Albuquerque - Food Truck
Soo Bak Food Truck’s tag line reads: “Korean Seoul Food”—an apt description of the innovative fusion of traditional Korean and New Mexican cuisine apparent in the dishes. You can get adventurous with the Korean chile cheese fries or stick with classic and deliciously light kimchi and rice. Vegetarians and meat-eaters alike will be pleased with the fresh mandu (veggie dumplings) or daeji bulgogi (spicy pork) tacos. (Alibi Staff, July 18, 2013)
Albuquerque - Downtown
Asian Noodle Bar
Mon-Thurs: 11am-9:30pm
Fri: 11am-11pm
Sat: noon- 11pm
Closed Sun (hours can change without notice)
Full review: Ambiguous Asian restaurant delivers deliciousness (2/25/2016)
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This is the spot for satisfying pre- or post-movie cravings with a menu that stretches across the Asian continent. Think pho and pad Thai with a side of Japanese cold sesame noodles. The warming Thai soup is restorative on chilly days. Inside, it’s clean, classy, calm and open until 11pm on the weekends. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
On a Korean kick? This is the best place in town. Not only is the proprietress the absolute nicest person you will ever meet, but her food is heaven. Try the delicious bulgogi (Korean beef) tacos, refreshing udon avocado salad, hearty bi bim bob with Korean bbq chicken, tasty don kasu (crispy pork cutlet with curry) and the savory vegetable pancake. Also, don’t forget to ask for a little cup of the best green tea ice cream you will ever taste. (Alibi Staff, July 14, 2016)
Gold Street Caffé
Sun-Tues: 8am-3pm
Wed-Sat: 8am-3pm, 3:30-8pm (hours can change without notice)
$$ • Vegetarian Available • Booze Served • Full Bar • Catering • Take Out / To-Go • Outdoor Patio • Wireless Internet
Full review: In Gold Street Caffé we trust (9/29/2016)
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This charming café is probably going to be busy every morning we try to eat there but it’s totally worth the wait. They serve up a menu of homey breakfast favorites like waffles, eggs benedict, breakfast burritos, huevos and their gold hash, plus more delicious options for lunch and dinner. We recommend the portobello mushroom sandwich! (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
Kitsune Food Truck
Mon-Wed Closed
Thu-Sat 3pm-10pm
Sun 12pm-6pm (hours can change without notice)
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The creations of the resident food truck of Dialogue Brewing aren’t just tasty, they’re beautiful. Though the tacos are relatively small, we highly recommend the karaage tacos—the kitsune slaw is life itself. (The size of the portions don’t matter as long as you add a side of Thai fries.) (Alibi Staff, March 14, 2017)
Pasión Latin Fusion
Mon: 5pm-9pm
Tues-Fri: 11am-2pm, 5pm-9pm
Sat: 11am-9pm
Sun: Closed (hours can change without notice)
Cuisine: Latin American, Cuban, Fusion, Caribbean/Cuban, Mexican, South American, Spanish, Mariscos/Mexican Seafood
Salsa night/ Live Music: - Read more: Locovore: Pasión is a green-chile-infused tour of Latin America (2/16/2012)
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Elvis is in the house—Chef Elvis Bencomo, that is. Pasión Latin Fusion serves up dishes found throughout Latin America with Elvis’ own creative flair. Try the fish tacos crusted in banana or the spectacular carnitas tacos. (Alibi Staff, September 1, 2011)
Albuquerque - Fairgrounds
Fareast Fuzion
Mon-Thurs: 11am-9pm
Fri: 11am-10pm
Sat: noon-10pm
Sun: noon-8pm (hours can change without notice)
Full review: Fresh food—and a lot of it—at Fareast Fuzion (4/13/2017)
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You may remember Bangkok Asian Fusion, which used to occupy this place. Now there’s a grand, shiny sushi bar with a huge fish tank behind it that lays out generous portions of great sushi. A plate of sashimi, densely and artfully arranged, turns the table into a school of piranhas. Each variety of fish is carefully garnished with complementary flavors, with the squid tossed in wasabi tobiko being particularly memorable. The seafood salad has so many chunks of raw fish among the greens that you can’t stick your chopsticks in without getting any. (Alibi Staff, September 1, 2011)
Albuquerque - Far Northeast Heights
Gecko’s Bar & Tapas
Sun-Thrs: 11am-11pm
Fri-Sat: 11am- midnight
Bar hours: Mon-Sun: 11am- midnight (hours can change without notice)
$$ • Vegetarian Available • Booze Served • Full Bar • Wine • Live Music • Karaoke • Outdoor Patio • Wireless Internet • Dog-Friendly
