Albuquerque The Magazine, November 2020 by Gena Goodson

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With everything going on in 2020, it’s easy to put life on hold. Although it seems everything has changed, some things have stayed the same. COVID-19 has pressed “pause” on our daily routines, but everyday realities like cancer aren’t showing any sign of slowing down. Every six minutes, a woman is diagnosed with gynecologic cancer. If you have a mother, sister, daughter, or special woman in your life, it could be them. The secret weapon? You. Ignoring new symptoms or thinking “this too will pass” doesn’t mean you get to “skip” cancer. It just means you’ll risk missing an early diagnosis. As medical professionals, we understand that people are trying to play it safe by minimizing trips outside the home, but physicians are considered essential service providers for a reason. You need to take the time to take care of yourself, even when COVID has changed your routine. At the moment, we see fewer cancer diagnoses, but that’s not because there’s less cancer. What is happening… we are not seeing those early, more treatable cases. Early diagnosis is cancer’s worst enemy. If you’re delaying check-ups due to concern around COVID, our new office facility has gone the extra mile to create a COVID safe environment. We want to make sure that gynecologic cancer isn’t another casualty of COVID-19. After all, we can’t treat cancer if we don’t see it – or you. In-person exams aren’t a “you’ve got nothing to lose” scenario. You have a lot to lose. With a simple phone call, you can be cancer’s worst enemy. Call today to schedule an appointment.

DEPARTMENTS 24 Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note 27 Tapas

P. 27 P. 132

IPCC rides the ABQ sky in style; UNM Press releases a new Field Guide; young ABQ scientists win big; Flying Star debuts work from Oprah-approved artist; The Standard Diner converts to The Range; and much more.

36 Beers With...

Former ABQ mayor Richard Berry gets us caught up on his travels, his chats with our U.S. mayors, and whether his dog likes his singing.

40 Faces and Places 77 Datebook

121 People

122 Albuquerque the Interview The YMCA of Central New Mexico President and CEO, Roberto Aguirre talks about turning around troubled YMCA branches, growing up in Mexico, and what exactly Legends car racing is.

129 Personality

Michael Sivage has been building Albuquerque for more than 30 years with his company Sivage Homes. Now he is adapting to a changing home buying market, and working on his short game.

132 Behind the Scenes

Karen Price is the Archaeology Senior Collections Manager at UNMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Maxwell Museum of Anthropolgy, and she is buried in fossils and artifacts all day. But there is more to the job than polishing rocks, as she will tell you.

P.122 18

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NOVEMBER 2020 Volume XVII Number 7 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Taylor Hood taylor@abqthemag.com LEAD DESIGNER

Sheridan Young sheridan@abqthemag.com PHOTO DIRECTOR

Don James don@abqthemag.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Candice Callado candice@abqthemag.com STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Michael Jacobs michael@abqthemag.com STAFF WRITER

Zane Beal zane@abqthemag.com DATEBOOK EDITOR

Denise Meyer datebook@abqthemag.com CONTRIBUTORS

Tristen Critchfield Ashley Biggers Mel Minter Kelli Trapnell Justin Johnson

Albuquerque The Magazine (ISSN 1936-4350) is published monthly except January by Albuquerque The Media Corporation, 1550 Mercantile Ave. NE, Top Floor, Albuquerque, NM 87107. Periodicals Postage Paid at Albuquerque, NM 87101, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Albuquerque The Magazine, 1550 Mercantile Ave. NE, Top Floor, Albuquerque, NM 87107.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We welcome letters to the Editor. You may e-mail yours to editor@abqthemag.com, or submit it directly from our website, or via snail mail. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Our editorial calendar is available online at www.abqthemag.com/MediaKit.pdf. No phone calls, please. Unsolicited manuscripts require a SASE.

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DEPARTMENTS P. 136

P. 144

135 Culture 136 Creatives

P. 150

If you've noticed those large, metal, geometric sculptures around town, you've seen the work of local artist Casey Warr and his beautiful, unique mind.

138 Shelflife

The Unmasking by Lynn C. Miller; Chile Peppers: A Global History by Dave DeWitt.

140 Tiempo

A monthly check-in with longtime Tiempo Editor Mel Minter on the new performers—and familiar faces—making waves in ABQ’s thriving local music scene.

P. 148

150 From the Vine

A monthly update to see what’s new with our city’s renowned craft breweries, wineries, distilleries, pubs and bars.

143 Dish

144 Eats Review

Growing from a small local Greek restaurant, to an iconic ABQ pizza empire, Dion's has used a homegrown approach to success.

148 Eats, Etc.

Storming Crab, Western View, Taaj Palace.

156 My Favorite Recipe

Paul Tucker, the founder of Turning Point Recovery Center, shares the secret to his Apple Paleo Crumble.

158 Bites

Info-filled nuggets about the city’s restaurants, to take with you onthe-go.

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NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

DEPARTMENTS 191 Fun

192 ‘Til You Drop

It’s 'Movember,' a time to raise awareness for prostate cancer, and so ATM took a look around town for some great beard care products; experts weigh in on the best way to fight winter dry skin; and Haven Skate Shop offers plenty of gift ideas for the kiddos in your family.

198 Paws Button

Friends can come in the strangest forms. So can pets. Here is a look at some of the folks who keep some uncommon animal friends.

200 Pet of the Month This month’s winner: Meriadoc

203 Piece of the Past San Ysidro Church has undergone many woes in its long history, including a flood in the late 1800s that caused this Corrales church to be completely rebuilt.

204 Passenger Window

P. 198 P. 203

P. 204

Local artist Noé Barnett’s new mural, Hometown Heroes, at Grizzly Storage Facility, is designed to celebrate the everyday heroes we depend upon.

208 25 Things You Didn’t Know About Me Cindy Edwards is a PNM executive by day, and the Board President of Animal Humane New Mexico by night... and weekend... and holiday. But this ABQ mom loves helping animals, almost as much as she loves Star Trek.

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fresh NOVEMBER 2020 Volume XVII Number 7 PUBLISHER

& forward

LAYERS OF LUXE FOR A NEW INTERPRETATION

Larryl Lynch larryl@abqthemag.com

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

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Philip Kjelland philip@abqthemag.com Megan Life megan@abqthemag.com BUSINESS MANAGER

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EDITOR'S NOTE

think it’s fairly safe to say that, at this point in the pandemic, we could all use a drink. But where to go and what to have? We got you covered. November just happens to be our annual Food and Beer Issue, so we sent the ATM crew out to check out all of the Duke City breweries that are open right now. The team tried the beer and the food, and took in the scenery. We had the Elevated IPA at La Cumbre, we hit up the Wild Spicy Elk Pizza at Kaktus—it's safe to say we got out there and experienced Albuquerque’s renowned beer scene. Grab a pint and flip to page 94 for that story. No need to thank us; it was our pleasure. The other feature subject in our this themed issue was too obvious to pass up, since it was brought about by the pandemic: takeout food. How many times have you gotten takeout since quarantine started? Too many? Yeah, me too. But it has helped prepare ATM to take a look at some of Albuquerque’s top restaurants and their most popular takeout dishes. What are your favorite to-go meals in town right now? Looking for something new? Drive on back to page 62 to find out what the favorite takeout dishes at some of the city's favorite restaurants just happen to be. Speaking of cars, have you ever heard of a “Legends” car? I sure hadn’t. That is, until I interviewed Roberto Aguirre, the President and CEO of YMCA of Central New Mexico. He happens to race Legends cars, which he explains are smaller in size (roughly 5/8ths scale), with motorcycle engines—and sometimes feature races with million-dollar purses. Who knew? But that’s just the tip of the iceberg in terms of Aguirre’s interesting

life. He was born in Mexico and raised in the city of Monterrey before coming to the United States for college. He is an avid skier, and has also developed quite a reputation as a 'Mr. Fix-It' in YMCA circles. Check out his story on page 122. Also this month, I am excited to feature the work of Casey Warr on page 136. I’ve known about Casey’s work for a long time, even if I didn’t know anything about Casey himself. As a student at UNM, I used to walk by these giant, metallic sculptures of odd, geometric shapes. I found them fascinating and wondered what they were and who made them. Well, Casey has invited us in to see the process and learn a bit about what makes his art tick. Thank you for reading this issue of Albuquerque The Magazine. Stay safe out there, and remember, we are all in this together, because we all love it here. Sincerely,

Taylor Hood Editor-In-Chief

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NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

#1 IN BOTOX ! ®

DR. NICHOLAS LAM

ALLURADERM MD MED SPA AlluraDerm MD Med Spa’s medical director Dr. Nicholas Lam is New Mexico’s #1 provider of Botox® Cosmetic. Dr. Lam is board-certified in aesthetic medicine and has been named Top Doc for medical aesthetics five years in a row. Dr. Lam is also a trainer for Botox® injections and is a member of the advisory committee for the makers of Botox®. Dr. Lam’s expertise in the field of aesthetic medicine, his commitment to care, and his innate drive to create a positive

impact on his patients ensure that each individual who enters AlluraDerm is treated to an experience that surpasses even their highest expectations. One patient shares, “I did Botox® yesterday with Dr. Lam. He is so gentle and professional. This is my third doctor in three countries but I admit that he was the best and I had the best injections ever. I am very new in the US and New Mexico, so I am glad to find such a good clinic. I will definitely come back. Merci beaucoup, Dr. Lam!”

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When asked about his success, Dr. Lam explains, “As a physician in aesthetic medicine, I have the ability to improve my patient’s outlook by providing treatments that create a sense of positivity and confidence. My patients work hard taking care of their families and communities, and I’m honored to be able to serve their needs and help them feel their best.” With this combination of knowledge, experience, and exceptional patient care, it’s no wonder Dr. Lam is New Mexico’s #1 Botox® provider!

Albuquerque, NM 87122

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TINY BITES OF EVERYTHING TO SEE, DO AND BUY IN ALBUQUERQUE

IPCC FLIES HIGH IN STYLE Named “Eyahne On The Horizon”, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center’s new hot air balloon is designed to represent Pueblo culture and life. “Eyahne” means “Blessing” in Keres. The balloon was built in partnership with Rainbow Ryders Inc., the largest hot air balloon ride company in the country. “Our beautiful, new hot air balloon has been in the works for over a year, and will serve as a proud ambassador of sorts for IPCC,” said Emily Howard, Vice President of Corporate Strategy for IPCC and Indian Pueblos Marketing, Inc. “We are delighted to work with Scott Appelman and his extraordinary team at Rainbow Ryders—the very best in the busiNOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

ness—and look forward to becoming part of the world-famous local balloon culture and community.” —TH The numbers: • 275,000 cubic feet • 86 feet tall and 68 feet wide (at the equator) • Can lift 6,000 pounds (12 to 14 passengers plus the pilot) • THE LARGEST RIDE BALLOON IN NEW MEXICO • Will fly 200-300 times per year • Some of the balloon’s art work designs date back thousands of years

START

The 505

BR A GGING

ABQ

awards

individual awards group awards

Earlier this summer, Albuquerque Economic Development, Inc. and the Albuquerque Forward Fund sent out the call for nominations for their second annual 505 Awards, which recognizes groups and individuals who have helped build “The 505” and contributed to the city’s growth and prosperity. “In this especially challenging year, we saw organizations and individuals come together in some truly inspiring and creative ways to support each other and our

region,” said Leean Kravitz, Chair of the Albuquerque Forward Fund in a news release. “This year’s awards program will help us recognize those leading that recent vital work, as well as their longer-term efforts to improve the lives of those in our community.” For more information about the awards categories, eligibility requirements, and judging criteria, please visit the Albuquerque Forward Fund website.—TH

COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD 2020 Honorees: Albuquerque Community Foundation and Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

EXCELLENCE IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AWARD 2020 Honoree: Central New Mexico Community College

Kristelle Siarza

Chief Executive Officer Siarza Social Digital “When you put sports in the middle of the beautiful scenery of Albuquerque, THAT’S something to brag about. From cheering on the Lobos at the New Mexico Bowl, enjoying the views on the Dam 9 at Arroyo Del Oso, or playing adult kickball at USS Bullhead... our city brings people together for the love of fun, competition, and a good time.” Start Bragging ABQ is a campaign to tell everyone what you love about our city. Got a brag about ABQ? Send it to us at editor@abqthemag.com.

SMALL BUSINESS CHAMPION AWARD 2020 Honoree: DreamSpring

LIFETIME LEADERSHIP AWARD 2020 Honoree: Gary Tonjes

ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR AWARD 2020 Honoree: Charles Rath, President and CEO, RS21

PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERSHIP AWARD 2020 Honoree: Fred Mondragon, Founder and Owner, Mondragon International

RISING STAR AWARD 2020 Honoree: Rathi Casey, Partner and CEO, UKUU Creative

According to Visit Albuquerque, November is the month with the second highest chance of sunshine in the Duke City. At 87 percent, it is just behind January at 88 percent.

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New Mexico Girl Gets Gold This year, Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails and Girl Scouts of the USA marked the International Day of the Girl (October 11) by announcing the annual National Gold Award Girl Scouts. National Gold Awards are distributed to Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors who have demonstrated remarkable leadership in tackling pressing issues through a variety of service projects. Natalie Aulwes, a New Mexico teen and ski patroller, was among the ten 2020 awardees. Working Ski Patrol on Pajarito Mountain, Aulwes noticed a need for swifter, more efficient emergency transportation access on the mountain. Collaborating with local air medical services, she engineered a new solar-powered helicopter pad, helping get injured people directly to waiting air ambulance services.

In addition to crafting the new helicopter pad, Aulwes put together an all-girl engineering workshop, where attendees could learn about circuitry, drafting, and 3D computer-assisted design. Here, Aulwes’ goal was to encourage girls to pursue STEM education. “Building the helicopter pad made me recognize just how far my engineering ideas could go. Knowing that my helipad can save lives and that people wanted to patent my design encourages me to continue to pursue my ideas,” Aulwes said in a press release. “My Gold Award project also made me realize that many girls are curious about STEM and that a female mentor’s encouragement can alter their perception! It warmed my heart to see that I could make girls feel as excited about science as I am.”—ZB

ABQ’s Youngest Scientists CALVIN GOODKIND

That cellphone in your pocket? Impossible without a scientific understanding of radio waves. Those super-comfy yoga pants you wear from time to time? Thank chemists for advances in materials science that gave us spandex. Haven’t noticed too many people struggling from the crippling effects of polio lately? Thank virologists and immunologists like Hillary Koprowski and Jonas Salk for developing a vaccine. Point being, science is pretty important stuff. And that’s why Broadcom Foundation

and the Society for Science and the Public collaborate on the Broadcom MASTERS competition, encouraging students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in order to solve the 21st century’s most pressing problems. This year, the competition is being held virtually, and two Albuquerque middle schoolers have made it into the Top 300 MASTERS. Selected from a pool of 3,476 students—the largest in Broadcom MASTERS competition history—Calvin Good-

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

kind of Jefferson Middle School and James Clark of Alice King Community School have shown a clear aptitude for science. “These students demonstrate tremendous determination and resilience to engage in science and complete their research projects despite the challenges in the face of the pandemic, including learning remotely,” Aparna Paul, communications manager for the Society for Science and the Public said in a press release. —ZB

Artemisia Publishing Wins BIG Artemesia Publishing, a small publishing company in Tijeras, cleaned up at the 2020 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards with eight of its authors being recognized. —TH

The winning authors and their books include:

The Cactus Plot by Vicky Ramakka won in the Cozy Fiction category.

No Place That Far by Bruce Wilson won in the Fiction Historical (Arizona) category.

Scattering the Ashes by Paul Semendinger’s is a winner in the Fiction – Literary category.

Tempest Blades: The Withered King by Ricardo Victoria is recognized as a finalist in the Fiction Sci-Fi category

Beatrice On Her Own by Rosemary Zibart won in the Fiction Historical (New Mexico) category.

Kale is a FourLetter Word by The Corrales Writing Group were recognized as a finalist in the Anthology/Fiction category, and for theirCover Design (6x9).

Unremarkable by co-written by Geoff Habiger and Coy Kissee’s was recognized as a finalist in the Fiction – Crime category..

Oakwood Island The Awakening by Angella Cormier and Pierre Arseneault is recognized as a finalist in the Fiction – Other category.

ATM DEFINITION OF THE MONTH

Remember when you got the Disaster Burrito from Hurricanes

and tried to eat the whole thing in the parking lot, then Caroma to-go got full and put the leftovers in a box on the passenger side of your car? Ever wonder what happened to that burrito? (n.) floor It slid under the passenger seat and has been there for a week. Now your car is scented with a new caroma. Enjoy.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

NOT YOUR S T A N D A R D RANGE Standard can be understood in two ways. One is that we’re talking about something run-of-the-mill, widely unremarkable in flavor, presentation, or service. When talking about Standard Diner, by contrast, we’re using the word "standard" as a measure of achievement. During their fourteen-year run, Standard Diner was never ordinary. Instead, they set a fresh standard for the diner arts. Originally opened in 2006, the eventual East Downtown staple struggled for trac-

tion at first. In 2008, they caught the eye of the producers behind the Food Network series Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. Profile appropriately boosted, Standard Diner went on to become a local favorite. With the onset of COVID-19, four months of closures forced some tough decisions. Owner Matt DiGregory—together with his co-owner siblings—have transformed the Standard Diner into an arm of their other popular Duke City property, Range Cafe.

It is, in some respects, an end to a culinary era in the EDo district. But fans of Standard Diner should take heart—several of Standard’s flagship dishes have migrated to the Range Cafe menu, including the DDD bacon wrapped meatloaf featured on Diners, Driveins, and Dives. —ZB

Guiding New Mexico UNM Press is one of the premier University presses in the country and that’s due, in part, to their diverse offerings. One of their most ambitious projects isn’t even a series of books at all, it’s a series of “Field Guides”.

O’Keeffe Country (created by Kirt Kempter and Dick Huelster) gives curious New Mexico explorers a geological map of the area, along with photographs, timelines, and points of interest.

It may be the day and age of Google Maps, but UNM Press’ Field Guides offer much more than Google Maps can (that app can’t even pronounce “Juan Tabo” correctly.)

Dick Huelster is the co-author of most of the series’ guides and Kirt Kempter wrote Valles Caldera National Preserve: Geologic History of the Southwest’s Youngest Caldera, the series’ best seller, so readers are in capable and experienced hands.—TH

For example, their latest addition to the series, Abiquiu: The Geologic History of

There are currently 8 guides in the series. • Dance Ceremonies of the Northern Rio Grande Pueblos • Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument • Roads to the Past: Highway Map and Guide to New Mexico Archaeology • Tony Hillerman’s Landscapes: Southwest Map and Guide • Rock Art Images of Northern New Mexico • All Trails Lead to Santa Fe: Guide and Map for Three National Historic Trails Connecting Santa Fe to the Rest of the World • Valles Caldera National Preserve: Geologic History of the Southwest’s Youngest Caldera • Abiquiu: The Geologic History of O’Keeffe Country

Visit unmpress.com for more details. NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

The Fine Art of

Flying Star “I love my Suki art,” cooed Oprah Winfrey as she held an oil painting of herself with President Barack Obama on a 2005 episode of her popular afternoon show. The piece was done by non-other than Albuquerque’s own Suki Willoughby, whose colorful and lively paintings have been turning heads in the art world for the last 30 years. Now Willoughby’s paintings are going on full display at the Flying Star location on Paseo del Norte and Wyoming Blvd. as part of the local restaurant chain’s newest phase of reopening. “I had been speaking with Flying Star and then COVID hit and everything got shot to hell,” says Willoughby. “But they really wanted to support me and local art, and I got a call from them saying they wanted to display my work in some of the Flying Stars.” The daughter of artists, Willoughby has had a life filled with color. She began as a fashion designer, taking her sketch pad along with her wherever she went. But eventually she switched to painting and attended the Art Masters Academy in Albuquerque where she was trained by master artist Louis Maestes. Suki Willoughby’s paintings can curently be purchased on her online Etsy shop. —TH

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START BR A GGING

ABQ

BB FAB Custom laser-cut metal signs Fabricating Welding Powder Coating

Robert Punya

Owner, Poki Poki Cevicheria “What I love most about Albuquerque is opportunity. As the owner of Poki Poki Cevicheria, I was extremely glad that the reception of our cuisine has been fantastic. Albuquerque’s diverse culture and love of food allowed me to fit in perfectly. So, I thank Albuquerque and the lovely people here for being foodies!”

laser engraving

505.771.7751 bbfababq@gmail.com

Start Bragging ABQ is a campaign to tell everyone what you love about our city. Got a brag about ABQ? Send it to us at editor@abqthemag.com.

You can experience the changing colors of Albuquerque’s trees in November by walking many of the trails in the Bosque or heading up to Sandia Peak. Both are open.

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

ABQ in a BOX

Every Albuquerquean knows it is hard to stay away for long. There just isn’t any place like the Duke City. Now it’s never been easier to get a small piece of ABQ wherever you go, with ABQ in a Box. Featuring local products from local companies, it makes for a great gift for your out-of-town Albuquerquean friend or relative, just try not to raid the gift before you send it out.—TH

Green Chile Air Freshner Seraparito Supply Co.

Tortilla Coasters Seraparito Supply Co. Lavender Lotion Los Poblanos

Poquito Edition ($35)

• Popcorn from Walker’s Popcorn Co. • Green chile air freshener from Seraparito Supply Co. • Salsa + Red and Green Chile from El Pinto

Biscochitos Rude Boy Cookies

• Handmade Zia hot air balloon tin ornament

Burrito Blanket (koozie) Seraparito Supply Co.

• NM Zia bottle opener

Best of ABQ Edition ($55) • Salsa, Red + Green Chile from El Pinto (3-pack)

Popcorn Walker’s Popcorn Co.

• Green Chile Air Freshener from Seraparito Supply Co. • Biscochitos from Rude Boy Cookies • Piñon Flavored Coffee from NM Piñon Coffee • Lavender lip salve from Los Poblanos • Tortilla Coasters from Seraparito Supply Co. • Hot air balloon cookie cutter • Handmade NM Zia hot air balloon tin ornament

Lux Edition ($69) • Lavender lip salve from Los Poblanos

• Popcorn bag from Walker’s Popcorn Co.

• Lavender travel candle from Los Poblanos

• Pinon Coffee from New Mexico Piñon Coffee

• Lavender lotion from Los Poblanos

• El Pinto Salsa, Red + Green Chile (3-pack)

• Dish Towel from Kei & Molly

• Autographed Steve Stucker “Balloonatic” trading card

• NM Zia bottle opener

• 1/2 dozen biscochitos from Rude Boy Cookies

• NM Zia tin cup

• Green chile fudge from La Choco in Old Town

• Green chile air freshener from Seraparito Supply Co.

• Turquoise bandana with NM Zia symbol

• Burrito Blanket (koozie) from Seraparito Supply Co.

• Set of 4 NM postcards

• Tortilla Coasters from Seraparito Supply Co.

• Set of 4 NM stickers

• NM state shaped cookie cutter

• Breaking Bad Blue Crystal Meth Rock Candy

• Handcrafted hot air balloon tin ornament

Place your order at abqinabox.com 34

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

TWEET BEAT What the Twittersphere is saying about Albuquerque, 280 characters at a time.

Non Roster Invitee @johnmvaldez We won’t get an official @balloonfiesta but this is close #Albuquerque

Joey Romero @CoachJRom New Mexico has the best Sunrises & sunsets #NMTrue #LandofEnchantment

ABQ BioPark @abqbiopark We’re open! We are so excited to welcome you back to the ABQ BioPark Zoo! Remember to reserve your tickets online (including members)! Please visit our Limited Reopening page before you go-

What do you have to say about #abq? Follow us at twitter.com/abqthemag

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Beers With…

Richard J. Berry

FORMER MAYOR OF ALBUQUERQUE

s the mayor of Albuquerque from 2009 to 2017, Richard Berry put forth a philosophy and leadership style that most pundits would admit had broad appeal across the city. Not an easy feat for the only Republican to hold the city’s highest office since the mid-1980s. Having a background in construction, Berry’s mayoral tenure was naturally hailed as business-friendly and fiscally conservative. But he flipped the script when it came to social initiatives, launching a program called Albuquerque Heading Home that found houses and services for the homeless through public-private partnerships. And in 2015, he spearheaded a groundbreaking plan that came to be copied by cities across America: the idea of giving panhandlers day jobs to clean up trash on city streets. The “There’s A Better Way” program resulted in long-term employment, housing and social services for thousands of homeless—and a TED talk and national recognition for Berry. But his second term ultimately came to be defined by the $119 million Albuquerque Rapid

Transit project (known as ART) along Central Avenue, which drew controversy on several fronts, including doubts about whether the $69 million matching federal grant would come through (it did), or whether the expansion that would disrupt Route 66 businesses was even necessary (time will tell). It also didn’t help that, on the day the completed project was unveiled, a driver took an illegal left turn and crashed into an ART bus (which would happen several more times in the initial weeks after launch). But Berry has never wavered in his stance that the project was necessary to help facilitate traffic along the historic road as our city grows into the coming decades. Since leaving office, he’s been traveling and consulting, taking the first real break from full-time commitments since the days he left high school in Nebraska to come to the University of New Mexico to join the track and field team. We managed to catch up with the former mayor for a chat and a beverage.

ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE: Let’s start by admitting that there’s no beer for this interview, that we decided to go with whiskey instead.

ATM: And since you’re synonymous with Albuquerque, we’re drinking Hollow Spirits Whiskey, which is locally owned and distilled.

RICHARD J. BERRY: Yeah,I’m okay with

RJB: It’s really good. I see it’s 100 proof,

admitting that.

so it’s barrel strength. I don’t do a ton of

drinking, by the way, but I like this. It’s a testament to the city that we’ve got tremendous craftspeople here. ATM: You mentioned previously that, until COVID-19, you were on the road quite a bit. How does our beer and spirits scene stack up to other cities?

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RJB: The craft beer scene has gone crazy around the country, and when I was doing lots of traveling, I couldn’t find anything better than we have here, anywhere. Anywhere! And now that we’ve got these micro-distilleries, it’s a neat next step. Also, what it’s done is create a lot of entrepreneurial opportunity here.

I saw for eight years that this is a really cool place full of cool people.

ATM: What would you tell a newcomer to Albuquerque about their new city?

ATM: What else is creating concern for city leaders?

RJB: I’d say, If you take the time to im-

RJB: Most mayors I talk to also have a

merse yourself in this place—the culture, the people, the landscape—then Albuquerque will always have a special place in your heart. I would tell them that we are not perfect, but we’re wonderful.

ATM: That’s pretty good. It sounds like the mindset of being a mayor never stops. RJB: Well, you have to start with this idea

that I got to be the mayor for eight years, which is a very unique thing to GET to be, number one, in any city, especially in a large American city and a city as diverse as Albuquerque. I still, through the work I do, deal with lots of mayors, and I have a good idea about what is going on around the country.

ATM: So, you interact with mayors from around the country? What are those conversations like? ATM: Speaking of COVID, we should mention that we are doing this interview in a private setting, six feet apart with masks on. What’s your 10,000-foot view of Albuquerque at this point, in the middle of the pandemic? RJB: We are all struggling through a difficult time, but we’re doing it in an Albuquerque-centric kind of way, together. What makes a community as rich as Albuquerque is the fact that we have challenges just as any other big city does. But we have this interesting and unique way about tackling those, and generally we come together and figure it out, together. I saw for eight years that this is a really cool place full of cool people. ATM: One of the silver linings is that the pandemic has helped create new friendships and new circles of influence for Albuquerqueans. A lot of us have gotten to meet neighbors we never knew. RJB: Raise a glass to that!

great interest in figuring out how to support their cultural scene—live music, specifically. That sector has been decimated. Overlay all of those discussions with the important national conversation on racial justice and equity and there is always a lot to discuss.

ATM: That’s quite a lot of impactful subjects to consider. How do you compartmentalize each of these concerns? RJB: When I ran for office, I came at it

from a business background. I also had an interest in making my community better for everyone, if I could. What I found once elected was that I have a passion for people and our place, especially the seemingly intractable challenges we face (like) homelessness, poverty, crime, equity and inclusion. The list is long.

RJB: Right now, it’s all COVID-19, all the

time, specifically issues with the CARES Act, public health and post-pandemic recovery. Only 25 or so cities received direct funding from the CARES Act, those with over 500,000 in population. Luckily Albuquerque is one of those, and I believe the City received something around $150 million dollars in direct support. But for other cities that didn’t, the revenue shortfalls are staggering, and short of another federal package that addresses cities with lower populations, there are going to be extremely tough times ahead as they struggle to provide critical services.

ATM: And that’s just in the public sector, right?

We’re struggling through the pandemic, but we’re doing it in an Albuquerque way, together.

RJB: Right. We also talk a lot about what

we can do to help those businesses who just can’t survive the shutdowns and associated loss of revenues. There are some promising pilot projects including attempts to pool private capital to help create employee owned entities that can take over or assist businesses that are struggling. There are lots of ideas and an urgency surrounding main street issues.

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

ATM: Homelessness was a passionate issue for both you and your wife, Maria, during your time as mayor. You started the nationally recognized There’s a Better Way program in

office to help end homelessness and panhandling. Is the goal to end homelessness in Albuquerque still in your sights? RJB: Just this week, Maria and I were

able to continue supporting the Heading Home program that helps families transition out of homelessness through The Bright Futures Fund at the Albuquerque Community Foundation. That’s the donor advised fund managed by the Community Foundation with proceeds from the Mayor and First Lady’s Annual Charity Gala that Maria spearheaded during our years in office.

There’s an important national conversation on racial justice and equity.

ATM: How did you come to identify so closely with that issue? RJB: The Heading Home program has

a special place for me because the folks there and others in the advocacy community really helped educate me on what works, what doesn’t and how to tell the difference. The programs we developed and implemented have been replicated around the country, and that is a tribute to the Albuquerque spirit of compassion and grit.

with integrated employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and Best Chance, which serves formerly incarcerated men and women on their path forward. We’re super happy to leverage the generosity of our community to assist organizations that make a real difference.

likes of Tom Waits, John Prine, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Keb Mo and Nanci Griffith. Throw in a little Blasters, Buddy Guy and rockabilly as well. I always marveled at people who have the talent to write, play music, act, paint and perform in all genres.

ATM: You have a long history of assisting non-profits. Are you actively sitting on any boards right now? RJB: I’m on the boards for the United

Way of Central New Mexico, and the Great Southwest Council of Scouts (Boy Scouts of America). Both organizations have many great board members who lead and give of their time to make a difference. Many are more instrumental than I am, but I’m honored to be a small part of their efforts.

ATM: Now that you actually have some free time to spend away from a desk, have you found any new hobbies? RJB: No new hobbies, but I have had

more time to play music, which I have always enjoyed. I did finally figure out how to use some of the recording equipment that I have owned for years, which may not add any value to anyone ever, but it’s fun. We are also fishing and mountain biking a bit more and spending some great time outdoors with the family. We even found time the other evening to dance by the radio on the patio. For the first time in years, Maria and I can spend more time cooking together. She is a fantastic cook and I am learning a lot from her. We make a pretty mean croque-madame, inspired entirely by The Grove Café’s version. You should go try it, it’s awesome.

ATM: That croque madame dish at The Grove is amazing, so you’re finding good inspiration. Also, someone mentioned you’re now writing songs in addition to playing music.

ATM: It also sounds like the positive impact from the Charity Gala continues forward.

RJB: Let’s cut to the chase, none of my

RJB: The To date, the fund has also supported the Best Buddies program to help

ATM: That sounds a little too modest.

RJB: Let’s just says it’s inspired by the

music is fit for human consumption. My dog, however, seems to be able to tolerate it.

None of my music is fit for humans, but my dog seems to tolerate it. ATM: You’ve been away from public office for almost three years now. Do you feel that time was a chapter in your life, or was it just a pause until the next chapter begins? RJB: Not necessarily a sabbatical, but

definitely a pause and reset. We hadn’t really taken a break since we were married in 1990, and really before that. I truly enjoyed and appreciated every day that people gave me a chance to serve this state and city, and I frankly never tired of the work. I never tired of the construction industry, either, or of training as an athlete. ATM: Sounds like that competitive drive has served you well. RJB: I had a coach who once told me that

regret is for those who don’t leave it all on the field, and I’ve always subscribed to that ethic. I also believe that each time we endeavor to improve ourselves, our circumstances or our place, we have to give it everything we have, and I did that.

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Bling for Boobs On July 30 at El Pinto Restaurant, the National Association of Woman Business Owners NM joined forces with the American Cancer Society, Premier Designs, and the people of Albuquerque to sell jewelry, eat some good food, and help fight breast cancer. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Dena Crain, Lorie Guthrie Jennifer Jaciw, Jeanette Sisson Ann Shubert, Melissa McCurley Angie Thurman, Satenik Thurman, John Thurman Felicia Cortez, Aleitress Owens Jan Happ, Hank Happ Amanda Davis, Leigh Mahnesmith

Faces & Places celebrates gatherings for charity and other events. Since the COVID-19 crisis currently prevents such gatherings, please enjoy some of our favorite F&P events from the past year. As soon as these events begin again, we promise to be there.

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Chic-I-Boom Ball Dressed in their best colorful Carmen Miranda clothes, Albuquerqueans turned out at the Balloon Museum on July 31 for a night of calypso music, good eats, and a silent auction, all benefitting the Balloon Museum Foundation. Special note: The Carmen Miranda balloon was the first special shapes balloon at the Balloon Fiesta. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Kelly Schodde, Emily Romero, Amanda Molina Melanie Frassanito, Chris Frassanito Amanda Warren, Marissa Benton Barb Attwood, Karen Brown, Chip Kamber John Lopez, Erica Lopez Carol Ritchie, Betty Housholder Olivia Gutierrez, Ryan Gutierrez

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A Night For Sight It was an elegant evening of dinner and dancing at Sandia Resort and Casino on August 9 as Albuquerqueans came out to help raise money for vision research and to honor amazing vision-impaired college students who overcame tremendous odds. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Jason King, Ariana Argueta, Rob Melendez, Paula Strosnider Delores Stewart, Trish Stewart Karissa Boese, David Boese Ina Fryar, Mona Romero, Linda Anaya Aaron LaRiva, Kristin Strosnider, Richard LaRiva Patty Erickson, Zach Erickson Jessica Patterson, Jasmine Pitcher, Lisa Potter, Jaxson Patterson

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Fight for Cody Fundraiser

We love it here.

On July 13, Albuquerqueans poured into Black Box Fitness for a fundraiser to support Cody Gentry. In May, Cody, a student at Volcano Vista High School, was struck by an automobile and paralyzed. The proceeds from this event are going to help him pay for medical bills and work towards his goal of walking again. 1. Josh Skrondahl, Ruben Bustamante, Eric Wasson, Erik Nunez Faces & Places celebrates gatherings 2. Geoff Smelser, Jessica Gentry, Casey Duree for charity and other events. Since 3. Kim Christian, Susan Johnson the COVID-19 crisis currently prevents such gatherings, please enjoy 4. Jaden Bussey, Celina Bussey some of our favorite F&P events from 5. Jaime Romo, Carlos Contreras the past year. As soon as these events 6. Leanne Gonzales, Luis Vela begin again, we promise to be there. 7. Tan Pham, Gabriella Bellissimo

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34th Annual Erin Trujeque Memorial Gala After a day of golfing for a good cause, attendees turned out for the 34th Annual Erin Trujeque Memorial Gala. The event included a silent auction, drinks, dinner, and entertainment with proceeds going to support the Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cancer Fund of NM. 1. Dee Trujeque, George Trujeque, Emma Davis, Jason Davis Faces & Places celebrates gatherings 2. Dee Dennis III, Jessica Dennis, Jill Sivage, Cassandra Sanchez for charity and other events. Since 3. John Corvino, Marie Corvino the COVID-19 crisis currently prevents such gatherings, please enjoy some of 4. Dr. John Kuttesch, Nicole Martin, Auri Martin, Ryan Martin our favorite F&P events from the past 5. Johnny Snyder, Diana Snyder, Mary Louise Snyder year. As soon as these events begin 6. Roslyn Vargas, Gabriel, Taliana, Juliana again, we promise to be there. 7. Yvonne Wilson, Paula Ancona, Brent Franken, Melissa Deaver-Rivera

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BE HERE. BE INSPIRED.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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Waterstone Mortgage 6733-6753 Academy Rd NE A, Albuquerque, NM 87109 (505) 888-HOME | waterstonemortgage.com

With a winning combination of experience and dedication to their clients, the Loan Originators of Waterstone Mortgage have been serving the Albuquerque area and beyond for decades. Their knowledge and expertise have proven invaluable to countless clients going through the homebuying process. What’s even better is they are your neighbors. In fact, all of their processors, underwriters, closers and management are LOCAL!

THESE TOP PRODUCERS ARE BRINGING THE LOVE TO OUR COMMUNITY! JASON PIKE, NMLS #471725 “One major thing that sets Waterstone Mortgage apart from many others in the industry is our specialty in mortgage planning, which is very different from just taking a loan application,” says Waterstone’s Jason Pike. “We want to help improve our clients’ lives through the right mortgage strategies.”

JOHN GABALDON, NMLS #422738 Waterstone Mortgage team members provide services for anyone interested in buying a home, building their dream home, remodeling or refinancing their existing home. “It’s truly a special moment in their lives that I feel fortunate to be a part of,” says John Gabaldon, who specializes in helping first time homebuyers. His professional approach is simple: “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” CHRIS RUSSO, NMLS #232394 Providing a pleasant and smooth experience is key for the Waterstone team. “I strive to give each and every client red carpet service. I understand my customers’ needs and always offer many cost-effective ways to buy a home,” says Chris Russo.

MICHAEL BOWEN, NMLS #214602 “I have been in the mortgage business since 1989,” says Michael Bowen. “After 31 years, I have the comfort that Waterstone Mortgage provides me with the toolbox to help anyone—from a millennial to a baby boomer—realize their dream of home ownership.”

SUE LEYDIG, NMLS #470314 Sue Leydig says “My favorite part of working in the mortgage industry is the joy that client have when they either purchase or restructure their mortgage debt. Their joy continues to validate that I am in the perfect profession to help others in our community.”

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CHRISTINE TURPEN, NMLS # 219567 “I am so excited when I help clients purchase their first home, next home, or investment property,” says Christine Turpen. “I am so grateful that I get to help my buyers purchase their home, which is where most of life’s memories are made, as well as an investment tool that helps build their financial security for the future.”

NANCY GRIEGO, NMLS #305357 Achieving good home-buying outcomes, of course, is just as much a matter of training and experience. “Coming from an underwriting background, I believe that my training has been an asset to me and to buyers,” relates Nancy Griego. “That knowledge and experience help me anticipate any requirements and be able to provide alternatives on challenging loans. All borrowers are equally important to me. Whether their loan is $30,000 or $1,000,000, they will receive the same excellent service from myself and my team.” ELEANOR HUTT, NMLS #470211 Most of Waterstone’s loan originators have been in the lending business for decades. Their knowledge and experience help others achieve the dream of homeownership. “My experience allows me to tailor each loan to meet the specific needs of my client. Everyone’s story is different, so no one loan will fit everyone’s needs. My job is to find that perfect fit”, says Eleanor Hutt. CHRIS JUAREZ, NMLS #990308 At Waterstone Mortgage, the goal is to provide their clients with the simplest and most fulfilling home-buying experience possible. Their loan originators supply clients with comprehensive, dynamic service, and an earnest commitment to the best interests of their clients. “It’s gratifying helping buyers achieve their goals of home ownership, but it’s the personal connection and friendships that develop that I love,” explains Chris Juarez. MARTY PADILLA, NMLS #253287 “After over 30 years in the lending industry, I still find it rewarding to work just as hard for my borrowers and for our community,” says Marty Padilla, who participates in community outreach via Albuquerque’s Del Norte Rotary Club.

IF YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT BUYING A HOME, YOU’LL BE IN GOOD HANDS WITH THE TEAM AT WATERSTONE MORTGAGE! Equal housing lender. Waterstone Mortgage Corporation (NMLS #186434) is a wholly owned subsidiary of WaterStone Bank SSB (NASDAQ: WSBD). New Mexico Mortgage Branch License.

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PJ HARTMAN | (505) 247-3335

I am all about finding creative ways to bring people through a difficult process and into a better place than where they started. If my clients can grab onto even a ray of hope and visualize being in a better place than they were when they came to see me, then I believe that I have been successful. Please call our office to schedule a consultation. I am ready to help you come to a resolution with integrity and civility.

PATRICK T. KELLEY | (505) 246-2800

You will find that my staff and I take a personal approach to our clients. If you become a client, you will find friendly, supportive and family like atmosphere. Really listening to our clients coupled with good communication is of paramount importance to my practice. Please call our office to schedule a consultation. We are ready to hit the ground running with your family law matters.

Having graduated from law school in 1993 and 2002, respectively, PJ Hartman and Patrick Kelley have accumulated more than 44 years of legal experience, solely in the area of family law. “We have handled many high asset and complex divorce cases, as well as high-conflict matters,” says Hartman. “It is our normal practice to suggest a variety of options for reaching your personal and family goals in resolving our family separation and custody issues while protecting your legal rights.” Both graduates of UNM’s School of Law, Hartman and Kelley employ a solution-oriented approach to family law. Their goal is to help clients navigate the complexities of the legal system and ultimately empower them to achieve a satisfactory resolution, built as much on personal growth and self-awareness as legal wrangling. “We both have personal experiences with the divorce and custody process (each of us having been divorced with children), as we understand and can relate to the difficulties you are facing,” says Hartman. “The combination of our personal and professional experiences motivates us to inspire positive resolutions that empower our clients to see their way forward in a positive manner.” Offering legal counsel on issues like child support and parent rights, child custody, divorce, paternity, prenuptial and post marital agreements, and community property, PJ Hartman and Patrick Kelley supply clients with support and guidance in difficult times. They treat clients as individuals, affording them the personal attention and support they need and deserve. What’s more, they are also responsive. “If you are tired of your attorney not returning your calls, we specialize in returning calls to all clients within one business day,” says Kelley.

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The Remedy Day Spa MANDY WARR

113 Vassar Dr SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106 (505) 265-9219 | theremedydayspa.com The Remedy Day Spa and Wellness Center is a hidden gem in Nob Hill. Tucked away off Central Avenue on Vassar, The Remedy offers massage, skin care, yoga, meditation, and a suite of private hot tubs in their outdoor oasis. Owner and founder Mandy Warr worked in the wellness industry for 15 years before opening her own spa. Her vision for The Remedy was inspired by her time as an employee and massage therapist in luxury resort spas around the country. “I believe in the work we do here,” says Warr. “Wellness is a vital part of a vibrant community, and community is important to all of us here in Albuquerque. We provide the place to relax, connect, and revitalize.” An avid small-business, buy-local advocate, Mandy is always looking for ways to make a positive impact on the local economy. “Where we can, we cultivate local partnerships, and source products and supplies locally,” she says. “Our unique shops, restaurants, artists, and creatives are what makes Albuquerque special.” Jump into a cozy robe, sip some locally sourced specialty tea, take a dip in the healing waters of a salt water hot tub, then relax while one of The Remedy’s highly skilled staff soothes away your cares with a therapeutic massage or facial.

Anthem Financial Services, Inc. BRENTON L. FEWOX, OWNER

3634 Rio Rancho Blvd NE, Suite 201, Rio Rancho, NM 87144 (505) 338-0206 | anthemfinancial.org Anthem Financial Services, Inc. is an independent consulting and advisory firm focused on estate preservation and distribution, risk management, and supplemental insurance services. Owner Brenton L. Fewox—an Air Force Veteran, father, grandfather, and husband of 42 years—brings nearly 30 years of experience in the investment, insurance, and annuity industry to the table. “We have committed ourselves to always making decisions that are in the best interests of our clients,” says Fewox. “In turn, we have been able to establish a healthy book of business with loyal clients who continually refer new business to us, for which we are incredibly grateful.” At Anthem Financial, Fewox and his team work to help people navigate challenges and meet their goals, regardless of what stage of life they are in. That means single people, newlyweds, families, people nearing retirement, and retired people can find the counsel and services they need to pursue their dreams. “We are dedicated to providing investment management and strategic wealth planning services to small and large businesses as well as individuals,” explains Fewox. “We specialize in helping veterans, first responders, their families, and the general public through the ever-changing financial challenges that life presents.”

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Sunny505

DEZAREE VEGA GARCIA 119 Dartmouth SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106 (505) 764-4444 | sunny505.com The way people consume and engage with information changes constantly. And lately, the pace of change is accelerating. Albuquerque-based marketing and communications firm Sunny505 recognizes this. “The strategies that made sense for businesses even five years ago are different now and what worked at the end of 2019 is completely different in 2020,” says Sunny505 president Dezaree Vega Garcia. “It’s finding all the pieces to the puzzle and rearranging them constantly so that everything fits into place and businesses can grow and our economy can flourish.” Sunny505 specializes in public relations, branding and identity, web and print design, social media, and video production, constantly learning and innovating to develop the best tactics for navigating an ever-changing landscape. An entirely women-owned business, Sunny505 is currently celebrating their 30th anniversary. Dezaree came aboard in 2002 and became president in 2015. There, she serves as both pilot and steward to Sunny505’s talent—represented in a team of skilled marketing strategists and media experts—as they work to help New Mexico businesses thrive. “I see us continuing to help New Mexico businesses grow and prosper so that we can keep smart, talented people here and leverage what they have to offer to make New Mexico better,” says Dezaree. “I feel so fortunate I get to live here and I am always blown away by the caliber of amazing people who call New Mexico home.”

Integrity Automotive BRIAN LUNA

9790 Coors Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114 (505) 899-1141 | abqintegrity.com At Integrity Automotive, the goal is not just to sell cars. Rather, it is to make the process of finding and purchasing the right vehicle for your needs as simple and hassle-free as possible. “Our whole store has a different vibe than any other store in Albuquerque,” says owner Brian Luna. “From the inventory to the staff, we are laid back, no pressure, we love what we do, the cars we sell, and the people we work with. When customers come in they feel comfortable. Our biggest percentage of sales are from repeat and referral customers. Most of our customers have bought more than one car from us. I think that speaks for itself.” Luna brings over 25 years of experience to the job, having worked in corporate car dealerships for 15 years prior to opening Integrity in 2008. Since then, Luna and his team have specialized in high-end, luxury, performance, and lifted all-terrain vehicles, and are working to open a service department in early 2021. Regardless of what you’re after, Integrity Automotive has you covered.

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La Casa Bella LINDA LUCERO

5200 Eubank Blvd NE Unit 11, Albuquerque, NM 87111 (505) 292-5344 | la-casa-bella-at-the-promenade.business.site “It’s all in the details” at La Casa Bella, Albuquerque’s most unique furniture and accessories consignment boutique. Simply peering through the large storefront windows, you will be struck by the sheer elegance of La Casa Bella’s interior. Owner Linda Lucero opened La Casa Bella 10 years ago at The Promenade in the far Northeast Heights where she offers upscale furniture, home decor, jewelry and fashion items for every taste, style and budget. She attributes her long-term success to persistence, hard work, and an absolute passion for resale and upscale consignment. If you’ve never shopped resale, you may be surprised to learn that you can buy up to three times more quality merchandise than you can otherwise in a standard retail setting. And you just never know what you might find at La Casa Bella because of an ever-changing, constantly evolving, and always refined inventory. For those special or hard-to-find items, Linda even maintains a wish list, going out of her way at times to locate exactly what it is her customers want. Linda offers complimentary in-store design assistance to every customer with the promise of turning your ordinary space into the extraordinary! “Walking into La Casa Bella is like slowly unwrapping a beautiful gift,” a quote by a customer.

