On Saturday evening, Summer and I got a babysitter and went on a date, which was desperately needed after the past week, and was a great chance to simply spend time together. We discussed a number of different possible things to do, settling finally on going to dinner and strolling around Nob Hill a bit.
Nob Hill is a funky area, one I would like to get to know better, and it's home to several restaurants I have been wanting to go to. So we decided to try Scalo, a kind of upscale Italian joint in Nob Hill. So, here's a table for two review of Scalo.
The restaurant itself is small, a classy place with an open dining area adjacent to the kitchen area (one of those open kitchens where you can see the staff cooking away) and an upstairs dining area overlooking it all. As it was Saturday, we were among a healthy crowd, including a big party next to us, which helped us pass the time people-watching.
But we got a table quickly and settled on a bruschetta appetizer, which was delicious. Real mozzarella with good balsamic vinegar, roasted bell peppers, and goat cheese made for a great start to the meal. It was enough to make up for the disappointing salads that arrived a few minutes later.
Summer and I each ordered a pasta entree with seafood, which we looked forward to eagerly. And, luckily, we were able to bask in that anticipation for a long time, as our order was delayed for a long time. The waitress was apologetic (I'm guessing that the order was lost and remade later on), and, to be honest, we didn't mind. The point of the evening was to spend time talking, and we had lots of time to do that.
The meal itself was a bit of a let-down. The sauce was kind of weak, and the pasta was undercooked (probably rushed to get it out). If we hadn't had the luxury of time and been in a rush, the meal would have been a real bust, but, as it was, being able to sit in a pretty place with a pretty woman and talk in a relaxed environment where we could take out time was quite nice.
Plus, as an apology for the delay, we got a free dessert, which outdid the entrees by a long shot. The chocolate pate consisted of a layer of a flourless chocolate cake, topped with three different mousses. The raspberry sauce was especially good. I don't think it would have been worth $7 (it was barely two bites, and we did stop at Smiths for ice cream on the way home), but as a free dessert, it was a nice end to the evening.
So, Scalo was a bit of a disappointment. Maybe it was the wait, which made me expect something even better, and may have resulted in a hurriedly-cooked entree. And it's certainly not a family-friendly place to take the kids. But it was a great date. And we'll probably go back some time to give Scalo a second chance.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Perfect for a Hot Day
Yesterday we joined Isaac's class on a field trip to the Albuquerque BioPark, and after five hours at the botanic gardens and aquarium, we were worn out. Summer, Evan, and I had a bit of time before we had to go pick the kids up at the school, and, since it was warm, we were looking for something cool to eat.
Summer remembered seeing a sign for Itsa Italian Ice, a long-time ABQ institution that, after being out of business for a few year, reopened in 2008. Conveniently, Itsa is located near the school, so we felt it a moral imperative to stop by.
We were not disappointed. The joint is small, decorated with some kitschy 1950s decor, and the atmospher is quirky and fun, but not obnoxious. The menu has burgers, hot dogs and the like, but the real draw is the Italian ice, which comes in a variety of flavors and rings up at $2.50 for a regular (which, by the way, is more than enough--it took 20 minutes to eat the whole thing).
Summer ordered tangerine, which was light and lively, and I had a richer-tasting watermelon. Evan happily sampled both, preferring my watermelon (although I think the tangerine was better). We decided that we also need to try the cherry, raspberry, cantaloupe, and maybe chocolate. We will definitely be back for more.
Summer remembered seeing a sign for Itsa Italian Ice, a long-time ABQ institution that, after being out of business for a few year, reopened in 2008. Conveniently, Itsa is located near the school, so we felt it a moral imperative to stop by.
We were not disappointed. The joint is small, decorated with some kitschy 1950s decor, and the atmospher is quirky and fun, but not obnoxious. The menu has burgers, hot dogs and the like, but the real draw is the Italian ice, which comes in a variety of flavors and rings up at $2.50 for a regular (which, by the way, is more than enough--it took 20 minutes to eat the whole thing).
Summer ordered tangerine, which was light and lively, and I had a richer-tasting watermelon. Evan happily sampled both, preferring my watermelon (although I think the tangerine was better). We decided that we also need to try the cherry, raspberry, cantaloupe, and maybe chocolate. We will definitely be back for more.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Bravo! Meh
Slowly we're catching up on this blog, but in order to do so, I'm going to have to alter the chronology of things. So, here's a recent outing. A Friday or two ago Summer and I got to go on a date, thanks to some generous friends who offered to watch our kids. Given that we had no plans for that evening, we struggled with what to do, finally settling on things we love: books, food, and spending money.
