R.I.P. Doc & Mz. V's—This unfortunate news tidbit comes courtesy of a reader who, thanks to a review we ran (“Doc & Mz. V’s Diner: Southwestern Heart and Southern Soul Food,” Jan. 26-Feb. 1) only recently got turned on to the Southern-style South Valley diner. “Encouraged by our tasty lunch last week, a colleague and I headed back this afternoon,” she wrote in an e-mail. “The restaurant was dark, chairs upside down on the tables. … Another one bites the dust.” A call to the restaurant confirmed their sudden and unforeseen closure, where an answering machine delivered Mz. V's heartfelt goodbye. “Doc and I regret that we have closed the business down as of Feb. 3,” she explained, ” … due to staffing issues that will not allow Doc and I to … live, breath, eat and sleep the restaurant.” Doc & Mz. V’s Diner opened in May of 2005, under the care of Dr. Thomas Strain (Doc) and Vanessa Strain (Mz. V). As a final note on her message, Mz. V says, “This has been a real experience for us, to get to know our neighbors and a lot of people who will be our friends in our future. I'd like to thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you.”
The Dish
Slate Street Opens for Dinner Service—One of our favorite new places for breakfast and lunch is now serving dinner! As of Feb. 16, Slate Street Café (515 Slate NW, 243-2210) will offer extended hours and a new dinner menu of Chef Albert Bilotti's “comfortable food.” Try it out between 5 and 9 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and from 5 to 10 p.m. on weekends. Owner Myra Ghattas says that unlike breakfast and lunch, they'll accept reservations for dinner, “… But we'll always have a few tables set aside for our walk-ins.”
The Dish
The Soup Hits the Fans—Congratulations to the 27 Albuquerque restaurants that participated in this year's Roadrunner Food Bank Souper Bowl fundraiser! A total of 22 soups and 11 desserts competed in a sold-out house of more than 975 eager tasters—a first in RRFB history. The event raised about $50,000 for the local charity organization. Top honors went to Chef Kurt Johson of Zea Woodburning Rotisserie, whose green chile chicken corn chowder earned them first place in the Critic's Choice category. The People's Choice award went to the Manilla clam chowder in darling little sourdough bread bowls offered by Gruet Grille's Executive Chef Marcos Espinoza. Finally, Flying Star walked away with the People's Choice for desserts, thanks to Executive Chef Willlem Blom's insomniac cake.