Rio Grande Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center DREW STEEL

8228 Louisiana Blvd NE Suite B, Albuquerque, NM 87113 (505) 821-2111 | riograndeoralsurgery.com Dr. Drew Steel aspired to a career in healthcare since he was very young. “When I was a child I knew I wanted to do something in the healthcare field and loved watching my uncle, who was an orthopedic surgeon, any time I could,” he explains. “I decided early in my college career that I wanted to be an oral surgeon and have loved my decision.” After completing a degree in business finance from Brigham Young University, Steel went on to earn his Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of Louisville, graduating in 2011. For the past five and half years, he has been working as an oral surgeon in Albuquerque, officially taking the helm at Rio Grande Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center two years ago. “Our office provides a range of oral surgery procedures,” says Dr. Steel. “We do dental alveolar surgery which includes extractions, pre-prosthetics, and so forth. We do a lot of dental implants and have the latest technology when it comes to placement. We also treat oral pathology, including cystic lesions, biopsy, and benign tumor removal, as well as a wide range of head and neck trauma.”

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What Goes Around JASMINE BAILLO

2 Locations (505) 858-1067 | (505) 898-9897 whatgoesaroundabq.com What Goes Around...A Consignment Boutique, is exactly what the name implies—a boutique shop specializing in current name brand clothing and accessories, all in excellent condition. They carry purses, jewelry, clothing, and shoes from brands such as Ann Taylor and Talbots, to Louis Vuitton, and Gucci. Jasmine Baillio opened the first What Goes Around nearly 17 years ago. “The initial vision was having a consignment store with a boutique atmosphere and great prices,” she says. “We decided to open a Westside location in 2014 and opened our children’s store in June of 2019.” Shoppers at What Goes Around are able to pick from a sweeping selection of name brand items for around a third of retail prices. Meanwhile, consignors are able to earn a little extra money off items that were previously just taking up closet space, with the added benefit of shrinking their carbon footprints and reducing landfill waste in the process. “We strive for happy customers, so, to that end, we offer our ‘Love It Guarantee,’” says Baillio, explaining that customers who don’t find themselves loving an item can return it within 30 days in exchange for something they will love. Customers can also explore thousands of items on What Goes Around’s online store, and consignors can monitor their accounts online.

Albuquerque Periodontics & Implantolgy MICHAEL SPARKS DDS, MS

4216 Louisiana Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109 (505) 291-9000 | abqperio.com Originally from Odessa, Texas, Dr. Michael Sparks has been a dentist for nearly twenty years. In 2006, he joined Albuquerque Periodontics and Implantology, focusing his attention on treating and preventing periodontal disease. There, Dr. Sparks and his team offer regenerative periodontal surgery, treat gum recession, and perform dental implant placements, alongside a range of related treatments. Dr. Sparks earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Texas Tech University before attending Baylor College of Dentistry, where he became a Doctor of Dental Surgery and acquired three additional years of specialty training in periodontics. A Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and an International College of Dentists fellow, Dr. Sparks currently serves as president of the New Mexico Dental Association. “The field of periodontics has seen wonderful advances since 2001,” says Dr. Sparks. “Treatment predictability has been enhanced, and techniques and materials have evolved to provide better, faster, and more comfortable results.” Albuquerque Periodontics and Implantology has been employing 3D cone beam imaging for over a decade, and recently added piezo technology, both minimizing invasiveness and increasing treatment precision. Inspired to pursue dentistry by the skilled and thoughtful care provided by his own hometown dentist, Dr. Sparks and his team strive to deliver individualized, compassionate, and technically exceptional dental care.

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Modulus Architects & Land Use Planning ANGELA M. WILLIAMSON 100 Sun Ave NE., Suite 600 – Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109 (505) 338.-1499 ext. 1000 | modulusarchitects.com Experience and expertise in service of smart design. That is the engine behind Modulus Architects and Land Use Planning, a full service design and planning firm focused solely on the private sector. “My goal is to be a visionary leader and builder of a new dawn, working with imagination, insight, and boldness,” says Modulus CEO and managing partner Angela M. Williamson. “To present a challenge that calls for the best in people and brings them together around a shared sense of purpose.” Modulus cultivates an environment where expertise, innovation, and insight thrive. Applying the talent and knowledge of seasoned professionals, they promise outcomes rooted in diligent planning and masterful vision. This affords clients a level of certainty unmatched elsewhere in the industry, confident that no decision has been left to chance and an accounting has been made of every foreseeable hiccup. “I believe that we are inextricably linked to the people we lead, the human bonds that we have built with our employees, our clients, and stakeholders,” says Williamson, voicing her vision for steering Modulus through the turbulence of COVID-19 and into the future. “As important as making high quality strategic decisions, we must consider and respond to everyone touched by our organizations in a thoughtful, empathetic, and positive manner.”

Media Arts Collaborative Charter School JONATHAN DOOLEY

4401 Central Ave NE, Bldg. #2, Albuquerque, NM 87108 (505) 243-1957 | nmmediaarts.org Media Arts Collaborative Charter School (MACCS)—Albuquerque’s premier film, visual, and digital arts school—offers rich, compelling opportunities to students aspiring to careers in the media arts. There, teachers collaborate on a robust cross curriculum program, preparing students for the next stage in their professional pursuits. Tuition-free, MACCS engages students with a strong core curriculum, including STEM instruction and a robotics lab. Students from grades 6 through 12 are immersed in a firstrate education, with access to a Media Arts campus that includes a state-of-the-art film production studio, an animation lab with 3D modeling software and 3D printers, and a photography studio with the latest editing and design programs. MACCS students participate in a hands-on, project-based curriculum, developing video games, designing web pages, and directing digital films. Many of their projects have earned national awards, including nine Emmy awards and National Geographic photography awards. Now running a rigorous online curriculum—developed in-house by MACCS teachers—MACCS is able to accept students from across New Mexico, and is currently accepting applications for the 2020-2021 school year.

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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Garage Door Doctor DOC N. GARCIA

5901-J Wyoming Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109 (505) 977-8004 | GarageDoorDoctorNM.com Garage Door Doctor opened as a full-service garage door company in April of 2012. Even though it’s only been 7 years, our team has over 40 years combined experience in the Garage Door repair business. We sell, install, repair, and replace garage doors and openers. At Garage Door Doctor, we strive to help our customers, educating them on the repair process and the proper operation of garage door equipment. When possible, we explain product use and help troubleshoot over the phone in order to help clients resolve problems that don’t require a technician to visit. We stay on the cutting edge and carry the newest garage door openers, including openers with Wi-Fi, making it easy to open your garage door from your phone! We also distinguish ourselves in the industry by providing small-town-style, individualized responses while maintaining the ability to sell and service all brands and products. At Garage Door Doctor, we prioritize consistently delivering the same high quality. At Garage Door Doctor we enjoy what we do! We love the thrill of helping someone, whether they need an emergency repair or are just on the hunt for a new garage door. Estimates are always free!

Lucky Locks NOELLE WALLACE

instagram.com/luckylocks_nm (505) 918-1646 | luckylocks.co Face it. There’s only so much flair your natural hair can sustain. Dye it and style it as you like, you still might be left wondering how much potential dazzle remains unexplored. That’s where Lucky Locks comes in, a Portland-based purveyor of sparkling silk, now available in Albuquerque via the talents of professional “sparkler” Noelle Wallace. So, what exactly are Lucky Locks? They are fine threads of shimmering silk designed to complement and enhance your hair. Available in over 30 colors, Lucky Locks are softer, lighter, and more flexible than plastic hair tinsel, yet strong enough to weather the punishment of curling irons, straighteners, and hair dryers. Noelle is Lucky Locks’ second of two sparklers in Albuquerque, NM. “At a lululemon pop-up on New Year’s Eve in 2018, my friend Traci introduced me to Lucky Locks and I was immediately hooked on these sparkles,” says Noelle. “I told Traci upon first meeting her that I would love to assist her at any future events if she would ever need me. On New Year’s Day 2020, she asked if I would be interested in becoming a partner in New Mexico. Each sparkler has a general territory that belongs to them, unless demand proves it necessary to add another partner. Because these sparkles are so addicting, demand for our product was rising. Outside of making people feel beautiful and magical, it’s been a great way to connect to the community and I am excited for the days where we can have larger gatherings again!”

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Moto-Authority STEVE CARUSO

3702 Eubank Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111 505.503.-7613 | moto-authority.com As Darth Vader might say, “the passion for two wheels is strong in this one.” In late 2008—after serving 10 years in the motorcycle industry—Steve Caruso opened his own shop: Moto Authority. A family-owned business (Steve works with his wife, Dana, and their son Donovan), Moto Authority has been running relentlessly since day one. Their first location was tight. But at the time, they wondered how they would ever fill the space up. Three months later, they were busting at the seams. Their current location features a clean, spacious showroom with a wide variety of excellent consignment bikes alongside a selection of apparel and parts. Can’t find what you’re looking for? They can order just about anything motorcycle-related. They also run a topnotch service department, maintaining and repairing all makes and models. “The recipe for success is pretty simple,” says Caruso. “Treat people right. We have a great following, a super reputation, and fantastic work ethic. For sure, our crew shares in this boast. And that’s what makes it all gel so well. I am extremely proud of what we all have created: an enjoyable, formidable, and successful small business!” Heavily involved in the motorcycling community, Moto Authority sponsors track/race days and showcases the artistic side of motorcyclists at their annual art show. “From the beginning, we have always believed in supporting those that support us, so we always give a nice discount to riders across the board, including military, racers, rebels and first time riders (MSF grads),” says Caruso. Ride on, Darth.

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D E C E M B E R /JA N UA RY

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NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

BEST OF THE CITY ISSUE ON NEWSSTANDS & DIGITAL DEVICES DECEMBER 1, 2020

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NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Cin-fully delicious French toast two locations cinnamoncafeabq.com

Cinnamon sugar & spice cafe Even stripped to its raw basics, French toast is pretty delicious. At Cinnamon Sugar & Spice Cafe, it’s sinfully so. Or, more accurately, “cin-fully” so. That’s not just because of the dose of aromatic and flavorful Saigon cinnamon that accompanies the powdered sugar, but because the whole dish is so decadently delicious that you can’t fully help but feel a little guilty for eating it. “The Cin-fully Delicious French Toast is made with our house made brioche, dipped in a vanilla/buttermilk egg mixture, grilled to a golden brown, and topped with pecans that were toasted in brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon,” says owner Kanella Cheonis. “The syrup is a pure maple blend, because pure maple can sometimes be too thin, and pancake syrup too sweet, so it’s really a good balance.” Breakfast at Cinnamon, Sugar, and Spice is served all day, so you can enjoy this guilty pleasure anytime between 8:00 am and 3:00 pm.

Birria tacos have taken over the social media scene in Albuqueque as of late. The stewed beef or goat dish from which they evolved—birria—has been around for a long time, emerging from restaurants and street carts in the Mexican state of Jalisco. But recently, the birria taco has blossomed into a full-blown trend, topping sales at Duke City Taco, where they’ve yet to be officially incorporated into the online menu. “We use beef for our birria tacos,” says Duke City Taco’s owner Edgar Valadez. “We slow cook the meat in a consommé (broth) mixed with different spices and seasonings for a couple hours, until the meat is tender enough to fall apart on its own. The consommé is used as the dipping juice to dunk your tacos in.” Like other tacos, the birria is eminently transportable, making it an ideal takeout item. “It's a fun new way to eat tacos, it's more of an experience for our customers,” says Valadez. “We serve our order of tacos with melted cheese, cilantro, red onion, limes on the side, and the consommé.”

Birria tacos 4615 Menaul Blvd NE

881-0783, dukecitytaco.com

Duke City Tacos

This may or may not come as a surprise to you, but even deep in the grips of a pandemic and the associated closures, people still crave more or less the same things. “All of our menu items are popular, but it seems our tried and true Grove favorites have also been the best sellers for takeout,” says Lauren Greene, owner of the Grove Café and Market. “Grove Pancakes are our top seller, and for good reason. They are ‘French style’, meaning they are thinner than a buttermilk pancake but thicker than a crepe. They are topped with tons of fresh cut fruit, local B's Honey, and a dollop of crème fraîche. The tart and creamy crème fraîche is just perfect with the rich cakes and fruit.” Those are cakes worth craving. Fortunately, the Grove has taken steps to make taking them home as simple and convenient as possible. “Takeout has always been very popular at The Grove, but since April our takeout and new curbside service has skyrocketed,” explains Greene. “We added a really great online ordering platform that is super user friendly, which our guests are loving. The whole experience from the time you jump on our website to the time you pick up your order in our designated curbside parking spaces should be pretty seamless. We want our guests to get the full Grove experience even if they can't dine in with us.”

Grove pancakes 600 Central Ave SE A 248-9800, thegrovecafemarket.com

The Grove Cafe & Market

Green Chile Cheeseburger with Milkshake 1405 Central Ave NE 247-1421, 66diner.com

66 Diner

It’s the archetypal mid-20th century American combo—a cheeseburger, a side of fries, and a frosty milkshake. Calorically decadent, sure, but justifiable in these stressful times. In Albuquerque, there’s a centrally located spot to indulge in this comfort food trifecta at Central Avenue’s 66 Diner. This being New Mexico, the top-selling burger at 66 Diner should hardly come as a surprise. “Green chile cheeseburgers and milkshakes are what’s going out the most,” says general manager John Warble. That burger is framed around seven ounces of flat-iron grilled angus chuck, topped with American cheese and cooked to order. Hot Hatch green chile kicks it up another notch, rounded out with all the standard condiments (mayo, mustard, lettuce, onion, tomato, and pickle) and a side of crunchy fries. Of course, bringing that Green Chile Cheeseburger home with a milkshake isn’t necessarily mandatory. It is, however, highly recommended. “We make our shakes with real ice cream, whole milk, and spin them on stem blenders in stainless steel tins,” says 66 Diner owner Tom Willis. The result is a thick, rich milkshake—which is to say, exactly what you’re salivating over when you dream of the perfect shake.

Chicken is sometimes portrayed as the neutral stand-in for all flavors mild and otherwise unidentifiable. In a way, this is understandable. Treated carelessly, chicken can be a pretty mundane meat. After trying this dish, this way of thinking undersells the true potential of poultry. Seasons Rotisserie and Grill cooks up a Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast that perfectly illustrates what we’re talking about. This is one of just a handful of dishes that hasn’t changed since Seasons first opened 25 years ago. “Our twelve-ounce, all-natural, antibiotic and hormone free chicken breast is comfort food at its finest,” says Seasons’ general manager Sarah Williams. “We make this pan roasted chicken by topping it with our savory parmesan crust, then deglazing the pan with white wine and butter to create a lovely sauce of Dijon, chicken stock, and fresh herbs.” In preserving thematic harmony, Seasons serves its parmesan crusted chicken breast with sides that not only compliment the dish, but are seasonally fresh. “[It] takes a while to prepare from scratch, but we know you will be more than satisfied when you take the first bite,” says Williams.

Parmesan crusted chicken breast 2031 Mountain Rd NW 766-5100, seasonsabq.com

Seasons Rotisserie & Grill

DIY meal kits 3509 Central Ave NE 433-5911, frenchish.co

Frenchish

There are a number of companies where people earn their bread by shipping people do-it-yourself meal kits to homes, with more launching by the month. It’s a nifty concept—gather all the ingredients, put them in a box with a recipe, and send them out to people’s homes to simplify the business of at-home cuisine. At Frenchish, Chefs Jennifer James and Nelle Bauer have taken this concept and elevated it, putting together DIY meal kits that comport with Frenchish’s signature take on French-inspired cuisine. “The menu changes every week,” says Bauer. “We announce the menu on Monday and [the meals] get picked up on Saturday.” In mid-August, they put together a meal in honor of renowned chef Julia Child’s birthday. This is something they do every year, but in 2020, the meal was presented as a take-home, DIY kit. Patrons were able to take home everything they needed to assemble a delicious three course meal, built around a shrimp, mussel, and halibut bouillabaisse. “The Julia Child dinner was by far the most intensive [DIY meal],” says Bauer. But even in simpler kits, folks are presented not only with the raw ingredients to make a tasty dinner, but a range of tips and techniques that should expand and amplify their cooking game across the board. Check in weekly and make sure to subscribe to their newsletter for what is currently in queue for your DIY delectation.

Butter croissant 4321 Ellison St NE 234-6294, Burquebakehouse.com

Burque Bakehouse

There’s a real art to picking a good business name. Ideally, you want something that sticks easily in the head, but also something that conveys a little of what you do. Most places really only get to satisfy one point or the other. The Burque Bakehouse does both, telling you what they do—they sell house-made baked goods in Albuquerque—while simultaneously adhering to the brain with a bit of playful alliteration. “Our seasonal specialty items, like the Peach and Raspberry Croissant Toast and Blueberry Violet Cruffin, really seem to spark interest at our online store,” says co-owner Chris McQuarry, upon being asked what is selling the best these days. “But when I pull up The Bakehouse’s item sales, I am pleasantly surprised that the Butter Croissant is still our top item. Long live the classics.” What can we say? There’s a reason the croissant escaped 19th century Austria to become a global pastry sensation. For such a simple treat, the process of preparation is remarkably involved. “Croissants take a lot of time and skill to make,” explains co-owner Sarah Ciccotello. “On day one you make the bread dough (ours contains our sourdough starter) and then let it rest and ferment overnight to gain flavor. On the second day you take that bread dough and layer it with butter, rolling it out thin and folding it several times. This whole time paying close attention to the temperature of the dough and butter. After shaping the dough, it is left to rise slowly gaining more flavor until baked the following day.”

To the Vietnamese who originated this dish, it’s bò lúc lắc. Across the border in Cambodia, it's lok lak. Here in the United States, it’s known simply as Shaking Beef—a reference not to a property of the beef itself, but to the process by which it is cooked. The star component of the dish— premium beef—is wok-seared under near constant motion. At Jinja Bar and Bistro, the Shaking Beef is a perennial favorite. And, as a takeout option, it’s an ideal way to taste the flavors of travel while dining at home. Jinja’s take on the dish is elevated through the use of choice tenderloin, served with caramelized onions over a bed of fresh spinach. A splash of tangy lime chili sauce brings this Southeast Asian fusion dish in for a near flawless landing.

Shaking Beef Two locations jinjabistro.com

Jinja Bar & Bistro

Pueblo Burger 2111 Church St NW 247-8522, churchstreetcafe.com

Church Street Café In the heart of Old Town Albuquerque, just a block north of the San Felipe de Neri Church, sits a short adobe structure likely built no later than 1820. This is Casa de Ruiz, the current home of Church Street Café, where owner Marie Coleman serves up an assortment of classic New Mexican dishes and diner staples. “The most popular item would be our Pueblo burger,” says Coleman. "A fresh beef patty served on Indian fry bread [with] lettuce, tomato, and fries.” This is a quarter pound beef patty, packaged in fresh Indian frybread instead of the typical sesame seed hamburger bun. It’s that little ingredient swap that makes all the difference—replacing the standard bun with a fluffy, flaky, crisp bit of iconic Southwestern flavor.

Savory Prime Rib 10601 Montgomery Blvd NE 294-9463, savoyabq.com

Savoy Bar & Grill Upscale and sophisticated, yet thoroughly unpretentious, Savoy Bar and Grill is known for serving up a selection of world class appetizers and entrees alongside a global selection of wines. While limitations on indoor dining have changed the Savoy experience, the dish people most crave from their kitchens remains the same. “The prime rib is our most sought after menu item,” says general manager Cat Forsting-Roessler. “I think for a beef connoisseur it is obvious why when you read how we treat it from beginning to end.” At the outset, Savoy uses the highest quality Black Angus prime grade beef for its standing rib roast. The treatment starts with a full two-day rest in the house seasoning rub. From there, the rib roast is charred at 500 degrees then cooked low and slow in a wood fired oven. That takes pretty much all day, then the roast is ready for finishing with the house made burgundy jous - timed perfectly when Savoy opens their doors at 4:00 pm. “We have three sizes—petit, regular, and king - eight, 12, and 16 ounces respectively,” says Forsting-Roessler. “The dish is served with our daily house-made sour cream mashed potatoes, the chef’s choice of vegetable, and then topped off with jous and crispy fresh-cut onion strings.”

Pepperoni & Garlic Pizza 5500 Academy Rd. NE 821-1885, scarpaspizza.com

Scarpas

The transition to takeout is a little easier when your restaurant already traffics in dishes that travel well, and few dishes travel better than pizza. So it is at Scarpas Brick Oven Pizza. “I’m blessed that I’m pizza, pasta, and salads,” says Scarpas owner Joe Sommers. “It’s not like just one part of my menu.” Indeed. Scarpas serves over 20 different pizzas, from classics like Pizza Margherita and Italian Sausage to more exotic and unusual options like Shrimp Scampi and Chicken Enchilada. And that’s not counting the variations that can arise from the addition of numerous add-on topping options. Given all that, it may come as some surprise that Scarpas’ most craved pie is also one of its simplest. The Pepperoni and Garlic Pizza is just what it sounds like—Scarpas thin house crust, brick oven baked with a blend of mozzarella and fontina cheeses, pepperoni, and roasted garlic. Simple ingredients that, in the right combination, can really sing.

Southwest burger

9780 Coors Blvd NW STE A 312-8519, highpointgrill.com

High Point Grill

Two Fools Fish and Chips Some places have dishes that can’t help but draw all the attention. Even on a menu packed with fresh takes on Old World-inspired pub grub—like Two Fools Irish Nachos loaded with cheddar cheese, green chile, their own Cottage Pie Angus beef, or that delicious spread of sausage and mashed potatoes referred to as Bangers & Mash—the Two Fools Fish and Chips stands out as the unquestioned star of the production. “Normally, [the fish and chips] is 20 percent of our entire sales,” says Two Fools owner Russell Reid. “But while doing take away, the volume is about 65 percent of sales. Granted, we are not selling alcohol… but quite a huge jump.” Those figures are a testament to the quality and consistency of Two Fools’ take on fish and chips. They use sustainably fished haddock, harvested from North Atlantic waters and cut into generous filets. From there, the filets are coated in the house batter—made from Two Fools Pale Ale—and fried at searing temperatures for a crisp, golden brown exterior and soft, flaky interior. Paired with house-made coleslaw—drawn from a traditional Irish recipe—rich, tangy tartar sauce (also made in house), and served withfries, Two Fools Fish and Chips give you a taste of the pub even when the pub itself is still off limits.

When we decided to reach out to local chefs and restaurateurs to find out what Albuquerque has been craving during lockdown, we figured there might be a little overlap. Turns out, we were right. The citizens of the Duke City have been hankering for a lot of things over the past several months, but burgers, it seems, have been right near the top of the list. “Our biggest seller for takeout is the same as our forever best seller,” says Chef Mike White of High Point Grill. “The 2019 State Fair award winner: the Southwest Burger.” This is a tasty burger. A 7-ounce Wagyu beef patty seasoned with Chimayo red chile starts things off near a crescendo. Then you add hot New Mexico green chile, sharp cheddar, a collection of the standard fixings (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles) and add a dollop of garlic aioli. Sandwich it all in a brioche bun and you’ve got the makings of a much-deserved award winner—and, more importantly, a pretty killer dinner in.

In Italian culinary tradition, a trattoria is a place to sit down and grab some quality grub without all the stuffy, formal trappings of a full-blown ristorante. It is, in other words, a place where the food—and the company you enjoy it with—will always be the main attraction. Such is the nature of Trombino’s Bistro Italiano, where owner Ray Trombino carries on family traditions that stretch back more than half a century. As one of fixtures of the Albuquerque culinary scene, Trombino’s has continued as one the city’s most reliable names in first-rate Italian cuisine, even through months of closures. Apparently, folks calling in from their couch have been longing for a taste of the sea, pushing the Fruitti di Mare to the top spot in Trombino’s takeout operations. “[It’s] shrimp, scallops, clams, and mussels tossed with fresh tomatoes, steamed in a white garlic broth and served over linguine marinara,” says Ray. There's no need for a long trip to the shore with this dish!

Fruitti di Mare

5415 Academy Rd NE 821-5974, bistroitaliano.com

Trombino’s

Enchilada Plate 5740 Night Whisper Rd NW 890-4488, ironwoodkitchen.com

Ironwood Kitchen

Ironwood Kitchen makes its home in a little plaza off Unser Boulevard, just about as far north as you can go without leaving Albuquerque proper. The place is pretty humble for a seriously impressive restaurant. Everything Ironwood does is built around a simple axiom: cut out all the mysterious preservatives, all the pre-frozen, pre-bagged, and canned ingredients and serve what remains. That means using locally sourced ingredients whenever and wherever possible to craft dishes that taste marvelous from the ground up. They’ve got a number of dishes that do well in travelling from the restaurant to your home, but here, we’re focusing on the Enchilada Plate. “The enchiladas get better with a quick ride home, with the scratch-made red or green chile permeating the corn tortillas,” says Ironwood chef and owner Matthew Moody. Each plate comes with a trio of rolled corn tortillas filled with cheese (beef and chicken are available upon request) and a side of home fried spuds and pinto beans.

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THE FACE OF AESTHETICS

DR. NICHOLAS LAM

ALLURADERM MD MED SPA 9501 Paseo Del Norte NE, STE B, Albuquerque, NM 87122 (505) 821-9630 ALLURADERM.COM

Dr. Lam is New Mexico’s Face of Aesthetics! This year marks the five-year anniversary of Dr. Nicholas Lam’s status as Albuquerque’s Face of Aesthetics! As the number one provider of Botox® Cosmetic and Juvéderm® fillers in New Mexico and one of the top fifty in the nation, Dr. Lam possesses a level of expertise in medical aesthetics that is unparalleled in the state. On top of his exceptional knowledge and experience, Dr. Lam also brings a passionate commitment to patient care to his position as medical director of AlluraDerm MD Med Spa. Dr. Lam explains the professional philosophy that has led him to success at AlluraDerm, “I understand how power-

ful a person’s appearance is to his or her wellbeing. As a physician in aesthetic medicine, I have the ability to improve a person’s outlook merely by providing treatments that allow them to feel like the best version of themselves. This allows them to spread positivity in their relationships and interactions. To me, there is nothing more powerful and gratifying than to see the positive effects of the work I do.” Dr. Lam’s clients agree, with one guest stating, “I was very nervous about my treatment but the staff and Dr. Lam made me feel so safe and supported. After my treatment, when Dr. Lam had me look at

myself in the mirror, I started to cry. I was looking at the picture of myself that I have carried in my mind. I was over-the-moon happy! Thank you so much, Dr. Lam!” With reviews like this, it’s clear to see why Dr. Lam is the Face of Aesthetics for the Albuquerque area. When asked the secret of his success, he replies, “I am fortunate to work with a team of dedicated individuals who care deeply about the wellbeing of our patients. We all share a passion for bringing positivity and confidence to our guests’ lives, and we’re grateful for all the joy they share with us. My team and our amazing patients drive me to improve and excel every day.”

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

THE BUZZ AROUND ALBUQUERQUE: YOUR GUIDE TO EVERYTHING HAPPENING THIS MONTH

TOP PICK sunday 1–monday 30 Pastel Society of New Mexico’s 28th National Pastel Painting Exhibition. This year’s show will be an interactive online exhibit. There are 361 entries from Canada, France, Germany, Australia, and Israel in addition to New Mexico and other states. 120 of them will comprise the show. Info: pastelsnm.org for access to the show and PayPal purchase instructions.

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

monday 2 | 6–6:30 pm

Virtual STEM Night. Join with your family and find out where and what in our community STEM is covering. Occurs each Monday evening, each week is a different theme. Courtesy of the City of Albuquerque. Info: Explora Science Center, 1701 Mountain Road NW, explora.us, 224-8300. Tickets: Free, pre-registration required.

saturday 7– thursday, december 31 | 9 am–5 pm

Infamy: December 7, 1941. Iconic photographs illustrate the attack on Pearl Harbor that led the United States into World War II. It was a day that united a nation; it was a day that lives in Infamy. Info: National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, 601 Eubank Blvd. SE, nuclearmuseum.org, 245-2137. Included with Museum admission.

wednesday 11 | 12 noon–1:30 pm

Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body: Tips from the Latest Research. This Alzheimer’s Association, NM Chapter webinar will explain how lifestyle habits may help keep our brains healthy as we age, to possibly prevent or delay the onset of cognitive decline. Info: communityresourcefinder.org, 800272-3900. Free.

saturday 14 | 1–2:30 pm

Diaries of Women Pioneers. Norma Libman, author and educator, tells of the perilous and exciting journey west. Many men have written about the trip, but the writings of the women tell a different story: caring for the sick; feeding their families; deciding what to take or leave behind. Info: Lecture and Q&A via Zoom. Casa San Ysidro, 973 Old Church Road, Corrales. Email agardner@cabq.gov to register and receive Zoom link.

saturday 14 | 6–7 pm

Hindsight’s 2020: A Virtual Event. Join this free event as we share in film, discussion, and community. It is an exploration of the plight of veterans in the time of COVID-19, how service dogs are earning their stripes, and how Paws and Stripes has risen to the occasion. Info: pawsandstripes. org. Free.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

Trust us, these are but a few ABQ events YOU CAN'T MISS. 8

wednesday 18 | 10 am–12 noon

ARCA’s Poinsettia Celebration Drive-through Sale. Proceeds from the sale of these beautiful poinsettias help ARCA, a private not-for-profit organization, open doors for children and adults with intellectual, developmental and cognitive disabilities. Info: ARCA Greenhouses, 181 E. La Entrada, Corrales, arcaopeningdoors.org, email mcody@arcaspirit.org, 3326700. For 10 or more plants, order and pay on our website. For smaller orders, order or come by, exact change or checks only. $8 each.

thursday 19 | 6 pm

Uranium Club Virtual Event. During WWII, as the Manhattan Project worked rapidly to develop a nuclear weapon, scientists in Germany were undertaking their own nuclear research. Dr. Timothy Koeth and Dr. Miriam Hiebert, University of Maryland, will discuss German research and the possible reasons they failed. Info: Virtual Event, National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, nuclearmuseum. org. $10 per household, online registration required.

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

thursday 22 | 5:30 pm

Art Exhibition Reception. Harwood Art Center presents a Zoom reception and talk by artist Helen Atkins and the “Soft” sculptural installation that examines rituals of transformation, physicality and identity. This event is open to all ages. Exhibition runs through November 20, by appointment. Info: Register and receive the link at harwoodartcenter.org/ soft. Free.

sunday 29 | 5:30–7 pm

New Mexico Performing Arts Society Winter Solstice Concert. Hear music of the holiday season featuring the professional musicians of the New Mexico Bach Society, Artistic Director Franz Vote conducting. Info: Live streamed from Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel, Santa Fe. Tickets: $25 per household at nmpas.org or Hold My Ticket, 877-466-3404.

please note

At the time this listing was produced, many events were being canceled due to the COVID-19 virus. Please be sure to check the status of any event and venue to ensure that the event is still being held as scheduled.

sunday 1 and monday 2 | various times

Before I Die New Mexico Virtual Festival. In this pandemic-safe event, join in online Death Café conversations, video tours and Zoom panel discussions about New Mexico traditions regarding death, dying, funerals and burial. Info: Full schedule, tickets and more information at beforeidienm.com.

sunday 1–monday 30 |

Placitas Community Library Story Times. The PCL children’s committee present recorded story times on the website. Committee members will read books from the library’s children’s collection that appeal to children pre-k through grade 5. Also, order new seasonal books for curbside pick-up. Info: Placitas Community Library, placitaslibrary.com, 867-3355.

sunday 1–monday 30 | various times

tuesday 3 | 9 am–5 pm

sunday 1–friday, january 15 |

tuesday 3 | 10 am

NFL Football. The NFL season continues through the month of November. The games, even when played without fans in attendance, are exciting and restore some normalcy to life. Check the website for your favorite teams and enjoy a game. Info: nfl.com. Short Story Contest. Reading Works is a nonprofit, community-based literacy program providing free tutoring to teens and adults in reading, writing and speaking English. For this fundraiser, write a story of under 100 words on one of these topics: water, the 1940s, bowling, ants. Seven cash prizes will be granted. Info: readingworks.org. Submission fee: $10 per story.

tuesday 3 | 7:30 am–5:30 pm

“Science is Everywhere” Election Day Camp. Students, grades K-7, will enjoy their one-day break from school, experiencing the wonders of science in this in-person Election Day camp. Info: National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, 601 Eubank Blvd. SE, nuclearmuseum.org, 245-2137. Online registration required, pricing available online, members receive discounted pricing.

ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, Zoo and Tingley Beach. These portions of the ABQ Bio Park are open Tuesday through Sunday. The Aquarium opening is still delayed as of print time. Info: Tickets must be purchased or reserved online at cabq. gov. Book a specific reservation time; guests must arrive within 30 minutes of that time. Albuquerque Newcomers’ Club Welcome Coffee. Come learn of the club’s varied activities. Membership is open to residents of Albuquerque for less than five years or residents experiencing major changes in their lives. The club is not affiliated with the church. Info: Sandia Presbyterian Church, 10704 Paseo del Norte NE, albuquerquenewcomersclub. org, 321-6970.

wednesday 4 | 12 noon–1:30 pm

Effective Communication Strategies. During this Alzheimer’s Association, NM Chapter webinar you can learn to decode changes in behavior to better connect and communicate with individuals living with dementia. Info: communityresourcefinder. org, 800-272-3900. Free.

ALBUQUERQUE

Holiday Shop Our Christmas Shop will be

OPENING

on November 2nd! We will be open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm until merchandise is sold.

Assistance League at 5211 Lomas NE

ASSISTANCELEAGUEABQ.ORG - FOR INFORMATION & TICKETS 80

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

wednesday 11 | 9 am–5 pm

Veterans Day. In recognition of this United States holiday honoring military veterans, the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History will offer free admission this day to all service members, both past and present, who show military identification. Info: National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, 601 Eubank Blvd. SE, nuclearmuseum.org, 245-2137.

wednesday 11 | 6 pm

Veterans’ Day Virtual Event. Toni Hiley, former director of the CIA Museum, will talk about extraordinary events in the life of USAF veteran, Col. Hervey Stockman. Stockman piloted the first overflight of the Soviet Union in a CIA U-2 in 1956 and was a prisoner of war within his 31year career. Info: Virtual event, National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, nuclearmuseum.org. $10 per household. Online registration required.

wednesday 11 | 7:30 am–5:30 pm

“Science is Everywhere” Veterans Day Camp. Students, grades K-7, will enjoy their one-day break from school by experiencing the wonders of science in this Veterans Day camp. Info: In-person camp, National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, 601 Eubank Blvd. SE, nuclearmuseum.org, 245-2137. Online registration required, pricing available online, members’ discounts.

thursday 12 | 5–6 pm

Tamarind Talks. Interdisciplinary artist Paula Wilson, from Carizozo and cofounder of the artist organizations MoMAZoZo and the Carrizozo Artist in Residency, challenges the fabled narrative of the western landscape from multiple perspectives. Info: Watch streaming on Facebook @TamarindInstitute, find Zoom details at tamarind.unm.edu.

tuesday 17–friday 20 | 11 am–12 noon

4 Day Skills Mid-Day Webinar for Dementia Caregivers. This Alzheimer’s Association, NM Chapter webinar provides training that encourages success in the lives of caregivers and families facing Alzheimer’s, including the importance of self-care. Also offered Monday, November 30 through Friday, December 3 from 3 to 4 pm. Info: communityresourcefinder.org, 800-2723900. Free.

thursday 19 | 10 am– 1 pm

ARCA’s Poinsettia Celebration Drivethrough Sale. See description and details on Top 10 November 18th listing. Info: ARCA, 11300 Lomas Blvd. NE, arcaopeningdoors.org, email mcody@ arcaspirit.org, 332-6700. $8 each.

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

monday 23 and tuesday 24 | 7:30 am–5:30 pm

“Science is Everywhere” Parent-Teacher Conferences. Students, grades K-7, will have an educational and enjoyable break from school at these in-person ParentTeacher Conference camps. Info: National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, 601 Eubank Blvd. SE, nuclearmuseum.org, 245-2137. Online registration is required, pricing available online, members’ discounts.

tuesday 24 | 12 noon–1:30 pm

Dementia Conversations: Driving, Doctors Visits, Legal and Financial Planning. Helpful tips on caring conversations with family members about dementia-related topics will be shared at this Alzheimer’s Association, NM Chapter webinar. Info: communityresourcefinder.org, 800-2723900. Free.

ONGOING: daily | various times

Al-Anon Family Groups and Alateen– Meetings. This is an anonymous fellowship of relatives and friends of problem drinkers. Meetings are held on various days and times. We come together to share our experience, strength and hope to recover from the effects of another person’s drinking. Info: Al-Anon Information Service, aisnm.org, 262-2177.

daily |

Albuquerque Apparel Center and AAC School of Fashion Design. Melissa Lea, president and founder of AAC and awardwinning fashion designer, offers a variety of industry-based fashion design classes, seminars, retreats, and more. Couture, costume, and custom clothing design services, alterations, and patternmaking services are also available. Info: abqapparelcenter.com, 803-6966.

daily |

Agora Crisis Center Volunteers. Are you a compassionate, non-judgmental person who wants to help others? Learn new skills, make friends, earn class credit, and be a part of a rewarding organization. Info: Agora Crisis Center, agoracares.org.

daily |

Animal Humane’s Free Behavioral Helpline. This free service is available to all pet owners who are experiencing behavior problems with their dogs and cats. Animal Humane New Mexico’s trained behavior coaches answer questions and provide tips on everything from housetraining to living with multiple animals. Info: 9387900.

daily |

Epilepsy Support and Education Services— Meeting. For meeting time and place, please contact the office at 243-9119 or check the website for more details. Info: epilepsysupportnm.org.

daily |

Rattlesnakes. See different species of live rattlesnakes displayed in recreated natural landscapes. We are dedicated to conservation and preservation through education. Info: American International Rattlesnake Museum, 202 San Felipe Road NW, rattlesnakes.com. Tickets: adults, $6; seniors, military, students, teachers $5; children, $4.

daily |

Roadrunner Food Bank. Volunteers are needed to help prep food for distribution, repack and sort items, and other activities while helping New Mexico’s hungry. The gift of your precious time helps solve hunger for so many people. Volunteers must register in advance. Shifts are available in two-hour increments, Mondays–Saturdays. Info: 5840 Office Blvd. NE, givetime@rrfb.org, 349-5358.

daily |

Donate Blood. Someone needs it every day. Info: 843-6227, unitedbloodservices. org.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

daily |

Ronald McDonald House Charities of New Mexico. We provide a “home-awayfrom-home” for families whose children are in medical treatment. Operating the 30-guest-room Yale House, 20-guestroom Highlands House, and the Ronald McDonald Family Rooms at UNM and Presbyterian Hospitals, volunteers make a vital difference in the lives of the people they serve. Info: Volunteer Coordinator, rmhc-nm.org, 842-8960, volunteer@ rmhc-nm.org.

daily |

Explora. The museum brings out new activities in the “Working Together to Build a Village” exhibit area in its Rotary Pavilion, offering hands-on activities related to construction, architecture, and engineering, and Sketch Aquarium and Curious Bubbles in the Explora Theater. Info: Explora, 1701 Mountain Road NW, explora.us, 224-8300. Cost: Included in admission.

daily |

“We Are of This Place: The Pueblo Story” Art Exhibit. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center celebrates its 40th anniversary with this permanent museum exhibit that represents all 19 Pueblos and builds upon the IPCC’s 40-year history of telling the story of Pueblo people in their own voices. Hear stories in Pueblo languages from

artists and elders, interact with art and artifacts, learn about the Pueblo people’s history of resilience, and experience traditions that have been passed down for generations. Info: Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th Street NW, indianpueblo.org, 843-7270. Free with museum admission: adults, $8.40; seniors and NM residents, $6.40; students and children, $5.40.

daily | 8 am–5 pm

Albuquerque Art App-led Scavenger Hunt. Albuquerque boasts incredible sculptures. On this fun-filled walking scavenger hunt, journey around downtown’s historic buildings, green spaces and meet the locals who built the city. Info: Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunts, starting point - 391 3rd Street NW, letsroam.com, 833-202-7626. $13.

daily | various times

Explora’s STEAM Enrichment Programs. Explora has limited in-person and virtual STEAM enrichment programs happening throughout the fall. Info: explora.us for details. Prices vary.

Also tour the museum, gardens and amphitheater. Info: New Mexico Veterans Memorial Park, 1100 Louisiana Blvd. SE, 256-2042. Free admission. Donations requested.

daily | 9 am–5 pm

“The Original Instructions: Pueblo Sovereignty and Governance” Exhibit. This Indian Pueblo Cultural Center exhibit re-examines the role and symbolism of the Lincoln canes in the history of Pueblo people, within a larger discussion about sovereignty, governance, and leadership from a Pueblo perspective. Info: Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th Street NW, indianpueblo.org, 843-7270. Free with museum admission: adults, $8.40; seniors, military, NM residents, $6.40; students and children 5-18, $5.40. daily | 10 am–5 pm Adopt a Pet. Find your best pet ever. Adopt a dog, cat, puppy or kitten from Animal Humane New Mexico. Adoptions include spay/neuter, vaccinations, and a microchip. Info: 615 Virginia Street SE, 10141 Coors Blvd. NW, animalhumanenm. org.

daily | 9 am–3 pm

Veterans Presentation. Listen to veterans tell about historical events or their personal experience in the service to our country. Speakers represent WWII, Korean, Vietnam, and War on Terror experiences.

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NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

daily | 10 am

Watermelon Mountain Ranch Animal Center. New Mexico’s largest no-kill animal shelter seeks loving homes for rescued dogs and cats. Adoptions are at select Petsmart locations and Watermelon Mountain Ranch on various days from 10 am–8 pm. Donations, fosters, and volunteers are always welcome. Info: wmranch.org, 771-0140, wmranchnm@aol. com.

daily | various times

Explora’s Experiment Bar. Fruit and veggie batteries, thaumatropes, invisible writing, electromagnetics, DNA extraction or spin art? Visit Explora’s website to see which of our hands-on activities are happening. Activities change weekly. Mondays through Saturdays at 10 am and Sundays at noon. Info: Explora, 1701 Mountain Road NW, explora.us, 224-8300. Free with general admission.

mondays | 5–6 pm

Geeks Who Drink. Test your knowledge while enjoying a unique evening’s experience. Free of charge and open to anyone 21 and older. Prizes awarded to winning teams. Only one table allowed per team. Warning: this quiz contains adult themes and adult language. Info: O’Niell’s Heights, 3301 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE, oniells. com, 293-1122.

mondays | 5:30 pm

The Red Bucket Book Club. Join this group and dive into fun-tastic fiction discussing and reading a variety of fabulous books. Info: Barnes & Noble Coronado Center, 6600 Menaul Blvd. NE, bn.com, 883-8200. Free.

every second monday | 6:30 pm

“The Lyin’ Dog” Interactive Game Show. Aux Dog Theatre Nob Hill, in association with Empire Board Game Library, presents “The Lyin’ Dog,” an interactive game show. Three storytellers—two are real, one’s a liar—can the audience tell the difference? Info: Empire Board Game Library, 3503 Central Ave. NE, auxdog.com, 254-7716. Admission: $5 cash, food and beverages also available.

every second monday | 6:30–8 pm

Outcomes Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Come for discussion and support groups. Info: Heights Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 8600 Academy Road NE, 243-2551 to reserve a space. Free childcare provided. Free.

every third monday | 6–7:30 pm

Outcomes Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Attend discussion and support groups. Info: West Mesa Community Center, 5500 Glenrio NW, 243-2551 to reserve a space. Free childcare provided. Free.

every fourth monday | 6:30– 8:30 pm

Bead Society of New Mexico Monthly Membership Meeting. The BSNM’s purpose is to promote the members’ and the public education, appreciation, and involvement in the field of beads and bead-related subjects. No meeting in July or December. Info: North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center, 7521 Carmel Drive NE, beadsocietynm.org.

mondays–fridays | various times

Ninja Park Obstacle Course Fitness Center. TAK Fit is Ninja Park’s fun and functional fitness style that utilizes calisthenics exercise, dynamic lifts, and obstacles to create a unique and balanced workout that you will not find anywhere else. Join and have fun getting fit. Ages 16 and older. Classes are 6:30 to 7 am, 12:30 am to 1 pm, and 6:30 to 7 pm. Info: ninjaparkabq.com, 883-9203.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

mondays–saturdays | 10 am–5 pm

Exquisite Turquoise in the Castle. This extraordinary German-style castle is the museum setting, featuring rare turquoise specimens, lapidary demos, history and geology, a mine tunnel replica, hands-on activities for kids, and silver smithing. Info: The Turquoise Museum, 400 2nd Street SW, turquoisemuseum.com, 433-3684. Tickets: $16, discounts for AAA, over 55 and military.

tuesdays | 2–3 pm

Caregiver Support Group. Caregiving for a loved one can be overwhelming and isolating. This group provides a compassionate space for caregivers to gain emotional support and information. Facilitated by Erin Tarica, LMSW. Info: Jewish Community Center, 5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE. Preregistration required, call 348-4451. Free.

tuesdays | 6 pm

ABQ Scrabble Club. We have been playing weekly for over 30 years. Come join us. Info: Chili’s, 6909 Menaul Blvd. NE. tuesdays | 6:30–9:30 pm Beginning Square Dance Lessons. Lessons are available for singles, couples, and families. Dress is casual and no experience is required; offered by the Crazy Eights Square Dance Club. Info: Albuquerque Square Dance Center, 4915 Hawkins Street NE, 881-0137, hornytoad@q.com.

tuesdays | 6:30–9:30 pm

Open Drawing with the Model. Info: Harwood Art Studio, 1029 6th Street NW, harwoodartcenter.org. Admission: $10 per session; five sessions for $35.

tuesdays | 7:30–10 pm

Tango Club of Albuquerque’s Weekly Milonga. This is an Argentine Tango social dance party. Info: Lloyd Shaw Dance Center, 5506 Coal Ave. SE, abqtango.org. Guided Practica, 7:30 to 8 pm; Milonga 8 to 10:30 pm. Tickets: $3-$5.

tuesdays or thursdays | 9:30–10:30 am

Fine Wine Dance Classes: Moving FWD. These weekly online Zoom Classes running through December 3 are specifically for ages 55 and over, exploring movement and choreography as a community, focusing on improvisation and body awareness. No experience necessary. Registration is ongoing. Info: keshetarts.org, 224-9808 or email info@keshetarts.org.

tuesdays–saturdays | 9 am–5 pm

Art and History Exhibitions at Albuquerque Museum. See our website for the current listing of exhibitions. Info: Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road NW, cabq.gov, 243-7255. General Museum admission: $3-$6. $5 exhibition surcharge applies.

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

tuesdays–saturdays | tuesday–fridays 9:30 am, 1:30 pm, saturdays 10:30 am, 12 noon, 1:30 pm

Casa San Ysidro Tours. Take a tour of this late 19th century building in Corrales filled with an excellent collection of New Mexico vernacular art. Info: Casa San Ysidro, 973 Old Church Road, Corrales, cabq. gov/casasanysidro, 898-3915. General admission $4-$6.

e h t t a e B ! s h u R y a d i l o H

tuesdays–sundays | 10 am–5 pm

National Hispanic Cultural Center Exhibits. See our website for the current listing of exhibitions. Info: National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 Fourth Street SW, 246-2261, nhccnm.org.

r e b e m No v

tuesdays, thursdays, fridays, sundays | 11 am

Historic Old Town Tours. Explore historic Old Town on foot with our informative docents who will provide insight into the people and places that shaped our early community. Info: Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road NW, cabq.gov, 243-

$50 OFF

La Señora

DEEP CLEANING

7255. Tour included with paid Museum admission, $4-$6, Sundays free.

new customers only.

Expires November 25, 2020

tuesdays, thursdays, and saturdays | various times

Ninja Park Obstacle Course Fitness Center. First place winner of the 2015 Women’s Area Qualifier in the Ultimate Ninja Athlete Association (UNAA) competition, Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor Jessica Lucero teaches fun and challenging back-to-back classes every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: Body Blast, 6 to 7 pm; Obstacle Technique and Efficiency, 7 to 7:30 pm; and Foam Rolling and Stretching, 7 to 7:30. Try one, two, or all three classes for free (firsttime participants only). Info: 883-9203, ninjaparkabq.com.

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every first tuesday | 1–2:30 pm

$10 OFF

for 5 cleanings, weekly or biweekly services! (New customers only.)