We decided then to visit ABQ Uptown, an outdoor shopping area off the freeway near Louisiana Blvd. Situated between the low-style Coronado Mall and the practically vacant Winrock Mall (both within spitting distance of ABQ Uptown), this new shopping area stands out as a welcome respite from the poorly-lit mall spaces that cropped up a generation or two ago. Outdoor shopping area like this, with lots of pedestrian spaces and outdoor seating, are ideal to the ABQ climate and lifestyle.
But the place is a bit fake, the shopping simultaneously pretentious and uninspiring, and the dining options limited. But since there's a bookstore, a Williams Sonoma, and a Pottery Barn, it was worth the trip. We choose from among the eateries Bravo! Cucina Italiana, and we got what we (should have) expected.
Not having done our homework, we didn't realize that BCI was a chain, but this became immediately obvious when we stepped in. The place was clean and attractive, but a bit over the top with the faux stucco-on-brick archways adorning the place. It wasn't bad, but it just seemed to be trying too hard.
The service was great. We were a party of two, so we got a seat right away, and the hostess was replaced within moments by the waitress, who was helpful and attentive without hovering. Our appetizer arrived quickly, and they even split the shared entree among two plates (a little less romantic than eating off the same plate, but definitely more convenient).
A note on this. A while ago we chose to share an entree, and it's been an amazing experience. Since restaurant portions are obscenely large, this helps up avoid gluttony, save room for dessert (so, I guess we're just delaying the gluttony), and feel better about ourselves. Just a great innovation in our dining experience.
We ordered calamari for the appetizer, and it was fine. Nothing great, but not awful. This became the theme for the night. Like the decor, the food seemed to be trying to look authentic and great without actually doing anything great. Just what a chain ought to do, I suppose.
We ordered a BCI "specialty," which was penne with a moderately spicy creamy tomato sauce and chicken. Again, not bad. I never made yummy noises, but I was not unhappy. But once we were done (sharing the entree also means we can usually eat the whole meal, so no awkward leftovers to cart around, let stink up the car, or go bad in the fridge), we were too unenthusiastic about the place to consider a mediocre dessert, so we waited to get a sweet at the nearby Nestle cookie shop.
So, how does BCI rate?
Yumminess: 3
Budgetability: 4
Table-for-six-ness: 5 (lots of space and big tables, pretty kid-friendly)
Kids-will-eat-it factor: 5
Non-ickiness: 6 (almost too clean, you know?)
Show off ABQ?: 1 (unless the goal was to demonstrate that ABQ has the same kind of Italian you can get in Omaha or Spokane)
Total: 24
We decided then to visit ABQ Uptown, an outdoor shopping area off the freeway near Louisiana Blvd. Situated between the low-style Coronado Mall and the practically vacant Winrock Mall (both within spitting distance of ABQ Uptown), this new shopping area stands out as a welcome respite from the poorly-lit mall spaces that cropped up a generation or two ago. Outdoor shopping area like this, with lots of pedestrian spaces and outdoor seating, are ideal to the ABQ climate and lifestyle.
But the place is a bit fake, the shopping simultaneously pretentious and uninspiring, and the dining options limited. But since there's a bookstore, a Williams Sonoma, and a Pottery Barn, it was worth the trip. We choose from among the eateries Bravo! Cucina Italiana, and we got what we (should have) expected.
Not having done our homework, we didn't realize that BCI was a chain, but this became immediately obvious when we stepped in. The place was clean and attractive, but a bit over the top with the faux stucco-on-brick archways adorning the place. It wasn't bad, but it just seemed to be trying too hard.
The service was great. We were a party of two, so we got a seat right away, and the hostess was replaced within moments by the waitress, who was helpful and attentive without hovering. Our appetizer arrived quickly, and they even split the shared entree among two plates (a little less romantic than eating off the same plate, but definitely more convenient).
A note on this. A while ago we chose to share an entree, and it's been an amazing experience. Since restaurant portions are obscenely large, this helps up avoid gluttony, save room for dessert (so, I guess we're just delaying the gluttony), and feel better about ourselves. Just a great innovation in our dining experience.
We ordered calamari for the appetizer, and it was fine. Nothing great, but not awful. This became the theme for the night. Like the decor, the food seemed to be trying to look authentic and great without actually doing anything great. Just what a chain ought to do, I suppose.
We ordered a BCI "specialty," which was penne with a moderately spicy creamy tomato sauce and chicken. Again, not bad. I never made yummy noises, but I was not unhappy. But once we were done (sharing the entree also means we can usually eat the whole meal, so no awkward leftovers to cart around, let stink up the car, or go bad in the fridge), we were too unenthusiastic about the place to consider a mediocre dessert, so we waited to get a sweet at the nearby Nestle cookie shop.
So, how does BCI rate?
Yumminess: 3
Budgetability: 4
Table-for-six-ness: 5 (lots of space and big tables, pretty kid-friendly)
Kids-will-eat-it factor: 5
Non-ickiness: 6 (almost too clean, you know?)
