  | Organic/Locally Grown Albuquerque Restaurants Albuquerque Flying Star CaféSun-Thurs: 6am-10pm
Fri-Sat: 6am-11pm (subject to change)
Winner of Best Casual Dining, Best Veggie Burger, Best Toast, Best Healthy Breakfast and Best Desserts in our restaurant polls. Sure, you go in thinking you’ll be good and get a skinny latte, scrambled egg whites and a side of turkey and green chile sausage, but five minutes later somebody’s saying “eclair” and the voice is coming from your mouth. But, boy, do they taste good. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) Add a Review Albuquerque - Downtown Café LushMon-Fri 7am-3pm
Sat 8am-1pm
Closed Sunday (subject to change) Read more: Locovore: Café Lush for life (11/10/2011)
Café Lush is like a daydream of the way things might be in some future hybrid of Europe and Albuquerque. It’s an urban café on a quiet street corner, with a small menu of simple yet well-crafted dishes and a pledge to use local, seasonal and organic ingredients whenever possible. But unlike in Europe, the red and green chile won’t disappoint. Now serving brunch on Saturdays! (Alibi Staff, November 17, 2011) Add a Review Winner of Best Casual Dining, Best Veggie Burger, Best Toast, Best Healthy Breakfast and Best Desserts in our 2008 restaurant poll. Sure, you go in thinking you’ll be good and get a skinny latte, scrambled egg whites and a side of turkey and green chile sausage, but five minutes later somebody’s saying “eclair” and the voice is coming from your mouth. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 8 ]  LuciaBreakfast: Mon-Sat: 6:30am-10:30am
Brunch:
Sun: 10am-2pm
Lunch:
Mon-Sat: 11am-2:00pm Dinner:
Mon-Sun: 4:30-10pm (subject to change) Full review: My, how I do like them oysters (1/21/2010)
Downtown's Hotel Andaluz and its restaurant, Lucia, seem like they were designed to make you feel cool. The dining room is dimly lit by low-volt lamps hanging from paper ceilings and the occasional flash of fire from the open kitchen. Mediterranean fusion fine-dining begins with grilled artichokes smothered in saffron butter and capers, or heavenly grilled oysters with smoked chile-chive-oil mojo (a kind of Caribbean mayo) and pancetta on pea greens. Once you’re fully rested after a night of cocktails and herb-crusted rack of lamb, come back in the morning for fluffy, toothsome lemon-ricotta pancakes and organic breakfast burritos. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 2 ]  Slate Street CaféMon-Fri 7:30am-10pm
Sat-Sun 9am-10pm
Closed Sunday (subject to change) $$$ • Vegetarian Available • Booze Served • Wine Bar • Craft Beer • Catering • Outdoor Patio • Lounge Read more: Mina's Dish: Two museum cafés offer more than eye candy (10/20/2011) Full review: This ain’t your mama’s meatloaf (1/3/2008)
Modeled after a New York loft, Slate Street’s wine bar has an ultra-hip, modern, minimalist feel. This wine list is rhythmic, flowing and poetic, and it’s the most pleasurable to read and easiest to comprehend in Albuquerque. The wines are listed by style—“just a little sweet,” “ABC: Anything But Chardonnay” or “sexy, elegant, austere”—not varietal or region. Demystifying the label like this makes it easy for patrons to pair wine and food. The listings are simple, but not simplistic. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 2 ] Albuquerque - FairgroundsAs you’re already well aware, Buffett's Candies is home to the largest candy cane this side of the Mississippi. (Admit it, you’ve always wanted to pop in and see if it’s got melon-sized bonbons to boot.) All the candies are made fresh, with real butter, cream and sugar, and if there are piñons in it, you can be sure they came from New Mexico. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 3 ] Albuquerque - Far Northeast Heights Chez BobTue-Thu- 5pm-8:30
Fri-Sat5pm-9pm
Closed Sunday-Monday (subject to change) Read more: Locovore: Chez Bob is worth the encore (1/5/2012)
This French/Italian restaurant occupies the end of a strip mall in La Cueva Town Center at Paseo and Wyoming. Surprisingly, organic beef, free-range chicken and wild-caught salmon from the Fish Hugger are standard. The lunch menu is a pared-down version of the dinner menu in smaller, cheaper portions, while dinner includes European classics like beef Wellington and sole meunière. We still get happy thinking about a plate of immense diver scallops in a clarified beurre blanc, flanked with a rainbow of perfectly roasted yellow and purple potatoes. Have a soft spot for crepes? Chez Bob’s, both sweet and savory, could hold their own on the streets of Paris. Seriously. (Alibi Staff, March 29, 2012) Add a Review  Five Star BurgersSunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (subject to change) Read more: Locovore: Five Star Burgers serves meat that’s bloody well done (6/2/2011)