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every first and fourth tuesday | 10 am–2 pm

(505) 266-5318

Spanish Language Alzheimer’s Support Group. This meeting is for Spanishspeaking individuals caring for a family member with dementia. Info: Alamosa Community Center, 6900 Gonzales Road SW, Suite C, 363-8499 or (800) 2723900.

Rug Hookers Demonstration. Join the Adobe Wool Arts Guild for a monthly demonstration of rug hooking in the Heritage Farmhouse. Info: ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, 2601 Central Ave. NW, 848-7180, abqbiopark.com. Tickets: Included with admission.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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every second tuesday | 11 am–1 pm

Stitching Group. Knitting, crocheting, embroidering, tatting, spinning, crossstitching and more. Join in the fun, share ideas, patterns, and experiences. All ages and experience levels welcome. Info: Wyoming/Hillerman Library, 8205 Apache Ave. NE, 291-6264.

every second tuesday | 6–7 pm

Outcomes Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Attend for discussion and support groups. Info: Tijeras-East Mountains, Los Vecinos Community Center, 478 1/2 Old Highway 66, Tijeras, 243-2551 to reserve a space. Free childcare provided. Free.

every fourth tuesday | 7–9 pm

Duke City Story Slam. This monthly storytelling event is where people tell true-life stories, without notes, on that month’s theme. Attendees can reserve a 5-min Open Mic slot between the featured storytellers. A friendly panel of judges scores each story; the winner takes home a prize. Info: Canteen Brewhouse, 2381 Aztec Rd. NE, storytellersofnewmexico.com, facebook. com/newmexicostorytellers.

every last tuesday | 6–7 pm

Murderinos Book Club. This free true crime book club meets monthly and Book Club purchasers get 10% discount at Bookworks. Info: Bookworks, 4022 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, bkwrks.com, 344-8139. Free to attend.

wednesdays | 9:30 and 11 am

Stories in the Sky: Weekly Story Time. Activities for toddlers and parents include stories about science, flight, geography, the seasons, the environment, astronomy and more. For toddlers through age 6. Info: Balloon Museum, 9201 Balloon Museum Drive NE, 768-6020. Admission is free for the children and an adult.

wednesdays | 10 and 11 am

Japanese Garden Tours. Join docents on the Hanami Flower Tours through the Sasebo Japanese Garden. Learn about the garden’s many varieties of flowering cherries and other blossoms, and the history of Japan’s Hanami celebrations. Info: ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, 2601 Central Ave. NW, abqbiopark.com, 311.

wednesdays | 10:30 am

Good Morning Storytime with Ms. Dakota. Join us for a story, a snack and a fun activity. For toddlers and preschoolers. Info: Barnes & Noble, Coronado Center, 6600 Menaul Blvd. NE, bn.com, 883-8200. Free.

wednesdays and saturdays | 11 am

Sculpture Garden Tours at Albuquerque Museum. Enjoy a pleasant stroll in our sculpture garden with a friendly docent who will share stories on the artists and their works. Info: Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road NW, cabq.gov, 2437255. Tour included with paid general admission, $4-$6.

wednesdays | 12 noon–1 pm

Kiwanis Club of Sandia. Join in for lunch, listen to interesting speakers, and learn how you, too, can help the children of Albuquerque and surrounding communities live better lives. Info: Wecks, 3913 Louisiana Blvd. NE, facebook.com/ sandiakiwanis.

wednesdays | 12:30 and 1:30 pm

Music in the Sky: Weekly Music Time. Activities for toddlers and parents include music and movements. Info: Balloon Museum, 9201 Balloon Museum Drive NE, 768-6020. Admission is free for the children and an adult.

wednesdays | 6–9 pm

Albuquerque Dance Club. ADC offers social dancing every Wednesday to a variety of music mix including swing, country, Latin, ballroom, and tango. No partner needed, over 21 only, ID required. Info: The Dirty Bourbon, 9800 Montgomery Blvd. NE, 299-3737. $5 cover.

wednesdays | 9 pm

Geeks Who Drink. Join the best Pub Quiz in town. Bring your friends and create a team of up to six people. Info: O’Niell’s Nob Hill, 4310 Central Ave. SE, 256-0564, geekswhodrink.com/blog, oniells.com.

wednesdays–sundays | 11 am–5 pm

Cat adoptions. Come enjoy some drinks, snacks, and time with adorable adoptable cats at Catopia Cat Cafe. Your visit will support their foster home and keep them company until they find their permanent homes, maybe with you. Info: catopiacatcafe.com, 508-4278.

every first wednesday | 9 am–5 pm

Free First Wednesday. Start your month off right with free admission to Albuquerque Museum and sculpture garden tour. $5 additional special exhibit surcharge may apply. Info: Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road NE, cabq. gov, 243-7255. Free general admission. every second wednesday | 6:30–7:30 pm Bookworks Book Club. Bookworks Book Club meets monthly and Book Club purchasers receive a 10% discount at Bookworks. Info: Bookworks, 4022 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, bkwrks.com, 344-8139. Free and open to the public.

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

every second wednesday | 6:30 pm–8:30 pm

Rio Rancho Art Association (RRAA) Monthly Membership Meeting. RRAA’s mission is the cultural and educational enrichment of the community and surrounding areas by providing opportunities for artists and the public to collectively participate in fine art events and programs. Info: Don Chalmers Ford Community Room, 2500 Rio Rancho Blvd., 301-2009, rraausa.org.

every second and fourth wednesday | 10 am–2 pm

Quilters Demonstration. The New Mexico Quilters will be working on their Botanic Garden quilt and other projects in the Heritage Farmhouse. Info: ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, 2601 Central Ave. NW, 848-7180, abqbiopark.com. Tickets: Included with admission.

every fourth wednesday and thursday | 12 noon–2 pm and 6–8 pm

Polka Dot Powerhouse Albuquerque Monthly Business Connects. Polka Dot Powerhouse is a closely linked family of extraordinary women—a world of fun, business growth, and connection. Learn, network, and be inspired with other area professionals, business owners, entrepreneurs, and visionaries. Guests are invited to attend their first meeting for free. Info: Managing Director Barbra Portzline, bportzline@comcast.net. Register at polkadotpowerhouse.com.

thursdays | 10 am–12 noon

Prehistoric Preschool for Families. Explore the most dynamic dinosaurs that roamed New Mexico. Learn to balance like Seismosaurus, hunt like Coelophysis, and stomp like Tyrannosaurus through imaginative play. Info: New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, 1801 Mountain Road NW, nmnaturalhistory.org, 841-2848. Tickets: see cost information online.

thursdays | 10:30 am

Story Time at the Zoo. Info: ABQ BioPark Zoo, 903 10th Street SW, abqbiopark.com, 764-6200. Included in admission.

thursdays | 3–5 pm

Class with Explora Maker-in-Residence. Explore the science of sound and make a musical instrument with Daveed Korup. Most Thursdays 3-5 pm; call to confirm. Limited places, first-come first-served at class time. Info: Explora, 1701 Mountain Road NW, explora.us, 224-8300. Included with general admission $6-$10.

every thursday | 6 pm

Stand-up Comedy at The Stage. This is a fun date night. Enjoy great food and drinks, and the nation’s best comics. Seating is first come, first served. Doors open at 6 pm, comedy starts at 7:30 pm. 21 and over. Info: Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel, 54 Jemez Canyon Dam Road, Santa Ana Pueblo, 771-5680. Tickets: $10.

every thursday | 6–9 pm

culinary team. Info: Pueblo Harvest Café, 2401 12th Street NW, puebloharvestcafe. com, 724-3510. No cover. Story Time at the Botanic Garden. Info: ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, 2601 Central Ave. NW, abqbiopark.com or dial 311.

Cristel’s Variety Dance Party. Join us on this large wooden dance floor for social dancing to a variety of music - country, ballroom, Latin, and swing. Singles and couples are welcome. Great wood dance floor, music requests taken. Info: Lloyd Shaw Dance Center, 5506 Coal Ave. SE. $5 cover per person.

fridays | 12 noon–1:30 pm

every other friday | 7–9 pm

fridays | 10:30 am

Dance Club. Albuquerque Dance Club offers social dance classes in two-step, waltz, country western swing and a few other styles to country western music. No partner needed, space is limited. Info: Lloyd Shaw Dance Center, 5506 Coal Ave. SE. Pre-registration is required: glkello@ nmia.com or 299-3737.

Grief and Loss Support Group. Grief is a natural process that can often be eased through sharing with others who have experienced the loss of a loved one or any other significant loss. Info: Jewish Community Center, 5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE. Preregistration required by calling 348-4451. Free.

every first thursday | 9:30 am–12 noon

fridays | 1 pm

Colcheras Demonstration. Learn to appreciate this Hispanic art form by watching El Arco Iris: Sociedad de Colcheras members at work in the Heritage Farmhouse. Info: ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, 2601 Central Ave. NW, 848-7180, abqbiopark.com. Tickets: Included with admission.

every first thursday | 6:30– 8:30 pm

Albuquerque Modern Quilt Guild. Explore modern quilting, charity work and a working modern quilting group. Info: 7001 San Antonio Drive NE, 821-2739, hipstitchabq.com. Cost: membership, $10/ year; guests, may attend one meeting for free, then up to two more meetings for $3 per meeting.

every second thursday | 6–8 pm

Visionary Arts and Crafts Guild Membership Meeting. VACG’s mission is to develop fellowship among craftspeople and facilitate a market for crafts through exhibitions, education, promoting the development and appreciation of craftspeople and their work. Meet monthly except Oct, Nov, Dec. Info: FBCRR Adult Ed Center, 1909 Grande Ave., Rio Rancho, facebook.com/vacgnm, 948-3132. every fourth thursday | 10 am–2 pm Quilters Demonstration. The New Mexico Quilters will be working on their Botanic Garden quilt and other projects in the Heritage Farmhouse. Info: ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, 2601 Central Ave. NW, 848-7180, abqbiopark.com. Tickets: Included with admission.

every thursday, friday and saturday | 6–9:30 pm

Party in the Fireroom or on the Patio. Pueblo Harvest Café hosts live music in its cozy Fireroom or on the patio. While you listen and dance, enjoy a taco bar, all-youcan-eat horno-baked pizza, handcrafted cocktails, local craft beer, and a creative menu of appetizers from our acclaimed

every first friday | 8–10 pm

Mural Discovery Tour. The IPCC houses 19 murals by Pueblo artists. Our guided tour provides an introduction to the art, traditions, and core values of Pueblo culture, and a who’s who of Pueblo artists, such as Pablita Velarde, Helen Hardin, and Jose Rey Toledo. Reflect upon the murals and uncover layers of meaning in each, with representations of traditional Pueblo life, including dance, the seasons and our connection to animals, as well as the contemporary vision of emerging artists. Tours can be scheduled for groups in advance by calling 212-7052. Info: Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th Street NW, 843-7270, indianpueblo.org. Free with museum admission: adults, $8.40; seniors and military, $6.40; New Mexico residents, $6.40; students and children, $5.40; children under 5, free.

fridays | 7–10 pm

Dance Party. Learn a new dance and meet new people each week at ABQ’s newest studio, with three beautiful ballrooms and state-of-the-art floating dance floors. Enjoy refreshments and an introductory dance class from 7–8 pm. Info: Holiday Dance Studio, 5200 Eubank Blvd. NE, 5084020, holidaydancestudio.com. $10. every first friday | Free Admission Day at Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum. Check out this award-winning, world-class facility highlighting the art, culture, history, science and sport of ballooning and other lighter-than-air craft. Info: 9201 Balloon Museum Drive NE (North of Alameda), 768-6020, cabq.gov/ balloon.

every first friday | 1:30 pm

Tamarind Institute First Friday Tours. See the workshop facility, learn about fine art lithography, the current programs and the history of Tamarind (a division within the College of Fine Arts at UNM), a collaborative process video, and a printing demonstration. Reservations: tamarind. unm.edu. Info: Tamarind Institute, 2500 Central Ave. SE, 453-2159. Free.

Albuquerque Spanish Meetup. Practice conversational Spanish with a mix of native Spanish speakers and folks learning Spanish. Info: 553-3008, spanish.meetup. com/700/calendar.

every third friday | 7–9 pm

Cactus and Succulent Society of New Mexico. Discuss cacti and succulents; enjoy a program presented on a particular subject relevant to these plants. Program usually involves a slideshow. Not necessary to be a member to attend. Info: Albuquerque Garden Center, 10120 Lomas Blvd. NE, 296-6020 new-mexico.cactussociety.org.

saturdays | 8–11 am

Los Ranchos Growers’ Market. Fresh local produce and products, plants, and more. COVID 19 protocols - wear masks, keep social distancing, and no pets. Handicapped accessible, family and pet friendly. Info: 6718 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, 610-9591. Free admission.

saturdays | 8 am–12 noon

Downtown Grower’s Market. Visit the longest running farmer’s market with over 160 vendors. The last market of the season is on November 7. Info: Robinson Park, 810 Copper Ave. NW, downtowngrowers.org, 252-26959. Free admission.

saturdays | 10 am

Downtown Walking Tour. Learn about our diverse settlers who arrived with the railroad in 1880. Hear stories about the merchants, politicians and pioneers who shaped our city. Allow 2 hours and wear comfortable shoes. Every Saturday through November. Info: Meet Trudy Merriman at the SW corner of Central and 1st Street, albuqhistsoc.org, 289-0586. Free.

saturdays | 10:30 am

Story Time at the Aquarium. Info: ABQ BioPark Aquarium, 2601 Central Ave. NW, abqbiopark.com, 768-2000. Included in admission.

saturdays | 12 noon–2 pm

Acting for Writers. Award-winning director and Meisner acting teacher Lois Hall teaches Acting for Writers in a supportive environment. The class is devoted to writers breathing life into their characters by learning the actors’ secrets. Info: 715-2801, actingforwritersloishall. com. RSVP required.

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saturdays | 12 noon–3 pm

Class with Explora Maker-in-Residence. See description above on Thursdays 3–5 pm. Most Saturdays. Info: Explora, 1701 Mountain Road NW, explora.us, 224-8300. Included with general admission $6-$10.

saturdays | 1–2:30 pm

Family Art Workshops. Families create a work of art inspired by what they see at Albuquerque Museum. A different project every week. Try your hand working with a variety of art mediums. Info: Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road NW, 243-7255, cabq.gov. Free with Museum admission of $4-$6.

saturdays | 2–5 pm

Art in the Afternoon. Wrap up your shopping in Historic Old Town with free admission into the museum, live local music, and great food and drink specials amid a wealth of cultural and historical artifacts and works of art. Info: Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, 2000 Mountain Road NW, call 311, cabq. gov. Free.

saturdays | 2:30–4:30 pm

Tango Club of Albuquerque’s Weekly Practica. At this Argentine Tango practice no partner is necessary. Info: Lloyd Shaw Dance Center, 5506 Coal Ave. SE, abqtango.org. Tickets: $2.

saturdays | 3:30 pm

Saturday Storytime. Join Miss Caitlen for new and exciting adventures. Fun for young children and those young at heart. Info: Barnes & Noble, Coronado Center, 6600 Menaul Blvd. NE, 883-8200, bn.com. Free.

saturdays | 5–8 pm

Cooking Classes at Cinnamon Sugar and Spice Café. Try a fun and exciting handson cooking class. Enjoy a meal prepared by you in a commercial kitchen with the guidance of a chef, sip wine, and top it off with dessert. Info: 5809 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE, 492-2119, cinnamoncafeabq.com.

saturdays | various times

Prehistoric Preschool for Families. See description on Thursdays 10–12 am. Info: New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, 1801 Mountain Road NW, 841-2848, nmnaturalhistory.org. Tickets: see cost information online.

every saturday and sunday | 12 noon and 2 pm

Traditional Native Dance Performances. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is the only place in North America to offer traditional Native American dances every week year-round. Performances outdoor or indoor depending on weather. Info: Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th Street NW, indianpueblo.org, 843-7270. Free with museum admission.

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

every saturday and sunday | various times

Albuquerque Garden Center. Our events include the Cactus and Succulent Society Show and Sale, the African Violet Show and Sale, and the Annual Spring Plant Sale, and the Aril and Iris Show. The Shop features local artists all month. Info: Albuquerque Garden Center, 10120 Lomas Blvd. NE. Free.

every first saturday | 10– 11:30 am

Support Group for women with any GYN cancer plus concurrent group for families/ caregivers. The Gynecological Cancer Awareness Project holds these peerled groups at the People Living Through Cancer Office. Info: 3411 Candelaria Road NE, Suite M, theGCAP.org.

every first saturday | 10 am–12 noon

Military History Lecture. Listen to an interesting presentation of military history events and activities that affected New Mexico. Lectures include the History of the NM National Guard, Bataan Death March, WWII Army Air Corp bases in New Mexico, and others. Info: New Mexico Veterans Memorial, 1100 Louisiana Blvd. SE, 256-2042. Admission: Free. Donations requested.

every first saturday | 12 noon–3 pm

First Saturday of the Month Shot Clinic For Your Dogs And Cats. No appointment needed. Info: 3251 Westphalia Road SE, wmranch.org.

every second saturday | 10–11:30 am

Outcomes Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Come for discussion and support groups. Info: St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 2701 American Road, Rio Rancho, 243-2551 to reserve a space. Free childcare provided. Free.

every second saturday | 10 am–12 noon

Free Fishing Clinic. Instruction available on basic fly-tying methods, fly-rod casting techniques, fishing etiquette, effective catch-and-release practices and enhancement of advanced skills. Equipment and supplies are available free of charge on a first-come-first-served basis for use during the clinic, or you may bring your own. Tingley Outfitters provides basic equipment for purchase inside the train station. Info: Tingley Beach, 1800 Tingley Drive SW, call 311 or 768-2000.

every second saturday | 1 pm

Read to the Dogs. Registered therapy dogs sit calmly and quietly for a story so children can practice reading out loud without fear of judgment. It’s a great way for children to gain confidence in their reading. Several libraries. Please register in advance. Info: Southwest Canine Corps of Volunteers, 768-5136.

second and fourth saturday | 12 noon–1 pm

Watermelon Mountain Ranch Volunteer Orientation. Come out to the main facility in Northern Rio Rancho to find out all about the volunteer program and the opportunities to work with the animals in our care. Info: Watermelon Mountain Ranch, 3251 Westphalia Blvd. SE, Rio Rancho, wmranch.org. Near V. Sue Cleveland Highschool.

every second and fourth saturday | 7–10:30 pm

ABQ Dance Club. This non-profit dance club provides dancing to a variety of music - swing, country, ballroom, Latin. Couples and singles are welcome, no partner or experience needed. Lessons and refreshments included. Info: Albuquerque Square Dance Center, 4915 Hawkins Street NE, asdc.org, 299-3737. Fee $8.

every last saturday | 7–9 pm

Saturday Night Swing. Good listening and dancing music of live tunes from the ’40s and ’50s. Remember to wear your dancing shoes. Info: New Mexico Veterans Memorial, 1100 Louisiana Blvd. SE, 256-2042. Free admission. Donations requested.

sundays | 9 am–1 pm

Free Sunday Mornings at Albuquerque Museum. Admission is free every Sunday morning. View the latest exhibition, try out interactive displays, stroll through the sculpture garden, and stop by the cafe for brunch. Info: Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road NW, cabq.gov, 2437255. Free. $5 exhibition surcharge applies during free days at Albuquerque Museum.

sundays | 9 am–1 pm

Free Admission Day. Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum. Check out this award-winning, world-class facility highlighting the art, culture, history, science and sport of ballooning and other lighter-than-air craft. Info: 9201 Balloon Museum Drive NE, 7686020, cabq.gov/balloon.

sundays 10 am–2 pm

Rail Yards Market Express. Pre-order your favorite farm products, then drive through for non-contact pick up. Info: Rail Yards Market, 777 1st Street SW, railyardsmarket.org, 600-1109.

Square Dance Center, 4915 Hawkins Street NE, 288-0313. Cost: members, $5; non-member, $8. every second and fourth sunday | 10–11 am Yoga with Cats. Enjoy cats frolicking and lounging as you participate in a yoga class for all skill levels. Info: Catopia Cat Cafe, 8001 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Suite C-5, call 508-4278 to reserve your spot. $14 per class.

every second and fourth sunday | 2–4 pm

Stitching Group. Knitting, crocheting, embroidering, tatting, spinning, crossstitching and more. Join in the fun, share ideas, patterns, experiences and more. All ages and experience levels welcome. Info: Erna Fergusson Library, 3700 San Mateo Blvd. NE, 888-8100.

various days | various times

Albuquerque Dolls. We have ongoing social events for women, including dinners, dancing, movies, volunteering, crafts and trips, and we are having a blast. We encourage women to join together to support each other and learn more about New Mexico. Join: Meet Ups/Albuquerque. Also, on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. ideas, patterns, experiences and more. All ages and experience levels welcome. Info: Erna Fergusson Library, 3700 San Mateo Blvd. NE, 888-8100.

sundays | 10:30 am

Chatter Sunday. These Sunday morning concerts include readings and refreshments. Info: Las Puertas, 1512 First Street NW, chatterabq.com. Cost: regular, $15; 30 and under and students, $9; children under 13, $5.

sundays | 12 noon–5 pm

Save Lucky Paws Information Table at Lucky Paws Adoption Site. T-shirts and wristbands for sale. Info: Coronado Mall, saveluckypaws.org.

sundays | 1–4 pm

Old San Ysidro Church Tours. See the beauty and learn the history of one of Corrales’ most significant historic buildings. Historical Society Docents are on hand to welcome guests, give tours, and answer questions. Watch the Old Church video, view historical artifacts, and take home souvenirs ranging from local flavor cookbooks to church retablos, jewelry, and more. Info: 966 Old Church Road, Corrales, 890-3846, corraleshistory.org. Free.

sundays | 8 pm

Geeks Who Drink. Join in best Pub Quiz in town. Bring your friends and create a team of up to six people. Info: O’Niell’s Nob Hill, 4310 Central Ave. SE, 256-0564, geekswhodrink.com/blog, oniells.com. every first, third and fifth sunday | 6–9 pm Ballroom, Latin and Swing Dancing. Join USA Ballroom Dance. Free beginner lessons start at 5:30 pm. Info: Albuquerque

INCLUDE YOUR EVENTS IN THE DATEBOOK! Please send an e-mail with the date, time, and event description to datebook@abqthemag. com. If available, include a high-resolution digital photograph or image. Listing information deadline is the 10th two months prior to publication (e.g.—all MAY events must be submitted by March 10, etc.). All events are subject to change. Please call event organization for final verification on events, times, dates, prices, and ticket availability.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Brewhouse

2381 Aztec NE 881-2737 |canteenbrewhouse.com Originating from the chain of Il Vicino pizza restaurants, Canteen’s taps began flowing in 1994, making it ABQ’s oldest brewery. The brew team also brings years of experience and collaboration, resulting in tried-and-true recipes, plus fun twists like their nitro-carbonated Panama Joe Coffee Stout. The home brews have become so popular with regulars that there are no less than eight standing beers on tap year-round at both the original location, and the new taproom on Tramway Boulevard. The original flagship features a large patio, diverse food menu, and occasional tours of the brew plant.

Taqueria • Brewery • Distillery

8900 San Mateo Boulevard Northeast, Suite I 717-1361 | lareformabrewery.com The food here is influenced cludes a spicy tomato mix and by the taste and culture of zesty rim. The drink menu also Mexico City, which, in case you includes cocktails from La Reforweren’t sure, is a hip, urban ma’s distillery, including vodka, culinary mecca of more than rum, and agave spirit (similar 20 million people. The craft to tequila, which by law can beer and housemade spirits only be made in Mexico). The are also styled in south-of-the- menu features tacos, burritos, border fashion, like the La Ref, quesadillas and tortas (Mexia smooth brew made with corn can sandwiches), each of which that adheres to the tradition come with filling options like of Mexican lagers. Another au- carnitas, pescado (fish) and al thentic twist is to order the La pastor (spit-roasted meat). Red as a michelada, which in-

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6001 San Mateo Blvd NE 433-2642 | ecbrewing505.com

Brewing Company

The roots of this brewpub Location: Hei can be found at 8,500 feet Patio seatin ghts (also Angel Fire) Food situatiog? Yes above sea level, where the n: Full menu, Be st seller: plus snacks original location is nestled Hidden gemGlory Hole IPA near the ski runs at Angel Seasonal br : Lemon Shandy lager Beer on the ews? Yes, 3 or 4 on tap Fire. And that legacy exWait, say whago: Growlers and crow lers tends to the ABQ location, t? They mak The vibe is ge e frozen where their 20+ flagship those seekin nerally: Perfect for gr beer custard oups and Our ATM takeg activities tap beers are named after flights are al away: “With so many ways a hit he taps, beer ski runs at the resort. With re.” plenty of space inside and on their permanent patio, the space resembles an English pub, with a creative menu to match (housemade pot pies, and bourbon bread pudding). But there’s also a nod to the Southwest, like the small-batch Hatch 20 beer, brewed with smoked green chile. Fun is also heavy on the menu here, with occasional live comedy shows, plus regular trivia and karaoke nights.

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Brewing Co. The patio is a thing of beauty for this award-winning brewhouse, not just at their flagship Corrales pub, and also at their new Foothills location at the top of Candelaria Road, and their Downtown taproom. All are dog-friendly, and the shade trees of the Rio Grande bosque make the original location especially relaxing. Seasonal tap beers are in constant rotation—sometimes up to nine at

10200 Corrales Rd. NW 897-2327 | boxingbearbrewing.com

a time—and pairing opportunities abound, with a selection of hot appetizers and pizza (the Spicy Hawaiian pie adds jalapeños to the much-debated combo of Canadian bacon and pineapple). The beers routinely win medals of excellence at national competitions, and in 2016 Boxing Bear was named Mid-Size Brewpub of the Year by the Great American Beer Festival.

6110 Alameda Blvd. NE 208-0508 |santafebrewing.com “New Mexico’s Original Brewery” has a new local spot, as an anchor of the new Tin Can Alley food hall in North Albuquerque. The location pairs the cozy interior feeling of a neighborhood bar with the stunning floor-to-ceiling window views of the Sandia Mountains. Shuffleboards and TV screens are in full swing, but a rooftop patio also awaits those looking for a bit more solitude. The lengthy bar offers seasonal brews like their famed Oktoberfest, the Happy Camper IPA, and the Chicken Killer Barley Wine—a courageous, offbeat, alcohol-filled, and ultimately popular beer that helped put the brewery on the map. Food choices include Vietnames, BBQ, Latin and artisanal pizza.

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28 Arroyo Seco Rd, Cedar Crest 281-2828 | alerepublic.com

The free spirited folks of the East Mountains have turned this roadside brewpub into a hip oasis of fun. The fresh air in Cedar Crest goes perfectly with the numerous outdoor tables and the al fresco live music stage, which is nestled near more than a few sunflowers, butterflies and hummingbirds. Also, the brewery is next to an open space trailhead, so it’s a perfect place to cool down with a pint or two after a hike in the woods. Locals say the joint has evolved nicely since opening in 2016, and recently added a canning operation to make to-go pints, as well as a wood-fired pizza oven that produces fresh, quick-rising pies that have become all the rage.

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Brewing Co.

106 Girard Blvd. NE Ste. B 508-5967 | bosquebrewing.com

This local beer empire now features six locations statewide, and will soon add a huge Westside brewery and taproom. The food menu at the Nob Hill location includes decadent pub fare, such as Thai-style mussels, and duck or chicken poutine, plus favorites like street tacos and burgers. The sizeable, covered patio wraps around two sides with pub-height chairs and benches. Beers are discounted everyday from 3-6 p.m., and come in five sizes of tap pours, ranging from five to 20 ounces. With the Location metro A : Nob Hill Publi COVID seating restrictions, B Patio se Q locations) c House (also two oth a Bosque has innovativeer Food sit ting? Yes uation: Best sell Full me ly set up a reservation n Hidden er: Bosque IPA u gem: Pis system on their website, Seasona tol Pete ʼs 1888 guaranteeing you a Beer on l brews? 6 ale th e g o : W G ait, say rowlers table at any of their with the what? The br , crowlers an d u ir locations with a few The vib Elephants on nch pancakes 6-packs of can e is gen feature Parade e s syrup s w rally: P raspber hite-coll clicks. made le r a y n r -i ty n p rofe fuse of G Ou ssiona d whe en-Y b r ATM with am takeaway: “It ls dipping in fo eer lovers, an at ale d with somazing food tha has the feel of r lunch or hap py hour t makes a local e brews h you wa , and re nt to se angout, but lax.” ttle in, pair

Brewing Co.

Brewing

1761 Bellamah Ave 639-5941 | ponderosabrewing.net

The logging and transporting of ponderosa pine trees was a signature of this area a century ago. The brewery’s interior of exposed wood—along with a steel rail track as a foot rest—is a nod to that history. Beers like the Ghost Train IPA and Rip Saw Red Ale keep the rustic theme, as does the kitchen’s commitment to using certified Angus beef in their slew of burgers (of course,

this being a new century, the plant-based ‘Impossible’ burger is also offered). A house favorite is the Twice-Burnt Tacos, a mango-habañero chicken griddle taco with the tortillas sealed together with crispy cheese. The local theme continues with a selection of New Mexico wines, which can be enjoyed on the spacious patio, which wraps around two sides of the brewpub.

10250 Cottonwood Park NW 890-1455 | toltecbrewing.com Food and beer get equal VIP treatment at this Westside gastropub. The menu has a soft spot for pork belly (the delicacy is combined with their fries, and mac & cheese), and a lineup of artisanal pizza and salads. The house brews are also paired with menu items for special dinners twice a month that run $20 for three courses. The bar crew puts effort into the house music playlists, and can even be seen occasionally dancing to the beat. The pub puts out special themes and prices for some holidays, and also hosts beer education events from time to time, where customers get to meet and greet the brewmaster.

Location: Sawmill area (also El Vado Taproom in Old Town) Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Burgers, salads and full-plate pub fare Best seller: Blood Orange Witbier Hidden gem: Bellamah Brown ale Seasonal brews? 4 Beer on the go: Growle rs, and 6-packs of cans Wait, say what? Before COVID, they offered two -step dance lessons every Saturday (it will return one day) The vibe is generally: Ple nty of movers and shaker s who are tapped into the revitalization of the Sawmill District, plu s exciteable visitors who wander over from Old Town and the nearby museums. Our ATM takeaway: “Th e food menu tilts toward gourmet, which makes it more than jus t a spot to grab a bite. You could do date-night dinner here and leave with a smile. ”

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Brewing 1501 1st. NW 219-3938 | dialoguebrewing.com Even before the pandemic, the huge patio was a key part of the draw for this Downtown brew house, spanning 3,200 square feet around artistic spires of metal. The interior also focuses on visual appeal, with a gallery of colorful images created by local artists to go with a décor heavy on steel and wood. The taps carry eight of Dialogue’s house standards, and also several guest beers from other breweries. The kitchen offers pizza from a wood-fired oven on the patio, and in non-COVID times also has wings and other items. Live music is also a weekend staple here in normal times, with performances under the stars.

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Brewing

5600 Coors Blvd. NW Ste. C! 916-0787 | lacumbrebrewing.com

100

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This pub was among the first in ABQ to open—and make fashionable—a taproom located in a warehouse district (in this case, the city’s north corridor). And La Cumbre remains one of the few breweries without a kitchen, relying on regular food trucks like Kitsune (Asian fusion) and My Sweet Basil, which offers upscale fare, such as their Lobster Mac & Cheese. But the beer is the star here, and few local craft brews have achieved cult status like their Elevated IPA, among the first local gold medal winners at the Great American Beer Festival way back in 2011. While the original location’s intimate space and openair patio is perfectly suited for serious beer drinkers, the brewery also recently added a Westside location with a larger indoor space, a patio, and options to get food delivery from nearby eateries.

Beer and Cider Co.

3301 Southern Blvd SE, Rio Rancho 962-1587 | brewlab101.com If there’s a way to cater to all comers, it’s at this Rio Rancho pub. The scene includes trivia nights, Sunday football on TV, spirited games of corn hole, a chalk wall for kids, and quite a bit more. That sense of inclusion is also found in the beer, where there are often 10 guest taps from other breweries. The owner is a former musician, and welcomes live bands (in non-COVID times) on a regular basis, making for a more engaged crowd of revelers. The “lab” aspect is a big part of things, with a beer brewing formula adorning an entire wall, and beer flights served in 100ML beakers. And on your way out, you can pick out mix-and-match cans of beer from the to-go fridge.

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Brewery and Cider House

2926 Girard Blvd NE | 508-0508 The hip décor and chill attitude here are centered around the world of skateboarding, which is what owner Rob Palmer did professionally for a living before opening this Midtown brewery just a few years ago. The beer menu is diverse and edgy, from their signature MWA (Malt With Attitude), which is brewed with New Mexico roast-

ed corn, to a low-alcohol, smooth house stout. The broad selection also includes several ciders on tap, plus a lineup of fresh pub fare that doesn’t try to take itself too seriously (corn fritters, beer-battered chile strips). The brewery shares a taproom with Left Turn Distilling, so local spirits and cocktails are also available.

Yes ndhelds Patio seating? petizers and ha Full menu of ap Food situation: Card lager Best seller: Low Scotch Ale ckness Monster Co m: ge ers Hidden beers and 3 cid 6-8 s, Ye s? ew Seasonal br s ler as, ow Cr eir tacos, tostad Beer on the go: offer Spam on th ey Th at? wh y sa Wait, salads d urban sandwiches and tween hipsters an boarding rally: A cross be ate sk of rse ive un The vibe is gene the ses). th a splash from board video relea professionals, wi ate sk sts ho lly na feeling sio e ca oc uʼr b yo pu en wh (the brew ce to check out pla “A rld.” y: wo wa ur ea yo Our ATM tak new ideas into new people and up for bringing

816 3rd St NW | 308-3081 A clean, minimalist approach to craft beer defines this Downtown micro-brewery, where the cooking kettles operate right next to the service tables. The pub—among the newest on the ABQ craft scene—features only beer and kombucha, with all varieties

Brewing

made in-house. The nod to the environment is present in the building’s walls, which incorporate vintage glass bottles and other recycled materials in a design partially inspired by ‘earthships’ (the trend of off-grid homes built with discarded materials).

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Food trucks on a rotating sche Best seller: W here Lightnin dule g Strikes pilsn Hidden gem: er Problem Spac e IP A Seasonal brew s? 4 on tap Beer on the go : Crowlers Wait, say what ? Th and vegetables e on-premise garden grow s hops, herbs that are used in The vibe is ge nerally: Lots of some of the beers downtown bu brewery, but zz near the quite chill in th e enclosed co Our ATM take urtyard patio away: “A little . more solitude of the busy do here wntown spots, and good beer than many , to boot.”

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608 McKnight Ave NW 247-9800 | bowandarrowbrewing.com

Brewing Co.

The beautiful and spacious Well windows into the brewing area make Parks pub is the only Native American the interior seem even bigger, which is women-owned brewery in the country, something to remember when brewery and their indigenous culture and the interiors re-open to full capacity after Southwest play a big role in the beers the pandemic eases. and the messaging. For example, their Denim Tux pilsner is brewed with New Mexico blue corn, and one of their signature sour beers is infused with sumac VID) berries grown on the now due to CO seating right or do in o (n Navajo Nation. The fruit Yes ly Patio seating? od trucks and delivery on Fo and farmhouse-style n: io r at ne tu ls si Pi Food erican enim Tux Am beers (saisons and Best seller: D ed stouts ir sp -in Pastry zen on tap sours) are a house speHidden gem: les of metimes a do so , ty en Pl s? d 500ML bott cialty, with typically 4 Seasonal brew rowlers, crowlers, cans an :G or more always on tap. Beer on the go ews en bread br se al Pueblo ov ea el on iti The high ceilings, warm ad tr r special-r de t? You can or wood decor and exhibition Wait, say wha s, iented couple and cause-or with butter lly: Educated ilies, Millennials, ra ne ge is The vibe of fam a diverse mix to mingling with om the beer is on point, fr g pet-lovers. in . th ts ry es ve gu “E away: cts with e staff intera Our ATM take to the way th e th to r co the dé

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Spirits and Brew

6902 Menaul Blvd. NE 221-6281 | brokentrailspirits.com

You know those times when you’re not sure which to order, a cocktail or a beer? No need to fret here, since they’ve crafted spirits to go along with the suds. With a rotating lineup of 12 beer taps (including seven year-round brews) and four hand-crafted spirits, there’s something for everyone. The German-style Dogtoberfest is a tasty annual tradition—plus, they go one step further and donate part of the beer’s sales to local animal rescue organizations. A couple rounds and you’ll be feeling good in more ways than one! (Of course, always respect the 3-beer limit at local breweries.) Food comes from two eateries that share a patio (Fork and Fig, and The Jealous Fork), and the entire menu can be delivered right to your table. We’ve found that servers are more than happy to run back for extra chile, if necessary.

urants Yes o nearby resta Patio seating? livered from tw de u en m ll Fu Food situation: en gtoberfest März Best seller: Do Head Red Ale at Go : m ge Hidden s? Yes Seasonal brew wlers er can : Growlers, cro o have a crowl Beer on the go er, you can als be of ad ste In ? me. Wait, say what cktail to take ho -centric, but very ade-to-order co a little dude d filled with a m an , rsy oo td home rally: Ou s would feel at The vibe is gene says it all: hiker trip on the trail. e m na e Th s. unpretentiou leaves after a red in mud and liver to you table here, even cove restaurants de sty ta wo “T : ay aw D get craft ke ta AN s M ew AT r br Ou nt us.” taste 12 differe n ca re looking for u uʼ yo yo D if AN , ys side re for a few da he be ʼll We . cocktails

Brewery 5700 San Antonio Dr NE Ste. B1 492-2752 | starrbrothersbrewing.com One of the best things about our breweries is what one might call the Southwest Trinity: nachos, tacos, and beer. Well, the gourmands at Starr Brothers have enlarged the scope of those expectations a bit with a food menu more suited for a joint with tablecloths. For example, there’s the Hangover Tots, crispy fried tots topped with queso, bacon, onion, jack cheese and an egg, cooked to your liking. The lineup also upscale fare like the butter-basted salmon, and truffle fries, plus housemade desserts. The huge array of TV screens draws fans of all sports, particularly soccer. The taps lean toward German and American style brews, and the easy access from Interstate 25 ensures a sizeable crowd at all hours.

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Full Best seller: Star menu of gastropub dishes r Struck IPA Hidden gem: La mpshade Porte r Seasonal brew s? Yes Beer on the go : Growlers, cro wlers Wait, say what ? They serve St ate Fair-inspire (deep-fried Or d desserts eos and funnel cake). The vibe is gene rally: Tables of upbeat and sp groups, plus pl orts-minded enty community tabl of families gathered around the pub-height es (also perfect fo Our ATM takeaw r making new friends). ay: “One of th e most creative in the city, and appetizer men not just among us breweries. Plus craft beer.” , you know, ta sty

Brewing

4541 Corrales Rd.| 363-5176 | casaviejabrewery.com

He’s referred to as the “beer whisperer,” which means head brewer Gary Socha must enjoy his job on a deep, cerebral level. One taste of his light, wheat-colored Ghost Stout, and you’ll likely see why (yes, stouts are typically dark, and yes, this is still a stout beer, and yes, it’s amazing). The regular and seasonal offerings on tap all stem from co-owner Socha’s beer passion, which started when he discovered hefeweizen on tap in Germany many moons ago. The influence extends to the tavern’s inaugural Octoberfest release this year, as well as to the Landslide Pale Ale (a reduced-gluten brew for those with intolerance for those pesky glutens). The pub also offers one of the most

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Food trucks, de livery from loc Village Pizza al restaurants, such as Best seller: Gh ost Stout Hidden gem: Bl ue Corn Cream Ale Seasonal brew s? Yes Beer on the go : Growlers, cro wlers (ʻhowler Wait, say what sʼ), pint cans, ? They offer m kegs ore th habañero-lime or pineapple, th an a dozen ʻflavorings,ʼ such at you can have as seltzer. mixed in to tap beer or The vibe is gene rally: Laid-back grown-ups who wine within the like to sip local historic, 200-yea beer and r-old adobe wa patio. Fashion lls, or on the lus tip: the renova h, Bosque ted and tastefully ap you wish you dr pointed interior esse will make Our ATM takeaw d in cocktail-casual or slightly better. ay: “A gem in the heart of Co brew offerings rrales, with co that makes ad ntemporary ulting quite en joyable.”patro ns.”

extensive New Mexico wine lists in the city, with about 10 white wines and 10 red wines typically available.

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Brewing 9800 Montgomery Blvd NE Suite 7 | 717-1301 Tucked inside an unassum- to keep coming back. Aside from ing strip mall in the Northeast their flagship facility, the brewery Heights, this shop has all the recently added a taproom up the hide-away characteristics of a canyon in the town of Carnuel, so backstreet pub in Southern Eu- those looking for a pint can head rope. Live music fills the space to where the sun rises (that means regularly for those active types east, in case your head gets foggy seeking a little less conversation. from their 8.4 ABV Legless Double And for those who appreciate that IPA). And if in fact you do end up conversation sprinkled with beer talking to the brewmaster, John talk, the friendly staff behind Ruyak, ask him to recount the stothe bar is more than happy to ry behind their best-selling brew, share their immense knowledge which was named for our own of brews and brewing (and you strip of the National Geographic may even find yourself chatting musical road program. By the with the head brewer). The taps’ way, have you driven the Musical 12 regular pours (and at least Highway on Route 66 yet? Okay, three seasonal options) offer we digress, but America is beautithe enthusiast enough reasons ful, indeed.

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Delivery, or bring your own Best seller: Musical Highway American Pale Ale Hidden gem: Flanders Sour Red Ale Seasonal brews? Yes Beer on the go: Growlers Wait, say what? They will exchange your growler for a new one, which is unheard-of during the pande mic as most breweries will only sell new bottles The vibe is generally: Low key, dark interio r with a beer-is-everything crowd. This is where you can do happy hour and make new friends any time of the day. Our ATM takeaway: “The conversatio n and atmosphere inspired us to pick up a few different growlers to-go so that we could keep the good beer flowing by doing homemade flights .”

Brewing 4895 Corrales Rd., Corrales 508-0547 | exnovobrew.com

Patio seat in Food situ g? Yes atio Village Pi n: Food trucks, and loca zz l delivery Best selle a from Corr r: ales Bistro Hidden ge Mass Ascension IP and A m: Pearl Haggard Seasonal Pilsner brews? Pl enty, arou Beer on the nd Wait, say go: Growlers, crow 10 on tap w lers, cans location hat? Owner Joel is his thir Gregory grew up d, The vibe in Corral is genera to go along with es, an the lly lawn, an d patio fu : Hip. Very hip. M first two locatio d this Ex Novo ns in Ore rniture fo aker-style stucco an gon. r relaxing outdoor d sunlight space with . The natu the page makes th ra s of Arch a full itectural e whole property l harmony of w Our ATM oo Digest. look like takeaway its ready d, : “This is beautiful to grace the cr filter so yo owd and crisp be current ʻscene-to ers w -beu can chec k in on IG ill make you sear seenʼ in Corrales . The ch for a gr and Snap .” eat selfie

We might be the only city in which a brewery can perfectly tether a beer launch to a hot air balloon launch. (Did you get what we did there, tether and launch?) This brewery, which opened in 2019, did just that, and now their Mass Ascension IPA has risen to become hugely popular. Even the name Ex Novo (which means “anew” in Italian) is apropos, as the facility was built on the grounds of a former Corrales eatery destroyed by fire. Locals have quickly taken to the tasty beers,

Brewery The Good Timing Award goes to this Westside brewery, which opened in September, just in time to be included in this story. The pandemic delayed the opening, and the full array of food and drink will have to wait until after COVID, but the operating team still came out swinging. The interior makes a great first impression: it’s gorgeous, modern, well-appointed, and has multiple seating configurations (for those of you who love to escape to Scottsdale

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on weekends, you’re in for a treat here). The scratch kitchen menu was crafted by a longtime local chef, and is centered around a selection of tacos, each delicately layered with fresh ingredients. There’s also roasted chicken, burgers and salads. The suds are handled by a pair of cohead brewers, with five house taps and a few guest brews, as well. They plan to expand to 15 home taps, with seasonals rotating throughout the year. The crowlers have

and to the brand itself (you can buy shirts and stickers, plus the brewery just released a limited-edition cycling jersey with the same colorful geometric design as the beer can label). During summer months, you can score their most popular seasonal, Pearl Haggard, a light and crisp German pilsner with honey and floral notes. Or, for something a little more calorie-conscious in the spirit of spritzy options, there’s a Hard Seltzer on the tap list.

3421 Coors Blvd NW 317-5557 | sobremesanm.com

discounts for 3-packs, with a convenient carry-case handle for anyone wanting to create a flight on the fly.

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Full menu of ha ndhelds, salads Best seller: Hillto and desserts p Helles Lager Hidden gem: Pe ach fruit beer Seasonal brews? Yes Beer on the go: Growlers and cro wlers Wait, say what? They offer a gia nt sto cream and their Siesta Milk Stout, ut float, made with vanilla ice overflowing in a The vibe is gene frosty beer stein. rally: New, mode rn, classy, and up overdone), filled scale (but not with people buzz ing the beer lovers on about having an other brewery for the Our ATM takeawa Westside. y: “Thereʼs a ce rtain hipness he where the cool re, lik kids used to hang that made everyo e the spots an impressive pla ne want to join. ce to take a first Itʼs date—or even a 50th date.”

Brewing Co. 1800 4th St. NW 243-6752 | getplowed.com

One of the area’s oldest breweries has now expanded into distilling spirits, which you can try in their well-curated house cocktails. On the brew side, the selections are vast, with typically close to 20 house beers on tap. Bartenders all have Level 1 Cicerone® certification, and enjoy talking at length about house favorites, like the Milk Mustachio Stout. The community vibe is big here, with live music on Saturdays, movie

night on Thursdays, and charity nights, whereby a portion of every pint sale goes to a local non-profit. The food comes from either the in-house kitchen or food trucks (due to COVID), but in normal times the brewery reaches out to local cookie and cake shops to create pairings for their ciders and cocktails.

ide and Los Lunas) (also Nob Hill, Wests Location: Wells Park Patio seating? Yes ninis (in times of petizers and grilled pa Food situation: Pub ap ) cks from local food tru COVID, rotating menu Honey Wheat Ale er ak ym Ha Best seller: ster Pale Ale Hidden gem: Sod Bu 12 ? ws b Seasonal bre rit bottles rs, pint cans, kegs, spi Beer on the go: Growle beer and cream t roo de ma can get house Wait, say what? You soda on tap groups of families, Lots of regulars and The vibe is generally: . in the slew of activities beer who actively engage to things besides just on ati dic de e “Th y: e the olv inv to Our ATM takeawa effort re. Itʼs nice to see the are very apparent he

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Brew Pub

413 2nd. St. SW 832-7183 | sidetrackbrewing.net

Brewing

This adventurous little Albuquerque brewery has a lot to offer in terms of great beer and great vibes. For instance, their “Buy-A-Friend-A-Beer Board” does exactly what it sounds like: when you are at Sidetrack having a beer without your friend, just let the bartender know. You can buy your buddy a round, and they’ll know when they see their name on the board next time they come in. Sidetrack also works hard to support local businesses and artists. The interior is minimalist by design, allowing for potential display spaces, while the patio is dominated by a colorful mural. They also offer the fun-flavored popcorn from ABQ’s Cornivore Popcorn Co., and hard cider from Tractor Brewing Co. As for their own beer, Sidetrack makes a wide variety of styles. The Pub Ale is an easy-drinking British-style pale ale, while their delectable Javanilla Stout pleases the palate in an entirely different mode, with notes of chocolate, vanilla, and coffee.