Show off ABQ?: 1 (unless the goal was to demonstrate that ABQ has the same kind of Italian you can get in Omaha or Spokane)
Total: 24
Friday, March 26, 2010
Church Street Cafe
This blog has been sitting idle, gathering dust for far too long. Especially given the fact that over the past month we've eaten at four new places, all of which have been between good and fantastic. And, while two were not local (and one wasn't technically new to us), there's enough to catch up on to keep us busy for some time.
We'll start with a date Summer and I went on last month. It was a Friday, and we asked some friends to watch the kids while we went to Old Town. Our first stop was Explora, the children's science museum we go to with the kids pretty often. It's also a fun place to go on a date, and we spent an hour or so getting our nerd on with brain teasers and experiments.
Next, we strolled through Old Town, visiting a nostalgia-themed toy store (nothing battery-powered). Summer was leaving for Utah with the kids a few days later, so we considered getting toys for the drive up, but nothing seemed quite right, so we decided to wait for the summer birthday season.
But the real goal this evening was the Church Street Cafe, located behind San Felipe de Neri church in Old Town, in a low, non-descript old adobe building. I've passed this building dozens of times and always thought it looked interesting, but a bit dark and questionable (incidentally, this is what I thought of Cafe Rio the first 50 or so times I walked by it, so my first impressions are not worth much).
Once inside, the building is much larger and brighter than one would imagine. The building is one of the oldest houses in the state, and until 1990 is was a residence. The atmosphere was cozy and authentic, without the gaudy kitschy feel touristy places like Old Town often produce. We got a small table for two and settled in.
The fare was what we expected--traditional New Mexican, with lots of enchilada offerings and posole. We opted to split a combination plate with a chile relleno, tamale, and chicken enchilada. The latter was rolled, and not the gooey messy you sometimes get. The meat was flavorful and the green chile just right.
I've never been much of a fan of chile relleno, but this one was superb. The same is true for tamales, which I often find--strangely enough--both gooey and crumbly. And, to make it all even better, the salsa that came with our chips was among the best I've had in recent memory. Summer felt even more strongly about the enchilada--best ever, according to her.
I'm not sure how kid-friendly the Church Street Cafe would be, but there were larger tables and high chairs, if you're into that sort of thing. I think it's better for a date, but we'll defintiely take the kids there too sometime.
Ratings:
Yumminess--6
Budgetabuility--5
Table-f0r-six-ness--5
Kids-will-eat-it-factor--5 (mainly because I don't think I glanced at the kids' menu once; this could be higher)
Non-ickiness--6
Would we bring people here to show off ABQ--6 (absolutely, especially if they've never been to Old Town)
Total--33
We'll start with a date Summer and I went on last month. It was a Friday, and we asked some friends to watch the kids while we went to Old Town. Our first stop was Explora, the children's science museum we go to with the kids pretty often. It's also a fun place to go on a date, and we spent an hour or so getting our nerd on with brain teasers and experiments.
Next, we strolled through Old Town, visiting a nostalgia-themed toy store (nothing battery-powered). Summer was leaving for Utah with the kids a few days later, so we considered getting toys for the drive up, but nothing seemed quite right, so we decided to wait for the summer birthday season.
But the real goal this evening was the Church Street Cafe, located behind San Felipe de Neri church in Old Town, in a low, non-descript old adobe building. I've passed this building dozens of times and always thought it looked interesting, but a bit dark and questionable (incidentally, this is what I thought of Cafe Rio the first 50 or so times I walked by it, so my first impressions are not worth much).
Once inside, the building is much larger and brighter than one would imagine. The building is one of the oldest houses in the state, and until 1990 is was a residence. The atmosphere was cozy and authentic, without the gaudy kitschy feel touristy places like Old Town often produce. We got a small table for two and settled in.
The fare was what we expected--traditional New Mexican, with lots of enchilada offerings and posole. We opted to split a combination plate with a chile relleno, tamale, and chicken enchilada. The latter was rolled, and not the gooey messy you sometimes get. The meat was flavorful and the green chile just right.
I've never been much of a fan of chile relleno, but this one was superb. The same is true for tamales, which I often find--strangely enough--both gooey and crumbly. And, to make it all even better, the salsa that came with our chips was among the best I've had in recent memory. Summer felt even more strongly about the enchilada--best ever, according to her.
I'm not sure how kid-friendly the Church Street Cafe would be, but there were larger tables and high chairs, if you're into that sort of thing. I think it's better for a date, but we'll defintiely take the kids there too sometime.
