ABQ: What do I need to know?

[Terrieltr]

I'm going to be moving to Albuquerque in the next few weeks, from the Twin Cities, MN. I was hoping you guys could fill me in on the food scene. I have family in the area who will help me find stuff, but they're not really chow hounds -- their idea of going out tends to involve things like Subway.

With moving, I'm on something of a tight budget, so I'm looking for the best places to shop, particularly for Asian ingredients, and also some of the top-food-for-your-money type restaurants. I love most ethnic food, though I admit I don't have the courage to take on things like tripe. Local "must-haves" are also great to know about.

[neobite]

It's too bad so many refer to Gil's web site instead of offering their own opinions - he has a great site but getting multiple opinions is what chowing is about, IMHO.

Anyway, I'm coming home for the week and the old faves that I know I'll have to visit - several are mentioned above - are:

El Patio - the perfect plate of green chile chicken enchiladas
Gyros (on Cornell) - the best gyros I've found and those addictive fried potatoes
Il Vicino - great thin crust woodfired pizzas and lovely salads
Yanni's - terrific steak, lamb and greek specialties and occassionally great fish
Manny's - a total greasy spoon but my favorite chicken fried steak
O'Neill's - my entry in the best burger of all time list (though Geezamboni's has a great one too)

Other favorites are Artichoke and Seasons for special occassions, Thai Basil, Orchid, and Bangkok Cafe for Thai, May Cafe Vietnamese (for spring rolls only, tho), Saggio's for floppy pizza and subs, Sophia's for amazing breakfast burritos, Shogun for sushi, Vivace for Italian and, yes, those tortillas from The Frontier...

You're in luck - Albuquerque is a great eating town (which I've discovered since having lived in other bigger cities). Enjoy yourself!

[tastyjon]

El Patio was my fave try on my last visit. I loved the unique space and the heat of the sauces.

Would you and other ABQ foodies expect green chile to have pork in it? I ask simply because I like any variety - am just not sure on what would be standard. From what I recall, in Colorado you might get a burrito smothered with a pork green chile sauce. In AZ and SoCal, the green sauces often have to be requested and rarely have pork or heat - though when you do see green sauce mentioned it might be associated with a pork dish (like a pork burrito).

Thanks!

[neobite]

Yeah, that's a great question. What you're talking about is referred to as (pork) chile verde - made with tomatillos and chile, not as hot - which, to my great sadness, is not a classic New Mex dish. I've had it at Guadalajara Grill in NM and at tons of wonderful places in AZ & CA, but it is of a different region. The pork you'll most often find in NM is either ground in green chile stews or used in the red chile adovada (another great dish). If you want to make a great burrito at home, though, stew some pork shoulder in green chile and you'll be in heaven.

[Doug in Mesa]

We're wrapping up week 1 of a month long visit here. Unfortunately there has been a bit more work than anticipated and not that much time to explore. We started off with a pizza from Giovanni's and enjoyed it. Last year we had a pizza from Saggios and might have liked it a tad better but it's hard to say with so much time in between. Both had green chile topping, unique to this area. Next was a return visit to the Frontier. Sorry, but we just don't get it about the raves for this place except maybe for it's location... Then we had breakfast at Pereas. This is truly a place to be reckoned with. The refried beans are amazing and so is the chile. The red is a bit more piquant than the green, neither being intended to please tenderfoot tourists. The new location farther east on Central is much nicer than the old spot near the fairgrounds. Last night we had dinner at Cafe Da Lat, probably our favorite restaurant in ABQ even though it is Vietnamese and not NM cuisine. Their lime beef appetizer is food of dreams and everything else we've tried is top tier as well. The prices are very reasonable. Today was lunch at Dickey's BBQ at the insistance of a colleague in Scottsdale. It was decent. The meat didn't have much smoke flavor and there was a definite corporate chain feel to the place and the service was mediocre. The hot links were tasty and they gave us enough food for a few days leftovers. Lots more places to try the next couple of weeks if we're not snowed in. A blizzard is due in tonight.

[GroovinGourmet]

Was surprised to see one of my faves not listed yet: Perea's

Down home New Mex Mex, breakfast and lunch only. My favorite refries on the planet, potent chiles and salsa. Should be the site of your first breakfast away from the new home.

And the baked goods and pizza at Golden Crown Panaderia are not to be missed.
Carne Adovado y Huevos...ay, ay,ay!

[Bill on Capitol Hill]

Places close really, really early. Or maybe they just conspired to do that when I visited.

[Terrieltr]

How early is early? I rarely eat later than seven, even when dining out.

[Bill on Capitol Hill]

It was going on 9 p.m. and I was left with no alternative but to grab burritos at the Frontier, the all-night place. It could have been bad luck or sunspot activity or something, but that's my lasting memory of the Albuquerque dining scene. (Not that the Frontier was so bad ...)