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Snacks, food trucks Best seller: Pub Ale Hidden gem: Dark Engine stout Seasonal brews? Wit Zombie Beer on the go: Growlers and crowlers Wait, say what? They serve cask beer, which is drawn directly from the fermentation vessel for a more ʻrealʼ flavor The vibe is generally: Young, fun, cozy and intima te. Youʼll be friends with everyone in no time. Our ATM takeaway: “Drinking here has a very lineal feel, where the good time comes equally from the beer and the crowd.”

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6601 Uptown Blvd. 884-1116 | abqbrewpub.com

This Uptown spot has a partnership with Sierra Blanca Brewing, which produces the Alien line of local beers. So, it makes sense that the taps are heavy with brews from Alien (Sun Chaser Pale Ale, Alien Amber Ale, etc.), which has a solid reputation. In addition to the tried-and-true labels from their parent brewer, the pub also does its own smallbatch beers, available on tap. The food here is in the top tier of local pub fare, with a menu that includes items like an ahi tuna salad, Philly cheesesteak, and fried zucchini. The pub is a sister operation—and shares a kitchen—with Uptown Sports Bar & Grill next door, and the high volume typically means freshly made food and fast service. Pairing opportunities are also expanded, since Alien has a full liquor license and serves spirits and cocktails.

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Fu ll menu, salads, de sserts Best seller: Alien Amber ale Hidden gem: Panch o Verde Green Ch ile Cerveza Seasonal brews? Four Beer on the go: Gr owlers Wait, say what? Th e concrete bartop has embedded me at sub-freezing tem tal coasters peratures to keep your beer cold The vibe is general ly: Plenty of white -collar employees nearby Uptown off from ice towers, plus ou t-of-towners who wa the after shopping at nder over Coronado Center or ABQ Uptown. Our ATM takeawa y: “The food is sim ple and done right, always a treat if which is youʼre into pairin g your eats with good beer.”

Brewing Two locations | hopsbrewery.com It’s always heartwarming to see a family owned business grow and succeed. Hops’ first brewery launched in Nob Hill, and now their second location is operating in the Village of Los Ranchos. The head brewer, Ken Wimmer, is a retired high school teacher who taught himself how to make beer. The Albuquerque native, known as “Wimmdog” to his former students at El Dorado High School, was a drama teacher—this might explain some of the creative names of his brews, like the Dad Joke, a Kentucky common ale described as “rye and corny.” Hops has 40 taps, with about half pouring house favorites, like the Tipsy Cow stout and the Honey Wheat ale. In true taproom fashion, the other half of the tap lineup features beer from other local breweries. The brewery’s garage doors open onto the sidewalk patio on most days, giving patrons a nice view of Route 66 and other Central Avenue sights.

Location: Nob Hill (al Patio seating? Yes so Los Ranchos) Food situation: Sna cks Best seller: Hop Hil , sandwiches (BBQ truck on Sunday l IPA s) Hidden gem: An Iris h Seasonal brews? Two Tan English bitter Beer on the go: Gro wle Wait, say what? The rs, crowlers, cans church (check out theLos Ranchos location used to be a The vibe is generally: stained glass window above the doo r) stage of life, who hav A lot of folks in the comfy, laid-back discuss the remains e time to relax with friends and of the day over a cold Our ATM takeaway: “An amazing place brew. there are so many beers from other bre to get a flight, since chilling on Central wers on tap. Plus, is always fun.”

Brewery

2027 Yale Blvd SE | 916-0331 | 377brewery.com The homegrown story behind the beer here is a good one: the head brewer was mentored by a friend from the Dukes of Ale, an ABQ homebrew club that’s been around since the 1980s. Then she started entering brew competitions, and even traveled to Belgium to increase her beer knowledge. Now, in just a few short years, Lyna Waggoner has a wall full of awards to show for her brew talent, and 377 has a daily taproom full of happy, beer-drinking cus-

Brewing Co.

tomers. The lineup features brew styles from all parts of the globe, from Belgium to Germany to New Zealand. There’s even a true Ginger Beer on tap at 6.5% alcohol by volume (try mixing THAT in your Moscow Mule). Also, a tap or two is usually dedicated to Flanders ales (Belgian-style sour beers, a specialty of Waggoner’s) and other fruit sour beers. The brewery features heavy bar snacks, and is also home to an event space that holds up to 120 people (for

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Heavy bar snacks, burgers Best seller: Red Horse Lager Hidden gem: Rojo OʼNeil fruited red ale Seasonal brews? Yes, several Beer on the go: Growlers, cans Wait, say what? Waggoner won a 2nd Place medal at the 2015 N.M. State Fair for her Vienna pilsner. The vibe is generally: Relaxed, with a good mix of laid-back regulars, folks from down the road at Kirtland Air Force Base, and travelers who just flew in to nearby Sunport and are looking to try some famed ABQ craft beer (they wonʼt be disappointed). Our ATM takeaway: “The beer is as good as advertised, and any brewpub that serves nachos and burgers out of a dedicated outdoor, stand-alone ʻfood truckʼ is getting a thumbs-up from us.”

non-COVID times, we should specify). Plus, you can even get a tour of the brewing process if you call in advance and book it.

1912 2nd St NW | 900-3909 | riobravobrewing.com

For a large-scale craft pub, this Downtown spot has a lot in motion. The rows of 32 taps have mostly house brews, and the canning process behind the glass partition can be seen up close on a tour if you ask nicely. The taproom flows into a breezeway, which spills out into a huge outdoor patio, complete with mu-

sic stage, table games, cornhole, beer tub sales, and enough space to host a grand scale party (in non-COVID times, the brewery’s event space hosts wedding receptions and other big events). The sports vibe is also big here, as they brew the official “Lobo Rojo” beer of UNM Lobo athletics.

Patio seating? Ye s, plenty Food situation: Fu ll menu handhelds , fish & chips, wing Best seller: Freak s Juice Hazy IPA Hidden gem: Barre l Aged Putin Impe ria l Stout Seasonal brews? Yes, up to 9 Beer on the go: Gr owler, crowlers, pin t cans Wait, say what? Th e owners, Denise and Randy Baker, contractors by tra are building de, but after gettin g inspired by the pubs on a Europe family-oriented an trip, decided to open their own The vibe is genera lly: A mix of Down town professionals from work, group heading home s celebrating some thing, regulars in stopping in for a the habit of cold pint. Our ATM takeawa y: “The comfort lev el is high, with a of house beers, a huge selection creative food me nu, and an excitab patrons.” le crowd of

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Brewing 4814 Hardware Dr. | 881-0234 | draftykiltbrewingco.com Owners Mike and Sheryl Campbell do beer like few couples in ABQ—and we’re not talking about drinking. Two decades ago, Mike started brewing beer at home, and later became the head brewer at the original Rio Bravo Brewery, and co-owner and ‘head beer farmer’ of Tractor brewery in Los Lunas. He’s now the head brewer of his own company, Kilt Check, along with Sheryl, a brew enthusiast herself who is a former president of the Dukes of Ale, a local home brewing club. Their knack for the science shows up

in beers like their popular cream ale, which involves dropping hot rocks into the mix. “It caramelizes the sugars for a toffee, nutty-like flavor,” says Mike of the traditional ‘steinbeer’ process. “I’m very proud of it.” The tavern is also high on activities (in non-COVID times), with regular karaoke and trivia nights, and live music. Plus, teachers, first responders, law enforcement and military get happy hour prices at all times.

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Snacks, food trucks, bring your own Best seller: Groundskeeper Willie Cream Ale Hidden gem: Wee Beastie Scottish ale Seasonal brews? Three in rotation Beer on the go: Growlers Wait, say what? More than 2,000 vintage beer cans and spirit decanters from Mikeʼs colle ction line the pub walls. The vibe is generally: Happy campers who are enjoying the simple experience of good beer, without pretensions or worry. Our ATM takeaway: “Once you get past the fact that ther e only a handful of beers, you real ize how good they are, and then life becomes pretty good.”

Brewing

500 Yale Blvd | differentialbrewing.com Think of a neighborhood gathering place for the younger and more hip, and that’s close to what you have in this University-area micropub. The beer lineup includes several ales, including their Blue Corn cream ale, a hazy brew made with local organic blue corn. The pub also offers plenty of guest taps from other local craft

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Food trucks Best seller: Blue Corn cream ale Hidden gem: Hard seltzer (several flavors) Seasonal brews? Yes Beer on the go: Growlers, crowlers Wait, say what? They offer authentic Italian sodas, in several flavors, whip cream include d The vibe is generally: Those tuned into the local brew scen e, plus plenty of beer lovers mix ed with the cool crowd from surrounding ʻhoods. Our ATM takeaway: “This plac e keeps growing and getting better, and their tap offering s are among the most dive rse in the city.”

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beer makers. The sense of community here is deep: they’ve held fundraisers for causes, and even held a recent ‘pop-up market’ on the patio, a socially distanced event where local vendors sold goods (it’s likely to become a regular thing). They recently added a second, larger patio, which also features TV screens and plenty of coverings.

Brewing Co.

9801 Acoma Road SE 554-3204 | bombsawaybeer.com Red or blue, you can puff up with patriotic fervor at this military-themed brew spot that sits almost squarely between Sandia Labs and Kirtland Air Force Base. The walls are adorned with war momentos, a large American flag hangs proudly, and the order station is under a replica bomb. The beers are a direct hit, too, with names like Short Fuze Blonde Ale, and All Clear! Apple Beer. Owner John W. Degnaro once disposed bombs in the Middle East for the Air Force, and on his final tour, he decided that he would go into the brewing business. He did most of the interior work on Bombs Away himself, down to the hand-crafted wood and metal furniture. His attention to detail even shows up in the wooden beer flight tray, which are numbered to match your paper info sheet so you won’t mix up the samples. The food menu has bar favorites like hot pretzels and sandwiches.

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Bar snacks, paninis, hot dogs Best seller: Proximity pilsner Hidden gem: Bombs Away IPA Seasonal brews? 16 on rota tion Beer on the go: Growlers and crowlers Wait, say what? Patrons can buy a future beer for a mili tary veteran (which are given to vets who come in) The vibe is generally: Plen ty of patriots and those with military ties from across the city, plus neig hborhood folks who enjoy easy access to good beer. Our ATM takeaway: “The orig in story of the brewery is pret ty cool, the beers are fantastic, and the interior is absolutely bea utiful, making any experience here a good one.”

Brewing Co. 905 36th Place SE, Rio Rancho 994-9497 | turtlemountainbrewing.com Rio Rancho is the longtime home of this early pioneer of the Albuquerque craft beer boom, which locals keep abuzz with plenty of enthusiasm for the beer, food and camaraderie. The house standards include the Hopshell IPA, and plenty of seasonal beers, plus a steady number of guest taps from other local brew houses. On the food menu, calzones are a house specialty, but many dishes are on the formal side for a brewery, such as steaks and pasta, plus a wide array of upscale appetizers and desserts. There’s also gluten-free selections, plus a kids menu. The interior is geared toward sports fans (there’s plenty of pro games on the various TV screens), and the venue is large enough that customers can find nearly any kind of environment to sit in, from the chatter at the bar or community tables, to private booths or quiet views from the patios.

The food and the beer here will fight for your attention. The kitchen turns out ‘New Mexican soul food’, where two culinary regions co-exist—and sometimes even combine—in dishes like the Cajun Chicken Chicharrones. There’s also authentic Southern fare (Fried Chicken and Waffles, New Orleans Style Gumbo), alongside burgers, enchiladas and a new dish called ‘NM Hot Chicken’ made with cayenne, red chile and habanero spices. The Imperial Cream Ale and the Black is Beautiful Imperial Stout are two of four popular flavors that Nexus began offering in pint four-packs last month. At the time of the 2008 recession, owner Ken Carson was a successful banker. But like the many business owners he helped and admired, he decided to open his own restaurant. Last year, he added a second downtown location, which has more of a BBQ influence, with an array of sandwiches and smoked meat sold by the pound.

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Full menu Best seller: Hopshell IPA Hidden gem: Seasonal brews? Yes, 7 taps lers Beer on the go: Growlers and crow been studying about has z Orti Nico er Own t? Wait, say wha ear-old exchange 16-y a beer since he went to Germany as student. groups, and plenty of Rio The vibe is generally: Families and from ABQʼs Westside. Rancho notables, plus a smattering has been perfecting its n atio Our ATM takeaway: “The oper s, and it shows.” year y man for e food-and-drink gam

Restaurant and Taproom 4730 Pan American Fwy NE. 242-4100 | nexusbrewery.com

(also Downtown) Location: Pan American Freeway Yes ing? seat Patio salads and desserts Food situation: Full menu, with the Imperial Cream Ale and e omil Best seller: Honey Cham Hidden gem: Chocolate Porter Seasonal brews? Three cans Beer on the go: Growlers and pint and segment for “Diners, Drive-Ins Wait, say what? To film a 5-minute days (Carson two for close to had t uran Dives” a few years ago, the resta for host, Guy Fieri). made collard greens with red chile toward ty of groups, and leaning more plen with al, Casu : rally The vibe is gene pair brews with bites. to flock ds crow er dinn and the dining aspect as lunch d with good twists on comfort food combine Our ATM takeaway: “The unique friends.” with er dinn nge arra can you where house beers make this a place

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Brewing

206 Broadway Blvd. SE 639-5831 | thirstyeyebrew.com

If you’re looking for a truly unique brewery, you’ve found just the place. Beer is only part of the brewery’s chief function, which is the support of fine art. For 20 years, Exhibit/208 has been showcasing local artists, and now, in partnership with Thirsty Eye, this local gallery has a new art space—and an extra source of income. (It helps that Exhibit/208’s owner, Kim Arthun, is also a co-owner of Thirsty Eye.) With only five regular beers on tap, this micro-brewery specializes in seasonal offerings. The Odin’s Eye ale, for example, was originally brewed as a seasonal, then upgraded to a house beer due to demand. Arthun used leftover materials to create the stark and beautiful tables and counters, which combine with the wall art to give the entire brewery an uplifting feel.

Brewing 3700 Ellison Road NW 899-8494 | desertvalleybrewing.com A fun, community atmosphere is a big part of the appeal at this Westside brewpub. And though the challenges of the pandemic led to a temporary halt in their brewing, the team is serving spirits from their distillation program, as well as guest beers from other local breweries. When normal times resume, they’ll have a full range

of house beers, from their popular Double Wheat, to the seasonal Tart Cherry. The kitchen is also a star in its own right, with offerings like Fried Green Chile Strips, Pork Belly Street Tacos, and Green Chile Meatloaf. The patio is dog-friendly, with plenty of sports and games to enjoy.

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Full menu, sa lads, kids men Best seller: Do u uble Wheat Hidden gem: Seasonal brew s? Yes (during non-COVID tim Beer on the go es) : Growlers an d cans Wait, say wha t? They make their own hand public. sanitizer for sa le to the The vibe is ge nerally: Casual and food-orient come as much ed for the upscal e food menu as , as many customers Our ATM take the great beer away: “The W . estside has its less hectic, an own pace, whi d this spot an ch is a little d its sunset-fa perfectly.” cing patio fit the bill

Yes Patio seating? Food trucks n: io at tu si Food t ble Affair stou Best seller: Hum ne Varg wheat The Lo Hidden gem: s? Yes ew Seasonal br d crowlers Humble : Growlers an go e th local company Beer on ith w k or w ey t? Th Wait, say wha location e their stout. ak m to y patrons, and pp ha Coffee s, er be backyard. nerally: The t in a friendʼs ou The vibe is ge g in ng ha e youʼre orhood bar make it feel lik : “If this is what a neighb te agent away to a real esta Our ATM take lk ta to ve ha might feels like, we .” a home nearby g in nd fi about

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Brewery

7849 Tramway Blvd., Suite C 821-0752 | boesebrothersbrewery.com

From the soft lighting and old brown brick walls of the interior, to the bright and colorful murals of its back patio, this Downtown brewery is just plain cool. An indie rock playlist and kitschy art only add to the hip aesthetic. As for beers, there are eight taps for beer (five regulars and three seasonal brews), and two pouring their in-house cider. Beers lovers tend to be attracted to the ever-popular Bell Ringer Hazy IPA or the Ala Lager. For the more adventurous, there’s seasonal beers, like the summer-only Zeus Juice White IPA, or the unique ciders, which come in some flavors like hibiscus and ginger turmeric. Boese Brothers offers bar fare (nachos, grilled cheese sandwiches) when the kitchen isn’t temporarily closed due to a global pandemic, and also partners with downtown restaurants for food delivery.

Location: Downtown (al so NE Heights and Los Ala mos) Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Bar sna cks Best seller: Hazy IPA Hidden gem: Any of the ir ciders Seasonal brews? Yes, 3 taps Beer on the go: Growle rs Wait, say what? Sam an d George Boese also ow n Desert Dogs Brewery & Cidery in San ta Fe The vibe is generally: Ins ide, itʼs softly lit and qui et, while outside, itʼs loud and col orful. Itʼs a hip Downtow n hangout. Our ATM takeaway: “Grea t service, a cool atmosp here, and the one-of-a-kind Downtow n vibe go perfectly with craft beer.”

When life’s got you down, you need a pint with your mates at the old pub. That’s what Quarter Celtic Brewpub is all about. There’s no doubt about the theme: the menu is loaded with Irish dishes, the tricolour flag of Ireland hangs proudly, and the TVs are tuned to all the football you can handle (both soccer and, you know, American football). But despite the old-world warmth, this is a modern brewery that mixes newer stylistic aesthetics—large windows and open spaces—with just the right of nostalgia for the old country. Their Crimson Lass is a red ale made with malt imported from Ireland, and the food menu is loaded with traditional fare like Bangers & Mash, and Corned Beef & Cabbage. And you can find a nod to the Southwest with their multiple award-winning Pedro O’Flanagan’s, which is an Irish-influenced Mexican lager.

Brewpub

1100 San Mateo Blvd. NE 503-1387 quartercelticbrewpub.com

Location: Lomas (also NE Heights) Patio seating? Yes rts Food situation: Full menu, salads, desse lager an Best seller: Pedro OʼFlanaganʼs Mexic Hidden gem: Kilt or Be Kilt Scotch Ale Seasonal brews? Yes, several Beer on the go: Growlers and crowlers nce crowler can, you Wait, say what? If you order a 32-ou bar. Kinda neat. the at it seal and fill them can watch with some in mixed l, Casua ally: gener is vibe The Good beers with suit-and-ties playing hooky from work. Irish pub oughta be. new friends, the way (we imagine) an tunities are great, Our ATM takeaway: “The pairing oppor nfluenced ma authentic Irish dishes and Irish-i with so many beer. Plus, you know, soccer.”

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Brewing Co. 1016 Industrial Rd, Moriarty | 832-2337 | sierrablancabrewery.com One of the oldest breweries in the state is also one of the biggest, occupying 12,000 feet of space in their Moriarty location. Not bad for a brewery that originally launched in Carrizozo in 1996. For metro ABQ residents who have yet to make the short drive east, it’s well worth the trip. With 17 beers on tap and a lush, half-acre beer garden,

it’s easy to stay awhile. A favorite is their Alien IPA (served at Albuquerque Isotopes games), and their gold medal-winning Cherry Wheat. The brewery gets a steady stream of Interstate 40 travelers looking for a quick pit stop and a beer. The beautiful East Mountains make for pretty scenery from the beer garden, which also features

bocce ball and horseshoe pits, plus swings for the kids. Or you can just relax next to Sierra Blanca’s Koi pond. Though they don’t offer a full menu, they do have snacks for sale for the kiddos and they regularly partner with food trucks.

Patio seating? Yes , food trucks Food situation: Snacks IPA Best seller: Alien iller Brown ale Hidden gem: Bone Ch 2 taps Seasonal brews? Yes, s, bottled six-packs ler ow Gr : go d to cook Beer on the your own meat and foo ing br n ca u Yo at? wh Wait, say beer garden on the BBQ grills in the s, plus the tdoorsy and adventurou Ou : lly ra ne ge is e vib The a good thing on their who know they have als loc m fro l fee at be up hands. t you a brewery relaxing drive can ge Our ATM takeaway: “A adventure.” eat beer—and a new tour, outdoor fun, gr

Brewing @ Southwest Grape & Grain 3401 Candelaria Rd NE Ste. E/G | 332-BREW | swggbrew.com

This brewery can teach us all a thing or two about beer. No, really teach us—in non-COVID times, Harmon Lane offers classes on how to brew beer (the brewery is located inside Southwest Grape & Grain, a supply store for beer/wine/spirits production). Once you get past the aisles of distiller’s yeast and brew kettles, the scene immediately changes to that of a friendly neighborhood brewery. The beer here is brewed by industry experts (obviously), and features a house beer in most styles (amber, wheat, stout, IPA, etc.), as well as a hard seltzer. And it’s not just homebrewers who stop by to pick the

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brains of the staff; head brewers also find time to share secrets with staff and each other when picking up brew supplies. Keep in mind that brew sales here only operate within store hours, meaning it closes at 7 p.m.

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: None Best seller: IPA Hidden gem: Peach wheat Seasonal brews? Yes, wheat Beer on the go: Growlers and cans Wait, say what? Their Moscow Mule Ginge r Ale is a lightly carbonated ale sweetened with brow n sugar and lime juice, sold in cans The vibe is generally: Educational. This is a place to learn about beer and brewing. While youʼre drinking a pint, of course. Our ATM takeaway: “Something abou t talking beer while sipping beer just makes it seem so, so right.”

Brewing

1001 Candelaria Rd. NE 633-6675 | reddoorbrewing.com

According to New England tradition, a red door on your home meant a safe place for weary travelers to stop and rest. That might explain why everything here—from the staff to the social media pages—has a tone of friendliness and community. This is a fun and happy place, and not just for humans; a portion of sales from their six-packs of Left Paw Lager is donated to Animal Humane New Mexico, and pets are more than welcome on Red Door’s patio. The brewery offers several gluten-reduced beers, plus more than a few medal winners on tap. Patrons rave about the video gaming system (Super Mario Kart, anyone?) and the foosball table. In non-COVID times, there’s also plenty of live music, and weekly karaoke and trivia nights.

Brewpub

2220 Unser Blvd NW 836-1022 | lavarockbrewpub.com The name refers to the volcanic rock holding the ancient etchings in the nearby Petroglyph National Monument. Translation: this brewery is on the Westside, which makes it a popular hangout in an area that loves local craft brew. The high ceilings and open glass walls offer great views, and the east-facing patio gets a Sandia sunset show every evening. The head brewer, Daniel Cavin, has a proven track record at other breweries, and his beers here run the range, from saisons to stouts, to IPAs and lagers (he also offers root beer on tap). The food is done on-site by The Kitchen by 135, a local breakfast-and-lunch restaurant, with a menu that includes pizza, salads, hand-cut fries and hot sandwiches.

Yes Patio seating? re Upscale pub fa Food situation: True IPA Best seller: NM stout ismic Irish dry Hidden gem: Se s, up to 6 s? Ye Seasonal brew lers : Growlers, crow ef burger. go Beer on the 0% Wagyu be 10 a r fe of ey ods, and Th t? or ha by neighb ho ar Wait, say w ne of ix m A ulevard, plus nerally: busy Unser Bo g The vibe is ge on al e ut m who com working folks here, from weekends. on ntion to detail sports fans te at e th e ov “L ay: od—plus the Our ATM takeaw interior, to the beer and fo gned the nicely desi ” s. ck patio ro

Location: Candela ria Road (also Do wntown and Clo Patio seating? Ye vis, N.M.) s Food situation: Full menu and sn acks, including Best seller: West hot sandwiches Coast IPA daily Hidden gem: Va nilla Cream Ale Seasonal brews? Six on tap Beer on the go: Growlers, crowl ers and six-pack Wait, say what? s The Unhinged Cid er, made from ap gluten-free and ple juice, is non-carbonated The vibe is gene rally: Soft, artsy and inviting, bu place where regu t also easy-going lars get to know ,a bartenders, and keeps everyone the fun atmosph coming back for ere more. Our ATM takeaw ay: “A family fri endly spot to en place where dog joy good beer, an lovers can bring da our pooches alon the day with a br g as we wind do ew.” wn

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Brewing A quintessential neighborhood brewery functions on the basic principal of community. Translation? They love to get new customers, but they thrive on regulars. That’s certainly the case at this brewery is in the Expo N.M. area, in a low-slung building tucked next to a residential neighborhood. The aesthetic is that of a small community gathering spot: shuffleboard, table games,

a community message post (the old-school kind, with paper messages taped up), and, in normal pre-COVID times, live music. The building was previously occupied by a tattoo shop, and the brewery has left some of the original artwork (including a life-sized portrait of the twin ghost girls from The Shining). As for beer, the brews range from their subtle and light Hurry Sundown Wheat, to

529 Adams St NE 433-5591 | highanddrybrewing.com

their dark and robust Humble Affair Stout. The six house taps go along with five more for guest beers. Though they don’t have a full kitchen, they work closely with local food trucks, like The Blazing Barn, and popup restaurants, like Punchy’s Wood-Fired Pizza.

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Food trucks Best seller: Humble Affair stout Hidden gem: The Lo ne Varg wheat Seasonal brews? Ye s Beer on the go: Gr owlers and crowler s Wait, say what? Th ey work with local company Humble Coffee to make their stout. The vibe is generally : The beers, happy patrons, and location make it feel like yo uʼre hanging out in a friendʼs backyard Our ATM takeaway . : “If this is what a neighborhood bar feels like, we migh t have to talk to a real estate agent about finding a ho me nearby.”

Brewing 471 South Hill, Bernalillo 818-7285 | kaktusbrewery.com

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Tucked among the rural homes in Bernalillo, this neighborhood brewery has a bit of an artist hangout vibe, with paintings on the walls, two large patios, and a stage for live music. “The Sunday blues are our most popular,” says Kaktus founder Dana Koeller, who has steadily grown his operation to now offer eight house beers on tap. The lager and IPA are the fan favorites, but the offerings also include seasonal brews, like the Peppermint Stout, as well as house ciders. The food menu features salads and a huge variety of pizza, with toppings as diverse as jalapeño elk sausage, wild boar, duck, pumpkin squash, and potatoes. The brewery also sells its own bottled curry ketchup.

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Full menu, special ty pizzas Best seller: Helles Lager Hidden gem: Chinook IPA Seasonal brews? Yes, typically 3 on tap Beer on the go: Growlers, crow lers, cans Wait, say what? The Frito pie is made with bison chili. The vibe is generally: Bohemian, with a relaxed country feel to match the lush patio and rust ic interior. Our ATM takeaway: “The tasty beers, eclectic food and great company make for a plea sant surprise. Weʼll be back again.”

2809 Broadbent Pkwy NE | 717-1985 | thecraftroomnm.com Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Pub fare, sandwiches r Best seller: OG, the flagship apple cide r cide Hidden gem: Sandie watermelon Seasonal brews? Yes, 4 every month Beer on the go: Growlers -tossed, with gourmet Wait, say what? The pizzas are hand esan cheese. ingredients like basil pesto and parm rk drinkers, foodies, The vibe is generally: Plenty of after-wo every demographic). from and folks who love cider (they come plenty of space, with spot g Our ATM takeaway: “A happenin of ciders is ty varie the , Plus . and carefully prepared food y.” really something to enjo

If cider is your jam (see what we did there?), you’ve come to just the right place, because that’s the house specialty here. There are typically 10 varieties of their house Sandia Hard Cider on tap, in flavors like Pear, Pineapple, Strawberry and Lemon Mango. And wait, you also get….four new “flash” ciders each month, in more fun and tasty flavors. There’s also the popular Honey 13 cider,

which comes in a 6-ounce glass, due to its high alcohol volume (13% ABV). The beers here are guest taps from Desert Valley Brewing (which ceased production until after the pandemic) and other local breweries. The food menu is small but creative, with street tacos, stuffed mushrooms, craft sandwiches and artisanal pizzas (the most popular is the Taco Pizza, made with taco meat and queso).

Grill and Brewery 4051 Sara Road SE, Rio Rancho 994-9364 | cazuelasmexicangrill.com

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Full menu, Mexican specialties Best seller: Acapulco Gold Mexican lager Hidden gem: Cerveza de Trig o wheat ale Seasonal brews? Yes Beer on the go: Growlers Wait, say what? Their sign ature lager is made with yea st from Mexico City The vibe is generally: Plen ty of families, and groups of friends looking to relax on the patio with a brew. Our ATM takeaway: “A nice surprise, with a well-found ed reputation for good beer. The patio is covered, has a fou ntain, and is beautiful.”

The longtime Rio Rancho brewer excels with a full lineup of Mexican beers, an expansive patio, and several brewing awards in their trophy case. The kettle operation resides just beyond the bar, cranking out favorites with a Mexican influence, including a red ale and a porter. Mexican food pairs perfectly with beer, and the adjoining kitchen has a full menu of tacos, tortas, and burritos (plus all-day breakfast burritos). In normal, non-COVID times, the patio115 here features regular live music.

Brewing 3351 Columbia Dr. NE 312-8247 | canterobrewing.com (TEMPORARILY CLOSED DUE TO COVID) Tucked into the industrial corridor near the Big I, one of ABQ’s newest breweries has quickly made an impression with a lineup of crisp beers and imaginative food. The menu includes the Carne Fries, a bed of waffle-cut potatoes topped with

Brewery

tender carne asada and creamy white queso, and the El Diablo, a pretzel-bun sandwich filled with egg salad and smoked bacon. There is also a separate menu for kids, plus a weekend brunch lineup. The stage in the dining room features live music, and large screen TVs dot the wall for big games.

111 Marble Ave NW | 243-2739 | marblebrewery.com

Since opening in 2008, this Downtown brewer has become one of the state’s flagship beer producers, and the largest in the city. Growth like that doesn’t happen without stellar beers, such as their Double White Belgian ale and the Cholo stout, both fan favorites and retail best-sellers. The brew team’s carefully curated list of Marble classics now stands at nine, with recent additions like the Rita gose beer, and the Triple

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Yes s, desserts Patio seating? ers, tacos, salad Full menu, burg Food situation: deo IPA Best seller: Glow ero Sour nt Ca m: ge Hidden 7 s? , and served ew Seasonal br are made fresh Funnel cake fries Wait, say what? for dipping at is with local honey hipster culture th lly: A minimalist, ra ne ge is to hang with a ce pla The vibe t ea gr A e same time. welcoming at th ly . ds en fri of p but the food is tru ou gr he beer is great, “T y: wa try ea to tak nt Our ATM where you wa e kind of place amazing. Itʼs th .” nu me e everything on th

Berry wheat. The original Marble Avenue location features a lively patio, an outdoor upper deck with a separate bar, and, in non-pandemic times, live music. The interior is sleek and comfortable with a slight industrial feel, making it the perfect place to host events, like the New Mexico Brewers Association’s IPA Challenge, and limited-release beer tastings.

Location: D own Patio seatin town (also NE Heights , Westside) g? Food situati Yes on: Food tr ucks Best seller: Cerv Hidden gem eza Mexican style lag er : Red Ale Seasonal b rews? Yes, 10 taps Beer on the go: Growle rs, crowlers Wait, say w , cans hat? The ca nned beer Colorado a is carried in nd Arizona stores in Te The vibe is xas, gen hipsters and erally: Chic and moder n, with a co grown-ups w ol mix of h Our ATM ta keaway: “A o understand quality b eer. tr ip here alw out, with si ays feels m zeable crow ore like a n ds also look ight ing to make memories.”

Brewing

11016 Central Ave SE 717-1184 | turquoisetrailbrewing.com

Having just opened last summer, owner and head brewer Sean Lawson was finally seeing a solid uptick in business when the pandemic hit. The ABQ native had followed his finance career around the country for 25 years before bringing his family back to his hometown. The idea of opening a brewery started after he brewed his first batch of beer in his closet—a tasty stout, he remembers. Fast forward to Turquoise Trail, a compact-sized brewpub on East Central Avenue with a tap list of 6 beers—and plans to add quite a few more. Fresh pint ‘howler’ cans are sealed to-order on the spot (a rarity), and 4-packs are sold exclusively at El Rey Liquors in downtown Albuquerque.

Patio seating? Yes is next door. Food situation: Dionʼs Pizza Blonde Best seller: Run Off with a Chile Red Ale Red Hidden gem: Audreyʼs Yes Seasonal brews? pint howlers Beer on the go: Growlers, with a Audreyʼs Red and Run Off mix Wait, say what? If you t. pin gh -spicy-enou Blonde, youʼll get tasty, just ryone orhood hangout where eve ghb Nei lly: era gen is e vib The wer bre d hea er/ ll, so even the own knows your name. Itʼs sma ! too e, nam ʼs dog r you remember will know your name. Heʼll far the in ted loca ly ote rem Our ATM takeaway: “A bit for their th every minute of driving Southeast Heights, but wor heart-brewed beer.”

Brewyard

8305 2nd St. NW Los Ranchos de Albuquerque 433-3537 | steelbenderbrewyard.com

This North Valley brewer is hard to miss, with a huge, modern facility, a constantly-bustling crowd, and an outstanding reputation for service to go along with their great beers and food. In addition to their house lineup, they have a large selection of “rotating” taps, where they showcase limited edition beers to match the seasons (like the Ale Witch Pumpkin Ale), plus six ciders on tap. There’s also a nod to beer purists with offerings of bottle-conditioned brews (whereby sugars and yeast do the carbonating, rather than injected carbon dioxide). The food lineup covers all the bases: plenty of creative apps, burgers, salads, desserts, even a kids menu and vegetarian/vegan options. The gorgeous patio has a permanent covering, and there’s also private spaces for events.

Patio seating? Yes Food situation: Full menu Best seller: Skull Bucket IPA Hidden gem: Raspberry Dynamite sour Seasonal brews? Yes, 9 taps Beer on the go: Growlers, six-packs, 375m l and 500ml bottles Wait, say what? Their canned Kettle Run sour is aged in tequila barrels The vibe is generally: People in a grea t mood, enjoying the attentive staff, imaginative food menu, and a wide assortment of great beers. Our ATM takeaway: “Itʼs the perfect excu se to stop off for a beer or two on the way home, and then just turn the outing into dinner.”

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ABQ THE INTERVIEW P. 122 | PERSONALITY P. 129 | BEHIND THE SCENES P. 132

COLLECTING THE PAST Archaeology Senior Collections Manager Karen Price is in charge of sorting and caring for the 3 million fragile artifacts from around the world that make up UNMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Maxwell Museum of Anthropology (p. 120).

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

STORIES BEHIND INDIVIDUALS WHO MAKE ALBUQUERQUE GREAT

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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH OUR LEADERS AND DIFFERENCE-MAKERS

Roberto Aguirre Since moving from Mexico, his only employer has been the YMCA, where his first job was as a maintenance worker. His current job? None other than President & CEO of the YMCA.

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

he executive director of the Youth Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) of Central New Mexico will tell you that “it’s not just for youth, it’s not just for men, it’s not just for Christians, but it is an association.” That the kind of clever and fun atmosphere Roberto Aguirre brings to his work. A native of Mexico, Aguirre has traveled all over the United States since coming over to attend college at Sam Houston State in Texas in the early 80s. Aguirre has spent that entire time working for the YMCA. In fact, his story is a true American Dream tale. He began as a maintenance worker for YMCA and worked his way up. Today, he has a reputation in the YMCA as someone who can come in and turn around a struggling branch. That’s especially important in a community-driven, not-for-profit organization that receives zero government funding (though Aguirre points out that they do apply for various grants.) For those unfamiliar with the YMCA (or “the Y” as it is commonly known), it’s a global organization that focuses on community building through programming. Think of it as a community center with a gym, learning room, classes, and even daycare. Just like the organization he runs, Aguirre is diverse in his interests. Yes, he loves his job. But he also loves spending time with his wife, Patricia, skiing with his family, experiencing the culture of New Mexico, traveling the world, and Legends racing. What is Legends racing? We’ll let him tell you. but my father was a professor at a univerALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE: sity. When you talk about Mexico, you What was it like growing up in a might sometimes think of the poverty, place like Monterrey, Mexico? but to be honest with you, I grew up with ROBERTO AGUIRRE: I was born in Chia live-in maid. At one point, my father was huahua and raised in Monterrey. It was inthe president of the University. We had a teresting and fun. I always feel that I have chauffeur. So life was good. But I grew up been blessed because I grew up in Mexico, in a different environment than most of NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Mexico. My father being a professor and president of the University—the Tecnologico de Monterrey, which is probably one of the top-rated private universities in Mexico—I was blessed with a good education. ATM: Do you still have family in Mexico? RA: We have friends, but my entire family is now in the United States for one reason or another. Actually, my father grew up in the United States and a couple of my siblings were actually born in the U.S. ATM: What brought you to the U.S.? RA: Back when I was 18 years old, I came to the States to go to school. I went to school in a town called Athens, Texas, to East Texas College and one thing led to another and I transfered to Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. That’s where I ended up engaged with the YMCA. ATM: What did your father

think

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ABQ about you going to Sam Houston State, considering he was a professor in Mexico?

ATM: And what led you to the YMCA back then? RA: While going to Sam Houston, there was a YMCA Camp about 30 miles away from Huntsville. A friend invited me to go work the weekend and help him with the horse program, just taking kids for rides and so forth. So I decided I could always

Aguirre races small cars called Legends that use a 5/8ths scale frame and motorcycle engine.

Y� Are the missing piece!

Please Join

Destination Wellness

TUESDAY

NOV. th 10 12:30–2pm MST

Please contact Tim Tokarski 505.463.1225 or Mary Spring 520.304.5151 with questions.

Free Interactive Vir tual Symposium: “The Road to Addressing Cancer Disparities in Native American Communities”

KEYNOTE SPEAKER Dr. Marc Aaron Emerson

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RA: [laughs] It was a conversation, for sure. By that point he was out of the system, but we had scholarships down there if we chose to go to the university. But he has always been a really fair individual. He was like, “I think you should go to college, but if you want to go be a professional… whatever makes you happy.” He was a civil engineer with a master’s degree and a doctor’s degree, and he decided to teach and be a professor. So, he’s always been a do-what-makes-you-happy guy. He says that’s half the paycheck.

ABQ

use an extra $20 and that’s what I did. That was in 1983 and it was my first exposure to YMCA. ATM: But that didn’t lead to a fulltime spot? RA: No. Not yet.

In 1985, I dropped out of school because I ran out of money. There was a position available at the camp doing maintenance work in janitorial services and they were paying for room and board and it was a good way for me to save a little bit of money to go finish my college. That was my first full-time job with YMCA. It was about 800 acres of East Texas. Gorgeous but a little bit muggy.

ATM: Did you end up going back to school? RA: I did. Once I was done with school, by that time I’d been around the YMCA for a little bit and I thought it was a pretty cool thing, there was a job available at one of the YMCAs in Houston as the Sports Director. So I decided, I’ll go for it

and I got the job. After that I was a Child Care Director and then a Membership Director. That was the beginning with the YMCA. Then I took a job with YMCA in El Paso as the Director of International Services YMCA, as a sort of ambassador between Mexico and the US. It was a great opportunity to work with my home country and work with the YMCA in the United States. Then I went to San Antonio to be Executive Director of YMCA. So, that is when you are actually running one of the branches. And then 1998 I came to Albuquerque. I took the job as Executive Director at the Heights YMCA from 1998 to 2005. Then we left in 2005 to go to Florida, where I learned a lot of my skills. Then I was CEO of some YMCA’s in Texas, and then back here. My family basically thinks I can’t hold a job because I keep moving around. ATM: And during this time, you de-

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veloped something of a specialty in going in and turning around struggling branches? RA: Yeah. It really has become a specialty.

When I came here to the Heights YMCA, it was having some challenges. Throughout my career, I’ve been working with YMCAs that have been getting into trouble. I always think that there is a solution, and when we focus on how to better service the community, then the financial results begin to take place.

ATM: Your family has a history of amateur racing. You race Legends cars. What are those and when did you start racing them? RA: I first started racing those cars when

I was here in Albuquerque. That was back in 1999. I’ve been in racing since I was about 13. I was racing motorcycles. Then, as I grow older and my body was saying I need to not be so brutal to myself, I started racing go-karts. Finally, I moved here. There was not a whole lot of go-kart rac-

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ing in Albuquerque. Somebody told me about the Legends. There was a dealer working out of Albuquerque and the Legends were expanding at that time. You would go to Sandia Motor Speedway on race day and there would be 25 or 35 Legends. They’re 5/8 scale cars, with 1300 sealed Yamaha motorcycle engines. The cars themselves are capable of about 130 miles an hour on the large speedways. Let’s just say you go fast enough that you think about it, like, “I have to go to work tomorrow. Remember that.” And there are so many restrictions in the sport, it actually keeps the budget pretty low. I was spending a whole lot more money racing my go-kart then I was racing my Legends. ATM: What do you love so much about Legends cars? RA: The Legends cars are great because all of the cars are the same. It’s not about who puts the most money into their rig because all the rigs are the same. So tech-

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nically my Legends car could race right now at the Nationals. People would show up with their fancy cars and I could show up with my car and inside they’re essentially the same. It’s all about the skill of the driver. ATM: Legends racing has been a springboard for a lot of big-time racers. Have you ever raced against any big names? RA: I’ve raced against Joey Logano, Kurt Busch, and Kyle Busch. They didn’t know that I was running but I sure knew they were. We would race sometimes in Las Vegas. They were all really good. Even back then you could tell they were special. ATM: Have you won any big races? RA: I did finish second in the Legends Nationals. I still think I’m the only New Mexico driver that has finished on the podium at the oval-track Nationals. There are some guys that have won the street Nationals and they are from here in Albuquerque. I also went opening night to Sandia Motor Speedway and the Legends happened to be the first race that night. I won that race, so if there was a history book, I would be the very first winner of a major race at Sandia Motor Speedway in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

RA: Well, my son loves Formula 1 racing and he loves to play a simulator on his Xbox. He’s got a seat with the pedals and the simulator and he’s got his team and everything. So, I do that. Just kidding My son loves skiing and we love to do ski trips. I actually don’t ski; I do ski bikes. There are not too many of the New Mexico places that allow ski bikes yet, but Durango (Colorado) does, and Breckenridge (Colorado) does. I think maybe Angel Fire does, but I haven’t found a place that rents one and I don’t own my own yet. But if you have bad knees—I don’t have any knees left—the bike is really good. I can go down the slopes with my son on the bike and it can do most runs. —TH

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Aguirre has won numerous awards, trophies, and accolades in his time with YMCA.

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

ATM: What do you and the family do for fun?

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A LOOK AT THE LIFE & WORK OF ALBUQUERQUEANS WHO DESERVE A TOAST

From the Ground Up Michael Sivage, a leader in ABQ’s residential construction world, reflects on his 30-year career—and home-building during COVID-19.

W PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

hen COVID-19 turned the world into a tumult in spring 2020, Michael Sivage went to work. The home builder and founder of Sivage Homes had seen world-changing events during his 34-year career. Ever the tactician — perhaps an inheritance from his training as an accountant — he relied on the numbers. “To live to see another day you have to understand where your exposure is,” he says. Perhaps surprisingly COVID-19 has impacted home building less than others; however, that doesn’t mean it isn’t shaping the industry. Sivage was raised in the business. Growing up in Alamogordo, his mom and dad were general contractors. Their business was primarily in building commercial properties at the likes of Holloman Air Force Base. Later in their careers, they joined with George Thomas, a developer out of El Paso, to start building homes. After Sivage graduated from New Mexico State, he saw the opportunity to join the growing family enterprise. He started in the field as a construction superintendent. “There’s probably nothing more satisfying than seeing something created from nothing to something,” he says. In his business, “It’s not just one house but an entire community. We’ve developed entire neighborhoods where people live their lives.” Over the years, his career trajectory has meant he’s spent less time in the field and more time behind a desk. However, he still tries to visit job sites at least once a week. After founding the first iteration of Siv-

age Homes in 1986, the business moved into Albuquerque, where it became known for building with brick. “We were one of the few brick builders for years,” he says. “We did a lot of marketing having to do with the Three Little Pigs. It was cer-

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tainly a different look than what was offered on the market.” The company also prioritized affordability. “I still feel like anyone who’s willing to work for a living, no matter what their occupation, should be able to afford a home of their own,” he says. “A passion of mine is figuring out how to make homes practical and affordable for all.” Sivage Homes has now built close to 11,000 homes, primarily in Albuquerque, but also in Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Los Lunas, Rio Rancho, and Alamogordo, as well as in Phoenix and Tucson. They sold the company to Pulte Homes in 2003, and Sivage faced a three-year non-compete clause. During his hiatus, he looked for other things to do. Ultimately, “Learning something new was going to be a challenge, and I was up for that. But this is what I do best,” he says. He soon started building again, including in San Antonio, where he launched into the luxury market. The company has three projects in de-

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PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

When not working on his latest project, Sivage enjoys a good round of golf.

velopment in Albuquerque: Inspiración at Fiesta, part of a larger master-planned community in Los Lunas; and Puerta del Bosque and Vista Azul, both private, gated communities in the North Valley. The greatest challenge of his career was overcoming The Great Recession in 2008, which impacted both financing for home builders as well as private individuals who were no longer able to qualify for home loans. “We still haven’t totally recovered from that to this day. Banks are still skittish lending to the industry,” he says. He brought his lessons from that financial crisis to this year’s pandemic. “Your priority turns from profitability to survival. When we go through significant crises, we always try to look through a crystal ball to see when things might go back. But what we’ve found is, it doesn’t ever return to the way it was.” After studying accounting at NMSU, he’s always had a practical outlook. “I knew we were going to have booms and busts,” he says. “I knew that it was important that our balance sheet wasn’t overly leveraged. I’ve always taken the philosophy that we should leave a few chits on the table and not be overly aggressive during the good times.” During COVID-19, the business has yet to lay off a single employee. The home building industry, which was deemed essential, is at an advantage since much of the initial work can be done outside. As the homes move toward the finishing stages, it’s still relatively easy to maintain social distancing as the trades, such as electricians, complete their work. Sivage has always enjoyed home design and trying to match the potential buyers’ lifestyles to homes’ features.

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Sivage Homes has built a reputation for elegant homes that blend with the New Mexican landscape.

Over the years, he’s watched features like formal living rooms and dining rooms disappear, and kitchen islands become more popular as they’re used for quick breakfasts among busy families. After years of building bigger and bigger, he’s also seen the market course correct to “right sizing.” “Why pay more for something you’re not using?” he asks. He continues to find these changing trends inspiring, even more than 30 years into his career. He anticipates COVID-19 will shift interests again. He believes home buyers will seek more outdoor space, which was at a premium during quarantine, and larger offices or bonus spaces as working from home becomes more standard. “I also think multigenerational houses are going to be popular as our parents age,” he says. “Multigenerational houses have become even more prevalent in the COVID-19 environment.” When he’s occasionally able to escape from the office, he’s on the golf course. “I’m proof that practice doesn’t always make perfect though,” he laughs. “I’m 60 now, and some would think you’d accept what game you’ve got. But I haven’t given up on becoming a better golfer. I’m looking forward to retiring and spending a few more hours on the course.” As he looks to the future, he wonders if he’ll be able to pass the baton to his kids. However, he was most interested in them finding their own passions. “If their passion ends up being homebuilding, I would like to make way for them,” he says. “If we have something in us that we’re really driven to do, work doesn’t seem like work.” —ASHLEY M. BIGGERS

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BEHIND SCENES THE

YOUR SNEAK PEEK AT JOBS THAT FLY BELOW THE RADAR

Unboxing History Karen Price loves digging into the past as the Archaeology Senior Collections Manager for the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology.

rowing up in Virginia, in the midst of Civil War battlefields and Revolutionary War sites, it never occurred to Karen Price that she could spend her career learning about and protecting artifacts. “It didn’t even occur to me that was a profession,” she says. “I didn’t learn that until I was much older.” Once she did, the now 35-year-old archaeology senior collections manager at UNM’s Maxwell Museum of Anthropology devoted her career to protecting precious items from throughout time.