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Gecko’s expanded with a popular Northeast Heights location that’s housed in a building that looks like a jukebox, for some reason. Even though it’s clear across town, you’ll still probably bump into folks you know as you’re sipping a wicked Bloody Mary and enjoying tidbits from the affordably priced tapas menu. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
Albuquerque - Nob Hill
Fan Tang
Mon-Thu:11am-9pm
Fri-Sat:11am-10pm
Sun: noon-9pm (hours can change without notice)
$$ • Vegetarian Available • Booze Served • Craft Beer • Catering • Take Out / To-Go • Outdoor Patio • Wireless Internet • Dog-Friendly
Read more: Mina's Dish: Chow’s dynasty takes root in Nob Hill (8/18/2011)
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The historic building at the corner of Central and Carlisle yields a spacious dining room with booths, tables, free Wi-Fi and dog-friendly patios. Inside, the Zeng family (Chow’s) have retained their focus on quality ingredients and many traditional family recipes, but with a twist: The menu is aimed at folks who want a fast meal in a comfortable atmosphere. Prices are moderate. Meals are ordered at the cashier, then delivered to the table within minutes. Dishes are generously portioned for individuals rather than family-style. The menu draws freely from many Asian cultures with emphasis on Chinese. Try the Mongolian noodles or coffee chicken. (Alibi Staff, September 1, 2011)
Gecko’s Bar & Tapas
Mon-Fri: 11:30-2am
Sat-Sun: noon-2am (hours can change without notice)
$ • Vegetarian Available • Booze Served • Full Bar • Craft Beer • Wine • Catering • Karaoke • Outdoor Patio • Wireless Internet • Dog-Friendly
Read more: Meditative Meals: Burgers and Abrasive Drummers (9/25/2014)
Full review: Gecko's: where size really doesn't matter (3/9/2017)
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Gecko’s has a killer patio in a corner of Nob Hill that’s perfect for people-watching. Set directly between La Montañita Co-op and Scalo, you’ll be sure to bump into folks you know as you’re sipping a cocktail and enjoying tidbits from the affordably-priced tapas menu. On Mondays the wings are 50 cents each, and on Wednesdays after 6pm you can get a cheeseburger for $5.50. Watch some sports, eat a burger and enjoy a seasonal ale. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
Matanza
Mon: 4pm-9pm
Tues-Thurs: 11:30am-10pm
Fri-Sat: 11:30am-11pm
Sun: 11:30am-9pm (hours can change without notice)
$$ • Craft Beer
Full review: Matanza has bountiful beers but issues with spices and prices (1/7/2016)
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The cuisine here goes by the moniker “progressive New Mexican,” which seems to mean adding green chile to a cubano sandwich, duck to a tamale and the like. More impressive is the extensive beer lineup, featuring over 100 local New Mexican brews. Try the ahi tuna wonton tacos. (Alibi Staff, October 28, 2015)
StreetFood Asia
Sun-Thu: 11am-9pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-10pm (hours can change without notice)
Full review: Too many items, not enough expertise (10/13/2016)
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On the streets of Asia, vendors often specialize in one dish handed down through generations, preparing quick meals for passersby like hot noodle bowls, exotic sandwiches and spicy skewered satays. StreetFood Asia is a hotbed of cultural diversity serving Vietnamese pho, Korean noodles, Japanese udon, and Malaysian and Chinese stir-fry. StreetFood Asia's menu offers a dizzying array of sauces, toppings, garnishes, meats, seafood and vegetables in dinner portions or small plates in the heart of Nob Hill. Exotic bar drinks and a long list of excellent sakes add sparkle to your meal. (Alibi Staff, July 12, 2011)
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If you’re heading to U Cheff for breakfast you can order three dishes four ways. Get a burrito, skillet or omelette in the style of New Mexican, Whole Hog, Garden or Spicy Breakfast. If it’s lunch you’re in search of, spin the globe and choose from pasta, sandwiches or mac n cheese done in various worldly styles—Philly cheese steak, cubano, lasagna, spicy Cajun, surf n turf—you name it. (Alibi Staff, June 2, 2017)
Albuquerque - North Valley
Farm & Table
Dinner hours:
Wed-Thu 5pm-9pm
Fri-Sat 5pm-9pm
Brunch hours:
Sat- Sun 9am-2 pm (hours can change without notice)
Read more: Summer Guide: Make Me Melt (5/5/2016)
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The Far North Valley 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 the level of quality you get. Several salad options and vegetarian entrées make it a perfect place to graze. For brunch, try their carne adovada with eggs. Don’t forget a refreshing dessert of house-made ice cream or a sorbet trio. (Alibi Staff, May 3, 2012)