[baltodog]

You'll need to learn first about the difference between Mexican food and New Mexican food. I know, I know, there are different regional variations of the former, but you are probably most familiar with the tex-mex version (something like what you'd get, I think, on Concord Street in St. Paul), whose green sauce is made primarily with tomatillos and some other spices and chile, and whose red sauce is made primarily with tomatoes (when salsa) or, when used for cooking, with some red chili powder, perhaps something like a commercial chili powder. With New Mexican sauces, the green is made primarily with fresh (or frozen or canned) green chiles (not tomatillos), and the red sauce is made with the powder of dried red chiles, not the commercially mixed powder ala McCormicks, etc. Also, there is a concoction here called carne adovada, which is pork which has been stewed in a sauce made of the red stuff. Sadie's & Mary & Tito's (both on 4th street, though quite a distance from one another) are often thought to be some of the top purveyors of this stuff, as is Rancho de Chamayo, a great but cheap restaurant north of Santa Fe, in the town of Chamayo. Other ABQ folks have their favorites. For pretty good Mexican, try El Norteno, on Zuni just east of San Pedro, and also try Taco Tote on 40-hundred something Central. There are quite a few others, some really modest places, primarily take-out: El Modelo on 2nd (hard to find, but keep driving), and Taco Lady (or something like that), I think on Eubank. Also, El Sabor de Juarez on Gibson.

Besides Talin, on Central & Louisiana, which others have mentioned, there is a huge repository of Asian stuff, newly opened on Gibson, called "99-B", or something like this. They even have live frogs there, undressed chickens, etc. There is also a Korean place called Ari Rang, I think, on Eubank, small dining area and small but good grocery outlet. There are only a few Korean places, but probably 10 or so Vietnamese places in town, some of them quite exceptional and generally cheap. I happen to like Saigon on San Mateo (not to be confused with Pho Saigon--have not been there), also May Cafe on Louisiana (across from Talin) and also Trang Cafe (across parking lot from Talin).

Good Chinese is kind of marginal here; Ming Palace on Eubank is one of the best; ABC on Menaul has pretty genuine offerings, but is kind of dingy. Some people like the dim sum offerings at Amerasia, but I went once and found them pretty inauthentic and, pardon me for saying so, homely; dim sum at Ming Palace, I thought, was better, but this not saying much compared to large city stuff. There are quite a few Thai places in town, and Orchid on Central used to be highly thought of, but I think they've slipped badly in the last few years; the staff there just does not seem to give much of a darn. Try some other Thai places first.

Forget about getting anything like Chicago style pizza (and for that matter, Chicago style hot-dogs--there are some who claim they do a Chicago dog, but they are mere pretenders, and extortionate rip off artists at that--but you can get, believe it or not, some decent approximations of New York style pizza: AK Fratelli's, up on Southern just inside of Rio Rancho, Sal-E-Boy's also up around Rio Rancho, Southern, I think west of Unser, and (lastly) Venizia's, one branch in ABQ, the other in Rio Rancho, quite a bit more pricey than the others.

Finally, check this out:
http://www.nmgastronome.com/

Enjoy.

[DebitNM]

Chow's Asian Bistro has acceptable Chinese food; they are in Cottonwood Mall on westside; on Juan Tabo on the eastside and in Santa Fe.

As a former NYer -- Venezia is the closest to NY pizza around and I don't think there prices are all that bad. They make a great Chicken Parm sandwich [hero, grinder, sub, wedge are all terms used]. They have the original location on Rio Rancho Blvd and Sara Rd, there is one on San Mateo just south of Montgomery and one on Juan Tabo. I just looked them up and they have a few locations in AZ too!

Not nearly as good, but lots of locations and lots of fans is Dion's Pizza. A thicker, somewhat doughy crust with decent sauce and cheese. Also good cold sandwiches [ see above definition] and great salads. Try their raspberry dressing or greek.

Happy eating in ABQ

[Terrieltr]

I make my own pizza, so finding the right "style" of pizza isn't too much of a concern.

Wow, live frogs? Okay, I'm not that brave.

[ljrnm]

The best place for Asian ingredients is Talin Market at Central & Louisiana. It truly is a Disneyland of Asian shopping with aisles dedicated to different countries: Thai, Korean, Japanese, Indian.... They have it all. Plus excellent fresh fish (probably half the sushi restaurants in the Q get from here), all sorts of frozen treats and even fresh cooked food to eat there or to go.

For eats, go to http://www.nmgastronome.com/ (Gil's Thrillin Web Site) for excellent reviews of every kind of fare. Especially good sushi reviews.

[Terrieltr]

Wow. That's a lot of reviews. I think I'm looking forward to trying as many of them as my budget will allow.

[DebitNM]

From an older post of mine:

The BEST tortilla's in ABQ are at Frontier, on Central directly across from UNM. They sell them a dozen in a bag, hot off the grill and are wonderful. Their food is also really traditional New Mexican. There won't be any farmer's markets open at this time of year, but Fruit Baskets are a good sub. While it is not NM unique, Sunflower on Alameda/RT 528 north of Cottonwood Mall has great produce {across from Hooters}, and other SW goodies.