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

She studied anthropology and Spanish at James Madison University, still unsure of what she wanted to do. On a break from her post-bachelor’s-degree job teaching at a charter school, she attended a six-week field school in Spain, where budding archaeologists can see if the profession is something they want to pursue. That experience clinched her choice. After completing her master’s at University College London in Artefact Studies, she returned to the US East Coast, where she began studying 17th to 19th century mid-Atlantic sites. She joined the staff at the Maxwell Museum in 2016. She was not, by practice, a Southwesternist. However, the Maxwell Museum has a deep and wide-ranging collection of artifacts. It opened its doors in 1932 as Albuquerque’s first public museum. Although it began as a facility to store and display collections from field excavations taking place through UNM’s Department of Anthropology, over the past 90 years, the collection has grown to include more than 3 million objects from around the world and throughout time. “This is a much bigger collection than

I had previously worked with,” Price says. “When you get down into the basement, just seeing the vast collection of whole and partial ceramic vessels is a moving sight. The oldest artifacts we have are possibly about 2 million years old.” The collection includes everything from architectural materials, such as wooden beams, to arrow heads. Price’s personal favorites are those made of organic plant material. These items typically deteriorate in more humid climates, but preserve relatively well in the arid Southwest. “I love the sandals,” she says. “They’re often woven out of yucca. Some have geometric designs woven into them or have pigment on the soles. They’re really personal artifacts. Sometimes we can see the imprints of toes and heels in the

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soles. It’s a connection to the people who have come before us—and one archeologists typically can’t see.” Although it requires immense documentation and attention to detail, Price’s isn’t a desk job. She helps researchers access and navigate the collection, most of which is hidden from public view. “When people go to museums that have exhibits, they might see a couple hundred objects on display. That may represent less than 5 percent of the collection,” Price says. She also coordinates students and volunteers who assist with her primary initiative: inventorying the massive collection. The museum has an extensive backlog. Some artifacts are still stored in the original field bags and cardboard boxes they were put into when originally excavated in the 1920s. Price and her team take the objects out and document them, including recording details like the layer of soil from which they were excavated. “Some of the bigger challenges with these types of collections is figuring out the project that the object was part of,” she says. “We often talk about that we’re doing archaeology on the collection because object have been separated from their records. It requires a lot of detective work. Sometimes we solve mysteries and sometimes we don’t.” Volunteers sort objects in part by simi-

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larities and differences in material. Some materials can’t be stored together, like delicate animal bones and hefty, bone-crushing ceramic sherds. Sorted the items are put in archival bags and stored on compact shelving units. Some objects live on open shelves. Price says in an ideal world they would be able to control the environment in which the objects are stored, exercising precsie control over light, temperature, and humidity. However, it’s most important the objects not experience large fluctuations in conditions. Because the Maxwell Museum is part of a research institution, it’s vital the museum know what it has so it can provide researchers access. Knowing what’s in the collection is also valuable for the museum’s relationships with descendant communities. Particularly in New Mexico, many indigenous heritage sites intense

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cultural significance to living descendant communites have been excavated. “It’s important to recognize archaeology and museums have roots in colonialism,” she says. “We can’t change what’s happened in the past, like when objects weren’t ethically removed with permission. However, we can move forward in a positive way.” Maxwell Museum works with local tribes and pueblos to share what’s stored there and, in some cases, has earned grants through the Native American Graves Protection Repatriation Act to return certain cultural items, like burial objects or human remains. Some objects are so delicate that they should can be damaged or destroyed by touching or handling. That’s where Price’s other specialty, preservation photography, comes into play. “Sometimes, we take pictures to record an object’s condi-

tion, such as how stable it is or if there are cracks,” she says. “That can be done with pretty basic photography. Other times, we want a studio photography archival shot for publication. We don’t want to pull the object out each time we need an image. I stress doing manual photography. Especially because minimal editing is allowed because we’re trying to capture what the object really looks like.” Every day, working with the collections gives Price perspective. “I just love being surrounded by material culture [artifacts] that represent thousands of years of human history,” she says. “It’s good to be reminded that people have come before us. The objects are very different but also very similar in the way that humans live today. It takes you out of your personal bubble.” —ASHLEY M. BIGGERS

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PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

THE

BEHIND SCENES

CREATIVES P. 136 | SHELFLIFE P. 138 | TIEMPO P. 140

CULTURE

THE SHAPE OF THINGS Casey Warr started to hone his creative chops at age 3 in his grandfather’s workshop, building things from wood. Today the ABQ artist creates large, metallic, geometric sculptures that are both meditation and art. (pg. 136).

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PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

A PULSE CHECK ON ALBUQUERQUE’S ART, MUSIC AND THEATER SCENE

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DIP INTO THE PERFECTLY MIXED PALETTE OF ABQ’S ART AND ARTISTS

GEOMETRIC BEAUTY

Local artist Casey Warr uses thought and meditation to inspire his work creating large, signature metal sculptures.

n one sense, the work that Casey Warr does can be described simply and concisely. “I do large-scale geometric sculpture,” he says. That’s what Warr, an Albuquerque-based sculptor, tells the layperson. Dig a little deeper, though, and his artistic motivations turn out to be far more complex. “Then it depends because there’s a lot of thought that goes around it in different veins of psychology or Buddhist or yoga theory,” he says. “It can turn into a psychoanalysis of myself. It depends on who wants to hear it or not.” The fusion of art and meditation is a natural partnership for Warr, who has even been known to draw inspiration for

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his work on the mats of a yoga session. “My thought on meditation was that you’re looking for a focused, magnetic center where you can just be—where everything just kind of is and it’s not too much chaos and it’s not too much structure and it’s just like this vibrating energy of focused reality, basically,” Warr says. “Most of my sculptures, that’s what they feel like to me—like I’ve reached out and grabbed a bunch of chaos and smashed it together into a form that can just be. It’s structural. It doesn’t vibrate out and back into chaos. It’s not so rigid that it will last forever. The steel, it still rusts, and it degrades but it’s structured, it’s balanced. It’s centered. It’s magnetically focused.” Warr began to lay the foundation for his artistic philosophy at an early age. While

he drew inspiration from his dad, who was a mechanic, and his grandmother, who taught him to sew, his grandfather’s hands-off approach might have best set the tone for what was to come. By age 3, Warr was turned loose in his grandfather’s shop, so some of his earliest projects consisted of cutting out rubber band guns on a table saw. “He was a hardcore Marine. Just a tough dude,” Warr says. “[He’d say], ‘Whatever, let him use the tools.’ I don’t know if that was the safest thing.” Warr went on to take an assortment of art classes in school to supplement his interest in drawing and painting, but an experience in theater—more specifically, stagecraft—that proved to be just as valuable.

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PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

Casey Warr gets ready to begin welding a new piece.

“I was like, ‘This is my jam.’ I know how to use tools. It’s being artistic and it’s part of the theater,” Warr recalls. “It felt like: ‘That’s it.’ I stuck with that all the way through college when I got a job at Rodey Theater at UNM. I just kept building sets for plays. That’s actually where I learned how to weld.” A girlfriend at the time later convinced him to take a sculpture class at UNM. At that point, Warr was ready to skip ahead a few steps. He believed he had the skills to bypass the required prerequisites to get into the course he wanted to take. All that was left to do was convince Steve Barry, a professor in the UNM art department and renowned Duke City sculptor, that he belonged. Long story short: Barry relented and went on to become Warr’s mentor, introducing him to minimalism, a movement in painting and sculpture that began in the 1950s and relies on simple, massive forms. It’s a concept that influences virtually all of Warr’s work to this day. At the time, however, Barry’s initial reaction to Warr was more like, “Who’s this kid?” “He wasn’t gonna let me in but on a whim let me into the class,” Warr recalls. Warr progressed quickly enough that he sold a couple sculptures even before graduating. From there, Warr and his wife began a nomadic life journey that took

them from Austin to Albuquerque to Boston and back again to the Duke City. In the Texas capital, Warr learned to become a perfectionist while working for a designer who flipped homes in the area. Warr would often be tasked with building handrails and custom awnings for those projects. “If anything was a hair off, he’d be like, ‘Do it again.’ It was kind of a pain in the ass, but he raised the level for me, which was really awesome,” Warr says. “He kept my standards high. That actually did help in the progression of my art to make things nice and clean and try to make it as professional as I could.” Warr and his wife moved back to Albuquerque for the last time in 2015, when they opened the Remedy Day Spa, which he calls his “biggest project ever.” “We basically built the whole thing out of nothing,” Warr says. “But it was cool because I did sheet rock. I did concrete. I did welding. And I really expanded my materials knowledge just from building the spa out.” Warr has been busy the past five years, so much so that it’s been difficult to focus on individual endeavors until recently. He’s had a hand in many notable venues around the state, including Hotel Chavo, Meow Wolf, and the renovated Sawmill District.

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Still, Warr’s latest project is something he’s already confident enough to call his favorite. It’s a darker piece, one that invokes the boogeyman and may have intensified during the darkest days of the pandemic. “It’s because I feel like we’re living in a time where the boogeyman is real prevalent. The thing about the boogeyman is he’s scary and you think he’s gonna eat you but he’s not real,” Warr says. “It’s just like this parasitic drain on psychic energy. A lot of this new body of work is based off a parasite and the boogeyman and just how things are really kind of gross right now.” Warr is reluctant to reveal much beyond that, but he says all of the related pieces will be for sale at a big show when everything is complete. “… It just oozes dark energy,” he says. “It’s like I almost don’t want to touch it but I’m gonna do it.” Fear has never been an issue for Warr when it comes to art. Just ask the 3-yearold who immediately acclimated to a bandsaw in his grandpa’s shop all those years ago. —TRISTEN CRITCHFIELD

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SHELFLIFE

TURN A PAGE WITH OUR LOCAL AUTHORS

THE MEANING BEHIND THE MASK is also the central setting of Albuquerque author Lynn C. Miller’s sixth novel, “The Unmasking”. The story centers around three familiar characters—friends who have appeared in previous Miller novels—who travel to Silver City, New Mexico for a Chautauqua festival. While there, each character takes on the persona and appearance of a great woman from history and performs in the festival’s many shows. From there the story takes a dark turn as women begin disappearing and the three friends must solve the mystery before it’s too late. It’s a fun, but dark novel. One that is to be fully expected from a girl who was born in a place called Devil’s Lake, North Dakota and began writing at nine years old when her family moved her from the bright lights of Chicago back to their North Dakota farm. ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE: What is the biggest challenge to writing a murder mystery? LYNN C. MILLER: I’d say developing

characters and creating a setting that supports the plot so that all the elements are working together. And then establishing a style and tone that make the plot and characters unique. After all, they say that plots are finite but there are infinite ways a story can be told. In a mystery, someone typically dies, but how and why, as well as who did the deed, are questions that keep readers reading. ATM: What inspired you to write this book? LCM: I spent more than 20 years touring

in performances of women in history like Edith Wharton and Gertrude Stein, usually during Chautauqua festivals. Chautauqua is a revival of a movement from over a hundred years ago where famous people like William Jennings Bryant brought culture to small towns in America during the summers. Now scholar/ performers portray famous people to general audiences. These events usually feature a team of performers who spend a week or two together presenting their chosen historical figure. During the tour, relationships form, and you spend a lot of

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THE UNMASKING By Lynn C. Miller UNM Press 236 pages $19.95

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hautauqua festival” is a festival “C spanning days, or even weeks, that celebrates historical figures and art. It

time with these people. I started thinking how such a closely-knit group would provide a perfect occasion for a mystery and the plot for “The Unmasking” grew from there. I’m excited that the book is coming out in 2020, the 100th anniversary of women getting the vote in this country, as women’s history is a strong part of the book. ATM: Tell us a little about your main characters. What are they like? LCM: The three major characters are professors and friends and have appeared in two earlier novels, The Fool’s Journey and Death of a Department Chair.

Miriam, the eldest, is fascinated by mysteries in general and gives a lecture at the lodge about the locked room mystery—a genre convention where a person is murdered in a room with only one way in and out and no one knows at first how the murder could have been committed without leaving clues. Think Agatha Christie, or the new movie Knives Out. She is very protective of her friends, loves puzzles, and is very wise about politics and people’s motives. She is married to Vivian who plays Alice B. Toklas at the festival. The second of the friends, Bettina, is a very sensual person, an extravagant personality, with a wicked sense of humor. She portrays Virginia Woolf at the fes-

tival, is married to Marvin who has two children. Fiona, the youngest of the three, presents Edith Wharton at the festival. She is athletic and very logical. Her partner is Darryl, who used to be involved romantically with Bettina. The three women, and their partners, are the amateur sleuths in the story. There is also a professional detective investigating the case of the dean’s death. There are many other characters, including Alec, the dean, and his wife Barbara, also performing in the Chautauqua. ATM: What does the title, “The Unmasking”, mean? LCM: The title refers in general to the fact that people are not always the person that they seem to be. In this novel, because major characters are performing others, they are presenting to the public another persona than their own. Also, in Chautauqua the performer wears a costume of the historical figure they portray; after the performer’s monologue, she or he removes an article of clothing—a hat, a piece of jewelry, etc.— and once again becomes the scholar and actor that they are in the present to answer questions from the audience. This is another layer of unmasking. —TH

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

SHELFLIFE

THE SULTAN OF SPICE TOURS THE GLOBE Featuring 150 photos, over 70 recipes, and a history of the fiery plant that spans the entire globe, Chile Peppers is the last book you will ever need where chile is concerned. DeWitt knows a few things about chile, that is for sure. In addition to writing the end-all-be-all chile book, he is also the award-winning author of more than 50 books about spicy food (Chile Peppers is his 56th), edited and helped found Chile Pepper Magazine, created the Scovie Awards (an annual award for chile related food and farming), and he is the founder of the National Fiery Foods & Barbecue Show. With his latest book, DeWitt has pulled together some of his best writing and recipes—previously published on various websites and in numerous books—along with new articles and research to create a spicy trip around the globe. ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE: Can you tell us a little about the journey of writing this book? DAVE DEWITT: Well this book is a com-

pilation of a lot of the material that was published not in book form, so I took the best of my food history about chile peppers from the other books that I had written before. Then I had a ton of stuff that had not been published yet, so I would say it took me about six months to put it together and that’s just because a lot of it had already been done, so it was more of an editing job than anything else. ATM: Was this your first time working with UNM Press? DD: It was. And the thing was that UNM

Press did such a great job on the book that it was just unbelievable. I mean it was as good as any major publisher, and I’ve been published by Random House of Little Brown and the other big publishers, but UNM Press did a fantastic job. It makes me proud that it was local and that it was good. It was a lot of fun to do and I got to tell the story of all my travels and stuff.

CHILE PEPPERS: A GLOBAL HISTORY By Dave DeWitt UNM Press 331 pages $29.95

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rom the “Pope of Peppers”, Dave F DeWitt, comes a definitive and colorful history of the chile pepper.

ATM: So what inspired you to actually sit down and pull all of this stuff together? DD: Well, my agent introduced me to the

new director of UNM Press, Steve Hull. My agent worked with him when he was at University of New England press and when that press closed he came here. They hired him to literally save the Press operations which has been going on for 90 years. So I ran into him at the New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards banquet and I said, “let’s have lunch.” So we had lunch and started talking about what projects I might be able to do for UNM Press. He wanted to republish an old book of mine. I said let me add to it and we can make it a culinary history of chile peppers. They told me to send them a couple of chapters and I sent them the whole manuscript. They wanted to publish it immediately. And they gave me carte blanche on the illustrations. And Steve and I became friends. ATM: Do you have a favorite recipe in the book or is that like choosing between your kids? DD: It is sort of like choosing between

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my kids, but I really like the New Mexico peppers. I moved to New Mexico in 1974, so I’ve been here quite a while and I’m a green chile lover. But my favorite recipe in there is my red chile sauce. It’s made from fresh red peppers—not dried red. I just made some the other day to make enchiladas. People think there’s so many exotic chiles out there, I must like some of them more than the New Mexican, but not really. I mean chile in New Mexico is not just a spice, it’s a food. ATM: And that idea is pretty unique to this region? DD: It is. I mean a lot of it came from

northern Mexico, but a lot of it evolved after the chiles were imported—in other words before the 1900s—when New Mexico State (University) started stabilizing the peppers and turning them into varieties.

ATM: What does the future hold for the Pope of Peppers? DD: UNM Press has bought another book

from me. It’s about cooking with Mexican peppers. It’s already written and turned in. It’s currently in its final stages of being accepted. Hopefully that will be out around Spring of next year. —TH

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by mel minter

ABQ’S THRIVING LOCAL MUSIC SCENE

LAST ONE IN TURN ON THE LIGHTS Most every business on the planet has felt the unwelcome impact of the not-sonovel-anymore coronavirus, but one of the hardest hit industries has to be entertainment. From bars and restaurants to casinos and concert halls, the entire sector has taken a big blow. Music venues were among the first businesses to be closed, and given that they depend on the gathering of large groups of people in close quarters, they will very likely be among the last to reopen in anything like a normal way. The outlook is dire. A survey of some 2,000 music professionals conducted by the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) in April—among its members are Albuquerque’s Outpost and Launchpad—found that 90% anticipated possibly having to close permanently. Four local independent presenters offered their insights into the challenges (and occasional opportunities) that the pandemic has brought to their universe.

sources: sponsorships, donations, memberships, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and a variety of private and public grants.

the first time in its 30+-year history. “I remember we had signs up on the door that said, ‘Try air hugs and elbow bumps instead of hugs,’ as if it was something that could be controlled,” says Tom Guralnick, executive director. At first, he thought that concerts might resume by May and that the summer’s New Mexico Jazz Festival could proceed, but the reality of the situation soon became clear. Determined to err on the side of safety, Outpost canceled its remaining 2020 events and may do the same for its upcoming spring season.

AMP CONCERTS

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Neal Copperman, executive director of AMP Concerts

Looking ahead, AMP has rescheduled two events for 2021, and Copperman is having booking conversations all the time, trying to figure out what is doable, given all the uncertainties (e.g., what percentage of a venue can be seated?). “The old parameters don’t work,” he says. “The rules have changed, but nobody knows what they are.” You can help keep AMP rolling by grabbing a membership, making a donation, or sponsoring an event. Just head to ampconcerts.org.

OUTPOST PERFORMANCE SPACE On March 14, the Outpost Performance Space, a world-renowned nonprofit, presented its final concert of the brandnew spring season before going dark for

Outpost Performance Space Executive Director, Tom Guralnick

Guralnick admits to be somewhat paralyzed by the situation initially, but he and his staff quickly rallied. A Musicians Relief Fund raised money to pay the performers whose spring concerts had been canceled. With several thousand dollars refunded to ticket buyers and the expected revenue from the jazz festival lost, the Outpost reached out to supporters for donations, and the community responded admirably—and needs to continue so the venue can meet its monthly overhead costs, which run around $25,000. The PPP and other grants have been an important source of funding, but Guralnick

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

AMP Concerts, a nonprofit, presented about 220 live events in 2019, 40 or 50 in early 2020, and then “stopped cold” midMarch with the state lockdown, according to executive director Neal Copperman. “It’s been worse than any of us expected,” he says. Copperman was determined, pandemic or no, to share music with the community, and within a week of the shutdown, AMP produced the first of many streaming events featuring local musicians and dancers performing pop-up, socially distanced concerts in Albuquerque neighborhoods with top-flight sound and video production. Add to that the Art as Antibodies state-wide contest, which challenged artists from all disciplines to address the pandemic creatively; Postcards from Santa Fe, one-song videos with artists performing in iconic Santa Fe locations; and the drive-in/tailgate concerts at Hipico in Santa Fe. These projects have paid out more than $45,000 to local artists and $30,000 to local tech workers since the pandemic began. Funding has come from a variety of

is concerned that as time goes on, sources will begin to dry up if there are no performances. Meanwhile, Alicia Ultan, the communications director, has been producing the Community Clipboard to keep folks up to date on noteworthy online musical offerings and on the youth and adult classes, which have expanded and continue online—with staffer Jalila Arthur Brewer contributing her technical expertise. More online offerings are slated for the coming months, with live streaming events, interviews with national artists hosted by saxophonist Doug Lawrence, and video presentations of past concerts. Looking ahead, Guralnick says, “You think about booking concerts . . . but how do we know what the rules are? How do we know what we can pay artists? . . . It’s hard to figure out.” What’s not hard to figure out is that you can donate easily by visiting outpostspace.org.

NEW MEXICO JAZZ WORKSHOP The mid-March state shutdown brought sleepless nights to Maud Beenhouwer, interim executive director of the nonprofit New Mexico Jazz Workshop (NMJW), now in its 46th year. “Everything the Jazz Workshop does is bringing people together in public places . . . it’s who we are. How are we going to connect with people, and can we do any kind of programming—those were the two biggest issues,” she says. Without programming, the workshop has no revenues coming in to support its operation, which includes not only live concerts but an array of educational offerings. The workshop pulled together a number of private and public grants, including the PPP, an SBA loan, and donations to keep the place running—from home. With live events canceled, including the popular summer series at the Albuquerque Museum, and in-person educational programs on hold, the workshop turned to online programming. A series of four streaming concerts, Staying with the Beat, featured local musicians. Adult education and the summer jazz camp went online, as well, along with a limited version of the Empowerment through Music program,

which offers free out-of-school-time music classes for at-risk and underserved middle schoolers.

quires revenue,” says Anderson. The liquor store at El Rey has been allowed to operate, and that has helped pay some bills. Loans and grants, such as the PPP, have helped keep the businesses afloat and some staff on payroll. “We’re doing a bunch of random projects. Even deep-cleaning and that kind of thing is keeping us somewhat sane,” he says. “I feel bad for my staff. It’s a lot of gig work and a lot of tips involved, and everyone’s kind of in the twilight zone right now.”

Interim Executive Director of the New Mexico Jazz Workshop, Maud Beenhouwer .

“We’re hoping we can do a summer series [in 2021],” says Beenhouwer. “Typically, in terms of live music, we’re kind of quiet in the fall. . . . At this moment in time, we’re concentrating on education, and we do our planning.” You can plan on supporting NMJW with a donation or sponsorship at nmjazz. org.

JOE ANDERSON Through a handful of for-profit corporations, Joe Anderson presents more events in Albuquerque than any other organization, booking acts into Launchpad, Sunshine Theater, El Rey, Moonlight Lounge, Inside Out, and more. He started receiving cautionary notes from artists’ management at the beginning of March. “When this first started, we thought it’d be something short. At one point, we even thought it was going to be a matter of weeks,” says Anderson. At the time of our interview, seven months had passed with no end to the blackout in sight. “Being in the live music business right now is really one of the worse places to be,” he adds. “Obviously, our business model re-

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Joe Anderson books shows at venues like The Sunshine Theater and Launchpad.

Streaming events—some more successful than others—have helped keep the music happening. Anderson hopes that some kind of live music programming will be possible in the spring, but “no one knows,” he adds. “What we’re allowed to do and what people feel comfortable with are two different things.” Keep up to date by visiting launchpadrocks.com, sunshinetheaterlive.com, elreylive.com, insideoutabq.com, moonlightloungelive.com.

Be sure to check out Musically Speaking, Mel’s online music journal, at www.melminter.com. If you’d like to share something with “¡tiempo!” readers, e-mail tiempo@abqthemag.com.

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HOMEGROWN PIES Chicago-style? New York-style? No thanks. With their own company recipe kitchen, 11 locations, and over four decades under its belt, Dion’s has come to represent the face of Albuquerque pizza (p. 140).

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PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

A TASTE OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ABQ’S WORLD OF WINE, SPIRITS, AND CULINARY DELIGHTS

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DION'S

Over the course of several decades—and after an early concept change—Dion's has grown synonymous with pizza in Albuquerque.

t started 42 years ago with two high school friends from Michigan who shared a simple dream: to start their own Greek restaurant. Paving over a number of critical details, we wind up with the natural endpoint of those aspirations— one of Albuquerque’s most successful pizza outfits, with locations spread across New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas. Probably you’re thinking we missed something of radical importance there. How did these friends from Michigan with dreams rooted in Greek culinary culture wind up making pizza 1,400 miles away in Albuquerque? The answer is by turns pragmatic and serendipitous. According to internal lore, the friends—Jon

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Patten and Bill Scott—wound up in Albuquerque by the divine fiat of a dart thrown at a map. Once there, they bought an old pizza parlor and set about turning it into a Greek restaurant, churning out pizzas under the tutelage of the former owner to earn some revenue while they waited for essential equipment to arrive. “They start making some Greek food and people are coming in—this is Albuquerque in 1978, people are like, ‘Greek food, what’s this stuff? What happened to the pizza?’” explains Dion’s CEO Mark Herman. “So they went back to making pizza and just kind of learned how to do it, learned how to perfect their sauce recipe, make their cheese [and so forth].”

Herman himself is in part a Dion’s creation, starting out as a summer employee in 1987 when he was fresh out of high school. He continued that way in between stints at the University of Colorado Boulder before transferring to UNM and finishing his degree. From there, he experimented with other career lines before solidifying his position at Dion’s. “I was working during the day at a credit union and at night at Dion’s and just trying to figure out what I would do next,” says Herman. “And the two founders approached me at the company Christmas Party in December of ‘91 and said, ‘Hey, we think you should manage a store for us, we have an opening.’ So I took that

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DISH CATERING Celebrate, meet, plan, carouse, cavort, or just plain relax with Dion’s. Whatever the occasion, if you’ve got a plethora of mouths to feed, Dion’s has you covered.

NEARBY Just about anywhere you go in New Mexico, you’ve got a Dion’s nearby. They have 11 locations in Albuquerque alone, with restaurants in Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, Los Lunas, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, and Roswell, to boot. Heck, they’ve even got places in Colorado Springs, Denver, and Lubbock, Texas.

RELIABLE Dion’s has been making their dough the same way for more than 25 years. That means if you enjoyed a 505 in Bernalillo, you can safely expect the same experience in Roswell. NUTRITION-CONSCIOUS

store manager job thinking I would do it for like a year just so I would have one job instead of two, and I loved it.” In 2013, when Patten and Scott decided to take a step back from operations, Herman became CEO. It’s not exactly the most pizza-centric anecdote, but it illustrates something critical about the ethos that has helped make Dion’s such a success. Sure, they make tasty pizzas, but they also invest in the community and the people who make the day-to-day business of running a growing restaurant chain possible, from the ground up. “It’s not just about the pizza,” says Herman. “We have three things we work towards. One is great food and ease in cusNOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

Dion’s accommodates the health-conscious consumer. Their website features an interactive nutrition menu, allowing you to keep track of what you’re eating when you order from Dion’s.

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Dion’s 11 Locations dions.com

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tomers’ lives. Underneath that, we also want to help young people learn how to work, just like I got that opportunity to learn and grow. We try to make sure that our employees, whether they’re with us for six months or a year or many years, we’re setting them up to succeed in life. And then the third piece we work on is just community support.” Of course, that community support and employee growth engine wouldn’t run absent a reliable fuel source. For Dion’s, that’s good pizza bolstered by a solid cast of salads, subs, and sides. For those looking to explore layered and perhaps unfamiliar tastes, they’ve got gourmet flavors like the Duke City (cheddar cheese, turkey, green chile, and parmesan) and the Tuscany (pesto sauce under provolone, artichoke hearts, pine nuts, sun dried tomatoes, and parmesan). But they’ve also

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got a solid roster of classics, none more locally beloved or highly recommended than the 505, a pie that puts one of the pizza world’s perennial star players—pepperoni—to work alongside green chile. In a way, Dion’s is an improvisational success story. Even the name is a product of contingency. Originally, Patten and Scott wanted to call their Greek restaurant Dionysus, after the Greek god of wine, food, and fertility. The sign maker delivered an estimate the fresh-faced restaurateurs found untenable, so they decided to go with what Dionysus’ dad Zeus used to call him when they were out for a catch: “Dion.” By doing what works and following a trail set by the Duke City’s collective taste buds, they’ve turned a humble dream into a regional institution. —ZB

FEATURED DISHES THE 505, $11.45—$16.80

Simple and to the point, the 505 is all about the interplay between pepperoni and green chile.

THE KANSAS CITY, $8.00—$12.80

Kansas City BBQ in pie form, this gourmet pizza mixes provolone, chicken, red onions, and parmesan with, you guessed it, BBQ sauce.

ITALIAN, $6.75—$8.95

A tour of cured meats, this sandwich is built around layers of ham, pepperoni, and genoa salami and topped with Kalamata olives, bell peppers, red onions, tomatoes, lettuce, mayo, and deli mustard.

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Expanding distribution throughout New Mexico in partnership with National Distributing Company.

Proudly expanding distribution throughout New Mexico through partnership and support from National Distributing Company.

Ask for us at your favorite bar, restaurant and store.

Ask for us at your favorite bar or restaurant. Ask for us at your favorite grocery, convenience and package store.

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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Eats, Etc.

A glance at three local eateries that you may or may not already know.

COURTESY PHOTO

Storming Crab brings the flavor of East and Gulf Coast seafood boils to the Duke City.

omewhere, lost in a dim and dusty corner of history, sits a group of unknown and uncelebrated heroes. We know virtually nothing about them, save that they must have existed. Long ago, they came across bizarre creatures with eight legs and pinching arms, weird mouths and alien eyes, shelled in spiky chitinous armour, and said, “I believe I’ll eat that.” For the vast majority of things you find on the beach, “eat it” is the wrong response. Here, it was revolutionary, laying the groundwork for some of humanity’s most celebrated culinary traditions—including that mainstay of North America’s Gulf and Atlantic coasts, the seafood boil, on full display at Storming Crab. A Clarksville, Tennessee export,

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Storming Crab is one of the most recent arrivals on Albuquerque’s geographically anachronistic—yet nonetheless rapidly expanding—seafood boil market. Specializing in large, customizable seafood boils rich in Cajun and Atlantic coast flavor, much of their menu pivots around those delicious shellfish that those forgotten pioneers steered us toward all those millennia ago. According to manager Ling Cao, Storming Crab’s most popular option is their Dinner Combo #4—a pound of snow crab, a pound of crawfish, and a pound of shrimp tossed in their Crab House Cajun or Old Bay Butter spice blends with corn, sausage, and potatoes. Naturally, this is all tuned to taste, so those with more delicate palates can dial back the spice while

those hankering for heat can get just what they’re looking for. Those who don’t find just what they’re looking for in Storming Crab’s selection of dinner combos are, of course, encouraged to build their own. Black and green mussels, shrimp (head off or on), crawfish, white clams, and crab legs (snow, king, and dungeness) can be ordered by the pound. Lobster is also available, whole or in portions, scallops can be added by the dozen, and oyster fans can order the mollusks fresh or grilled by the half-dozen. —ZB

STORMING CRAB 5001 San Mateo Blvd NE 407-2032, albuquerque.stormingcrab.us

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ers hungry for both hearty home cooked meals and classic countertop service. And that, folks, is precisely what we mean when we wheel out the greasy spoon appellation: tasty vittles in cozy digs, a place where the manager regularly pops out from behind the counter to see to it that each and every guest has got everything they need. The menu is extensive, roping in Greek salads and chicken fried steaks alongside chorizo burritos and cattlemen’s choice 20-ounce t-bones. Depending on the time of day and lev-

Get a sampling of Punjabi cuisine with Taaj Palace’s daily buffet.

he Indian state of Punjab benefits from sitting on the far flanks of the Western Himalayas, where abundant water has made it prime agricultural territory—the beating heart of India’s breadbasket. Little surprise then that the region has nourished a variety of wellloved culinary traditions, popular across the globe. Off Eubank just north of Constitution, Taaj Palace brings the flavors of Punjab to Albuquerque’s Eastside. It’s a multifaceted field of flavor and texture, built around the fiery core of the tandoor oven. The practice of cooking food in large cylindrical

clay pots—where temperatures can break 900 degrees Fahrenheit—dates back millennia. Modern tandoor oven designs vary widely, but, importantly, they still yield foods brimming with flavor. Taaj Palace offers visitors a range of “tandoori temptations.” Lamb chops marinated with ginger, cooked with herbs and freshly ground spices. Lightly marinated fish skillfully cooked over glowing charcoal. Quartered chicken marinated in yogurt and spices, then tandoor barbecued. Tantalizing options, all served with basmati rice. Elsewhere on the menu, Taaj Palace

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el of indecision at work, Jimmy will point visitors overwhelmed by choice to the center cut pork chops and enchiladas. Western View delivers a pair of flat-top grilled chops—finished with the perfect char—alongside a duo of cheese enchiladas covered in your choice of chile. —ZB

WESTERN VIEW 6411 Central Ave NW 836-2200 serves up a variety of delicious curries, including the widely popular chicken makhani (butter chicken), where tandoori chicken is presented swimming in a creamy tomato sauce. “My go-to dish is called the shrimp korma,” says manager Anmol Sandhu. “It has nuts, raisins, cashews, and the shrimp is tossed in a creamy curry sauce.” He recommends pairing your korma with some garlic naan and a mango lassi, which seems like pretty solid advice. In addition to their expansive food menu, Taaj Palace presents a wide sampling of favorites in their daily buffet, 11:00 am to 2:30 pm. In-house diners also have the opportunity to pair their favorite Punjabi dish with wine or beer. On the vino front, they have dozens of options from across the global. Likewise, they stock a variety of popular domestic beers alongside a collection of Indian offerings like King Fisher and Flying Horse Royal Lager. —ZB

TAAJ PALACE 1435 Eubank Blvd NE 296-0109, taajpalacenm.com

PHOTOS BY DON JAMES/ATM

Western View Diner boasts a menu brimming with homestyle classics, like center-cut pork chops and enchildas.

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

he term “greasy spoon” has been bouncing around the English vernacular for well over a century. Over those years, it’s picked up a variety of connotations, so it’s worth being clear about what you mean when you use it. For us, it’s never anything less than a term of affection. But applied to Western View Diner, we specifically mean it as an expression of high praise. Straddling the edge of Albuquerque’s Westside and South Valley, Western View Diner makes its home in a low, nondescript building just east of where Central meets Coors. “There’s been an eatery here since like the late 30s, early 40s,” says Western View’s all-purpose manager, owner, and cook (depending on the demands of the day) Jimmy Anagnostakos, recounting a cloudy history in which the property changed hands, names, and specific business models a handful of times over the decades. The Anagnostakos family purchased the place in the middle 80s, settling thereafter into a reliable culinary stride, turning out plates of comfort-food classics and New Mexican staples—finely seasoned with a sprinkling of Greek options—for din-

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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ABQ’S BEER, WINE, AND SPIRITS SCENE

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Despite COVID restrictions, Red Door Brewing is still partnering with Animal Humane New Mexico to release their Left Paw Lager.

BEER FOR DOG LOVERS RED DOOR BREWS ONE FOR FIDO Once again, Red Door Brewing has partnered with Animal Humane New Mexico to produce Left Paw Lager. Last year, the brew was released (and served) in conjunction with the annual Doggie Dash and Dawdle. This year, things were a bit different (something about a pandemic), fundamentally altering the Doggie Dash and Dawdle’s structure. But the event carried on virtually, and Red Door Brewing once again brought the beer. “It’s a Bohemian-style pilsner,” says Red Door Brewing’s operations

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manager, Ali Cattin, describing their pet-centric brew. “It gets brewed and then we actually lager it for six weeks, so that it’s perfectly clear and has the right carbonation and stuff like that. It’s just a beer that takes a long time to develop the right flavor.” Far from a novelty or one-off beer, Left Paw Lager is a staff favorite at Red Door Brewing, albeit under a different name. “Actually, we’ve kept it on this entire time, we just named it something different,” says Cattin, explaining why they decided to keep producing Left Paw Lager as Mic Czech after Dash and Dawdle season came to a close. “We liked it so much—it’s like

the employee beer. There’s a batch of it that came out during quarantine when we were shut down, and we drank it off before we opened back up again.” With the 2020 Doggie Dash and Dawdle held virtually, Red Door decided to offer Left Paw Lager in cans, each equipped with a printed label depicting some of Animal Humane’s recent success stories—cats and dogs that found their forever-homes. Left Paw Lager is available at both of Red Door’s Albuquerque locations and at their spot in Clovis. Two dollars from each six-pack purchased—and one dollar from every pint—goes to support Animal Humane.

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Vara Winery and Distillery came home with six medals from the 2020 Sommeliers Choice Awards.

SOMMELIERS AWARD VARA Vara Winery and Distillery have once again been recognized for their achievements in the wine-making arts, this time with a collection of 2020 Sommeliers Choice Awards. Vara took home six medals, including a gold for sparkling Silverhead Brut Cava. The Sommeliers Choice Awards are designed to give wine-buyers and sommeliers a standard for judging which wines might make worthy additions to their wine lists. A panel composed of expert sommeliers, on-premise wine buyers, and wine directors judges wines according to five criteria—food parability, typicity (how much a wine

reflects its varietal origins), quality, value, and packaging. Each wine is given a score between 1 and 20 for each category. The sum of those scores is the Sommeliers Choice Awards final score. Vara’s Silverhead Brut Cava secured an impressive final score of 90 points. This marks another accolade for Vara’s Cava, with the San Francisco International Wine Competition issuing it another gold earlier this year. “Recognition of the quality, the value, and how well our wines pair with food is gratifying,” says Jessie McKeon, Vara’s sales and distribution manager. “It is exactly what we set out to produce— quite simply, high quality wines that over-deliver at their price point, that you want at your dinner ta-

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ble. Having a group of Sommeliers get the opportunity to taste our wines, and rate them so highly is terrific.” Vara owner Doug Diefenthaler echoes these sentiments. “We are always profoundly humbled by the encouragement and praise of our peers and clientele. We’re quite familiar with the high levels of quality available in the market today and to have our wines included with the best is definitely a gratifying acknowledgment of our principles and commitment.” In addition to Vara’s gold medal for their Silverhead Brut Cava, they also received medals for their Albariño, Tempranillo, Viura, Vara Garnacha, and Garnacha Rosado.

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Canteen Brewhouse’s Sichler Farms’ Green Chile Lager springs from a serendipitous confluence of enthusiasts. One, a seasoned brewer. The other, a sixth generation chile farmer. Together, they’ve fashioned a green chile beer that is anything but a novelty drink, instead balancing the flavors and aromas of New Mexico green chile to produce something thoroughly—and repeatably—drinkable. “I ran Chama River Brewing Company for two years, and there’s this guy who used to come in for dinner two or three times a week, and he would sit there with his own bag of chiles,” says Canteen Brewhouse’s head brewer, Zach Guilmette. “I then found out that he is [ John Sichler], part of Sichler Farms, a sixth generation chile farmer. And he’s just a fantastic guy. We’ve collaborated since that first chile beer at Chama, and when I moved here to Canteen, that’s when we named it after him.” According to Guilmette, he and John Sichler have been collaborating on their green chile beer project for somewhere in the neighborhood of five years. For him, producing a green chile beer in which the star ingredient didn’t completely overwhelm the support players presented an interesting challenge. “I think for brewers, it’s fun to challenge yourself to try and create a chile beer that is balanced, that’s palatable,” he says. “There’s so many different variations of chile beers. A lot of times, they are probably really hot, or maybe a little sweet. So, for me, creating a recipe that would fit a chile beer needed to be a lager. You want something that’s a little cleaner and you want to showcase the aroma and flavor of the chile.” First of all, that meant creating a foundation of solid lager. For that, Guilmette went with a Mexican-style lager, brewed with a touch of corn. “I find that the hint of sweetness from the corn helps balance the chiles but still finishes dry and clean,” he explains. “Which is, I think, the key to being able to continue to drink a chile lager.” Once the beer is brewed and properly lagered—the conditioning process

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Sichler Farms and Canteen Brewhouse team up for the new Sichler Farms’ Green Chile Lager.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

PHOTOS BY DON JAMES/ATM

SICHLER AND CANTEEN MAKE A FIERY TEAM

that gives lagers their name—John Sichler’s green chiles, the product of a tradition stretching back to when John Sichler’s German ancestors first settled in New Mexico back in the nineteenth century, take center stage. Guilmette and crew steep a few sacks of Sichler chiles in a small batch of the lager, producing a concentrate infused with chile flavor. This concentrate then goes back into the lager until the Canteen team homes in the desired flavor profile. Sichler Farms’ Green Chile Lager is available at both the Canteen Brewhouse (on Aztec Road Northeast, between Candelaria and Commanche) and the Canteen Taproom (off Tramway, just north of I-40). “If you love chiles and you love beer, the two together should be great,” says Guilmette. “I hope that people agree that we’ve achieved that balance here with our Sichler chile lager.” — ZB

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SANTA FE SPIRITS! Yes, they are a Santa Fe joint, but really, over the last ten years, the team at Santa Fe Spirits has elevated their product and their brand to be a national boutique brand for all of New Mexico. And now they are turning ten years old! “I never really doubted that we would make it. The last few years have been difficult, especially 2020, but we have such a strong team willing to hunker down,” says Colin Keegan owner of Santa Fe Spirits. “It is very different from what I envisioned at the start.” In the beginning, Keegan just wanted a small place on the southside of Santa Fe where he could make spirits the way he wanted to. Little did he know, his spirits would take off and Keegan would move from making good spirits to juggling the business side of things. “The most humbling thing was learning I do not know how to sell,” he says. “That means the reduced (due to COIVD-19) team we have in place is definitely part of the success, everyone has been working twice as hard to get the same results.” But after ten years in the business, Keegan says he still loves what he does and is looking forward to the next ten. — TH

There' s There' food for all!! all

wall to wall flatscreens bold burgers hand tossed pizzas ice cold beer at 33° 33° 4861 Pan American Freeway NE Albuquerque,, NM 87109 Albuquerque 505.. 344 505 344.. 7427

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SPIRIT SPOTLIGHT

GINGER PEACH THYME MARGARITA

Margaritas are often thought of as a summer drink, perfect for relaxing outside with some friends and consuming something fruity and refreshing. Now, the crew at Garduño’s at Hotel Albuquerque is bringing this fan favorite cocktail into the fall with the autumnal colors and sweet flavoring of the Ginger Peach Thyme Margarita. “Well, every couple of months we try to do a seasonal margarita,” says Noemi Leon, Regional Food and Beverage Manager for Heritage Hotels and Resorts (which owns and operates Hotel Albuquerque). “Between that and looking at all the amazing liqueurs that we have here, it was a process of just trying to put together something that works well and shows that Garduño’s is about more than traditional fruity margaritas. You can actually enjoy a really nice tequila on a margarita base and still have the flavor profile be a little more elegant.” The drink starts with a base of cubed ice and Corazon Añejo. Then Leon mixes muddled peaches and peach preserves, fresh, crushed thyme, and an agave simple syrup that is mixed in-house. Finally, she adds the French ginger liqueur Domaine de Canton, and shakes. Of course, before serving, Leon finishes it off with a thin-sliced peach and a sprig of thyme.—TH

Ginger Peach Thyme Margarita, $14 Garduño’s Hotel Albuquerque 800 Rio Grande Blvd NW 880-0055, gardunosrestaurants.com

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PHOTO BY REECE MARTINEZ/ATM

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

Elegant

DISH

Favorite

with Paul Tucker

ccording to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, over 20 million people aged 12 or older in the United States experienced some kind of substance use disorder in 2018, the most recent year for which they have published data. That’s about six percent of the total US population, or about one in every sixteen Americans. All of us—save perhaps the most devoutly cloistered hermits—know someone struggling with a substance use problem. Substance use disorders are simultaneously some of the world’s most prevalent and least well understood health conditions. That makes treating them incredibly difficult. Overcoming these issues is often very much an all-hands-on-deck affair—a situation where people benefit enormously from the help of compassionate peers, counselors, and support workers. And that is what Turning Point Recovery Center offers. “It’s a hard thing for people to reach out in the first place,” says Turning Point Founder and Owner Paul Tucker. “The last thing they need is to leave a message on an answering machine, so we try our best to make sure somebody is answering the phone.” Tucker, who has been helping people recover from substance use issues in Albuquerque for 25 years, started Turning Point Recovery Center out of passion that took hold many years earlier. “I got to do an internship up in Wisconsin at a place called Roger’s Memorial, an inpatient psych hospital,” he recalls. “I got to see different approaches and a lot of experiential therapy and got to work with all kinds of different people. I really just kind of fell in love working with people that

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have alcohol and drug addiction problems. They just have such potential, and I’ve always loved to see people get to turn their lives around.” At Turning Point, Tucker and his team—now numbering close to 50—offer people struggling with substance use disorders multifaceted support. First, they assist with detox, helping people make the consistently difficult and sometimes dangerous break from substance use with inpatient or at-home medical assistance. From there, they offer an intensive outpatient support program built around one-on-one therapy and participation in 12-step groups and fellowships. Finally, Turning Point provides patients with aftercare, helping them apply the tools they’ve learned after the most intensive parts of recovery have been completed in order to maintain their sobriety in the months and years ahead. As Tucker points out, people struggling with substance use issues are often trapped in a swirl of competing impulses. On the one hand, they feel a screaming compulsion to use drugs or alcohol. On the other, they recognize that this behavior is corrosive, damaging not only personal relationships and professional prospects, but also internal organs. That window—when a person is willing to ask for and/or receive help—is precious, and frequently hard won. “People come at us from all angles. For some people, it’s a very slow process. You know, we’re ready to go and they’re not,” Tucker explains. “It’s not even the patient who calls, oftentimes. It’s the family mem-

bers who call—so a wife, mom, husband, somebody else is calling.” Navigating the individual needs and circumstances of each patient demands the right mix of patience, empathy, and insight. It’s not just about getting someone help, but about getting them the kind of help they need based on all the idiosyncrasies of personality and history. “If we try to push it and they’re not a good match, it’s just a setup for failure,” says Tucker. “In some cases, you never know, things will work out. But yeah, it’s really about finding the match. If [Turning Point] is a good match, great. Let’s move forward. Maybe we don’t know if we’re a good match—then let’s talk about it. If we’re clearly not a good match, let’s refer [the patient] to somebody that can help get them going.” In telling us about Turning Point, Tucker decided to share with us a recipe for apple turnover. Here, it comes with the added benefit of having been made from apples fresh from a tree in Tucker’s own front yard. –ZB

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

Founder and owner, Turning Point Recovery Center

DISH Apple Paleo Crumble Ingredients

Directions

8 apples 1 tbsp cinnamon 2 cups toasted pecan pieces 1 cup almond flour 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)

Peel, core, and slice apples Combine cinnamon, pecans, almond flour, and coconut oil in bowl and stir Layer apples in a 9x13 pan Spread nut mixture evenly on top of apples Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon Bake for 75 min at 350 degrees

NOVEMBER MONTH 20XX 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE | ALBUQUERQUE THETHE MAGAZINE MAGAZINE

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BITES

OUR EATS ALUMNI, CONDENSED INTO PERFECTLY SIZED SNACKS TO TAKE WITH YOU ON THE GO Middle East restaurant—seven days a week. This family team makes fresh pita bread every day and serves platefuls of their delicious hummus. It’s a great spot for lunch on-the-go.

POLICY: “Bites” is a guide to Albuquerque-area eating establishments compiled by

AL’S BIG DIPPER

Albuquerque The Magazine’s editorial staff. previously in the “Eats” department of the magazine. Restaurants may or may not accept reservations or major credit cards, so call before visiting.

CORRECTIONS:

ALDO’S NEW YORK STYLE PIZZERIA $

Please send corrections and suggestions to bites@abqthemag.com.

5 STAR BURGERS

5901 Wyoming Blvd. NE, 821-1909, 5starburgers.com From bison, salmon, turkey and crab to lamb, chicken and Black Angus beef, burger addicts will love Five Star’s 100 percent natural meat. Handformed patties or vegetarian options paired with wine from St. Clair Winery or beer from Marble Brewery are a match made in heaven.

66 DINER

1405 Central Ave. NE, 247-1421, 66diner.com This blast from the past specializes in burgers, chicken fried steak, liver and onions, and blue-plate specials, including the Pile Up: a mound of pan-fried potatoes, chopped bacon, green chile, two eggs, cheddar cheese, and red or green chile sauce on top.

ABC CAKE SHOP

1830 San Pedro Drive NE, 255-5080, abccakeshop.com Specializing in custom cakes and cakes for all occasions, this bakery focuses on freshness and flavor. Everything is made from scratch, including the cupcakes, cookies, pies, Danishes, pastries, and other desserts.