Freshly ground meat is served on grilled Fano Bakery brioche buns, flanked by condiments like green chile mayo and red pepper aioli. The browned, freshly ground turkey burger is a total masterstroke, one that explodes in the mouth and hits a high-water mark for juiciness. (A cranberry chutney takes the pork-like flavor even further). A housemade veggie patty tastes like fancy hash browns, and a lamb burger’s assertive flavor is harnessed beautifully by a garlicky tzatziki sauce. It’s not all burgers, either: The full-size salads practically come in boats here, and the beer is local. (Alibi Staff, July 12, 2011) View/Add Reviews [ 1 ]  Flying Star CaféSun-Thurs: 6am-11pm
Fri-Sat: 6am-11:30pm (subject to change)
Winner of Best Casual Dining, Best Veggie Burger, Best Toast, Best Healthy Breakfast and Best Desserts in our restaurant polls. Sure, you go in thinking you’ll be good and get a skinny latte, scrambled egg whites and a side of turkey and green chile sausage, but five minutes later somebody’s saying “apple pie with ice cream” and the voice is coming from your mouth. Give in. It tastes good. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) Add a Review  Flying Star CaféSun-Thurs: 6am-10pm
Fri-Sat: 6am-11pm (subject to change)
Winner of Best Casual Dining, Best Veggie Burger, Best Toast, Best Healthy Breakfast and Best Desserts in our 2008 restaurant poll. Sure, you go in thinking you’ll be good and get a skinny latte, scrambled egg whites and a side of turkey and green chile sausage, but five minutes later somebody’s saying “apple pie with ice cream” and the voice is coming from your mouth. Give in. It tastes good. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 1 ] Albuquerque - Midtown Bliss Sandwich Spot-n-MoreBreakfast
Mon-Sat
8:30am-10:30
Lunch
Mon- Sat
11am - 5pm (subject to change) Read more: Locovore: Bliss does sandwiches with a slow food ethos (3/15/2012)
In a storefront at The Pavilions at San Mateo, right off of I-40, Bliss is a refreshingly charming sandwich spot with an emphasis on local ingredients and made-from-scratch everything. The green chile Philly makes excellent use of rib eye steak and Wagner Farms green chile. Vegetarians are well cared for with sandwiches like the “Jiminy's criminy” and a veggie burger with heavenly hummus. There are also giant breakfast burritos, soups, salads and daily specials. (Alibi Staff, August 23, 2011) Add a Review  Jennifer James 101Full review: A class of her own (7/3/2008) Read more: Mina's Dish: Jennifer James on the Joy of Cooking (12/23/2010)
Jennifer James and Nelle Bauer, along with a dedicated staff, have definitely set the bar high. A surprising location—in a Menaul strip mall—seems to suggest that JJ is separate from the Nob Hill gang in more than just geography. The menu is short and sweet: a smattering of primary and secondary courses followed by dessert, all of which change often to suit the available ingredients (reverently selected and prepared) and the chefs’ moods. While studying JJ’s offerings, a small bowl filled with ever-so-thin pickled cucumbers, along with crusty bread and a brilliant compound butter, gives a hint of what’s to come. Even the vegetarian dishes don’t treat herbivores as an afterthought. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 1 ] Albuquerque - Nob Hill Bailey’s on the BeachCuisine: American, Organic/Locally Grown, Vegetarian/Health Foods, Fusion, Coffee/Tea/Espresso, Deli/Sandwiches, Seafood $$ • Vegetarian Available • Booze Served • Delivery • Take Out / To-Go • Outdoor Patio • Wireless Internet Full review: Beach happens (9/23/2010)
The concept of Bailey’s on the Beach seems to put some people off at first because, naturally, it’s nowhere near the ocean. On the other hand, “Bailey’s on the Taco Bell Parking Lot” doesn’t have the same ring. In any case, a few minutes on the restaurant’s third story deck at sunset will earn Bailey’s the benefit of the doubt. The beach theme finds its way into the dining experience in whimsical ways. The pasta dishes are made of organic, shell-shaped noodles. The seafood stew, a Cabernet bouillabaisse, is chunky and tastes like the sea. Fish tacos bear generous chunks of mahimahi and avocado, and are flanked by a dish of creamy papaya coleslaw. Bailey’s “beach burger” contains caramelized onions, jack cheese and double-roasted green chile on a quality ciabatta bun. The salads are made with feeling. There’s even cold-drip coffee! Fresh, tasty, healthy and inexpensive—we’re sold. (Alibi Staff, December 23, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 1 ] Nestled into half of the space formerly occupied by Vivace, Bistronomy B2B is a small restaurant with a straightforward goal: to serve the best damn local-beef hamburgers and microbrewed beers around. With eight burgers to choose from—including the delectable Nawlins with blue cheese—and 33 local beers on tap, the joint should serve as a beacon for anyone with a carnivorous appetite. (Alibi Staff, April 25, 2013) Add a Review  Flying Star CaféSun-Thurs: 6am-11:00pm