TaLin is excellent and has many food products from around the world, not just SW.

505 Chile has some great salsa etc to take home, you can also eat there. 3313 Girard Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87107
Just North of Candelaria on Girard
(Girard is between Richmond & Vassar)
505chile.com

I put this together FYI. These are all places I have eaten at and consider my favorites. I have not included any national chains. I hope you can use this info. I probably missed some;
$$ means expensive; type of food is indicated if title of restaurant isn't clear; general location given. All are in ABQ proper unless otherwise noted.

Local chains with mulitple locations:
Garcia's Kitchen - New Mexican
Little Anita's - New Mexican
Flying Star - coffee, desserts, good food; eclectic
Dions - pizza [best chain]
Papa Johns - pizza
Garduno's - mexican [pretty run of the mill]
Weck's -breakfast
Souper Salad
[Don't bother with seafood, chinese as these just aren't worth it here]

Abuelita's New Mexican Kitchen [about 25 minutes north of ABQ] on the way to Santa Fe
621 S CAMINO DEL PUEBLO
BERNALILLO, NM
[phone]

Al's NYPD Pizza - downtown
[phone]
215 Central Ave Nw

Ambrozia Cafe $$ contemporart[Old town]
505/242-6560
108 Rio Grande Blvd. NW,

Artichoke Cafe $$- eclectic, contemporary American
[phone]
424 Central Ave SE

Barelas Coffee House - New Mexican Food
[phone]
1502 4th St SW

Casa de benavidez New Mexican - north valley [ 20 minutes ]
505/898-3311
8032 4th St. NW,

Cervantes - New Mexican Food
[phone]
5801 Gibson Blvd Se [near airport]

Duran's Central Pharmacy New Mexican/SW
[old Town; don't let name fool you]
505/247-4141
1815 Central Ave. NW

El Patio New Mexican/SW [Univ area]
505/268-4245
142 Harvard St. NE

El Modelo Mexican Foods
[phone]
1715 2nd St Sw

El Pinto New Mexican [20 minutes north of ABQ; on way to santa Fe]
[phone]
10500 4th St NW

Graze $$ contemporary [Nob Hill]
505/268-4729
3128 Central Ave. SE

Gold Street Cafe - american [downtown]
505/765-1633
218 Gold Ave. SW

Frontier - new mexican, across from Univ. of NM
[phone]
2400 Central Ave SE

Great American Land & Cattle $$ steak
505-292-1510
1550 Tramway Blvd NE

Il Vicino Wood Oven pizza - Nob hill/University area
[also various locations]
[phone]
3403 Central Ave NE

La Crepe Michelle - french, in Old Town
[phone]
400 San Felipe St Nw

Los Cuates New Mexican
[phone]
4901 Lomas Blvd NE

The Melting Pot - fondue; in Old Town
[phone]
2011 Mountain Rd Nw

Pars - mediterranean
[phone]
4320 25 Way NE [near movie complex at Jefferson & I 25]

Powdrells BBQ
[phone]
11301 Central Ave Ne
and
[phone]
5209 4th St Nw

Quarters - BBQ [near Airport]
505/843-7505
801 Yale Blvd. SE

Ranchers Club $$
ABQ Hilton
505/889-8071
1901 University Blvd. NE

Range Cafe - new mexican and american [good]
multiple locations
[phone]
4200 Wyoming Blvd Ne B2

Robbs Ribbs BBQ
[phone]
3000 San Pdro Dr Ne Ste C

Rudy's BBQ
[phone]
2321 Carlisle Blvd Ne

Sadies -New Mexican
[phone]
6230 4th St NW

Scalo - northern Italian $$ [Nob Hill]
505/255-8781
3500 Central Ave. SE

Seasons Rotisserie & Grill $$ [Old Town]
505/766-5100
2031 Mountain Rd. NW,

Yanni's - mediterranean/greek [Nob Hill/Univ area]
[phone]
3109 Central Ave Ne

Zinc Wine Bar $$ contemporary [Nob Hill]
505/254-9462
3009 Central Ave. NE

Rt. 66 Diner [not my favorite, but has it's fans] [west of Univ. area]
505/247-1421
1405 Central Ave. NE

Enjoy!

Debi

[Terrieltr]

Wow. Thank you so much. I'll be pulling out my street map and making a plan.

[ailcoh]

I second that suggestion regarding the Frontier and its tortillas. Whenever my friend drives through ABQ, she always brings 4-6 dozen or so back for us. In fact, I am eating some with breakfast right now.

[clarence6ybr]

I've been gone from NM for three years now, so I'll let more up-to-date people fill you in on restaurant stuff; unless there has been a major shake-up, Talin Market is the no-contest winner for picking up Asian ingredients.