THE ACRE

4410 Wyoming Blvd NE, 299-6973, theacrerestaurant.com The Acre Restaurant specializes in comfort vegetarian cuisine with a goal to challenge meateaters and question what vegetarian food is, all while creating healthy, sustainable dishes.

ABUELITA’S NEW MEXICAN KITCHEN $

6083 Isleta Blvd. SW, 877-5700 Kathy Martinez’s brother, Chris Romero, opened Abuelita’s New Mexican Kitchen in Bernalillo 26 years ago. Since then, nothing has changed. The Huevos Rancheros are a best seller, as is the Kitchen’s signature dish, the Tacopilla.

AJIACO COLOMBIAN BISTRO

3216 Silver Ave. SE, 266-2305, ajiacobistro.com Inside the intimate space, you’ll find combination plates, arroz con pollo, arepas, plantains, and of course, a great cup of Colombian coffee. The dishes at Ajiaco combine indigenous Colombian, Spanish, African, and Arab flavors for a truly thrilling experience.

ALQUDS MEDITERRANEAN GRILL & GROCERY

501 Copper Ave. NW, 314-1118, alsbigdipper.com From the beginning, Al’s Big Dipper has been a family affair. Every sandwich is named after a family member, and the owners test every soup they make. Try the 505 Lunch Deal—a cup of soup, a grilled cheese sandwich and a homemade cookie for only $5.05.

These restaurants have been featured

Two Locations, aldosalbuquerque.com With handmade lasagna and pizza dough, among other items, Aldo’s New York Style Pizzeria shares family recipes with its customers. From the buttermilk ranch dressing to the Eggplant and Chicken Parmigianas, homemade cooking is not too far away.

ALICEA’S NY BAGELS & SUBS

1009 Golf Course Road SE, Suite 103, 896-4555 This East Coast–style deli on ABQ’s Westside is serving up 20 different sandwiches to Rio Rancho’s hungriest diners, using fresh-baked New York–style bagels and meats prepared in house for the likes of its Philly Steak and Cheese or the Cuban. Come hungry, because Alicea’s portions are not for the faint of heart. Can’t get out? Delivery options in Rio Rancho and parts of ABQ are also available when that hunger pang strikes.

AMADEO’S PIZZA AND SUBS

AMERASIA/SUMO SUSHI

Three locations, amadeospizza.com This family-run pizza place believes that there truly are a million different ways to make a pizza. Using fresh, high quality ingredients, they specialize in pizzas, subs, pasta, and fresh salads. 800 3rd St. NW, 247.1619 / 246-1615 amerasia-sumosushi.net Dim sum—which means “small piece of your heart” in Chinese—takes on a bigger meaning at AmerAsia, where everything is made from scratch daily. Try the fried beef and garlic dumplings, pork and ginger potstickers, or scallion pancakes.

AMORE NEAPOLITAN PIZZERIA

Two locations, amoreabq.com After relocating to Albuquerque from Naples, Italy, Gabriel and Kimberly Amador missed Neapolitan pizza. The husband and wife team, certified by the Association of Neapolitan Pizzaiuoli (APN), opened Amore, bringing a slice of Italy to Albuquerque. A Neapolitan brick oven fires delicious pizzas, such as the Margherita and the Zia, for 60 to 90 seconds at 905 degrees Fahrenheit. Local beer and wine compliment the pies perfectly.

ANATOLIA TURKISH MEDITERRANEAN GRILL

2132 Central Ave SE Suite C, 242-6718 The specialty is the Doner Kebab, seasoned meat in the shape of an inverted cone, slow-cooked to perfection rotisserie style, and always freshly prepared. Whether you choose the Adana Spicy Ground Lamb or the ‘Burque Kebab, try the “baklove-ah” for dessert.

AN HY QUAN VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT

1450 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE, 332-8565 This vegetarian Vietnamese spot is also veganfriendly. Pho fans don’t fret; Thai and wonton soup will satisfy any meat eater.

ANNAPURNA’S WORLD VEGETARIAN CAFÉ

ANNIE’S SOUP KITCHEN

Various locations, chaishoppe.com Annapurna offers some of the most enlightened, health-conscious vegetarian and vegan plates in the city, with plenty of options for people suffering from food allergies or Celiac disease. And the menu is world-class, with options from virtually every continent. 3107 Eubank Blvd. NE, 296-8601, anniessoupkitchen.com With four homemade soups made fresh every day, and home-style favorites such as avocado and bacon omelets and piles of potatoes topped with melted cheese, chile and eggs, Annie’s specializes in comfort.

ANTIQUITY RESTAURANT

$$$$

112 Romero St. NW, 247-3545, antiquityrestaurant.com Antiquity Restaurant is located just off historic Old Town Plaza. Antiquity holds the distinction of being the only restaurant in Albuquerque to serve the Henry IV—a bacon-wrapped filet mignon placed on a bed of artichoke leaves, topped with an artichoke heart and covered with béarnaise sauce.

ARTICHOKE CAFÉ

$$$

424 Central Ave. SE, 243-0200, artichokecafe.com This EDo fine-dining spot boasts a Wine Spectator “Award of Excellence,” and for good reason. A veteran of the Duke City’s fine dining scene, Artichoke Café remains the best bet for a great evening out. Innovative dishes and European aperitifs served by staff that takes ownership of the experience, the location is also an ideal launchpad for downtown adventures.

ASIAN NOODLE BAR

AZUMA SUSHI & TEPPAN

318 Central Ave. SW, 224-9119, asiannoodlebar.com Every kind of noodle awaits at this Downtown eatery, from spicy sesame udon noodles to chicken pho with cilantro, jalapeños, and lime. Slurping has never been so tasty. Two locations, azuma-sushi-teppan-abq.com From flame-flipped teppan grill items to a substantial sushi selection, the menus at Azuma Sushi & Teppan have something for everyone. The green chile-infused New Mexico Roll and Filet Mignon Steak please palates daily and are perfect when washed down with an imported Japanese sake, soda, or beer.

B2B BISTRONOMY

3118 Central Ave. SE, 262-2222, bistronomyb2b.com Highlighting all-local ingredients (including New Mexico beef and Hatch green chile), B2B serves up a wide variety of tasty burgers—including plenty of veggie options.

5555 Montgomery Blvd. NE, 888-2921 Owner Mohamad Abdel Jalil and his sons run this all-in-one operation—a small grocery store and

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BITES

THE ART OF THE CHILE CHEESE FRY The right ingredients to the right ends. Sometimes that’s a matter of creme fraiche and truffle oil, exotic spices and dry aged meats. Others, it’s as simple as potatoes, processed cheese, and chile peppers. That’s definitely the case at Southside burger joint Julian’s Burger’s N’ More, where the green chile cheese fries go light on frills and deliver resoundingly on flavor. It’s as simple as this: standard cut French fries are smothered in New Mexico’s favorite capsaicin-delivery method, green chile, and served under melted American cheese. PHOTO BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

Of course, with a lineup that spare, there’s no room for any of the ingredients to slack off. The green chile provides a note of fire while the cheese binds the whole thing together. The fries, meanwhile, play the pivotal role of transporting all that flavor to your mouth while carrying the added weight of tasting good all on their own. That’s it. Simple stuff doing important work. —ZB Julian’s Burger’s N’ More 5500 Central Ave SW $2.59

BACKSTREET GRILL

1919 Old Town Road NW, 842-5434, backstreetgrillot.com/home Originally a test outlet for local palates in a tourist mecca (Old Town), word spread fast about the Baja-inspired tacos and creative New Mexicanpeppered dishes (check out the gumbo). This locale is expansive, great for families, and the patio hosts music and dancing on weekends.

BARELAS COFFEE HOUSE

1502 4th St. SW, 843-7577 This legendary neighborhood restaurant serves New Mexican dishes from the Gonzales family cookbook: menudo, posole, chicharrone burritos, huevos rancheros, all smothered with its famous red or green chile.

BASIL LEAF VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT $$

1225 Eubank Blvd. NE, 323-2594, basilleaf.us Sure, Albuquerque offers a variety of Vietnamese eateries, but Basil Leaf elevates the everyday with healthy and fragrant versions of traditional noodle and soup selections. They’ll even modify for any dietary desire. Celiacs and vegans, rejoice!

BEN MICHAEL’S RESTAURANT

2404 Pueblo Bonito Court NW, 267-6827 The food at Ben Michael’s is fresh, preservative-free and takes its roots from the owner’s family’s New Mexican recipes. Try the salmon or the steak served with a side of calabacitas, papas, and sautéed mushrooms.

BENNY’S MEXICAN KITCHEN

1675 Bosque Farms Blvd., Bosque Farms, 869-2210 Since 1972, Benny’s has obliged countless stomachs with delicious New Mexican treats, which include red-chile smothered enchiladas and deep-fried burritos. Don’t let the Benny Burger—a doublemeat, double-cheese beauty—intimidate you. And, don’t forget to save room for that vanilla ice-cream shake.

BLACK BIRD SALOON

28 Main St., Los Cerrillos, NM 438-1821, blackbirdsaloon.com Black Bird Saloon is not just a popular Northern New Mexico eatery (located in Cerillos, NM), it’s also a time warp back through the building’s long and varied history. Items like the Miner’s Hand Warmer Breakfast Burrito or the Tumbleweed Salad stick out like a turquoise on a tourist.

BLACK MESA COFFEE COMPANY

Albuquerque International Sunport, 220 Sunport Blvd. SE, 842-4305, With two Sunport locations, flight delays are easier when you’re close to Black Mesa. The house coffee and vanilla latte are sure to perk you up pre-flight. The made-to-order turkey sandwich will fill you up far more reliably than the bag of pretzels you’ll get on the plane. Baked goods, including the popular banana bread, are made in-house daily. Five menu items, including brownies and cookies, are glutenfree.

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

BLADES’ BISTRO

$$$

221 NM Highway 165, Suite L, Placitas, 771-0695, bladesbistro.com Owner and chef Kevin Bladergroen’s restaurant offers a culinary journey from his 30-plus years of experience in restaurants across the country and Europe, serving up steak and seafood with a twist.

BLAKE’S LOTABURGER

BLEU CAFÉ

Various locations, lotaburger.com Blake’s became an Albuquerque establishment more than 30 years ago, and almost immediately garnered kudos for its out-of-this-world green chile cheeseburgers (the restaurant has since scored spots on National Geographic’s “top hamburgers in the nation” list and Albuquerque The Magazine’s Best of the City list). Everything is made from scratch as soon as it’s ordered—and not a second before. At Del Norte Sports and Wellness, 7120 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Suite 8B This in-gym café offers fresh food from scratch— paninis, burgers, wraps, burritos, protein shakes–to both gym-goers and the general public. Healthy and tasty? Check!

BOCADILLOS $

200 Lomas Blvd. NW, Suite 110, 243-3995, bocadillos505.com Slow-roasted meats are the highlight of the Food Network “Chopped” winner, Marie Yniguez. Open for breakfast, lunch, or dinner on Wednesdays– Saturdays, pop in for a burrito or sandwich filled to the brim with pork, chicken, turkey or corned beef.

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BITES BOSQUE BREWING CO.

Various locations, bosquebrewing.com Another favorite on the ever-growing ABQ brewery scene, Bosque Brewing Co. is the product of three NMSU grads’ love for brew. With 10-12 of Bosque’s own sudsy creations on tap every day, the brewery is teeming with options to pair with seasoned fries, daily specials, or an array of other appetizers, soups, salads, and sandwiches.

BRICKYARD PIZZA

2216 Central Ave. SE, 262-2216, brickyardpizza.com Three very important pizza points rule supreme here: quantity, quality, and value. Enjoy handtossed, homemade pizza with fresh sauce in a spicand-span, laid-back atmosphere.

BURGER BOY

THE BURRITO LADY

12023 New Mexico 14, Cedar Crest, 281-3949, burgerboynm.com Everything in this tried-and-true staple is made from scratch: enchiladas, breakfast burritos, tacos and burgers (of course!). Fans are especially enamored with the green chile cheeseburger. 938 Eubank Blvd. NE, 271-2268 The Burrito Lady—otherwise known as Consuelo Flores—cooks every one of her huge burritos herself, made-to-order. That means you should be prepared to wait (the line here can often go out the door). It’s worth it—ask for your burrito smothered if you want to really heat things up.

CAFE 6855

400 Central Ave. SW 242-2400, brixens.com A creative spin on American bar fare inspired by New Mexican culture, the restaurant serves 99 bottles of beer, literally on the wall, and a range of food items. Brixens has many unique qualities, but a couple notable qualities include their all-day happy hour on Sundays and 3-6pm daily.

6855 4th St NW, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque 890-9150, cafe6855.com A sister restaurant to Vernon’s Speakeasy, Café 6855 has gourmet dishes, expertly prepared and served in an elegant atmosphere. The menu is populated with gourmet sandwiches, salads, and cafe specialties that redeploy Vernon’s ingredients to thrilling effect.

BUDAI GOURMET CHINESE

CAFÉ BELLA COFFEE

BRIXENS $$$

6300 San Mateo Blvd. NE, Suite H-1, 797-7898, budaigourmet.com The menu features specialties from different regions of China and Taiwan, all painstakingly prepared by chef Hsia Fang. The Crispy Flounder Filet is sure to please diners from both the East and the West. The Mini Steamed Pork Buns shouldn’t be missed.

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2115 Golf Course Road SE, Rio Rancho 306-6974, cafebellacoffee.com With made-to-order panini and tasty salads filled with the freshest seasonal ingredients, this restaurant’s farm-to-table concept is a smart—and delicious—one.

CAFÉ CUBANO

CAFÉ LAUREL

At Laru Ni Hati Salon, 3413 Central Ave. NE, 255-1575, larunihati.com Who would guess that an upscale hair salon such as Laru Ni Hati would also be home to delicious Cuban food—platanos, Cuban sandwiches, dirty rice, and even espresso and hand-rolled cigars? 1433 Central Ave. NW, 259-2331, cafe-laurel.weebly.com The casual American café, open for breakfast and lunch, serves soups, sandwiches, burgers, salads, New Mexican favorites, and breakfast items in a bright airy atmosphere complete with local beers on tap. Peruse the daily selection of sweets and the full coffee bar for dessert (or breakfast).

CAFÉ LUSH

LA BAREN RESTAURANT

700 Tijeras Ave. NW, 508-0164, cafelushabq.com Located on a quiet neighborhood corner, this café is perfect for a nice brunch or lunch and your wallet will not be hurt after your visit. The menu is glutenconscious, vegetarian-friendly and has some of the best gluten-free red chile in town. 230 Louisiana Blvd. SE Suite A, 232-6764, labarenrestaurant.com The pho and spring rolls have a die-hard following of Kirtland Airforce Base employees. Located across the parking lot from Talin Market, experience an extensive menu of traditional Vietnamese cuisine inside this dine-in and takeout eatery.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

BITES CAKE FETISH

2665 Louisiana Blvd. NE, 883-0670, cakefetish.com Cake Fetish specializes in baker’s cups filled with heaven, such as the Sleepless in Albuquerque (chocolate cake with mocha French buttercream frosting) and the Inside-Out German Chocolate Cake (coconut and pecans and crowned with chocolate French buttercream).

CAMPO AT LOS POBLANOS

$$$

4803 Rio Grande Blvd NW 344-9297, lospoblanos.com Beautifully situated in the heart of Los Ranchos, Campo is the newly renovated and reimagined fine dining establishment at Los Poblanos. A top-of-theline menu mixes with fresh ingredients from the Los Poblanos Farm and a quiet, rustic atmosphere to make for one of the city’s best dining experiences.

CANVAS ARTISTRY

3120 Central Ave. SE, 639-5214, canvas-artistry.com Specializing in international street food with a local twist, expect seasonally rotating artsy fare made with local produce, daily and weekly specials, and art to boot. A great late-night spot with live spinning DJs featuring different genres each night.

CASA DE BENAVIDEZ

8032 4th St. NW, 898-3311, casadebenavidez.com One of the original New Mexican eateries in the North Valley, this expansive property boasts a lush patio, fabled margaritas and authentic eats, including a trademark on the sopaipilla burger.

CASA TACO

2 locations casa-taco.com Both Casa Taco locations offer a window into owner John Pecherski’s signature take on the U.S. Southwest—a strange place where you could picture a classic John Wayne character lingering over a plate of Jamaican jerk chicken and Yucatan pork tacos. Casa Taco defies expectations.

CECILIA’S CAFÉ

230 6th St. SW,243-7070 Recognized on the Food Network’s “Diners, DriveIns & Dives,” and ranked No. 45 on the Travel Channel’s “101 Tastiest Places to Chow Down,” Cecilia’s Café offers tasty New Mexican treats, such as their Fireman’s Burrito or homemade chicharrones in a cozy atmosphere.

CENTRAL GRILL & COFFEE HOUSE

2056 Central Ave. SW, 554-1424, centralgrillandcoffeehouse.com This local favorite on Route 66, adjacent to Old Town, offers a bevy of breakfast and lunch options that will comfort your belly and your wallet. Here, you’ll find traditional New Mexican favorites, serious sammies, and solid caffeine with a staff famous for their classic Southwestern hospitality.

CHEBA HUT

Two locations, chebahut.com Located next to UNM, Cheba Hut serves up toasted subs made from quality ingredients. Try sandwiches loaded with everything from guacamole, olives, mushrooms, cheeses, meats and much more.

CHEESE AND COFFEE

Two locations, cheeseandcoffee.com There’s more than just cheese and coffee here— think homemade soups, sandwiches, salads and specials. At lunch, the line often goes out the door, so it’s worth getting there early.

CHEZ AXEL

$$$

6209 Montgomery Blvd. NE, 881-8104, chezaxelrestaurant.com At Chez Axel, classical music is played at dinner Tuesday through Saturday, and the food has a decidedly French twist: cassoulet, trout amandine, chocolate mousse, and authentic French onion soup. Reservations are recommended.

CHOCGLITZ & CREAM

10660 Unser Blvd. NW, 898-4589, chocglitzandcream.com Certified fair-trade chocolate and a chocolatier with 45 years of experience means you’ll find some of the best sweet-tooth satisfying offerings (including ice cream flavors such as raspberry red chile and Mexican coffee).

CHRISTY MAE’S RESTAURANT

1400 San Pedro Drive NE, 255-4740, christymaes.com “Hearty” and “homestyle” are the key words here, a hands-down favorite of early-dinner lovers. Oldfashioned staples are the standards, so look for chicken salad, potpies, country-fried steak with homemade mashed potatoes, and beef stew.

CHURCH STREET CAFÉ

2111 Church St. NW, 247-8522, churchstreetcafe.com Calling the oldest residence in Albuquerque its home, this café serves up favorites ranging from natillas to margaritas. They also sell their own bottled salsa and cookbooks with recipes from the restaurant.

CINNAMON SUGAR & SPICE CAFÉ

Two locations, cinnamoncafeabq.com Featuring breakfast and lunch options, endless baked goodies, friendly staff and regular cooking classes, this place puts the “everything nice” in the well-worn phrase.

COCINA AZUL

Three locations, cocinaazul.com The newest location of the Old Town favorite serves up the same tried and true home-cooked recipes you’ve come to love. Don’t miss location specific specials and local brews amid New Mexican staples.

CODA BAKERY

5801 Gibson Blvd. SE, 262-2253, cervantesabq.com Old-world style meets traditional New Mexican fare at this family-owned restaurant. Go for the madefrom-scratch chile rellenos, tamales, and carne adovada.

230 Louisiana Blvd. SE Suite C, 232-0085 Wrap your hands around one of Coda Bakery’s unique, Vietnamese-inspired sandwiches. Beyond its popular lineup of sammies, Coda Bakery also puts a distinctive twist on Vietnamese street food, using from-scratch recipes, including the bread, its deli meats, and its desserts.

CESAR’S MEXICAN & GREEK

CONCHITA’S CAFÉ

CERVANTES NEW MEXICAN RESTAURANT $$

5300 Lomas Blvd. NE, 256-8017, cesarsmexicanandgreek.com Both the drive-thru and the dining room at Cesar’s are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. On the Mexican menu, try the No. 15, a chile rellenos plate. Popular Greek items include the No. 64 Gyros sandwich and the No. 78 Chicken pita sandwich.

400 Gold Ave. SW, Suite 119, 339-6774, conchitascafe.com What began as the food truck, Conchita’s Creations became a downtown café with breakfast, sandwiches, and salads. New Mexican favorites shine here, just like abuela made them—including tacos, Frito pie, and burritos.

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

CORN MAIDEN

$$$

1300 Tuyuna Trail, Santa Ana Pueblo, 771-6060, tamaya.hyatt.com For a special dinner or celebration, look no further. Boasting a view of the Sandia Mountains, this restaurant will leave you breathless as you enjoy three-course meals with sweet potato granny smith apple soup, lavender salted shrimp or the classic crème brulee.

CORRALES BISTRO BREWERY

4908 Corrales Road NW, Corrales, 897-1036, cbbistro.com Brews from all over the region make this Corrales bistro a must-visit for the affordable fare, killer atmosphere, and music seven days a week.

THE COUNTY LINE BBQ

CRACKIN’ CRAB

9600 Tramway Blvd. NE, 856-7477, countyline.com It doesn’t take long for the barbecue to arrive at your dinner table, whether it’s wood-burning oven cooked and slow-roasted brisket, ribs, or sausage. Throw in the Rib King Platter, green-chile stuffed pork loin, live music, and two stepping, and at The County Line, everybody wins. Three locations, crackincrababq.com Their headline seafood boils are super customizable, allowing you to choose from a trio of house combinations or mix and match your own selection of crab, lobster, mussels, scallops, clams, or shrimp by the pound.

CRAVIN’ COOKIES AND MORE

10420 4th St. NW, 298-2597, cravincookiesandmore.com Serving up specialty cookies, muffins, breads, pies, and pretty much any dessert you can dream of, Cravin’ Cookies and More offers dine-in and to go orders to satisfy any sweet tooth, with coffee and hot tea to match.

CRAZY FISH SUSHI BAR AND RESTAURANT

3015 Central Ave. NE, 232-3474, crazyfishabq.com Tasty, fresh sushi and sashimi await you in this sleek Central Avenue restaurant, along with kitchenmade favorites such as tempura and crispy chicken.

THE CROWN ROOM

$$$$

145 Louisiana Blvd. NE, 767-7171, abqdowns.com/crown-room Perhaps Albuquerque’s best-kept fine dining secret, this gem is tucked away in the newly remodeled Downs Casino. With an incredible selection of liquors and wines, gourmet dishes, tableside Bananas Foster, and Dom Pérignon palate cleansers, this special occasion hideout is hard to beat, anywhere in the 505.

CURRY LEAF

THE DAILY GRIND

6910-C Montgomery Blvd NE 881-3663, curryleafrestaurant.us Curry Leaf is the only restaurant in New Mexico to offer both North and South India cuisine. This means that, while you can get familiar favorites like tandoori chicken, you can also explore the world of chicken chettinad and dosas—a type of crepe made with fermented lentil and rice flour, filled with stuffing like potato, spiced vegetables, or ground lamb. 4360a Cutler Ave. NE, 883-8310, dailygrindabq.net This family-friendly restaurant serves breakfast and lunch, including huevos rancheros and a huge assortment of baked goods. On Friday and Saturday, look for spontaneous specials, such as stuffed French toast or steak and eggs.

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BITES

HALF A CENTURY IN THE MAKING It’s not exactly hidden. Neither is it exactly obvious. In fact, anyone driving down southwest Central Avenue could easily see a liquor store but miss the restaurant that’s connected to it. But step inside, navigate past the beer and through a nondescript door in the back and you’ll find yourself in the Monte Carlo, an old school steakhouse and diner specializing in no-frills deliciousness (and yes, also part of the Monte Carlo liquor store).

Monte Carlo Steakhouse 3916 Central Ave SW 836-9886

DELICIAS CAFÉ

Monte Carlo Burger w/ Cheese and Green Chile, $11.70

6001 San Mateo Blvd. NE, 830-6561 Named after the city in Chihuahua, Mexico, Delicias delivers traditional fare of the region, like caldo de res (beef stew), gorditas, carnitas, flautas, and horchata.

DG’S DELI

1418 Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. NE, 247-3354, dgsdeli.com With 31 cold sandwich options and a wide variety of grilled hot sandwiches—ranging in size from mini to jumbo—there’s something for everyone here. Try the Green Chile Philly or the Lobo Club.

D.H. LESCOMBES WINERY & BISTRO $$

901 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, 243-9916, lescombeswinery.com With generations of experience in winemaking coursing through this North Valley staple’s doors, D.H. Lescombes Winery & Bistro specializes in pairing wine with its expertly crafted and entirely house-made menu, with a local twist. Themed events and giving back to its community are big parts of this eatery’s success, not to mention popular dishes such as its Chicken Picado, Mac and Cheese Bites, and Ghirardelli Port Brownie.

DION’S $

Various locations, dionspizza.com Launched in 1978, Dion’s aims to keep your wallet and tummy full with build-your-own pizzas, gourmet pizzas, slices, salads, and subs. The ranch and Greek dressings are homemade from secret recipes, and everything on the menu is tried and true.

DOG HOUSE DRIVE IN

1216 Central Ave. SW, 243-1019 An ABQ landmark since the 1940s, the eat-inyour-car Dog House serves grilled footlongs and halflongs topped with red chile, cheese, onions, and more. Enjoy your dog with a side of chili-cheese fries and a thick shake.

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PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

Among their star offerings lives the Monte Carlo burger. This is a half-pound of charbroiled 80/20 ground sirloin, served up with all the standard fixings—lettuce, tomato, pickle, and onion, with mustard and mayo available on request—and a side of house-cut fries. There’s a reason the recipe hasn’t changed in the restaurant’s nearly 50year existence. And you can turn up the flavor a few extra notches by adding cheese and green chile. The move turns a great burger into something extraordinary. —ZB

DONUT MART

Various locations, donutmartusa.com Multiple locations sprinkled around town means a donut lover can always get a sweet fix. Find apple strudels, piñon coffee, green chile bialys, croissants, muffins, and even a Peanut Butter and Jelly donut.

DOWN N DIRTY SEAFOOD BOIL

6100 4th Street NW, 345-0595 Southern transplants who make their way to ABQ have a new spot for traditional seafood boil. From dry rub to a spicy, buttery fusion sauce, your tastebuds will dance with delight when you feast on this eatery’s collection of crawfish, rock shrimp, crab legs, and more.

DUGGAN’S $

227 Lead Ave. SE, 312-7257, dugganscoffeeshop.com This breakfast and lunch spot serves up newsthemed entrees like the Journalist Salad and Fact Checker Green Chile Chicken Soup in an intimate setting. Cups are filled with locally roasted Trifecta coffee.

DURAN’S CENTRAL PHARMACY

1815 Central Ave. NW, 247-4141, duransrx.com Where in the city can you get amazing huevos, kitschy printed dish towels, an emergency rubber chicken in a box, and a flu shot? There is only one answer, Duran’s Central Pharmacy.

EAST OCEAN CHINESE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT $$

3601 Carlisle Blvd. NE, 889-9315, eastoceanalbq.com East Ocean Chinese Seafood Restaurant was the first of its kind in Albuquerque. Most dishes are served family style and are made fresh to order. Those looking for traditional Chinese dishes should try the Roast Duck. Seafood eaters will enjoy the Honey Crispy Walnut Shrimp.

EL BRUNO’S RESTAURANTE Y CANTINA

8806 4th St. NW, 897-0444, elbrunos.com El Bruno’s got its start in Cuba, NM, in 1975. At the Albuquerque location, the tried-and-true family recipes are still the focus of the menu. The Ceviche, Pollo Adovo, and the Deep Fried Spinach are a few items guests can look forward to.

EL CAMINO DINING ROOM

EL COTORRO

EL PATIO DE ALBUQUERQUE

6800 4th St NW, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, 344-0448 Those with a bottomless appetite might meet their match with any of El Camino’s breakfast burrito options. These plate-sized behemoths are filled with eggs, hashbrowns or home-fries, and your choice of meat, then smothered in red or green chile. 111 Carlisle Blvd. NE, 503-6202, elcotorroabq.com Made to order gourmet tacos are on full display among classic Mexican street food like elotes and ceviche. A full salsa bar lets you spice up your meat, fish, vegetarian, or vegan tacos. Taco Tuesdays feature $2 tacos and bottled Mexican beers. 142 Harvard Drive SE, 268-4245, elpatioabq.com A UNM favorite since 1977, this family-owned restaurant uses local ingredients and makes everything fresh daily in small batches. The #10 Green Chicken Enchiladas have won rave reviews for years, as have the tasty salsa and pillow-soft sopaipillas.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

EL PATRON

Two locations, elpatronabq.com A customer favorite, El Patron’s menu includes dishes such as mouthwatering tacos, enchiladas, chile rellenos, and housemade chips. Wash them down with a tasty margarita.

EL PINTO

$$$

10500 4th St. NW, 898-1771, elpinto.com Food and atmosphere go hand-in-hand at this Duke City staple, ensuring an unforgettable experience. Enjoy fresh salsa, enchiladas, burritos, carne adovada, and many more New Mexican dishes while sipping a margarita on one of the many beautiful patios. Reservations are recommended.

EL SABOR DE JUAREZ

3527 Gibson Blvd. SE, 265-3338 Its name means “the flavor of Juarez,” and since 1980, this restaurant has served just that. Try the family recipes for menudo and carne desebrada (shredded roast beef sautéed with jalapeño, tomato, and onions).

EL SARAPE

Two locations, elsarapeabq.com Specializing in authentic food from all regions of Mexico, you can count on dishes such as nopalitos (cactus sautéed with onions, tomatoes, and garlic), fresh salsa, burritos, chile rellenos, and seafood specials with shrimp, oysters, calamari, and fish.

ELOY’S NEW MEXICAN RESTAURANT $

1508 Wyoming Blvd. NE, 293-6018 Opening 36 years ago, Eloy’s New Mexican Restaurant’s claim to fame is their consistent food and service, offering the same recipes that made them famous all those years ago. Try the No. 1 Eloy’s Deluxe Dinner, with a little bit of everything.

EMBER’S STEAK & SEAFOOD

$$$

11000 Broadway Blvd. SE 244-8288, isleta.com Whether you are dining inside or al fresco on the rooftop patio, Ember’s boasts some of Albuquerque’s most beautiful 180-degree views of the Bosque, making for the perfect setting to catch the sunset next to the warmth of the glowing fire pits.

FANO BREAD COMPANY

Place your holiday orders early!

4605 McLeod Road NE, 884-5555, fanobread.com For more than 16 years, Fano has made the freshest bread in the city. Whether it’s the rustic loaf, the green chile cheese bread or raisin cinnamon bread, you’ll think you’re touring the streets of Italy with each bite.

FAN TANG

3523 Central Ave. NE, 266-3566, fan-tang.com With authentic family recipes that include coffee chicken (rubbed in Satellite coffee, then stir-fried with flavorful sauce) and creative additions like soul dumplings (made with tofu, kimchi, and cashew pesto), this spot is sure to satisfy.

FAREAST FUZION SUSHI BAR & LOUNGE

Kitchen

Safely serving you since 1975!

Visit our Newest Location 6390 Coors NW

5901 Central Ave. NE, 255-2910 The sushi is served aplenty, but those who shy from raw fish can flirt with some Thai or Chinese cuisine. This might be one of the only places where a “Heart-Attack”—a sushi roll with deep-fried spicy tuna, jalapeños, mushrooms, and cream cheese—is a good thing.

We treat you and your guests like family!

505•242•1199 | GarciasKitchen.com Catering

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

6 Albuquerque locations to serve you!

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BITES

CROWD-SOURCED CHILE CHICKEN CHOWDER

Usually, restaurants are where customers go to get delicious food. But in this singular case, the process was reversed: Papa Felipe’s incredibly popular green chile chicken corn chowder started from a recipe brought in by a long-time guest. “We added a few things to it to make it a little different,” says Papa Felipe’s manager Larry Gonzales. But largely, the recipe remains the same, a rich chowder made with all-white chicken breast, green chile, corn, and a creamy base.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

Originally, the dish started out as a seasonal offering, available when the weather turns cool amid the falling leaves, and the whole city smells of roasting chile. But the chowder became a year-round hit that customers regularly order to-go by the quart—and sometimes the gallon! We’re not in the business of beating dead horses, but did we mention that this stuff is popular? Papa Felipe’s makes fresh batches twice a week. “[We] always sell out,” says Gonzales, adding that customers after large orders should call in advance to make sure they get all the deliciousness they’re after. —ZB Papa Felipe’s 9800 Menaul Blvd NE 292-8877, papafelipes.com

Green Chile Chicken Corn Chowder, $4.25(half pint), $43.95 (gallon)

FARINA ALTO PIZZERIA & WINE BAR $$

10721 Montgomery Blvd. NE, 298-0035, farinaalto.com The Northeast Heights version of Farina offers the same urban atmosphere as the East Downtown (EDo) Farina, minus the elbow-to-elbow seating. Alto offers every pizza on the EDo menu, such as the Formaggio di Capra and the Carne, but includes unique dishes—Eggplant Parmesan Napoleon and Oven-Roasted Chicken Wings. Alto’s wine room is stocked with more than 300 bottles of wine.

FARINA PIZZERIA

510 Central Ave. SE, 243-0130, farinapizzeria.com Whether you like yours bianco or covered in carne, you’ll get a pie cooked to perfection at this relaxedbut-hip urban eatery.

FARM & TABLE

$$$

FIESTA’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT AND CANTINA

FORQUE KITCHEN AND BAR

4400 Carlisle Blvd. NE, 881-0478 Fiesta’s Restaurant & Cantina has been familyowned and operated since 1986, making it an Albuquerque go-to for quality New Mexican cuisine. With its family dining area, outdoor patio, lively bar and banquet room, Fiesta’s has something for everyone.

330 Tijeras Ave. NW, 842-1234, albuquerque.hyatt.com Forque’s multi-level, tastefully decorated dining room features floor-to-ceiling windows and makes it easy to forget you’re dining at a Downtown hotel. The elegant presentation extends to the regional cuisine, which is prepared in the restaurant’s open kitchen by executive chef Eli White and his staff.

FLAMEZ BISTRO

FORK & FIG

9821 Montgomery Blvd. NE, 275-0522, flamezabq.com There’s a lot more to this burger joint than the beef. High-end, artistically inspired bistro fare, delightful appetizers, and burger bowls (with greens, sans buns) are only some of the fun finds at this neighborhood fave. Buffalo, salmon, turkey, lamb, get your protein boost here.

8917 4th St. NW, 503-7124, farmandtablenm.com This North Valley eatery’s ever-changing menu features seasonal produce, which often comes from the restaurant’s own farm. If the produce doesn’t come from the farm, it’s sourced from a slew of local vendors. Enjoy grass-and-alfalfa-fed steaks and produce-focused dishes that use local kale, chard, okra, chile, and tomatoes.

FLIX BREWHOUSE

THE FARMACY

FLYING STAR CAFÉ

3718 Central Ave SE, 227-0330 The Farmacy takes the idea of organic and local ingredients, and presents them in a way that tastes like comfort. The Farmacy provides a tasty menu of eight breakfast items, as well as eight sandwiches for lunch.

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3258 La Orilla Rd NW B-1 445-8500, flixbrewhouse.com Flix is a one-of-a-kind concept; a movie theater that serves full meals and an in-house brewed beer menu in its stadium-seating “dining rooms.” The dream is real, Albuquerque–you can catch the latest blockbuster in theaters while knocking back a pint and having dinner brought to you.

Various locations, flyingstarcafe.com With handmade desserts to die for, artisan breads, and a menu filled with everything from eggs to enchiladas, the Flying Star offers plenty of options for every meal (and snack time) of the day.

6904 Menaul Blvd. NE, Suite C, 881-5293, forkfig.com Upscale, but surprisingly down-home, Fork & Fig dishes offer up a streamlined menu of favorites, including burgers, sandwiches, and salads, with surprising artistry along the way. Sweet potato tots, anyone?

FOURTH AND ROMA CAFÉ

FRANK’S FAMOUS CHICKEN AND WAFFLES

500 4th St. NW, #106, 245-7662 Delicious chai, coffee, sandwiches, salads, and occasional East-Indian specials conveniently located in the old Bank of America building downtown.

400 Washington St. SE, 712-5109, franksfamouschickenandwaffles.com Owner and former Lobo basketball player Frank Willis wanted to give Albuquerque the soul food he had while growing up in Los Angeles. He fiddled with flavors, making sure they were perfect, before opening his restaurant to dish out favorites like chicken and waffles, fried pickles, mac ‘n cheese, and collard greens.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

FRENCHISH $$$

3509 Central Ave NE, 433-5911, frenchish.co Envisioned as a casual neighborhood restaurant, Frenchish’s menu draws inspiration from an eclectic mix of French and Midwestern US cuisines, with an active focus on clean, simple foods.

FRIENDS COFFEE & SANDWICH SHOP $

200 3rd St. NW, 243-4801, fcass.com Every cup of coffee served at Friends Coffee & Sandwich Shop is from New Mexico Coffee Company, and a different flavor is showcased each day of the week. Local favorites such as the quesadilla and the Taco Burger are dependable lunch choices.

FRONTIER RESTAURANT

2400 Central Ave. SE, 266-0550, frontierrestaurant.com Famous for its legendary Frontier Rolls, hot-offthe-iron tortillas, burgers, New Mexican favorites, hash browns, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and more, the Frontier is Albuquerque’s melting pot— it’s a guarantee you’ll see someone you know there.

FU YUANG KOREAN & CHINESE RESTAURANT $

3107 Eubank Blvd. NE, Suite 16, 298-8989 Fu Yuang breaks away from tradition with its take on Korean and Chinese cuisine, but keeps it simple. Freshly made with high-quality meats, you’ll get perfectly-portioned dishes made without MSG, less oil, and all natural ingredients.

GARCIA’S KITCHEN

Various locations, garciaskitchen.com This Albuquerque institution serves up classic New Mexican dishes, from freshly made tortillas to an extensive burrito list. You’ll leave one of the multiple locations with a full belly and content heart.

GARDUÑO’S OF MEXICO RESTAURANT AND CANTINA $$ Various Locations, gardunosrestaurants.com

Garduño’s consistently earns enthusiastic kudos for its mouthwatering enchiladas, burritos, salsa, and knockyour-socks-off margaritas. And, with three locations around town, you’re always near a fiesta.

GECKO’S BAR AND TAPAS

Two locations, geckosbar.com Plenty of tasty tapas—including Southwestern Krab Taquitos and Red Molé Grilled Sirloin Tacos—and hearty salads and sandwiches, too.

GINO’S NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA

GIOVANNI’S PIZZERIA

GOLDEN CROWN PANADERIA

Two locations, ginosnystylepizza.com With handmade lasagna and pizza dough, among other items, Gino’s New York Style Pizza shares family recipes with its customers. From the buttermilk ranch dressing to the Eggplant and Chicken Parmigianas, homemade cooking is not too far away. 921 San Pedro Drive SE, 255-1233, giovannispizzaalbuquerque.com Giovanni’s isn’t easy to spot at first, but once you’ve had a big slice of fold-in-half New York-style pie, you’ll never miss it again. Whether you like it covered in spinach, pesto and tomatoes, cheeseonly, no cheese at all, or plain pepperoni, you’re sure to find your pizza match. 1103 Mountain Road NW, 243-2424, goldencrown.biz Golden Crown Panaderia is known for taking creativity in baking to the next level. Try the original biscochitos or cappuccino, chocolate and sugarfree versions. Don’t miss out on homemade green chile bread, pizza, and creative bread sculptures.

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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BITES GRASSBURGER $

Two locations, eatgrassburger.com There’s a lot that sets the burger joint apart— including their community involvement, their vegan and gluten-free burger options, and their commitment to a no-corn syrup menu.

GREENSIDE CAFÉ

$$$

12165 North Highway 14, Cedar Crest, 286-2684, greenside.cafe This Cedar Crest café offers a casual family atmosphere with large portions of gourmet-quality food: French toast made with orange and vanilla batter, Turquoise Trail Trout, rich homemade ice cream, Monte Cristo sandwich with green chile.

THE GRILL ON SAN MATEO

3300 San Mateo Blvd. NE, 872-9772 A choice of mesquite-grilled chicken, rib eye, hot dogs, and burgers (beef and garden) accompany bottomless house-made chips and salsa, complete with sides like classic fries and fried zucchini, and fresh fixings are on a build-your-own basis offering a completely customizable burger.

THE GROVE CAFÉ AND MARKET

600 Central Ave. SE, Suite A, 248-9800, thegrovecafemarket.com The brunch and lunch favorite is well-known for its exceptional dishes made from local and organic ingredients, and it now offers a newly expanded menu, with additions such as the French Ham & Cheese with d’affinois cheese, mostarda, and caper mustard sauce.

GYROS MEDITERRANEAN

106 Cornell Drive SE, 255-4401, egyros.com Tried-and-true Greek recipes, such as traditional Kota Reganato (oven-roasted chicken with oregano, garlic and lemon), fresh Greek salads, Patates, and, of course, sweet baklava, served in a friendly, laidback collegial atmosphere.

HADLEY’S TEA

7600 Jefferson St. NE, Suite 9, 821-4832 With about 200 different teas—half of them available in loose-leaf form—Hadley’s Tea is a tea lover’s oasis. Every tea that lines Hadley’s shelves is made with all-natural ingredients. A cucumber and cream cheese sandwich, otherwise known as the “tea sandwich,” is the perfect companion for your Lady Londonderry or strawberry green tea.

HANNAH & NATE’S MARKET CAFÉ

4512 Corrales Road, 898-2370 Offering breakfast and lunch, Hannah & Nate’s is all about flavor—whether it’s the flavor of traditional New Mexican cuisine, cuisines from throughout the world or the family recipes served.

HARTFORD SQUARE

218 Gold Ave. SW, 265-4933, hartfordsq.com Perhaps the only Albuquerque establishment that changes the menu weekly based on local produce options, this is a clean, smart, urban café that feeds suits and millennials in droves. Also serving up local coffees from Michael Thomas roasters, dine anytime and support the farm-to-table movement.

HELLO DELI

7600 Jefferson St. NE, 797-3354, hellodeliabq.com Home to one of the most delicious breakfast burritos around, Hello Deli serves sandwiches and even Frontier’s sweet rolls.

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HIGH POINT GRILL

9780 Coors Blvd NW 312-8519, highpointgrill.com Those perpetually on the hunt for the perfect burger will find plenty to love at High Point. With a foundation of 100-percent Akaushi, American Prime Wagyu beef, the burgers at High Point Grill are some of the city’s most popular. Their Southwest burger, for instance, features a red chile crusted patty, extra hot local green chile and cheddar cheese.

HIGH NOON RESTAURANT AND SALOON

$$$

425 San Felipe St. NW, 765-1455, highnoonrestaurant.com Located in a 300-year-old house in the heart of Old Town, High Noon has a menu stocked with New Mexican fare such as burritos and enchiladas, but you can also find baked brie and buffalo burgers here. Reservations are recommended.

HOLY BURGER

700 Central Ave. SE, 242-2991, holyburgernm.com Originally a Route 66 diner with a carport, and later Bob’s Fish and Chips, Holy Burger now boasts some of the juiciest burgers in town, as well as one of the breeziest and most boppin’ patios in the city.

HORSE AND ANGEL TAVERN

HOT PINK THAI

5809 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE, 299-0225 Whether you want a simple sandwich for lunch, appetizers and a beer in the afternoon, or steak and enchiladas at midnight, this Heights tavern is the place to be any time of the day. 2626 San Pedro Drive NE, 872-2296 For dine in or takeout, at lunchtime, you’ll get $1.50 off dishes over $10 and a free vegetable egg roll. Favorites include pumpkin curry, pad thai, and drunken noodles. Most dishes are customized with your choice of protein and spice level, from no chili at all to Thai hot.

HOT TAMALES

1520 Rio Rancho Blvd. SE, 962-0123, hottamalesnmrestaurant.com This Rio Rancho restaurant serves bona fide New Mexican with hand-blended red chile and fireroasted green chile: Green Chile Stew Omelet, Hot Tamale Bowl, and Fajitas are just a few of the spicy dishes.

HURRICANE’S CAFE

4330 Lomas Blvd. NE, 255-4248 With Route 66 serving as the city’s heart, it’s always good to hop over to a good ol’ fashioned diner. Pick out a classic dish, such as pancakes or omelets from the lengthy breakfast menu, or chow down on a burger, enchilada, or chicken fried steak. Of course, you can take a stab at the hearty Disaster Burrito, but you’d better make plenty of room if that’s on your agenda.

I SCREAM ICE CREAM

2000 Carlisle Blvd. NE, 268-0139 The cozy dessert shop is filled with toys, gadgets, board games, and—oh yeah—34 flavors of ice cream and 28 different toppings. Each scoop comes with a free mix-in, and there are fresh mini doughnuts available on weekends.

IL VICINO

Various locations, ilvicino.com Using wood ovens to bake its thin-crust pizzas, Il Vicino (which means “The Neighbor”) also offers hearty calzones and award-winning brews from its own brewery.

INDIGO CROW CAFÉ

$$$

4515 Corrales Road, Corrales, 898-7000, indigocrowcafe.net This café is cozy, thanks to the fact that it’s housed in an old adobe building. When it’s cold, patrons warm up by the indoor fireplace; when it’s warm, they enjoy meals such as lobster ravioli, tarragon chicken salad, and New Mexico chicken fried steak under the stars on the outdoor patio. Reservations are recommended.

IRONWOOD KITCHEN

5740 Night Whisper Road NW, Suite 250, 890-4488, ironwoodkitchen.com This family operation’s goal: to serve meals made with whole foods at affordable prices. Try the green chile cheeseburger, with freshly-ground chuck, topped with fresh vegetables and roasted green chile.

JAPANESE KITCHEN

$$$

Two Locations, japanesekitchen.com Entertainment is the main course at this teppanyaki grill restaurant. The cooks, who are at your table, can be caught tossing shrimp into their pockets and creating to-die-for dishes from the classic teriyaki chicken, to seafood or steak, and everything in between.

JAVA JOE’S

906 Park Ave. SW, 765-1514, downtownjavajoes.com You’ll find all walks of life at this relaxing Downtown joint, enjoying freshly made sandwiches, breakfast burritos, green chile chicken melts, coffee drinks and more.

JC’S NEW YORK PIZZA DEPARTMENT $$

215 Central Ave. NW, Suite B, 766-6973, jcnypd.com New York-style pizza, pasta, salads, and fully loaded pasta and calzone dishes, all in a laid-back lounge. During lunch hour, the line goes out the door.

JIMMY’S CAFÉ ON JEFFERSON

7007 Jefferson St. NE, 341-2546, jimmyscafeonjefferson.com The menu here lists more than 100 items, most of them mouthwatering comfort foods: sandwiches, burgers, New Mexican dishes, handmade pizza, and breakfast served all day long.

JINJA BAR AND BISTRO

JOE’S PASTA HOUSE

Various locations, jinjabistro.com Evoking a vintage ambiance, Jinja serves inspired and mouthwatering pan-Asian cuisine, such as Kung Pow Chicken (a Thai version of the Chinese favorite) and Home-Style Chicken Udon Wok Bowl. 3201 Southern Blvd. SE, 892-3333, joespastahouse.com A neighborhood Italian-American joint with an incredible dose of warmth and personality, Joe’s offers a terrific lunch buffet and an expansive dinner menu to please every palate in la mia famiglia: steaks, pasta, and some of the best cannelloni and tiramisu anywhere.