Fri-Sat: 6am-midnight (subject to change)
Sure, you go in thinking you’ll be good and get a skinny latte, scrambled local egg whites and a side of turkey and green chile sausage, but five minutes later somebody’s saying “milkshake” and the voice is coming from your mouth. This Duke City fixture prides itself on using locally sourced ingredients like eggs and greens. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 1 ]  Zinc Wine Bar & BistroWeekend Brunch
Sat & Sun 11am-2:30pm
Afternoon Intermezzo
Mon-Sat 3pm-5pm
Dinner
Sun-Thur: 5pm-10pm
Fri-Sat: 5pm-11pm
Cellar Bar
Mon-Sat: 5pm-1am
Sun: 5pm-11pm (subject to change) Full review: A tale of two restaurants (12/20/2007)
Best Wine Bar winners in 2008’s Best of Burque poll, Zinc is a delightfully renovated historic space in Nob Hill, reborn as an upscale restaurant serving elegant American food with noticeable French inspiration. Thirsty? Don't miss the mocha, with “Zinc” written in chocolate syrup, or the wonderful selection of wines by the glass. Downstairs, the wine bar attracts a younger crowd for drinks and music. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 4 ] Albuquerque - North Valley Ezra’s PlaceTue-Sat: 11am-3pm, 5-9pm
Sun: 9am-2pm
Closed Monday (subject to change) Full review: Sophia’s little brother is quirky but charming (5/14/2009)
From the folks who brought us Sophia’s Place (breakfast and lunch only), Ezra’s Place is just a short jog down the street inside the Lucky 66 Bowl. Chef Dennis is playing with dinner in the same lane-side dining room where Sadie’s got its start. The Kobe beef burger is what all burgers should aspire to be, and at $10 (served with blue cheese, caramelized red onion and a heap of those shoestring fries), it’s an outright steal. Other dishes span a wide and surprising ingredient range (
Asadero
cheese? Duck confit and free-range chicken?) but the comfort-food quality (tacos, et al) make this place at home in the bowling alley. Open for lunch and dinner, plus brunch on the weekends. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 6 ] Farm & TableDinner hours:
Wed-Thu 5pm-9pm
Fri-Sat 5pm-10 pm
Brunch hours:
Sat- Sun 9am-2 pm (subject to change)
After a long winter of teasing us via its Facebook page, Farm & Table finally opened on Fourth Street between Paseo and Alameda. The setting is gorgeous, inside and out (the spacious courtyard overlooks 10 acres of farm field). The local and organic ingredients are meticulously sourced, and the food is reasonably priced for what you get. As mind-expanding as the pork pork belly is, Chef Ravey’s seafood is on another level entirely, as one might expect from a talented Hawaiian chef. (Alibi Staff, May 3, 2012) Add a Review  Flying Star CaféSun-Thurs: 6am-10pm
Fri-Sat: 6am-11pm (subject to change)
Flying Star’s blueberry buttermilk pancakes are a guaranteed silver bullet for your behemoth-sized sweet tooth. They’re friggin’ enormous, fluffy and filling, and at about $2.30 a pop, a little frivolous. But you’re worth the extra pennies, aren’t you, sweetie pie? Throw in a side of green chile turkey sausage and a beautiful North Valley patio, and your
crudo
is history. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) Add a Review Albuquerque - Northeast HeightsFu YuangTue-Thu: 11:am-1:30 pm
5:30pm-8:pm
Fri:11am-1:30 pm
4:30 pm-7:30 pm
Sat:11:30 am -1:30 pm
4:30 pm-7:30 pm (subject to change)
Fu Yuang’s menu of soups is utterly soul-satisfying on a cold day. Try the dumpling-packed
manduguk
. The
taegigogi
kimchee jiege
(pork and kimchee stew) in particular embodies the sour, pungent fermented flavor characteristic of many Korean dishes. The kimchee-dominated broth has an aroma that will strike some as strong—when your face is steaming in it, you might wonder what you’ve gotten yourself into. A moment of slurping the broth’s sour heat should melt away those concerns. The stew is packed with green and yellow onions, kimchee, tofu, and pork sirloin thin-sliced to maximizes the absorption of broth. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 1 ] | 
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
home | feature | news
| film
| music
| art
| food
| classifieds
| personals
| staff
| lo-fi
| search
© 1996-2013 Weekly Alibi webmaster@alibi.com Mobile version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
