipedalian Sybarite.
Milk Shakes made from
Blue Bell Ice Cream
“Interestingly, the cafe’s ambiance bespeaks fine dining with linen tablecloths, cloth napkins and table service but the menu is more akin to an over-the-counter operation with an emphasis on contemporary comfort food at great prices. It’s an inviting menu both during breakfast and lunch. Start the morning off with build-your-own omelets, panini-stuffed French toast, breakfast sandwiches and a nice line-up of breakfast burritos. Sandwiches and burgers highlight the lunch menu, but no ordinary burgers are these. A one-half pound “Kobe” beef burger is available with your choice of toppings and is prepared to your exacting specifications.”
Urbanspoon: Talk of the Town, June 22, 2014
Talk of the Town June 22
The Spot Cafe
Just recently dined at The Spot Cafe in Corrales. What prompted the visit was several reviews (i.e. Larry and Gils sites). Very much enjoyed food and experience and looking forward to a return visit. I would others to visit The Spot Cafe. We were there for breakfast and the biscuits and gravy were incredibly good and worthy of five stars. My wife had a breakfast burrito and was equally pleased. However, be forewarned, the burrito is very large and could feed two people. On the next visit she commented about asking for a half-order. The ambiance, etc. was great and hopefully dinner will be on the menu in the future. Given the quality of the food we were mystified as to why The Spot Cafe barely had any customers at 10:00 Sunday morning, especially given the fact when we left no more than a block away Nate and Hannah’s was packed. We really hope others discover The Spot and help make it a success.
I wanted to provide an update to the comments I previously submitted. Update to my previous comments. One can read that my first visit was good, so with that said I share my visit 1 1/2 months later. We returned to the restaurant last Sunday and left saying we would never return. The restaurant was not half full. Getting food out of the kitchen was sloooow, way beyond anything reasonable. Then when it arrived my biscuits and gravy which the waitress repeated when I ordered it and again when she delivered the plate to my table was actually country fried steak, gravy and topped with an egg. At first she insisted it was biscuits and gravy. I literally had to use my fork and pick up the edge of the country fried steak to prove it to her. One would expect the kitchen would immediately go about correcting this. Not so. It took forever. I sat while my wife ate and watched other tables get served and then after almost 15 minutes was told the kitchen was starting my order. But it gets worse. My wife’s eggs were barely warm, the hashbrowns were cold and the bacon overdone. The real insult came when I received the ticket. Full price for my meal which was showing on the ticket as country fried steak which I believe was $1.00 higher. Instead of making an issue in the restaurant I paid and vowed will never return. Aaron needs some help learning how to run a restaurant or try something else. In his defense the biscuits and gravy like my first visit were exceptionally good, however, but that is not enough for a return visit.