KABAB HOUSE: AUTHENTIC PERSIAN CUISINE $

301 Cornell Drive SE, 312-8949 Authentic, made-to-order Persian food is constantly sizzling on the grill here. The koobideh kabab is made with minced ground beef or ground chicken, onion, and house spices. Each dish is a healthy size and comes with soup, salad, and rice. Top everything off with a glass of delicious banana milk, or majoun, which is banana milk with almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and honey.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

BITES RELLENO IN A BLANKET

El Modelo has been in business for nine years shy of a century. First opened by Carmen Garcia in April 1929, El Modelo started life in a three-room house, where Mrs. Garcia would wake up at 2:00 am to make tortillas by hand. After the tortilla operation took off, Garcia brought on some help and expanded into tamales. By 1947, the business had outgrown its humble digs, but it didn’t move far—the current El Modelo store front stands right where the original three-room house once stood. Today, El Modelo is owned by Virginia Chittim—a change in ownership that maintained the restaurant’s solid reputation as a source of world-class tamales. But if tamales aren’t necessarily your jam, El Modelo still has you covered, with a selection of classic Mexican and New Mexican meals, including the chile relleno burrito.

El Modelo Mexican Foods 1715 2nd Street SW 242-1843, elmodelomexicanfood.com

KAKTUS BREWING CO.

Chile Relleno Burrito, $4.55

471 South Hill Road, Bernalillo, 818-7285 kaktusbrewery.com Tucked away from it all, Kaktus specializes in European-style pints, and a menu featuring pizzas and apps uniquely topped with game meats like elk, boar, bison, and duck. Special events on weekends abound.

KATHY’S CARRY OUT

823 Isleta Blvd. SW, 873-3472 This carry out has been a South Valley favorite for 38 years. Look for the chicharron burrito with egg, fresh hand-cut fries, and the daily special—you just might land on a seems-too-good-to-be-true deal, such as three tacos for $3.

KATRINAH’S EAST MOUNTAIN GRILL $$

150 State Road 344, Edgewood, 281-9111, eastmountaingrill.com This contemporary diner specializes in homemade dishes, such as gyros, hand-cut steaks and burgers, and the best-selling Southern Salad (with fried green beans, bacon, cheddar cheese, tomato, and fried or grilled chicken or steak).

KIMO’S HAWAIIAN BBQ

3239 Girard Blvd. NE kimosabq.com, 582-2797 Hawaii comes home. What began as a food truck is now a brick-and-mortar location also. Try freshfrom-the-isles Kalua Pork and Huli Huli Chicken plates served with sides like steamed cabbage, rice, and macaroni salad.

KOLACHE FACTORY

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

The recipe here is simplicity incarnate. A chile relleno stuffed with Monterey cheese, topped with green chile and a layer of thick, rich refried beans, all wrapped up in a house-made flour tortilla. It also comes—free of charge—with the full El Modelo experience, which involves lining up with other hungry and enthusiastic diners to order a takeout treasure truly worth just about any wait.—ZB

8001 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Suite B3 856-3430, locations.kolachefactory.com The Kolache Factory franchise out of Texas focuses on Czech style Kolaches that were traditionally a warm, semi-sweet pastry filled with sausage, cheese, or fruit and originated in Eastern Europe dating as far back as the 1700s.

LA CRÊPE MICHEL

400 San Felipe St. NW, Suite C2, 242-1251, lacrepemichel.com Heavenly soups, sandwiches, and crêpes await you at this charming French restaurant: whether filled with salmon, asparagus and Swiss cheese or zucchini, eggplant, and tomato, you’ll find a crêpe to whet your appetite. Reservations are recommended.

LA OJA RESTAURANT

201 Marquette Ave. NW, inside DoubleTree Hotel, 247-3344 La Oja Restaurant blends New Mexico and California cuisines, resulting in unique tastes that combine fresh seafood with local flavor. It’s MexiCali cuisine with a twist.

LA QUICHE PARISIENNE BISTRO

5850 Eubank Blvd. NE, Suite 17, 242-2808, laquicheparisiennebistro.com Long considered an authentic French staple of downtown ABQ, La Quiche has comfortably settled into the Heights and the baked goods will comfort your lazy weekend brunch cravings with true Parisian cuisine from the mainland.

LA REFORMA

8900 San Mateo Blvd NE, Suite I 717-1361, lareformabrewery.com On the taco front, La Reforma is virtually unimpeachable, offering options like braised pork shoulder carnitas, tempura-battered white fish pescado, and rotisserie-broiled al pastor for carnivores, along with tempura-battered avocado (aguacate) for those looking for something plantbased.

LA SALITA

1950 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE, 299-9968, lasalita.com The name may mean “little room,” but this New

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Mexican restaurant always has a full house. The chile rellenos, chile con queso, sopaipillas, and shredded beef burrito (a Wednesday special) have earned loyal customers for 37 years.

LAGUNA BURGER

Various locations, thelagunaburger.com Every half-pound burger is made fresh upon ordering, topped with Hatch green chile, and slipped on a butter-toasted bun made specifically for Laguna Burger by Sara Lee. Also on the menu: freshly-cut fries, foot-long chile cheese dogs, and zingy breakfast burritos.

LAS RISTRAS

$$$

4940 Corrales Rd. #400, Corrales 433-4192, lasristras.com Though New Mexican fare is a huge part of Las Ristras’ menu–all the usual suspects from tacos and chile rellenos to burritos and bowls of fresh posole are in evidence–they are joined by some of the most dynamic steaks on the Rio Grande.

THE LAST CALL

Various locations, lastcallabq.com This late-night eatery specializes in freshly-made Baja Mexican street cuisine (think: carne asada fries). If you’re lucky, you just might run into the “Taco Box” while out on the town: a mobile extension of the restaurant that brings the food to you.

LAVA ROCK BREWING COMPANY $$ 2220 Unser Blvd. NE 836-1022, lavarockbrewpub.com

The casual brewpub on Unser currently has 7 of their own beers available on tap, with several other local guest taps as well. Standard bar fare gets gussied up here, like the housemade hot sauces on the wings and the fries loaded with green chile and queso.

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BITES LAZY LIZARD GRILL

LEVEL 5 AT HOTEL CHACO

$$$

THE LIBRARY BAR & GRILL

1313 San Pedro Dr. NE, 266-6118 Le Bistro Vietnamese Restaurant is just as much a bakery as it is a restaurant, specializing in traditional Vietnamese cuisine.

312 Central Ave. SW, 242-2992, library-abq.com Featuring more than a great party, the Library offers drink specials and half-priced appetizers during happy hour, as well as salads, hamburgers, sandwiches, wraps, and specialty items.

LE CHANTILLY FINE PASTRIES

LIMONATA ITALIAN STREET CAFÉ

12480 North Highway 14, Sandia Park 281-9122, lazylizardgrill.com From the King Cobra Pizza and made-fromscratch Jalapeño Poppers to their impressive selection of microbrews, the Lazy Lizard Grill has customers always coming back for more— and has the food and atmosphere to back it up.

LE BISTRO VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT

8216 Menaul Blvd. NE, 293-7057, lechantillybakery.com This French-style bakery features breakfast pastries, muffins, strudel, cookies, and tarts—not to mention delicious quiche, croissants, sandwiches and cakes. Try homemade soups such as creamy chicken and artichoke, then satisfy your sweet tooth with a tower of chocolate decadence.

LE TROQUET

228 Gold Ave. SW 508-1166, www.abqfrenchrestaurant.com The Parisian bistro, open for lunch or dinner, offers classically simple French dishes made by Chef Jean Pierre Gozard. From Boeuf Bourguignon to quiche and delectable desserts, expect a tres bien atmosphere with a comprehensive wine list.

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2000 Bellamah Ave. NW 318-3998, hotelchaco.com The food here needs be good, because first and foremost, it competes with the view. Like the name implies, Level 5 sits on the 5th floor of Hotel Chaco and offers a near-360 degree view of the city.

3222 Silver Av SE, 266-0607, limonatanobhill.com Channel your inner Italian at this street foodinspired café, where the breakfast and lunch menus feature perfect pastries, craveable cappuccino and trattoria-inspired lunches. The chef makes every dish from scratch and insists that everything about the restaurant, from the menu to the atmosphere, be done just as it would in Italy.

LINDY’S DINER

500 Central Ave SW, 242-2582, lindysdinerabq.com Lindy’s is a neighborhood joint, through and through. The sort of place where, even if they don’t know your name, you’ll feel like they do anyway. The owners recommend the Ultimate Burger for that classic American diner experience.

LITTLE BEAR COFFEE

LOS COMPADRES RESTAURANT

2632 Pennsylvania St. NE 917-8902, littlebearcoffeeco.com Located near Uptown, Little Bear is not just serving up quality brew, but also providing an outpost for the neighborhood and coffee community. 2437 Central Ave. NW 452-8091, compadresabq.com Family recipes like the No. 16 Taco Plate, tacos with carne y papas (beef and potatoes) and the restaurant’s Menudo, have kept locals coming back for more than 15 years.

LOS CUATES

LOYOLA’S FAMILY RESTAURANT

Various locations loscuatesrestaurants.com Popular since it opened over 25 years ago, Los Cuates serves its own ancho-chile salsa and tons of delicious New Mexican dishes in humongous portions. 4500 Central Ave. SE, 268-6478 loyolasfamilyrestaurant.com You’ll find both American and New Mexican goodies here, from fried chicken, roast beef and sandwiches to tasty local favorites such as burritos and posole.

LUIGI’S RISTORANTE AND PIZZERIA $$

6225 4th St. NW, 343-0466, luigisitalianfood.com Enjoy more than 250 made-from-scratch Italian dishes, including pizza, chicken Florentine, spaghetti and meatballs, and green chile chicken lasagna.

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M’TUCCI’S ITALIAN

Three locations, mtuccis.com The menu at the Westside’s authentic Italian staple features refined comfort food classics, from meatball marinara to pot roast. Other menu items are crafted from choice Berkshire pigs that the eatery imports from northern Iowa and southern Minnesota farms. In fact, a unique pork dish is incorporated into a featured dinner special every night. Wash down your pasta, pizza, or salad with a carefully crafted cocktail from the bar.

MAC’S STEAK IN THE ROUGH

Two locations, macsnm.com Taquitas, onion rings, guacamole salad, and an original “steak in the rough”—slivers of beef served with French fries, coleslaw, a roll, catsup, and a fresh green scallion… these are just a few of the reasons Mac’s has been in business for so many years.

MICHAEL THOMAS COFFEE ROASTERS $

Two locations, michaelthomascoffee.com Michael Thomas’ fresh-roasted coffees can be purchased in bulk or by the cup. Favorites include the Banda Bear Blend and the Duke’s Runners’ Blend. If you prefer to let them make your cup of Joe, try an espresso-based drink such as a Double Espresso, a Macchiato, or a Cubano.

MICK’S CHILE FIX

3351 Candelaira Rd NE Suite A, 881-2233, mickschilefix.com One of the city’s true spots for getting something hot: try The Shocker (an eight-pound breakfast burrito), huevos rancheros, or the Frito pie, all with homemade red or green chile.

BITES

MILLY’S $

Two locations, millysrestaurants.com If you’re not sure what to eat, have a little of everything with an American-New Mexican–Greek menu. This breakfast and lunch spot melds salads and sandwiches with traditional New Mexican and Greek entrees.

MIMMO’S RISTORANTE & PIZZERIA $$

3301 Coors Blvd. NW 831-4191, mimmosabq.com Mimmo’s serves authentic Italian food in a casual family atmosphere, with everything made on premise: the sauces, pizza dough, lasagna, noodles and meatballs. An all-you-can-eat lunch buffet is offered every day of the week.

MANZANO GRILLE AT THE CANYON CLUB AT FOUR HILLS $$ 911 Four Hills Road SE, 299-9555, canyonclubgolf.com

This newly remodeled property was rejuvenated thanks to its own club members, and now boasts modern décor, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. Members can enjoy creative dishes like Pork Alexander, New Mexico Eggs Benedict with green chile Hollandaise sauce, or the Turkey Lurkey, including green chile and Pepper Jack cheese in the dining room or al fresco on its large, shaded patio overlooking the mountain vistas. Dining-only memberships available.

MARIO’S PIZZA

MARISCOS ALTAMAR

MARY & TITO’S CAFÉ

Various locations, mariospizzaabq.com Gourmet pizzas, big bowls of pasta, custom calzones and New York-style sandwiches are the norm at this tasty Italian eatery. Two locations, mariscosaltamarabq.com With live music on the weekends, colorful murals, and authentic Mexican seafood dishes such as tostada de ceviche with shrimp, fish, and snow crab, dining at Mariscos Altamar is well worth the trip. 2711 4th St. NW, 344-6266, maryandtitos.com From their famous carne adovada to their authentic New Mexican chips and salsa, Mary & Tito’s Café makes sure guests leave full and happy. This homey café also became the only Albuquerque restaurant to win a James Beard Foundation America’s Classics Award in 2010.

MATANZA CRAFT BEER KITCHEN

3225 Central Ave. NE, 312-7305, matanzanm.com The New Mexican classic feast gets a sophisticated touch at the eatery serving up favorites such as carne adovada, to a wide range of salads, flatbreads and a cult-favorite brunch. One hundred taps feature local beer and wine.

MAY CAFÉ

MAZAYA CAFÉ

111 Louisiana Blvd. SE, 265-4448, maycafenm.com Traditional Vietnamese cuisine is easily customizable, fresh and healthy. The café’s spring rolls, made fresh to order, are popular with diners new and old. Try the pho or the bún. 120 Harvard Dr. SE 582-2447, mazayacafe.com Mazaya Café is dedicated to adding an authentic Mediterranean dining experience to the medley of options in the Nob Hill area–without breaking the bank for its diners. If you are looking to fill up, freshgrilled kebabs, a half-dozen wraps, shawarma, and three kinds of fried or steamed dumpling plates headline the restaurant’s entrée menu.

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BITES MONICA’S EL PORTAL RESTAURANT

321 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, 247-9625 Traditional New Mexican favorites make up the menu at this Old Town staple that has been around for 34 years. Monica’s roasts their own green chile, makes biscochitos from scratch and offers red chile straight from the pod.

MONROE’S RESTAURANT

Two locations, monroeschile.com More than 50 years after they opened their doors south of Old Town, Monroe’s continues to serve reliable New Mexican favorites to a local fan base, and service around here is a team effort, so no glass goes unfilled.

MONTE CARLO STEAKHOUSE

$$$

3916 Central Ave. SW, 836-9886 The iconic steakhouse meets liquor store has been featured on the Food Network and boasts some of the best steaks in the city. Since 1971, locals always come back for hand-cut steaks, house-made Greek salad dressing, freshly cut fries, and a mean green chile cheeseburger.

MONTE VISTA FIRE STATION 3201 Central Ave. NE, 255-2424

Once an actual working fire station, this second-floor restaurant now offers traditional bar food, wings, and nightly specials. Choose from tasty chicken wings and burgers, or order from the restaurant downstairs— they’ll bring your steak to you.

MR. TOKYO

11200 Montgomery Blvd. NE, 292-4728 Soak up the cool Zen-like atmosphere while enjoying six versions of fried rice, sushi, sashimi, tempura, hibachi, grilled udon, soups, and teriyaki spiced with fiery Thai chili peppers.

MUSTANG CAFÉ

8601 Lomas Blvd. NE, 275-4477 Perfect for anyone shopping at the Rich Ford car dealership—or anyone at all—is this auto-themed restaurant, which serves up homemade breakfast burritos, papitas, enchiladas, rellenos, tamales, and the Dennis Snyder Favorite: a 16-oz. sirloin patty with cheese and chile.

NAGOMI RESTAURANT

2400 Juan Tabo Blvd NE 298-3081, nagomirestaurantabq.com The Nagomi menu is virtually overrun with Japanese culinary classics. Nagomi is also one of the few places in Albuquerque where you can go to indulge in shabu-shabu, a Japanese-style hot pot

NAMASTE

Two locations, namastenm.net Offering authentic Nepalese and Indian dishes— including chicken tikka masala and lamb curry— Namaste also serves traditional food with a New Mexico twist, such as the green chile chicken curry.

NARUTO $

2110 Central Ave. SE 369-1039, narutonoodle.com Who knew Ramen noodles could be so creative, so diverse, and so darn good. Naruto is reinventing the Ramen noodle with specialized dishes that can’t be found anywhere else in the city.

NEXUS BREWERY

Two locations, nexusbrewery.com If the made-to-order fried chicken and waffles and mac and cheese has you drooling, reach for one of Nexus’ brewed in-house beers.

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NICK AND AND BAR

JIMMY’S

RESTAURANT $$

5021 Pan American Freeway NE, 344-9169, nickandjimmysrestaurant.com Nick and Jimmy’s vision was a comfortable atmosphere with comfortable food. They blend traditional foods with new twists and serve everything from enchiladas to green chile meatloaf.

NOB HILL BAR AND GRILL

$$$

3128 Central Ave. SE, 266-4455, upscalejoint.com This restaurant manages to be simultaneously upscale and laid back, gourmet and down-home, visionary and traditional. Not to mention delicious: the Buffalo Calamari, Dirty “Kobe” Burger, Pineapple Chipotle BBQ Baby Back Ribs, and a slew of amazing cocktails make every visit exceptional.

NOMAD’S BBQ FOOD TRUCK

206-7654

Authentic, smoky goodness, Nomad’s BBQ sammies— including pulled pork and hotlink varieties—are succulent and feature its homemade sauce. This roving BBQ hut definitely knows how to do a quality turkey leg and rib tips, too.

OAK TREE CAFÉ

$$$

4545 Alameda Blvd. NE, 830-2233, cafeoaktree.com

This hometown café has served a lot of locales over the past 30 years, and the current venue on Alameda is great at the basics, including burgers, sandwiches, and salads, made fresh, in-house every day.

OHANA HUT

5740 Night Whisper Rd NW, 508-4439, ohanahut.com Family owned and operated Ohana Hut means “Family Hut”. It specializes in Hawaiian, Japanese, and Korean flavors to create an Asian fusion menu with a New Mexican twist.

OLD TOWN PIZZA PARLOR

108 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, 999-1949, oldtownpizzaabq.com This comfy, funky, family-owned restaurant serves tasty pies, huge calzones, and portions of pasta that won’t ever leave you hungry.

OLO YOGURT STUDIO IN NOB HILL

3339 Central Ave. NE, Suite C, 718-4656, oloyogurt.com Nothing is as sweet as a guilt-free treat. In the same building as Staples in Nob Hill, Olo features a Candyland-esque interior, complete with 10 flavor choices and a salad-bar-sized toppings bar.

O’HARE’S GRILLE & PUB

4100 Southern Blvd. SE, 896-0123, oharesgrillepub.com With a menu that is centered around the idea that variety is the key to success, O’Hare’s offers pub fare in a family-friendly atmosphere. Try the Corned Beef and Cabbage special, O’Hare’s Double Decker Reuben, or the staple Fish and Chips, for a truly Irish experience.

O’NIELL’S PUB

Two locations, oniells.com O’Niell’s boasts the same neighborhood feeling, many of the same staffers, and virtually the same menu (including the “weird sandwich,” the “burger in paradise,” and homemade fish and chips). Added: an outdoor patio and more beer choices.

O RAMEN

2114 Central Ave. SE, 508-1897 Yes, the Duke City has the real thing. O Ramen’s Tonkotsu (pork bone broth) spends 18 hours on the stovetop before it blesses your bowl; expect plenty of options for vegetarians and Japanese curry lovers, to boot.

ORCHID THAI CUISINE

ORTEGA’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

4300 Central Ave. SE, 265-4047, orchidabq.com Orchid Thai has been serving hungry Albuquerqueans traditional dishes like Pad Thai at its Nob Hill location for more than a decade. But this award-winning eatery goes beyond the traditional with unique dishes like deep-fried sesame duck, green tea curry, and Szechwan eggplant, all made from scratch. 3617 Wyoming Blvd. NE, 298-0223 Rudy and Edna Ortega were never selfish with their old family recipes—they’re all over the menu at Ortega’s. The green chile relleno and when in season, red chile relleno, please palates year round. Of course, don’t leave without ending your meal with a delectable dessert, like the ice-creamstuffed strawberry sopaipilla.

THE OWL CAFÉ

P’TIT LOUIS BISTRO NOB HILL

800 Eubank Blvd. NE, 291-4900, owlcafealbuquerque.com World-famous green chile cheeseburgers, milkshakes, fajitas, quesadillas, meatloaf, burritos, fries… the list of drool-worthy dishes goes on and on. 3218 Silver Ave. SE, 314-1110, ptitlouisbistro.com The quaint French bistro features a small patio, yellow umbrellas, and white tablecloths—it’s pure Paris fashion, circa 1920, with the authentic French cuisine to match it.

PACIFIC PARADISE TROPICAL GRILL AND SUSHI BAR $$

3000 San Pedro Drive NE, 881-0999, pacificparadise-restaurant-abq.com Faux palms and tiki huts frame a menu filled with more than 100 options: salads, soups, stir-fry, seafood, fried rice, noodles, sushi, and dessert menu. Try the Seafood Rice Pizza or Rock ‘n’ Roll Sushi.

PADILLA’S MEXICAN KITCHEN

1510 Girard Blvd. NE, 262-0115 It might not get any more New Mexican than it does at Padilla’s—from huevos rancheros and tamales to chile rellenos and egg-topped blue corn enchiladas. You may have to shake your head after a taste of the chile just to remind yourself you’re not in your grandmother’s kitchen. A sopaipilla dripping with honey will seal the deal for your traditional meal.

PAISANO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

1935 Eubank Blvd. NE, 298-7541, paisanosabq.com Family recipes have kept Paisano’s going for more than 35 years, but the hand-rolled pasta, handstuffed ravioli, homemade sausage and marinara haven’t hurt business, either. It’s also the only place in town to get wheat-free pizza and pasta.

THE PALETA BAR

Various locations, thepaletabar.com A hidden Albuquerque gem, The Paleta Bar has taken a tried-and-true, frozen Mexican dessert to new heights. Since 2017, this paleta wonderland has been slinging refreshing Mexican popsicles in endless combinations of flavors.

PAPA FELIPE’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT $$

9800 Menaul Blvd. NE, 292-8877, papafelipes.com Papa Felipe’s exceeds expectations by offering traditional New Mexican cuisine (enchiladas, stuffed sopaipillas, tacos) as well as simple twists on favorite dishes (green chile carne adovada, Tampico Tacos, Green Tamale Pie).

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BITES PAPA NACHOS

PARS CUISINE

7648 Louisiana Blvd. NE, 821-4900, papanachosfood.com Great, homemade Mexican food based on triedand-true family recipes is the specialty here: burritos, fish tacos, and the namesake nachos will all make your panza happy. 4320 The 25 Way NE, Ste 100, 345-5156, parscuisine.us For more than 20 years, Pars has served Persian and Mediterranean menu items in a unique atmosphere. Choose to sit on the floor under a large tent, and enjoy the talents of belly dancers, and enjoy tasty kebabs, gyros and more.

PELICAN’S RESTAURANT

$$$

Two locations, pelicansabq.com For 30 years, customers have fallen for Pelican’s— hook, line and sinker. Favorite entrées include Alaskan king crab, Australian lobster tail, and prime rib.

PEREA’S TIJUANA BAR

POKI POKI CEVICHERIA

POLLITO CON PAPAS

Two locations, pokipokinm.com Think deconstructed sushi if you’ve never had the traditionally Hawaiian poké. Completely customizable bowls with Latin and Asian fusion are the specialty here. Seven types of fish, twelve sauces, and 22 toppings make for endless combinations atop rice, chips, or a salad. Two Locations, pollitoconpapas.com Get ready for a punch of Peruvian cuisine. The menu is dotted with combinations of chicken, potatoes, and cilantro rice. The chicken is brined in vinegar and cumin for about 10 hours, then fired on a spit. The traditional drink, chicha, makes the perfect complement to any dish. The southeast part of town just inched a bit closer to South America.

PONDEROSA BREWING CO.

POP FIZZ

1761 Bellamah Ave. NW, 639-5941, ponderosabrewing.net A sister brew pub to Pints Brewing in Portland, Oregon, Ponderosa features a wide selection of American and German standard beers, with a classic menu of burgers, salads, and innovative appetizers. Two locations, pop-fizz.net Made in-house from all natural ingredients, kids can’t miss the Mexican paletas (popsicles) and ice cream tacos. For adults, boozy pops, shakes, and beer compliment the small but substantial menu of sandwiches, burritos, and the coveted carne asada fries. Located at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, the patio is dog-friendly, and you might see its ice cream truck around the city at summer events.

Eva,

Adopted from Animal Humane

4590 Corrales Road, Corrales, 898-2442 Open for lunch only, the family-owned and -operated business specializes in real, home-cooked New Mexican food that’s consistently earned kudos from customers who can’t say “no” to the Frito pie, carne adovada, and green chile cheeseburgers.

PERICO’S $

Various locations, pericosmexicanrestaurant.com Serving delicious New Mexican food at affordable prices made Perico’s instantly popular, and the “home of the ½ lb burrito” is now an Albuquerque institution with three locations, catering services, and 22 different burritos.

PHO LINH

9100 Central Ave. SE, 266-3368, pholinhabq.com Authentic Vietnamese cuisine is the name of the game at this restaurant. Look for pad thai, special noodles (with grilled barbecue shrimp), spring rolls, curry, and papaya salad.

PIATANZI $$

1403 Girard Blvd NE, 792-1700, piatanzi.com A neighborhood Italian eatery with artisan flair, Piatanzi serves up big bites on smallish plates that please families and adventurous foodies alike, in a venue that scores big points.

PIZZA 9

PIZZERIA LUCA

PLANTY SWEET

Various locations, pizzanine.com Chicago-style pizza at 10 locations around the city, along with the option of gluten-free crust—that’s what Pizza 9 brings to the, er, table. Don’t forget the wings, salads, breadsticks and calzones to complement any meal. 8850 Holly Ave. NE, 797-8086, pizzerialuca.com With imported Italian flour, cheese, and pepperoni, Pizzeria Luca offers authentic Italian cuisine. The restaurant has a subway-inspired interior and features delicious and affordable lunch specials. 2506 Washington St NE 433-7111, plantysweet.weebly.com Planty Sweet is the city’s first 100% vegan and gluten-free bakery and dessert shop and the quality of the products available is hard to deny. Not only do their artisanal baked goods taste fantastic, they are impeccably presented, each crafted to please the eye as much as the taste buds.

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BITES PRAIRIE STAR RESTAURANT

PRISMATIC COFFEE

288 Prairie Star Road, Santa Ana Pueblo, 867-3327, mynewmexicogolf.com Taking a drive past Bernalillo is a pleasure when you know the visit will include amazing made-fromscratch dishes such as herb-grilled ribeye with chipotle cheddar gratin and New Mexico bisonraised tenderloin. Reservations are recommended. 1761 Bellamah Ave. NW, 205-1590, prismatic.coffee This third-wave coffee shop in the sawmill district features a small menu of expertly crafted coffee and the perfect coffee companion, stroopwafels. Beans are roasted and sold in-house with a rotating selection of stroopwafel fillings made fresh.

PUEBLO HARVEST CAFÉ AND BAKERY

$$$

2401 12th St. NW, 724-3510, puebloharvestcafe.com The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is the perfect backdrop for the Native American-inspired cuisine prepared in the café, serving traditional and innovative dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Reservations are recommended.

PUPUSERIA Y RESTAURANTE SALVADOREÑO $

1701 Bridge Blvd. SW, 243-8194 In El Salvador, pupusas (stuffed corn tortillas) are found on every street corner. In Albuquerque, they can only be found in the South Valley, stuffed with shrimp, calabacitas, cheese, beans, or guacamole and served with a side of fresh salsa and curtidos (a spicy cabbage salad garnish).

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QUARTER CELTIC BREWPUB

QUARTERS BBQ

Two locations, quartercelticbrewpub.com Irish brews like the Crimson Lass and Rye’t Side of Dublin are paired nicely with Celtic pub fare with a New Mexico twist. Must-tries include the classic fish and chips, ruben, shepherd’s pie, and poutine with green chile. 801 Yale Blvd. SE, 843-6949, thequartersonyaleblvd.com Feeling hungry? How about 187,000 pounds of ribs and 15,000 pounds of Alaskan King Crab a year, an attached packaged liquor store, a secret sauce recipe, and customers hungry for more? Try the pork spare ribs or hot links.

RANCHERS CLUB OF NEW MEXICO $$$

1901 University Blvd. NE, 889-8071, theranchersclubofnm.com With more fine dining awards on their wall than years they’re been in business, the Ranchers Club of New Mexico inside the Crowne Plaza Albuquerque is a meat lovers’ paradise and wine connoisseurs’ promised land. Reservations are recommended.

THE RANGE CAFÉ

Three locations, rangecafe.com Locals flock to The Range Café when they’re in search of good, made-from-scratch comfort food, including meatloaf sandwiches, huevos rancheros, enchiladas, ice cream, and the gooey Life by Chocolate dessert.

REBEL DONUT

Two locations, rebeldonut.com Not only can you find their set flavors, including their raised glazed, chocolate cake glazed, rebel red velvet, birthday cake, and toasted coconut, but you can also order custom-made donuts or choose to experiment with their daily creations.

RELISH GOURMET SANDWICHES

8019 Menaul Blvd. NE, 299-0001, relishsandwichesabq.com It’s no wonder this sandwich shop has been voted “best” by publications throughout Albuquerque— it serves only the best Boar’s Head meats and all of their dishes are accompanied by homemade sides or soups. Try the Cubano. You won’t be disappointed.

RESTORATION PIZZA

5161 Lang Ave NE Suite A 582-2720, Restorationpizza.com Here, good food and positive works—delivered simultaneously—is in the very nature of the business. The idea is to provide patrons with top-notch pies and first-rate beers while giving traditionally underemployed individuals work opportunities they would otherwise miss.

RICHARD’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT $$

3301 Menaul Blvd. NE, 881-1039 Mexican favorites—such as carne adovada, relleño, tacos, and green chile enchiladas—cooked in the healthiest, most nutritious, yummiest way possible. Open for breakfast and lunch.

RICHIE B’S PIZZA

7200 Montgomery Blvd. NE, Suite A-2, 312-8579, richiebsabq.com New York-style pizza has come home to roost in Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights. Whether by the slice or by the pie—some of which measure 25 inches in diameter—you’ll need every bit of your appetite when you visit Richie B’s. Not in the mood for pizza? Wrap your hands around a turkey, cheesesteak, or Italian sandwich, topped with its signature Viper sauce, or tempt your sweet tooth with traditional cannoli or New York-style cheesecake

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BITES RIO BRAVO BREWING COMPANY

ROCKIN’ TACO

1912 2nd St. NW, 900-3909, riobravobrewing.com The pub and grill is bright and airy with high ceilings and a modern industrial style, mixed with the cozy rustic feel of a neighborhood bar, with 32 taps, including their award winning La Luz Lager. 3600 Cutler Ave NE, 401-1000, greenjeansfarmery.org Rockin’ Taco is housed inside of Albuquerque’s premier indoor/outdoor gathering place, Green Jeans Farmery. With a food truck vibe and an East Coast flare, this hidden gem is elevating the street taco.

ROMA BAKERY & DELI

501 Roma Ave. NW, 843-9418, romabakeryanddeli.com You’ll find more than fresh-baked cookies and pastries at this bakery—feast your eyes (and taste buds) on grilled sandwiches and eight fresh deli salads and soups.

ROSEMARY $$

4565 San Mateo Blvd. NE, Suite A 361-1842, rosemaryabq.com This plant-forward restaurant offers a soothing atmosphere, creative menu, and amazing food. Any menu item can be adapted to meet personal preferences and dietary restrictions.

RUDY’S COUNTRY STORE AND BAR-B-Q

Two locations, rudys.com Texas-style slow cooking over oak is what makes Rudy’s brisket, ribs and sausage so mouthwatering—not to mention the “sause.” Every serving comes with paper towels, unlimited sliced onions and pickles, and bread to mop up the leftover BBQ.

RUSTIC BUBBLE TEA CAFE

840 Juan Tabo Blvd Suite B, 505-1813, rusticbubbleteacafe.com Rustic Bubble Tea Café has all of the fundamentals of a bubble tea shop down, of course–the hint is in the name, after all–but what sets the independent Albuquerque startup apart is the Vietnameseinspired menu that accompanies their decadent beverages.

RUSTIC ON THE GREEN

3600 Cutler Ave NE, 315-1148, rusticburger505.com Rustic simplicity is the key for this burger joint at Green Jeans Farmery, serving up five equallycraveable burger options and two different kinds of fries from its minimalist menu. Don’t let the simplicity fool you: this unique eatery does gourmet burgers that has fans coming back for more, including its Day of the Dead burger with a secret “Diablo” puree and the Divine Intervention, topped with bleu cheese and caramelized onions.

RUTILIO’S NEW MEXICAN FOODS

455 N. Main St., Belen, 864-0093 Belen Mayor Rudy Jaramillo’s carne adovada is what put Rutilio’s on the map. This hangout serves their perfect pork with rice and beans, stuffed inside burritos and sopaipillas, and layered inside enchiladas and quesadillas. Add Rutilio’s breakfast burritos and classic New Mexican combos, and guests are sure to find something worth campaigning for.

SADIE’S OF NEW MEXICO

Various locations, sadiesofnewmexico.com A staple in New Mexican cuisine, Sadie’s features enchiladas, carne adovada ribs, tacos, burritos, and of course, world-famous chips and salsa. Reservations are recommended.

SAHARA MIDDLE EASTERN EATERY

2622 Central Ave. SE, 255-5400, saharamiddleeasterneatery.com Delectable Middle Eastern plates served up Manhattan-deli style. The chicken shawarma plate, complete with greens, pita, hummus, and awardwinning tabbouleh, is always a good bet. Complete with beer and wine, and belly dancing on weekends, this is a fave of students, locals, and out-of-towners alike.

SAIGON RESTAURANT

Two locations, saigonrestaurantnm.com Vicky Truong’s secret to 12 years of success has been consistency. Truong maintains an extensive menu that caters to every type of eater. From summer dishes such as noodle bowls to winter mainstays like beef noodle soup, Truong will make sure you find your favorites.

SAKURA SUSHI & GRILL

6241 Riverside Plaza NW, 890-2838, abqsakurasushingrill.com Favorites at Sakura are the Stone Pot Bibimbap (which is cooked at the table in a stone pot), the Tiger Roll, the Short Rib, the Baked Lobster Roll, the Sushi Tacos, and the impressive list of sake imported from Japan.

SALATHAI $

3619 Copper Ave. NE, 265-9330 Made-from-scratch, fresh, ingredients and keeping it simple are owner Pitak Pitakkan’s rules to cook by. Pitakkan cooks every menu item himself so don’t go to Salathai in a hurry. Pitakkan’s grandmother taught him to make curry and his curries are a longtime customer favorite.

THE SALT YARD

Two locations, thesaltyardnm.com A multi-concept bar and restaurant, The Salt Yard is

equipped with games, dozens of televisions, great food, drinks, and plenty of space to stretch your legs. This unique location is a great place for parties, trying the newest beer and tequila (Blue Agave Republic is now a part of it), or just watching the game.

SAMURAI GRILL AND SUSHI BAR

$$$

9500 Montgomery Blvd. NE, 275-6601, abqsamurai.com What’s your pleasure, sushi or teppan? Here, you can have either expertly crafted right in front of you. It’s also where you can get fresh sushi favorites such as the California roll, the dragon roll, and a veggies-and-sushi “Viagra salad” special.

SANTA FE BITE-ABQ

3407 Central Ave NE 369-1621, santafebite-abq.com

At Santa Fe Bite-ABQ, the green chile cheeseburger is treated with the reverence it deserves, presenting a precision crafted recipe. The details, in fact, are so carefully crafted that even the grilling surface needs to meet certain criteria. Absent a turn on the surface of a custom cast iron grill, it’s just not a Santa Fe Bite burger.

SANTIAGO’S NEW MEXICAN GRILL

1911 Eubank Blvd. NE, 292-8226 It’s in the sauce—Papa Jim’s Taco Sauce, at least— which comes with items such as burritos, tacos, and salsa. This Santiago Scramble—a pile of scrambled eggs, cheese, corn tortillas, chorizo, and hash browns—is great morning fuel. The tamale and enchilada take-and-bake casseroles will please any partygoer. And take a jar of that taco sauce home— after all, you can.

SAVOY BAR & GRILL

$$$

SCARPAS BRICK OVEN PIZZA

Two locations, scarpaspizza.com That brick oven is cornerstone to this neighborhood favorite, producing pizzas such as the shrimp pesto, the Greek, and the chipotle chicken. But Scarpas also knows pasta, including red chile cream pasta and pasta sorento with oak-roasted chicken.

SEARED $$

119 San Pasquale Ave SW 999-8414, searedabq.com During the day, the space is Cheese & Coffee, but at night, it gets a makeover and becomes Seared, a fine dining establishment serving up steak, pork loin, and Atlantic Salmon among other things.

SEASONS ROTISSERIE AND GRILL $$$

2031 Mountain Road NW, 766-5100, seasonsabq.com As the name suggests, Seasons varies its menu in accordance with what’s going on throughout the year, using the finest, freshest ingredients. Depending on what time of year you venture in, you’ll find butternut squash ravioli, grilled Atlantic salmon, and bleu cheese-crusted beef filet. Reservations are recommended.

SERGIO’S LA DOLCE VITA

SHARK REEF CAFÉ

SHARKY’S FISH & SHRIMP

2740 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Suite 8, 554-2602 Fresh, made-from-scratch cookies, donuts, breads, pastries, cakes, and cannoli are on the mouthwatering menu at this Italian bakery. 2601 Central Ave. NW, 848-7182 To conclude your tour of the Albuquerque Aquarium, grab a seat at this full-service restaurant whose dining room features a view of the oceanic reef exhibit. Catering to visitors, families, and daytime dates, the menu offers simple, fun options. Call ahead for special events, like themed dinners and holiday celebrations. 5420 Central Ave. SW, 831-8905 Slip on your flip-flops and enjoy some Baja–inspired seafood, tacos, and carefree beach house ambiance in this roadside outdoor eatery. Sharky’s won acclaim as the little food truck that could, and this brick-and-mortar locale delivers the goods.

SHOGUN JAPANESE RESTAURANT

3310 Central Ave. SE, 265-9166 When your order of sushi comes around the bend on its floating wooden boat, you couldn’t be happier, whether you’ve ordered the “Super Crunch” (shrimp tempura roll), or the “TNT Roll” (fish, zucchini and onion, baked with spicy mayo and smothered on a California roll).

THE SHOP BREAKFAST & LUNCH

2933 Monte Vista Blvd. NE, 433-2795 Breakfast and lunch at The Shop guarantees a plethora of flavors and textures that are tough to find in the Duke City. Combining down-home Southern staples with Mexican and New Mexican traditions, you’re bound to discover a new appreciation for bacon and eggs.

SIAM CAFÉ

5500 San Mateo Blvd. NE, Suite 101, 883-7334, siamcafeabq.com With its array of freshly-made curries—all made with coconut milk and a wide variety of luscious spices—this restaurant scores high marks with Albuquerqueans who love Thai food.

10601 Montgomery Blvd. NE, 294-9463, savoyabq.com Resembling a California wine-country bistro, Savoy Bar & Grill is one of Albuquerque’s premier finedining establishments. Specializing in food and wine pairing, Savoy’s menu is a toast to the art of balance of food and wine.

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2400 12th St. NW 243-2230, sixtysixacres.com If you had to boil Sixty-Six Acres down to two words, they would be “casual” and “classy.” Featuring craft cocktails and a wealth of locally sourced, globallyinspired dishes, Sixty-Six Acres is the ideal spot to grab a relaxed, refined meal.

SLAPFISH $$

STEEL BENDER BREWYARD

Two locations, slapfishrestaurant.com Have you ever had fish so fresh that it jumped up and tail slapped you in the face? Well, that’s the joke behind the very popular eatery, Slapfish, located in Holly Square. This fast casual gem has gained a great reputation for efficiency, service, flavor combos, and the freshness of their seafood.

ST. JAMES TEAROOM

SLATE STREET BILLIARDS

STARR BROS. BREWING

2003 Southern Blvd SE #139, Rio Rancho 994-0363, slatestreetbilliards.com Come for the pool, stay for the nachos, and the burgers, and the wings. Rio Rancho’s favorite pool hall also offers has great Happy Hour pricing and plenty of special events.

SLATE STREET CAFÉ

515 Slate Ave. NW, 243-2210, slatestreetcafe.com Slate Street Cafe is a sleek, contemporary eatery that combines big city ambience with inspired, modern cuisine. From the smoked salmon frittata to build-your-own bruschetta to mouthwatering Ahi tuna, their culinary flair will tantalize and delight from breakfast through dinner.

SLICE AND DICE PIZZERIA

5720 McMahon Blvd, Suite B, 261-2058, sliceanddicepizzeria.com With both a sweeping library of board games and full menu of hot pies and subs, Slice and Dice is a venue for everyone from seasoned players to wideeyed beginners (or people just hungry for some pizza). They provide a space where you can gather with a few friends and take in the twin delights of pizza and board games.

SLICE PARLOR

SOO BAK

Two locations, sliceparlor.com Made-from-scratch pizza dough that is hand stretched daily and cooked on a pizza stone. Have a slice of the old faithful pepperoni pizza; try the Pesto Pizza or the House Calzone. Don’t forget to enjoy the local artwork hanging on the walls. 111 Hermosa Dr SE 268-0017, soobakfoods.com Serving up a style of food known as “koi fusion”, Soo Bak offers a wide variety of delicious entrees including eight different varieties of kimichi. Try the Soy Crunch Kimichi, which comes with pickled chayote squash, onions, some jalapenos, and fish sauce, apple juice, soy sauce, and vinegar.

SPINN’S BURGER & BEER

4411 Montaño Road NW, 899-6180, spinnsrestaurant.com Every burger served at Spinn’s is made with never-frozen, fresh-ground Angus beef. Try the restaurant’s signature Armadillo Burger. Spinn’s fries are cut and fried when you order them.

SQUEEZED JUICE BAR

Various locations, squeezedjuicebars.com

Incredibly innovative, modern mixed juices, smoothies, and other healthy delights for people on the move and looking for exercise recovery. Three to five pounds of fruit are squeezed into every drink, and it’s all extract, no fillers, and sure to brighten your day.

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8305 2nd St. NW 433-3537, steelbenderbrewyard.com The 275-seat brewery has an industrial vibe with cozy undertones. But the Los Ranchos brewery stands apart from competitors based on its wide selection of house made beers and its gourmet menu.

$$$

320 Osuna Road NE, Suite D, 242-3752, stjamestearoom.com Albuquerque’s long-standing, go-to teahouse, this enveloping, intricately detailed, and authentically British tearoom provides old-fashioned conversation and honest service.

5700 San Antonio Dr. NE, Suite B1 492-2752, starrbrothersbrewing.com With dishes ranging from American favorites to Southern fare, Starr Bros. Brewing is more than an award-winning brewery. It’s turned heads with Poutine Burqueño, a New Mexican take on the Canadian, greasy-spoon classic. The house burger, with high-quality beef and homemade green chile aioli, is a customer favorite.

STEVE’S ICE CREAM AND JAVA

STICKY RICE

323 Romero St. NW # 16, 242-8445 In addition to a dozen ice cream flavors and an array of sherbets, the ‘chill’ side of the menu boasts delightfully smooth malts and fountain drinks. For those looking for a good cup of Joe, Steve’s also delivers–offering a broad selection of coffees and a full set of espressos. 7600 Jefferson St. SE, Suite 5, 797-1288 Likely the only authentic Laotian sticky rice to be found anywhere in ABQ, this simple menu offers moist, slow roasted chicken and a few frills at prices you can’t beat with a chopstick. The family meal is a steal.

STORMING CRAB

5001 San Mateo Blvd NE 407-2032, albuquerque.stormingcrab.us Specializing in large, customizable seafood boils rich in Cajun and Atlantic coast flavor, Storming Crab’s selection of dinner combos are encouraged to build their own. Black and green mussels, shrimp, crawfish, white clams, and crab legs can be ordered by the pound.

STRAIGHT UP PIZZA

2801 Eubank Blvd. NE, Suite G, 796-9343, straightuppizza.com Offering New York style pizza with a New Mexican edge, Straight Up Pizza serves the Northeast Heights with specialty pizzas, unique toppings, and a plethora of options for any pizza connoisseur.

STUFYS $

Three locations, stufys.com Tasty stuffed sopaipillas are on the menu of this customer favorite, which has been around since 1968. Each sopaipilla is made with a custom machine invented by the owners, then stuffed with savory fillings.

SUSHI & SAKE

4214 Central Ave. SE 797-8000, abqsushiandsake.com With specialty sushi rolls, select Korean favorites, and a family-friendly atmosphere, Sushi & Sake specializes in Asian food with a Korean flair. Also look for non-sushi options, such as teriyaki chicken.

SUSHI KING

SUSHI XUAN

Various locations, sushikingnm.com With three locations around Albuquerque, Sushi King proves day-after-day that it is king of the sea, boasting a large variety of specialty sushi rolls, Japanese curry dishes, and monthly menu revisions to keep the options fresh and appealing. Reservations are recommended. 417 Tramway Blvd NE #3, 200-2477, sushixuannm.com

You’ll find more than tasty sushi here. Diners dig into Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai dishes, too. Sushi Xuan has multiple shipments of fresh fish during the week, and only uses Japanese Kokoro rice, and organic veggies whenever possible.

SUSHIYA $$

2906 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE, Suite D, 275-4777, nmsushiya.com This family-owned and operated restaurant strives to serve up sushi the way you’d find it on the southern California coast. A clean and comfortable atmosphere pairs well with friendly service and some of the thickest cuts of sashimi in the city.

SWISS ALPS BAKERY

3000 San Pedro Drive NE, 881-3063, swissalpsbakery.com Desserts rule, but the sandwiches hit it out of the park. Endless flavors of pastries, tiramisu, and over a dozen cookies line the bakery case. Everything is scratch made including the many varieties of bread and authentic Bavarian style pretzels available on Saturdays. Paninis, grilled, and cold sandwiches round out the sweets with a full espresso bar.

TAAJ PALACE

1435 Eubank Blvd NE 296-0109, taajpalacenm.com Taaj Palace is a multifaceted field of flavor and texture, built around the fiery core of the tandoor oven, that serves up a variety of delicious curries, including the widely popular chicken makhani (butter chicken), where tandoori chicken is presented swimming in a creamy tomato sauce.

TACO SAL

9621 Menaul Blvd. NE, 298-2210 This family-owned and operated restaurant offers tasty, traditional New Mexican (burritos, chile rellenos, enchiladas, tacos, huevos rancheros and more) with its very own chunky salsa, made with real green chile.

TAJ MAHAL CUISINE OF INDIA

TALKING DRUMS

TASTE OF INDIA

1430 Carlisle Blvd. NE, 255-1994, tajmahalabq.com Taj Mahal is filled with all of your Indian favorites, from fresh naan (try the garlic version) to tasty saag paneer. The line goes out the door for the popular lunch buffet. 1606 Central Ave. SE 792-3221, talkingdrumsabq.com Talking Drums restaurant is serving up some unique African and Caribbean fair inspired by a form of communication expressed through specific drumbeats. Though most of the items are traditional, keep an eye out for some New Mexican flare. 1605 Juan Tabo Blvd NE 294-6342, tasteofindiaabq.com Family recipes modified for American tastes; Taste of India typically dials back the spice a bit. But it’s no misnomer to think of Taste of India as just what the name advertises: a taste of regional flavors, conveyed by people who grew up with them

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TEOFILOS $$

144 Main St. NW, Los Lunas, 865-5511, teofilos.com The restaurant’s generations-old made-fromscratch recipes will draw you to Los Lunas, along with the warm chips, chile rellenos, crème cake, enchiladas, and more, all handmade from scratch.

THAI BORAN

3236 La Orilla Rd. NW, 492-2244, thaiborannm.com Steeped in spicy tradition, Thai Boran has quickly gained traction as one of the top Thai restaurants Albuquerque has to offer. Thai Boran, which means “Old Thai”, features 53 items on its menu, including five soups, six curries, and five unique dishes off the “Chef’s Collection” section.

THAI CUISINE 2

4201 Central Ave. NE, 232-3200, thaicuisinenm.com thaicuisinenm.com/home2 Housed in perhaps the most curious A-frame along Route 66, this is the second-coming of a muchbeloved Westside Thai staple, and judging by the fandom, it’s simply better. Be wary of the heat in these dishes, and if you’re vegan/vegetarian, be very, very thankful.