Albuquerque - Northeast Heights
Owner and chef Ahmed Obo was born on the island of Lamu off the coast of Kenya, among the culinary traditions of Africa, Arabia and India. His food reflects the Lamu style of culinary fusion. The ingredients he are primarily locally sourced meats and veggies, and are surprising priced low for a restaurant dealing in clean, local food. We like the marinated tilapia, served with red chile-and-coconut-infused basmati rice, sauted spinach, and a dried fruit and ginger chutney and—naturally—jerk chicken wings served in a pineapple curry dipping sauce. (Alibi Staff, May 12, 2017)
Pacific Paradise Tropical Grill & Sushi Bar
Mon-Thrs: 10:30am-3pm, 4pm- 9pm
Fri: 10:30am- 3pm, 4pm- 9:30pm
Sat: 11:30pm- 3pm, 4pm- 9:30pm
Sun: 4pm-9pm (hours can change without notice)
Full review: Rain and rainbows (4/24/2008)
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Well, aloha! Artificial palm trees and beach murals wrap around elevated booths that look over tables with wicker chairs—there’s even a tiki bar and walls paneled in bamboo. Fittingly, Pacific Paradise serves up diverse cuisine from all around the Ring of Fire, Asia and Hawaii. And the tropical ice creams are fantastic. Mild and almost savory, the avocado ice cream is a calming end to a large meal, while the plum wine ice cream is light and slightly tart with chewy pieces of fruit. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
Sushiya Asian Fusion Cuisine
Mon-Thrs: 11:30am- 9pm
Fri-Sat: 11:30am- 9:30pm
Sun: noon- 9pm (hours can change without notice)
Full review: East meets East (6/3/2010)
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The menu is a polished combination of Chinese and Japanese classics with twists—and some entire dishes—you probably haven’t seen before. The sushi is unique, with many of the rolls forsaking seaweed in favor of thin-sliced cucumber or soy paper wrappings. They are drizzled with sauces, piled high with colored flying fish roe and artfully arranged with extra touches. The hot and sour soup is one of the best in Albuquerque—clear and light with a complexity of texture and flavor. Elsewhere on the menu, a lineup of cooked vegetable dishes are dressed in several excellent housemade sauces. Vegetarians can add tofu to any of the vegetable dishes for $1—it comes crispy, kung pao style or as a buttered tofu steak with teriyaki sauce. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
Albuquerque - Old Town
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In addition to an upscale selection of booze, the cozy and modern Q Bar serves a brief but pleasantly appetizing menu of nibbles and noshes. The dishes are small enough to make good snacks and expensive enough to keep them that way—you'd have to spend more than you'd like in order to really fill up. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
Vinaigrette
Mon-Sun: 11 am-9pm (hours can change without notice)
Full review: Vinaigrette knows how to dress a salad (2/7/2013)
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A restaurant that focuses mostly on salads may be a hard sell for meat-happy Burqueños, but make no mistake: Vinaigrette does salad right. From gourmet options that feature duck and arugula to more delicate fare with pomegranate seeds and shoestring yams, Vinaigrette presents a world of salads you may not have known existed. And much of their menu is locally grown at their fields in Nambé, too. (Alibi Staff, April 25, 2013)
Albuquerque - Southeast
Talin Market World Food Fare
Mon-Sat: 8:30am-8pm
Sun: 9am-7pm (hours can change without notice)
Read more: Mina's Dish: Slurping up Talin’s ramen noodle bar (1/27/2011)
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Talin is the grandmother of all ethnic grocery stores in Albuquerque. Though the store once stocked exclusively Asian ingredients, the merchandise is expansively global with Caribbean, Indian, European, Latin American and Middle Eastern ingredients alongside the Japanese snacks, Korean condiments, Vietnamese noodles and Thai sticky rice. The freezer section and produce departments are unbeatable for the breadth and depth of unfamiliar ingredients, so set aside at least an hour for your first trip. There’s also a large, tempting prepared foods area and a maze of housewares, gifts and wine. The Talin Ramen Bar has expanded to include a new menu with select entrees and deli dishes. No more paper plates for eat-in dining. A can’t-miss food experience in Albuquerque. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