THAI KITCHEN

10701 Corrales Road NW, 890-0059, thaikitchenabq.com Art Xaiyasiha is one of two siblings who crafted one of the Duke City’s first great Thai restaurants, Siam Café. Thai Kitchen is his very own venture, featuring his takes on authentic dishes that taste “just like they do back home.”

THAI SPICE

7441 Paseo Del Norte NE, 503-1521, thaispiceabq.com An extensive menu features authentic Thai favorites like Pad Thai or Thai fried rice. Lunch special includes an egg roll, entrée, and coconut milk tapioca pudding punctuated with an origami rose–topped straw.

THAI TIP RESTAURANT

THAI VEGAN

1512 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Suite E, 323-7447 The folks at Thai Tip make grocery store runs three times a day to ensure they have enough fresh ingredients for their delicious rice, Thai-style noodle dishes, stir-fries, and salads. Two locations, thaivegannm.com Utilizing local organic produce, you’ll get some of the healthiest food around, all without sacrificing taste. This non-vegan favorite has hearty offerings and a soy chicken that satisfies even the pickiest of meat eaters.

THEOBROMA CHOCOLATIER

12611 Montgomery Blvd. NE, 293-6545, theobromachocolatier.com More than 20 years of experience goes into every morsel of European–inspired chocolate and sweet treat at this 505 sweet-tooth savior. Streamlined and polished, Theobroma has the look of a franchise, but everything is hand-crafted and produced on-site.

THUNDER ROAD STEAKHOUSE AND CANTINA AT ROUTE 66 CASINO HOTEL

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made-from-scratch salsas, fresh tortillas, Pastel de Tres Leches Cake, Yucatan Tacos, Smoked Baby Back Pork Ribs, and much more.

TIA BETTY BLUE’S

TIA B’S LA WAFFLERIA

TIA JUANITA’S

1248 San Mateo Blvd. SE, 268-1955, tiabettyblues.com 1940s influence is sprinkled throughout this gem, from the décor to the food. The chile, red or green, is nice and spicy, just like your grandma made it. New Mexican breakfast and lunch items dot the menu (including many gluten-free and vegetarian options), but often have a unique twist, like ranchero blue corn waffles piled high with eggs, carne adovada, and chile. The coffee is fresh, and numerous specialty beverages are poured up daily. 3710 Campus Blvd. NE, 492-2007, lawaffleriaabq.com You’ve never experienced waffles of this magnitude. A residential home-turned-restaurant, anticipate artisan flare (lavender whipped cream, goat cheese, and caramel apple toppings) and plenty of goods for vegans and celiacs. Albuquerque International Sunport, 2200 Sunport Blvd. SE, 842-4280, fresquezcompanies.com Headed on a flight out of ABQ? Stop here for your New Mexican food fix: breakfast burritos, green chile chicken enchiladas, carne adovada. You can even take your green chile to go with the restaurant’s special “thermal bags” for travel.

14500 Central Ave. SW, Laguna Pueblo 352-7888, rt66casino.com Nestled inside this busy casino, you’ll find dishes that are a confluence of cultures at Thunder Road:

505.503.1521 • thaispiceabq.com 7441 Paseo del Norte NE, Suite A • Albuquerque, NM 87113 NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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1800 Tingley Drive SW, 248-8524, cabq.gov For runners and bikers along the Bosque Trail, or for the fishermen that frequent Tingley Beach lakes, the Tingley Beach Café is a well-kept secret for snack seekers, offering fare such as hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, pickles, and more.

TOLTEC BREWING

10250 Cottonwood Park NW 890-1455, toltecbrewing.com Culinary duties at Toltec fall to Executive Chef Emma Gibson, who brings her own sophisticated flare to the rich world of pub grub. Regardless of food cravings, be sure to pair your order with a brew. The Cactus Warrior is brewed with agave nectar for a smooth, easy to drink, endlessly approachable pint.

TOMASITA’S $$

4949 Pan American Fwy NE, 344-1204, tomasitas.com Serving family recipes and making traditional dishes with local ingredients, Tomasita’s has been one of the state’s most popular local spots since Georgia Maryol opened it in Santa Fe in 1974.

TOMATO CAFÉ

7900 San Pedro NE, 821-9300, tomatocafe.com A buffet-style, all-you-can-eat, sit-down restaurant where you create the menu: thin-crust pizzas, pastas, meatballs, steamed broccoli, and Italian green beans cooked over an open flame are just some of the treats.

TROMBINO’S BISTRO ITALIANO 5415 Academy Road NE, 821-5974, bistroitaliano.com

The former Trattoria Trombino cooks up Italiano autentico, with huge dishes of pasta with homemade sauces, grilled meats and fish, and veal marsala. The cool atmosphere lends relaxation, turning any meal into a vacation. Reservations are recommended.

TSAI’S CHINESE BISTRO

2325 San Pedro Drive NE Ste 1E, 508-2925, tsaischinese.com Tsai’s offerings range wide across the traditional (diners especially recommend favorites like the Shrimp Kung Pao or Orange Beef) but those looking for something new to try should make for the Chef’s Specials.

TULLY’S ITALIAN DELI

1425 San Mateo Blvd. NE, 255-5370, tullysdeli.com This Italian deli serves two-dozen subs for dine-in or pick-up lunch. A fully stocked market features Italian pantry goods from pasta to olive oil. Don’t forget a box of pastries, cookies, biscotti, cake, or a famous cannoli on your way out.

TURTLE MOUNTAIN BREWING COMPANY $$

905 36th Place SE, Rio Rancho, 994-9497, turtlemountainbrewing.com turtlemountainbrewing.com Known for its handcrafted ales and lagers, which are brewed on the premises, this is more than just a place to enjoy a few drinks. It’s also a great place to enjoy wood-fired pizzas and calzones in a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere.

TWO BOYS DONUTS

6400 Holly Ave NE, Ste H 302-0102, twoboysdonuts.com Regularly stocking more than 30 flavors of donut, Two Boys has particular favorites—like their blueberry cake donut with maple icing and cinnamon sugar—and also brews up Villa Myriam coffee, giving you everything you need for a fullcourse wake-up.

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TWO FOOLS TAVERN

3211 Central Ave. NE, 265-7447, 2foolstavern.com A taste of the Emerald Isle: fish and chips, bangers and mash, bread pudding, Guinness on tap, and live Celtic music on Sunday afternoons.

UPTOWN SPORTS BAR

6601 Uptown Blvd. NE, 884-4714, uptown-sportsbar.com A huge sports venue with wall-to-wall televisions and all the extras—solid American fare alongside a wide selection of local and national beers.

URBAN HOTDOG COMPANY

Various locations, urbanhotdogcompany.com With about 20 choices—and even a vegetarian option—this restaurant has become a dog-lover’s go-to. Look for Chicago and NYC classics, plus adventurous temptations like the Crafty Dog (topped with mac ‘n’ cheese and bacon).

VERNON’S HIDDEN VALLEY STEAKHOUSE $$$

6855 4th St. NW, 341-0831, thehiddensteakhouse.com This unmarked restaurant requires a secret password to gain entrance. Once inside, you’ll discover a world of perfect steaks and gourmet seafood, paired with an unbeatable loungey atmosphere. Reservations are recommended.

VIC’S DAILY CAFÉ

VICK’S VITTLES COUNTRY KITCHEN

VIET TASTE

3600 Osuna Road NE, 341-9710, vicsdailycafe.com With a full range of breakfast items, New Mexican favorites, and comfort food, this is a one-stop shop for tasty options like breakfast burritos, meatloaf, and coconut cream pie. 8810 Central Ave. SE, 298-5143, vicksvittles.com Rustle up your posse and head to Vick’s for heaping helpings of Texas-New Mexico fusion and breakfast served all day. Country comfort meets southwestern flair in an environment that welcomes suits and cowboys alike. Prepare to be stuffed.

VINTAGE 423

8000 Paseo Del Norte Blvd. NE, 821-1918, vintage-423.com

Decorated with plush booths, black and white photos of vintage cars, a glass wine cellar wall, and an outdoor patio with couches and fireplaces, Vintage 423 is a goto location for good eats and happy hour—all year long.

WECK’S $$

Various locations, wecksinc.com For nearly 20 years, Weck’s has served up huge, tasty portions of breakfast and lunch. Examples: The Original comes with one pound of potatoes mixed with eggs, cheese, and chile; the “Scratch Made” Buttermilk Pancakes are more than seven inches wide.

WESTERN VIEW

6411 Central Ave NW 836-2200 With a cozy diner feel and a long history, Western View is turning out plates of diner classics and New Mexican staples—finely seasoned with a sprinkling of Greek options—for diners hungry for both hearty home cooked meals and classic countertop service.

WHICH WICH

WHOLE HOG CAFÉ

Various locations, whichwich.com A national brand with local twists, list your favorites on the bag and await a sammie that edges the competition. The UNM location is a student mainstay. Two locations, wholehogcafenm.com Get award-winning Memphis-style barbecue in a family-friendly atmosphere. Can’t-miss items include the pulled pork, potato salad, and the homemade banana pudding.

YANNI’S MODERN MEDITERRANEAN $$

3109 Central Ave. SE, 268-9250, yannisabq.com Impeccable Mediterranean cuisine paired with a fresh atmosphere that whisks you away to Grecian shores, you can always count on Yanni’s for savory spanakopita, perfect pasta, and other delicious treats. Reservations are recommended.

YASMINE’S CAFÉ

5721 Menaul Blvd. NE, 888-0101, pwbportal.us/viet-taste-abq With more than 100 menu options—noodle and rice dishes, eight varieties of Pho, coconut shakes, and many more—this restaurant is true to its name, offering a real taste of Vietnamese cuisine.

1600 Central Ave. SE, 242-1980 Yasmine’s is one of the few places in Albuquerque with shawarma—pitas filled with marinated chicken or beef that’s been pressed, stacked and cooked slowly on a rotisserie. Also try lamb and beef shish kababs, baba ghanoush, fatah, and four varieties of baklava.

VIET PHO

THE YELLER SUB

4208 Menaul Blvd. NE, 717-2359 This Vietnamese-based cuisine restaurant offers a homey feel and Southeast Asian comfort food. Try the popular Beef Pho Soup or go for a lighter dish like the Shrimp Spring Rolls.

VILLAGE PIZZA

Two locations, villagepizzanm.com Family owned and operated, Village Pizza offers salads, nachos, calzones, pasta, and of course, signature pizzas, along with an all-you-can-eat buffet.

VINAIGRETTE $$ 1828 Central Ave. SW, 842-5507, vinaigretteonline.com

Getting in touch with your “green” side has never been as hip as it is at Albuquerque’s newest go-to salad bistro. Vinaigrette offers a menu full of unique salads made with fresh produce from owner Erin Wade’s farm in Nambè. Items like The Nutty Pear-Fessor and the Asian Chopped Salad don’t sacrifice deliciousness just because they’re healthy. Expect one of 17 vinaigrette dressings to be perfectly paired with your salad.

7200 Montgomery Blvd. NE, 888-9784, yellersub.com Owner Mark Roerick has been perfecting his sandwiches since 1979 and the customer favorite, Steak & Grilled Onions Sub proves it. The potato chips, fries, and onion rings made from scratch the old-fashioned way sure won’t let you down.

ZINC WINE BAR AND BISTRO

$$$

3009 Central Ave. NE, 254-9462, zincabq.com Imaginative, gourmet cuisine (think: duck confit eggrolls, chicken skewer salad, and pine nut spanakopita) and an out-of-this-world wine list meets a friendly, laid-back atmosphere at this Nob Hill favorite. Reservations are recommended.

ZORBA’S FINE GREEK CUISINE

11225 Montgomery Blvd. NE, 323-2695, zorbasabq.com The family behind University area favorite, Olympia Café, have relocated their tasty homemade Greek food to the Northeast Heights. Try the Southwestern Gyros or the enduring customer favorite, the pork, chicken, or lamb kebob.

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RESTAURANTS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

My Eyes Are Up Here

Pre-Order Your Bottle at HollowSpirits.com

1324 1st ST NW

Albuquerque, NM 87102 (505) 433-2766

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Home of tHe

Curbside pickup & outdoor seating at

ALL LOCATIONS

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jinjabistro.com

Louisiana Plaza, 7200 Montgomery Blvd NE, ABQ. (505)312-8579

FEATURING new mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier wines & spirits Lunch | Light Bites At hotel chaco 2000 bellamah ave Nw 505.246.9989 | Hotelchaco.com

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Cakes • Cupcakes • Milkshakes • Sweets OP 5

WINNER

2720 Central Ave. SE, Suite D Albuquerque | 505-514-6775 Hours: Tues–Sat: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

W W W . Q C A K E S . C O M

DEFIANTLY DELICIOUS

Delivery & Catering Available

Fresh Handmade Donuts Daily!

Full Espresso Bar Featuring Locally Roasted Coffee! WEST SIDE 9311 Coors Blvd. NW, Suite QA Albuquerque, NM 87114 505.898.3090

The ‘Best Breakfast Burrito’ and Amazing chicken and ribs!

EAST SIDE 2435 Wyoming Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87112 505.293.0553

Hours: Monday-Sunday 7am-3pm daily

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10101 Central NE • 1830 Lomas NE 5231 Central NW • 3720 Juan Tabo NE

GOLDENPRIDEABQ.COM

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Bring

this Ad

to rece

20% O ive ff

Thank you for voting for us!

r d in n er r o l Make ou anksgivingls your t r a d i t ion Th BUY A DOZEN DINNER ROLLS & GET A DOZEN 1/2 OFF Available baked or frozen. Due to high demand we strongly encourage pre-ordering your dinner rolls. Baked Dinner Rolls require an hour and half notice. Discount applies to second dozen only. Discount applied at register. Value of discount is not to exceed $2.49. One coupon per customer. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Please call ahead, not valid for online ordering. Valid curbside, please present coupon. Offer expires 11/30/20. ABQM-88

BUY 3 KOLACHES & GET 3 FREE

Of equal or lesser value. Excludes Specialty items such as Croissants and Polish Varieties. One coupon per customer. May not be duplicated or copied. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Valid curbside, please present coupon. Not valid for online ordering. Offer expires 11/30/20. ABQM-88

Paseo Village Shopping Center Paseo del Norte & Wyoming • Ste B3 505-856-3430 10660 UNSER BLVD NW, STE D, ABQ NM 87114

Hours: Mon. – Sat. 6AM – 2PM, Sun. 7AM – 2PM Franchises Available • Follow Us on

505.898.GLTZ (4589) • CHOCGLITZANDCREAM.COM

Order Online at KolacheFactoryToGo.com

STARRBROTHERSBREWING.COM @STARRBROTHERSBREWING

HOLIDAY SHOPPING MADE SIMPLE

FOR EVERY $25 GIFT CARD, YOU GET $5 FOR YOURSELF!

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Receive an instant gift from Kaktus Brewing Company to introduce our product. Also receive two coupons monthly there after. Some of the coupons include Complimentary beer tastings, free pizzas, desserts, and drink specials.

text ABQMAG to

505-968-6868

There is something here for everyone! Delivery

Curbside Pickup

Brunch

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4410 Wyoming Blvd NE, ABQ

505-299-6973 TheAcreRestaurant.com

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100%GRASS-FED BEEF

LVL 5

BURGERS FRIES SHAKES!

GMO-FREE SIGNATURE sunflower chipotle E E R F OOIL M MAYO G Craft Batch NM craft BUNS green soda chile

GLUTEN FREE & VEGAN options

TAKE OUT --- and--eatgrassburger.com DELIVERY 11225 MONTGOMERY BLVD NE | 5600 COORS BLVD NW

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in Hotel Chaco 2000 Bellamah Ave NW | 505 318 3998 hotelchaco.com

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An Albuquerque Tradition Since 1971 For Red & Green Chile, fresh Flour Tortillas & the Frontier Sweet Roll

Gift cards available 2400 Central SE | FRONTIERRESTAURANT.COM PATIO + FOOD TRUCKS

LEAVE THE COOKING TO US 125 Second Street NW Albuquerque, NM 87102 Phone: 505.388.0088

529 ADAMS ST. NE / 505.433.5591 / HIGHANDDRYBREWING.COM

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DELIVERY: selflane.com doordash.com

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Join Us in the Pub or

enjoy at Home. Dine-in • Curbside • Pickup

Award winning Beers, Fantastic Fish & Chips.

1930 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE, Ste. H Albuquerque, NM 87112 1100 San Mateo Blvd. NE, Ste. 50 Albuquerque, NM 87110 quartercelticbrewpub.com 505.717.2536 | 505.503.1387

experience NEW MEXICO’S FIRST FOOD HALL 1909 bellamah ave. NW, Albuquerque

SaWmillmarket.com

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RESTAURANTS

It’s Prime time.

Albuquerque’s Only Authentic Irish Pub Enjoy the best Fish & Chips this side of the Pond, along with a perfectly poured Guinness or sample New Mexico’s most extensive Scotch Whiskey selection.

savoyabq.com • 505.294.WINE (9463)

FOOD SERVED DAILY 11 A.M.-11 P.M. FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS UNTIL 12 A.M. 3211 CENTRAL AVE. NE • 505.265.7447 • WWW.2FOOLSTAVERN.COM

MONTE CARLO STEAKHOUSE

& Liquor Store Firing up the grill on:

Mon-Fri 11am-10pm Saturday 11am-9pm Closed Sundays

Seared SINCE 2017

FREE Appetizer with 2 paid entrées!

Place Takeout orders at:

(505)836-9886 3916 Central Ave SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105

119 San Pasquale Ave SW, Albuquerque

505-999-8414 searedabq.com

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THOSE WHO KNOW... KNOW TO GO... TO GO TO MARIO’S

Safe Service & Quality Food!

VillagePizzaNM.com 4266 Corrales Rd. 505-898-0045 “One Of The Best Places To Eat In The Duke City”

3200 La Orilla Rd. 505-219-3766

Call today for Delivery!

BY: ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL

BEST PIZZA • BEST GELATO • BEST PIZZA DELIVERY BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT SERVING ABQ SINCE 1972

DINE IN - CARRY OUT - DELIVERY - CATERING San Pedro & Uptown 883-4414 Juan Tabo & Menaul 294-8999 4th & Montaño 344-4700 Paseo & Wyoming 797-1800 O R D E R O N L I N E AT M A R I O S A B Q . C O M

now offering

Outdoor patio seating at both locations!

Thank you for supporting local businesses!

The BEER is Flowing & Our Patios are OPEN!

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WINNER

ORDER ONLINE | CASA-TACO.COM ALBUQUERQUE: 5801 ACADEMY RD NE & 111 COORS BLVD NW ELEPHANT BUTTE: 704 HWY 195

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Come Enjoy a full bar at our DWTN Pub featuring local spirits, delicious pub food along with our 14 beers & ciders! The Brewery Tasting Room 1001 Candelaria Road NE (505) 633-6675 Downtown Pub 509 Central Ave NW (505) 990-3029

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Cinnamon Sugar & Spice Café BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DESSERT

Patio NOW OPEN for limited service! Still offering Curbside & Take Out! Call in, pay over the phone, call us when you’re outside, we bring it right to your car!

The Shops @ Mountain Run Mon.-Sat. 7am-3pm Sunday Brunch 8am-2pm (505) 492-2119

Nob Hill Open Every Day! 8am-3pm (505) 588-2860

cinnamoncafeabq.com NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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‘TIL YOU DROP P. 192 | THE PAWS BUTTON P. 198 | PASSENGER WINDOW P. 204 | 25 THINGS P. 208

SKATERS’ PARADISE Haven Skate Shop in the University area is the perfect place for professionals and beginners alike to stock up on equipment, clothes, and gear for the slopes or the skate park (p. 196).

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

OUT AND ABOUT: YOUR GUIDE TO SHOPPING IN THE DUKE CITY

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Look good Feel good

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YOUR INSIDER’S GUIDE TO ABQ’S SHOPPING SCENE

Tips to be a better you...

NOW THAT IT’S GETTING COLDER, MY SKIN IS CONSTANTLY DRY AND CRACKED. WHAT CAN I DO TO FIX THIS? OUR E

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Dr. Suraj Reddy, MD, FAAD Dermatology of New Mexico

“Dry skin is much more common in the winter months because as the cold air sets in, the humidity level drops. Our oil glands are also naturally less active in the winter. We can stave off the itchy, irritated skin by utilizing the following recommendations—use a humidifier in the bedroom and reduce the heater by a couple degrees, limit yourself to a 5-10 minute bath or shower daily and try to use lukewarm water, use a moisturizing soap such as Dove or Cetaphil and avoid antibacterial soaps, scrubs and washcloths, use fragrance free laundry detergents, avoid wearing wool and other fabrics that irritate the skin, and of course, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! The key is to apply a skin moisturizer such as CeraVe, Cetaphil, or Eucerin within a few minutes after bathing. Occasionally topical or oral medications may be needed if the dry skin becomes severe and you should contact your dermatologist.”

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XP ER T

Lisa McCulloch, Owner Betty’s Day Spa

OU R

ll By Kelli Trapne

“Winter is a common time for skin dryness because of colder weather with less moisture in the air and being indoors more with heaters going. It can be a harsh transition from summer. Use a humidifier, preferably one that puts out cool moisture. You have to spend a little to get one that is easy to clean and prevents mineral scaling. I also recommend increasing ‘good fats’ in preparing meals. Using ghee and olive oil for cooking and even putting a tablespoon in your prepared rice or salad before eating can ‘moisturize’ your insides, which supports healthy digestion and, in turn, can prevent dry skin. It’s important to switch your skincare routine to products that are more emollient and hydrate more effectively for winter. Our Betty’s Brand lotion is very thick and luxurious, effective and smells great. I also use a little Betty’s massage oil on my skin, prior to hydrating with our lotion, and recommend this extra step if skin is especially dry. Both products are made in house and are all natural. Lastly, I encourage you to begin every day by chugging an 8 oz glass of lemon water. It gives you a jump on your hydration regimen for the day and doing it prior to eating will flush your insides with the mild cleansing effect of lemon (citrus) and has even been known to gently support liver function, and adequate hydration is a key factor in ameliorating dry skin.”” WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

T ER P X

OU R

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Liz Gaylor, Owner Old Town Herbal

“Make sure that you are getting the full amount of water intake that you need each day. This will help with a lot more than just your skin, but the benefit to the skin is visible. Using traditionally made soaps (instead of foaming soaps or soaps with detergents in them) will prevent your skin from being stripped of the oils it needs to protect itself. Incorporating a gentle and nourishing herbal tea blend can help with skin health, plus it also tastes great and can help remind us to drink more liquids (you can drink it cold or hot throughout the day). The blend I often make for people uses nettles, comfrey leaf, calendula flowers, rose petals, rose hips and spearmint or yerba buena. Nettles have a high vitamin and mineral content, which can help with many aspects of our health and energy levels. Comfrey is a powerful tissue healer. Calendula helps the skin absorb and retain moisture and nutrients. Rose is soothing and helps with skin hydration. Rose hips for their high antioxidants and Vitamin C levels, and spearmint or yerba buena because of its anti-inflammatory properties (plus it tastes delicious!). I have extremely sensitive skin that can be both oily and have dry patches, and many of the products I began making were because I could not use anything else, so my personal #1 go-to year-round is my Sweetgrass Lotion. Sweetgrass is cell regenerating and very healing.”

[

Want to look good and feel good? Send us your questions, and we’ll ask the city’s experts, lookgoodfeelgood@abqthemag.com

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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‘TIL YOU DROP

We Find It FOR YOU By Kelli Trapnell

QUESTION

ANSWER

Every year around “Movember,” I like to grow my beard out to support prostate cancer research. But how can I keep it from getting scraggly and out-of-hand?

Lucky for you, the land of enchantment is full of beard balms and oils—here are some of our favorites.

THE BALM DOT COM Maybe this is your first time really growing out your beard, or maybe you’re just not into the idea of slicking your beard with conditioning oil. Never fear, beard balm is here. For many beard-havers, it’s a great place to start upping your facial hair game. And there’s no better local beard balm for your money than that made in Las Cruces by the Bearded Brothers themselves, a couple of recent NMSU grads with a serious grasp of how to best take care of your whiskers. The consistency of a nice dry hair paste, the balm comes in four different scents, but we’re partial to the woodsy, masculine aroma of the Wildwood Whiskey balm. Apply once a day, but after you get a whiff of this stuff, you might feel inclined to keep it on your person all day, just in case. PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

Bearded Brothers Wildwood Whiskey Beard Balm, $14.28 on Etsy

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OIL IT UP When it comes to curating the scents of the Southwest, Dryland Wilds is the authority. Their beard and face oil is no exception. With a formula made from all organic castor, apricot kernel, argan and jojoba oils, this beard and face oil is designed to soften and condition your beard and skin. The moisturizing oil comes in two different scents meant to evoke the crisp, clean smell of the high desert: sagebrush and snakeweed and piñon and woodsmoke. Especially in the fall, we can’t help but be partial to the mellow, nutty smell of piñon, tinged with a hint of deep, musky woodsmoke. Grab a bottle (or two) at Spur Line Supply Co., and give whoever you like to cuddle up to an early holiday gift. COURTESY IMAGE

Dryland Wilds Piñon and Woodsmoke Face and Beard Oil, $24.00

THE WORKS If you’re a beard pro, or even if you just like to do things all out, the lavender experts over at Los Poblanos Farm Shop offer everything you need as far as beard care goes in one, super fragrant box set. The set comes complete with handmade sage and cedar “Man Bar” soap, lavender lip salve for cracked knuckles, cuticles, or, you know, lips, and, of course, Los Poblanos’s signature beard oil, which is made from all-natural ingredients and infused with a gentle, earthy fragrance derived from a blend of lavender, sage, vetivert, juniper, and cedar oils. And the box comes with a hand-carved, burnished blonde peachwood comb, to help tame your chin tresses. What more could you ask for? Los Poblanos Farm Shop Beard Box Gift Set, $50.00

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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Haven Skate Shop 114 Vassar Dr SE 232-6697, havenskateshop.com

ucked away in a Nob Hill house that’s technically a Victorian from the 1920s, but looks more like an overgrown bungalow turned clubhouse, sits Haven Skate Shop, run almost single-handedly by owner Emilia Gold. The shop itself has been around since 2012, when Gold decided to leave her life as a nanny in Germany to be closer to family in Albuquerque. When she moved back, she discovered to her dismay that the neighborhood’s last skate shop had closed a while back. “There had been a skate shop in this area for like 5 years, and during that time I kept thinking, ‘When is the shop going to reopen?’” she said, standing behind the counter, where a sweet-looking board sat in pieces, partially built, next to a few tools. “I just kept thinking that, and then at some point, I was like, ‘I feel like I could

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Shop Talk

The perfect shop for skaters, boarders, and just curious folks, this store is the result of hardwork and a lifelong dream. do a really good job,’ then I kind of just decided I was going to do it.” Just like when you learn to skateboard, things started off a little wobbly for the shop, but once Gold got her footing, Haven Skate Shop really took off. Gold opened up the shop in the house she once rented. The old Victorian had been stripped down to its bones and converted into a little bungalow-style house after the previous tenant had had an unfortunate run in with a candle, a stereo, and an electrical fire that had gotten out of hand. Then there was the matter of the merchandise—in theory, the skate shop seemed easy enough to stock. Just order some boards, some equipment, maybe some clothes. Only, as Gold quickly learned, in order to stock the brands that skaters love, things were a little more complicated.

“I didn’t realize that you have to buy quite a bit of product from each company to become a dealer, and if you’re not a dealer, you can’t buy the product,” Gold explained. Gold didn’t want to take out any loans—she’s proud of the fact that her business has grown completely organically. But that meant that, at first, she was only carrying very limited stock. Luckily for her, business grew steadily, and now she can stock not only multiple brands, but she can also focus on higher performance gear, all with an emphasis on design. “I kind of decided early on that this would be more of a boutique skate shop,” she said. “So that’s kind of a strange realm because skaters and that kind of thing don’t usually go together. I started by getting all the core brands that are really big

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

PHOTOS BY DON JAMES/ATM

‘TIL YOU DROP

that I needed, and then after that I could add in other stuff that I liked, too.” For Gold, the shop’s roots grew just as much from her love of art as from her love of skating—she grew up skateboarding in the Albuquerque area, but her true passion lies in creating art, whether that’s by drawing, painting, or more recently, working up graphics for Haven’s inventory and website. “We have a whole line of our own skateboards,” she said. “They are really cool—a couple of our new designs are by local artists that we collaborated with, and we have a couple of international artists, too. I’ve done a few of the graphics, and I do all the shirts and the stickers, too.” On the skating side, Gold wanted the shop to be a safe space for any riders who felt a little out of place in the Albuquerque skating scene, which she said can be a little cliquey and competitive sometimes, especially since so many pro skaters have come out of the city’s skate scene over the last few decades. “A big part of why I opened the store, and why I named it Haven, is that I never really felt comfortable in the other shops growing up,” she said. “It was kind of like Cool Guy Vibe, so I wanted a place where people felt comfortable.” She even has a skate team and a snowboarding team, in part to help spread the word about Haven, and in part to help get good local skaters and snowboarders into the Olympic pipeline and in front of potential sponsors. But it’s not just pro skaters and snowboarders that are her main clientele lately. Thanks to COVID, more people than ever are hoping to try out skating for themselves. In fact, the shop has been busier than ever, even though she only keeps the physical store open two days a week. Haven’s online sales have skyrocketed. Things are actually going so well that she plans to open up a second location in Santa Fe in the next few months—well, sort of. “I actually have arranged to rent a parking space in Santa Fe outside of the skating rink and that’ll be my location in Santa Fe. They’re also going to give us a skateboard night.”—Kelli Trapnell

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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THE

PAWS BUTTON THE UNCOMMON FRIEND

KEEPING TABS ON ABQ’S FURRY FRIENDS

Vivariums, like this under-construction dart frog habitat, are designed to mimic an organism’s natural habitat.

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Dom Armendariz feeds a roach to VivLife’s rescued green tree monitor, Blue.

few years working in police dispatch and a variety of other careers while nurturing his passion for reptiles. “Eventually as an adult I moved down to Florida for college, and it was like, ‘wait a minute, there’s everything down here.” “We are out to serve our community—a lot,” says Doerry, pointing to Armijo, alongside team members Brandon Daigle and Dom Armendariz. “Between all of us that work with VivLife—my guys—there’s probably 50, 60 years of just different experience in branches of science in the industry and in the hobby.” Though a multi-pronged effort, VivLife 505 specializes in the design and fabrication of custom bioactive vivariums. These, for the unfamiliar, are enclosures designed to better accomodate the needs of their occupant, mimicing the conditions an animal would experience in its natural habitat as closely as possible, from light, temperature, and humidity to the availability of hiding places and basking spots. This, to be clear, is far more than a matter of aesthetics. As resilient as some of these animals appear, placing them in an enclosure without proper attention to their natural lifestyle and habitat often proves disastrous. One study, published

in the journal Veterinary Record, estimates that 75 percent of the reptiles people take home from pet stores die within their first year of captivity. Some of these animals were probably sick to begin with, but it’s a mortality rate largely attributable to poor stewardship. “You’re taking an animal that’s from sea level and sometimes 90 percent humidity for weeks on end to the desert at 5000 feet

Reptile enthusiast and VivLife founder Alex Doerry handles a green tree python.

above sea level at 2 percent humidity,” says Doerry, illustrating the disjuncture many popular tropical and subtropical species endure when they are placed in improper conditions. VivLife designs vivariums that let exotic creatures live a life equivalent to

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

COURTESY PHOTOS

s common as they are, particularly here in the desert southwest, reptiles and amphibians are actually pretty poorly understood. People often think of these animals as variously emotionless, cold, dimwitted, gross, and dangerous. In most cases, these impressions couldn’t be further from the truth. Very often, theseanimals are sophisticated, intelligent, curious, and very often full of suprising quirks and individual personality. Recognizing this, herpetology enthusiasts—particularly those who keep them as pets, a practice sometimes called herpetoculture—have increasingly worked to better understand how to keep captive animals happy and healthy. This has birthed an emergent community of reptile and amphibian aficionados, sharing ideas and collaborating on fresh husbandry methods. Such is the case with VivLife 505, a burgeoning pet supply and education operation founded by and for folks with a passion for reptiles and amphibians. “My first pet was a green anole,” says founder Alex Doerry, a US Army veteran and lifelong reptile devotee. “That lizard, being able to change color and just be like a spider monkey in a cage, just captivated me. Just the way that lizards work.” “I used to live on base when I was a kid, and I started herping when I was old enough to go outside,” says Mike Armijo. Doerry’s business partner and marketing manager for VivLife 505, Armijo spent a

THE

Creatures living in suitable enclosures are likely to be more active, interesting, and healthy.

what they would have experienced under natural conditions. “You get to see the quality of life that your animal is living. It’s going to be living its best life in [a good vivarium] and feeling like it’s in the wild

versus being in a tub in the garage.” The critical idea in designing a good vivarium is to leave no detail of the animal’s natural environment and behavior unaddressed. For some species, that might call for the installation of a fogger or misting system to keep humidity levels up. For others, it’s essential to make sure the animal has access to the right spectra of light—something doubly important in bioactive enclosures that also house living plants, such as those designed and built by the VivLife team. “A lot of tanks, we’re using full spectrum LEDs for those,” says Armijo. “They look good, but they work even better. And the animals get the entire benefit of it. Everything I have at home, for example, same idea.” Of course, just as important as what you surround your pet with is what you feed it. Like pretty much any other organism, reptiles and amphibians can develop nutritional deficiencies. Insectivores— that is, critters that eat bugs—don’t always get all the nutrients they need from

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

store-bought crickets. Keepers address this by “gut-loading” their crickets, feeding them specialty foods crafted to make them more nutritious. In addition to their vivarium fabrication efforts, VivLife 505 is piloting an unusual program rooted in a sort of grower’s market ethos. Clients can buy memberships at different levels, allowing them to get more feeder insects (along with quail eggs and mice, for people who keep snakes and large lizards) at better prices—an increasingly pressing concern for hobbyists who maintain large collections. Ultimately, the idea behind VivLife 505 is simple: to improve the lives of exotic pets and the people who care for them. Reptiles and amphibians are more difficult to anthropormize than animals like cats and dogs, making it harder for us to see the nuance and complexity in their behavior. But like other pets, they benefit from good husbandry. Owners, then, are able to observe and interact with a healthy animal, exhibiting a full suite of natural behaviors. —ZB

COURTESY PHOTOS

PAWS BUTTON

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PET OF T H E MONTH

PET OF THE MONTH

ATM readers’ furry, fuzzy, feathered, or scaly best friends. This month's winner: Meriadoc

n J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic tale The Lord of the Rings, Meriadoc (often called Merry) is a brave and curious hobbit with a loving heart and a habit of getting into trouble. His real-life canine counterpart is not so different. “His most quirky playful habits are he will race through the house with the squeakiest toy he owns and just sit there and squeak it as much as he can until the squeaker dies,” says owner Allison Stepp. This fun-loving three-year-old good boy came to Stepp and her family in February 2018. “I was looking at dogs on [Animal Humane New Mexico’s] website and I saw his face and his eyes spoke to me,” says Stepp. “I dragged my husband and toddler off to rescue him and, as they say, the rest is history.” Merry settled right in with his new forever family. Of course, it wasn’t too hard for him to adjust considering Stepp and fam gave him all the squeaky toys his heart desired. “In this photo he is playing with his favorite squeaky toy while we’re in the kitchen trying to get something done,” says Stepp. “That’s his favorite thing to do, to squeak.” As for his name and his relation to the fan favorite The Lord of the Rings character, Stepp says she isn’t sure how he acquired his handle, but she and her husband weren’t about to make a change. “Yes, he is named after the Lord of the Rings character,” she says. “He came to us with that name and we loved it so much that we kept it. We are very into Lord of the Rings and we love being nerdy.” No word yet on if Stepp will get him a doggie friend named Pip. —TH

Is your pet ATM’s next Pet of the Month? Send a photo and short story about why you think your pet belongs in these pages to petofthemonth@abqthemag.com.

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PIECE OF T H E PAST

SAN YSIDRO CHURCH

n New Mexico, it’s not uncommon to see the brown adobe, block building with the high white cross over the wide front doors, along just about any state highway. There is a fascination with the obvious history these churches display on their weather-soaked walls. In Corrales, that history is carried by San Ysidro Church. The first Catholic Church constructed in Corrales, it was built as a mission in 1750. Priests from the Sandia Pueblo would travel miles to practice Catholic Mass at San Ysidro. The church’s namesake, Ysidro, was a farmer born in Spain in 1070, and thus is the patron saint of farmers. Built near the flowing and rejuvenating waters of the Rio Grande, the river became the church’s blessing and its curse. On the one hand, it was a location unrivaled in beauty, and the Rio Grande

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

The first Catholic Church in Corrales knows all about resurrection.

offered a certain convenience for travelers. On the other hand, flooding was a constant issue for the mud and wood building. In 1868, the Rio Grande flooding completely destroyed the original San

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Ysidro Church building. In 1869, church members came together and built a new church, resurrecting their parish. The land, which sits a bit higher up, was donated by four prominent Corrales families—Lucero, Gutierrez, Gonzalez, and Martin. The new church is now—somewhat ironically—called the “Old Historic Church.” Since then, the church has undergone major renovations, including new towers, which were added in 1929. Today, the church serves as a meeting place for the people of Corrales and hosts numerous community events. (Unfortunately, as of printing, the Old Historic Church is closed in order to comply with state COVID restrictions.) It is maintained by the Corrales Historical Society and was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1980. —TH

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PASSENGER WINDOW

HOMETOWN HEROES

he past six months have provided a healthy update to our collective notion of heroism. True, heroes can be singular champions, authors of otherworldly and superhuman feats, but far more often—and far more importantly—they are ordinary people who step up to serve their neighbors when things get tough and the road ahead looks long. That’s the spirit behind local artist Noé Barnett’s “Hometown Heroes” mural, a vibrantly colored work spread along the back of a Grizzly Storage facility. Visible from I-25 and Pan American Frontage Road, the mural depicts real New Mexico essential workers and first responders, including a nurse, a truck driver, and a firefighter. The mural took two weeks to complete. Barnett’s first day, spent rolling on layers of paint for the mural’s background and mapping out the giant letters that spell out its message, lasted until 4 am. “I was out here from sunup to sundown,” he says of the days that followed, gradually adding new strokes of life and detail.

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PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

Local artist Noé Barnett’s mural at Grizzly Storage Facility pays tribute to everyday heroes.

Barnett has a background in the fine arts, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from UNM in 2018. But before that, he actually considered a career in law enforcement. “After high school, I got a job in the police department, and I wanted to be an officer for the longest time,” he says. “My dad’s in law enforcement, not with the Albuquerque police department, but federal.” Those plans eventually fell through, and it was then Barnett fixed his attention squarely on art. Since then, Barnett’s artwork has featured in solo and group gallery shows, and his mural work has brought sharp flares of visual flavor to walls throughout Albuquerque, including a somewhat more naturalistic take on the mythical battle between a coyote and a roadrunner in the Sawmill District, downtown celebrations of New Mexico United, and thoughtful reflections on pressing social issues. For the “Hometown Heroes” mural, Barnett shaped the most vital components—the portraits of the heroes—with spray paint, delivering remarkable life and

realism despite working on a canvas made of corrugated metal. “The only issue with spray paint—that ‘can control’, I guess you want to call it—is the distance from the wall and also the speed with which you’re moving the can,” he explains. “That gives you your line. So when it gets further away and then closer, immediately you’ll get a skinny line and then a fatter line as the can moves.” Barnett painted the portraits essentially free-hand, working off photos on his cellphone screen for reference. Once the mural was completed, he shot a video (now available on YouTube—search nb-artistry) in which some of the first responders pose in front of their portraits. The resemblance Barnett captured is remarkable. Barnett imbues a lot of his work with deliberate symbolism, and the “Hometown Heroes” mural is no different. “I don’t know if you notice, but there’s like seven purple roses, and there’s a lifeline between each [hero], a heartbeat pattern,” says Barnett. “The purple roses represent our leftover bodily sickness.”—ZB

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ADVERTISING REGISTRY

BB FAB Custom laser-cut Metal signs Fabricating Welding Powder Coating laser engraving

505.771.7751 bbfababq@gmail.com

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3 Advertising.......................................................................................................40 ABQ Bio Park Botanic Garden..........................................................................197 ABQ The Magazine.......................................................................14, 15, 46, 61, 93 Albuquerque Florist...........................................................................................131 Albuquerque Implant & Periodontal Consultants............................................ 58 Albuquerque Plumbing Heating & Cooling.....................................................50 AlluraDerm Med Spa...................................................................................26, 76 American General Media.....................................................................85, 125, 193 Animal Humane Association.............................................................................171 Annapurna's World Vegetarian Cafe................................................................ 180 Anthem Financial Services..................................................................................55 Artistic Creations Salon......................................................................................91 Assistance League...............................................................................................80 Baillio's Electronics..............................................................................................41 BB Fab...................................................................................................44, 48, 206 Blue Rose Photography.......................................................................................33 Bubba's 33........................................................................................................... 153 Burritos Alinstante............................................................................................189 California Closets............................................................................................... 87 Casa Esperanza..................................................................................................124 Casa Taco...........................................................................................................188 Central Grill and Coffee House........................................................................179 ChocGlitz & Cream...........................................................................................182 Christy Mae's.....................................................................................................189 Cinnamon Sugar & Spice Cafe.........................................................................189 CNM....................................................................................................................47 Comfortable Dentistry 4U..................................................................................21 Cosmetic Dentistry of New Mexico: Dr. Byron Wall........................................2,3 Crafted Cafe...................................................................................................... 180 Crystal Springs........................................................................................... 84, 199 D.H. Lescombes Winery & Bistro....................................................................172 Daniel's Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning..........................................10, 11 Dave's Valley Grill..............................................................................................163 Dion's Pizza.......................................................................................................182 Duke City Software.............................................................................................35 Ethan Allen Furniture.........................................................................................23 Exhibit Solutions of New Mexico..................................................................... 25 Floorscapes..........................................................................................................43 Flying Star Cafe.................................................................................................165 Frontier Restaurant...........................................................................................185 Garage Door Doctor...........................................................................................60 Garcia’s Enterprises, Inc. / Garcia's Kitchen......................................................163 Glam Nail Bar & Spa...........................................................................................33 Golden Pride BBQ, Chicken & Ribs................................................................. 181 Grassburger.......................................................................................................184 High & Dry Brewing.........................................................................................185 Hollow Spirits...................................................................................................179 Houston Wholesale Cars LLC..........................................................................4, 5 Inn of the Mountain Gods.................................................................................49 Integrity Automotive.......................................................................................... 56 Jinja Bar & Bistro.............................................................................................. 180 Joe's Pasta House & Bistro................................................................................186 Kaktus Brewing Company................................................................................183 Keshet Dance Co................................................................................................ 85 KOAT-TV.......................................................................................................... 201 Kolache Factory.................................................................................................182 Kubota Tractor...........................................................................Inside Back Cover La Casa Bella........................................................................................................57 Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry................................................................................ 8, 9 Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry....................................................................Back Cover Levl 5..................................................................................................................184 Lillie's Handmade Soap.......................................................................................39

Lucky Locks........................................................................................................60 Mario's Pizzeria & Ristorante............................................................................188 Mark Pardo Salon & Spa.................................................................................. 120 Mas Tapas Y Vino..............................................................................................185 Media Arts Collaborative Charter School.......................................................... 59 Merry Maids......................................................................................................6, 7 Mesa Tractor........................................................................................................81 Modulus Architects............................................................................................ 59 Monte Carlo Steakhouse and 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WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

PHOTO CONTEST

HARD AT WORK By Josh Gonzalez

“I

’m usually stuck in an office all day,” says amateur photographer Josh Gonzalez. “That day we were at a retreat in the East Mountains and I just had to get this shot. I call the photo ‘Hard at Work’ because it was where I spent that day at work.” Gonzalez, who works for a local accounting firm, says he was on a break during the company’s stream of trust exercises and share circles, and he began exploring a bit. He didn’t have to go far before finding this pond and the vista. “My favorite part is just how big the sky is,” he says. Gonzalez has been photographing animals and landscapes for about eight years. Normally, he would have a good camera, with a good lens, but that day, all he had was his phone. This photo was taken on a simple iPhone 7. “I love taking photos,” he says. “I mean, why live in such an amazing place, if you aren’t going to try and capture a little of it?” Though Gonzalez does admit that he finds himself in a picturesque spot without his camera quite often and says he needs to invest in a new phone, “just in case.” —TH

Enter ATM’s photo contest and see your photo featured in our PHOTO OF THE MONTH! Submissions should include one high-resolution digital file sent by email. All photos sent to ATM will be property of the magazine and will not be mailed back to sender. All entries should include your name and phone number. Please include a bio and a brief description of how the photo was taken. Email entries to: photocontest@abqthemag.com

NOVEMBER 2020 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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With

Cindy Edwards

Board President, Animal Humane New Mexico and Senior Staff Specialist for PNM Resources A deep love of pets is likely not necessary for the job of Board President for Animal Humane New Mexico. But it probably makes the gig more fun, which is lucky for Cindy Edwards, who took the AHNM post in January of this year. “Neighbors know (my family) as the ‘animal people,’” says Edwards, who is a Senior Staff Specialist at PNM Resources. “People drop off stray dogs, cats, even a turtle.” Five dogs currently share a home with Edwards, who, along with her husband, Randy, has been a high-level AHNM donor over the years. And their three daughters also have six dogs between them. “Dog-wash Saturday is always entertaining,” says Edwards. It was another passion of her daughters—figure skating—that brought the family to Albuquerque in the early 1990s. They were living in Colorado when the girls began to develop talent on ice. “And when you do figure skating competitively, you follow your coach,” says Edwards. “Their coach got a job at Outpost (Ice Arena in High Desert) and moved down here, and we followed.” Today, two of the daughters coach figure skating. Edwards recently marked 20 years of being associated with Animal Humane, where she gets to help furry friends like Tank (pictured with Edwards) find good homes. —JOHN THORNTON

2. I have my nails done every month. It’s my guilty pleasure.

3. I put up Christmas decorations inside my house before Halloween! 4. I was once a waitress at Denny’s, and

before that I worked the candy counter at Sear’s.

5. I sort my M&M’s by color before eat-

ing them.

6. I’ll take Star Trek over Star Wars every

11. My family and I spent midnight of Y2K trapped in a train in Washington, D.C.

12.

I am allergic to cats, and must pre-medicate for AHNM cat tours.

13. I once toured with Disney On Ice, doing costumes. 14. I love dogs with squished faces. If

time.

there isn’t snoring in the house, I can’t sleep.

7. Iron Man is my favorite Marvel character.

15. Almost every time we foster a dog,

8. I have been married to my college sweetheart for 43 years.

16. If I see a lost dog, I will stop everything to find its home.

10. I used to love watching Lawrence

17. I also have five turtles.

Welk with my grandparents.

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As a kid, I once got picked from the audience to help with the magic act on the Bozo the Clown show.

we end up adopting.

18. Someone once dropped off a stray turtle at our home. We kept him. 19. Pierce Brosnan is my favorite James Bond. I loved him even before he took that role.

20. During COVID-19, we started doing Taco Tuesday to reconnect with those who matter most.

21. During the pandemic, I was proud to

deliver meals on behalf of PNM to hospitals, fire stations and first responders.

22. My daughter Megan has raised more than $200,000 for Doggie Dash and Dawdle over the past 10 years. 23. All three of my daughters live within a half mile of us. The best part of my life is knowing family is always near.

24.

My 5-year-old grandson calls me Gam Gam. I love it.

25. My latest fave song is Keep Me in the Moment, by Jeremy Camp. I don’t want to miss what God has for me next.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2020

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

1. I grew up in Chicago, and my mom loves the White Sox. But I’m a Cubs fan.

POIS MOI COLLECTION