Ratings:
Yumminess--6
Budgetabuility--5
Table-f0r-six-ness--5
Kids-will-eat-it-factor--5 (mainly because I don't think I glanced at the kids' menu once; this could be higher)
Non-ickiness--6
Would we bring people here to show off ABQ--6 (absolutely, especially if they've never been to Old Town)
Total--33
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Table for Two--Or Guys' Morning Out
Last Friday I had the chance to take Evan out for breakfast. We've done this a few times when Summer's helped in Isaac's class and I've had the morning free, and it's a lot of fun. This time, we decided to try out Garcia's Kitchen, a local chain with a rabid base of regulars.
We dropped Summer and the kids off at the school and then zipped down 4th Street to the original location,just off 4th and Mountain. It's a cozy spot, with a bar by the register and a handful of booths in the main section. To the right is what seems to be an addition with more spacious dining. But since it was just the two of us, a booth was just right.
Garcia's is a casual place--you seat yourself and say hi to your waitress. Menus are simple, easy-to-read, but full of great dishes: enchiladas, huevos rancheros, burgers. And the service was fast, friendly, and helpful.
We had both eaten a bit at home, so I had to pass on all the big breakfast plates, but I could not pass up the breakfast burrito special: a smothered burrito with ham, sausage, or bacon, with papas and beans. Evan oped for a scrambled egg and milk.
Within minutes our food was in front of us, and we dove in. The green chile was great--hot but flavorful. the burrito was the right size, and the flour tortilla was superb. I was a bit disappointed with the sausage, which was just a frozen patty cooked up and slice. I much prefer ground sausage browned and added, the way Summer makes her breakfast burritos.
But the meal as a whole was great. The papas in particular were great--large chunks of potato cooked to tender, with just enough crisp on the outside to not be soggy. It was a delicious, satisfying, fast meal, just right for a couple of guys on the town.
Rating:
Yumminess: 5 (6 with better sausage)
Budgetability: 6 (with tip, $8.12--it was just two of us, but my meal was $4.49, so it's really affordable fare)
Table-for-six-ness: 6 (lots of seating in the other room, several big tables too)
Kids-will-eat-it-factor: 5 (good selection, including non-spicy stuff for those of a more delicate constitution)
Non-ickiness: 5 (it's still a diner, but a clean one)
Would we bring people here to show off ABQ?: 6 (I'm ashamed that it took over 7 years for us to get here--it's an institution, and deserving of that status)
Total: 33
We dropped Summer and the kids off at the school and then zipped down 4th Street to the original location,just off 4th and Mountain. It's a cozy spot, with a bar by the register and a handful of booths in the main section. To the right is what seems to be an addition with more spacious dining. But since it was just the two of us, a booth was just right.
Garcia's is a casual place--you seat yourself and say hi to your waitress. Menus are simple, easy-to-read, but full of great dishes: enchiladas, huevos rancheros, burgers. And the service was fast, friendly, and helpful.
We had both eaten a bit at home, so I had to pass on all the big breakfast plates, but I could not pass up the breakfast burrito special: a smothered burrito with ham, sausage, or bacon, with papas and beans. Evan oped for a scrambled egg and milk.
Within minutes our food was in front of us, and we dove in. The green chile was great--hot but flavorful. the burrito was the right size, and the flour tortilla was superb. I was a bit disappointed with the sausage, which was just a frozen patty cooked up and slice. I much prefer ground sausage browned and added, the way Summer makes her breakfast burritos.
But the meal as a whole was great. The papas in particular were great--large chunks of potato cooked to tender, with just enough crisp on the outside to not be soggy. It was a delicious, satisfying, fast meal, just right for a couple of guys on the town.
Rating:
Yumminess: 5 (6 with better sausage)
Budgetability: 6 (with tip, $8.12--it was just two of us, but my meal was $4.49, so it's really affordable fare)
Table-for-six-ness: 6 (lots of seating in the other room, several big tables too)
Kids-will-eat-it-factor: 5 (good selection, including non-spicy stuff for those of a more delicate constitution)
Non-ickiness: 5 (it's still a diner, but a clean one)
Would we bring people here to show off ABQ?: 6 (I'm ashamed that it took over 7 years for us to get here--it's an institution, and deserving of that status)
Total: 33
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Duran's Central Pharmacy
On Thursday we decided—quite spur-of-the-moment—to eat out. Our evening was getting messy, so we wanted somewhere quick, relatively cheap, and nearby. After some of our customary hemming and hawing, we opted to Duran's Central Pharmacy, an old-school drug store near Old Town that is home to a nice little diner that I had heard served some of the best tortillas in town.
One note on the Pharmacy—the diner only takes cash. So a quick trip to the ATM got us on our way. In some ways it was nice to pay in cash—but perhaps that's just a factor of the novelty of it all.
When you walk in, you go through the drug store area and make your way to the back of the building where the self-seating eating area awaits. We arrived a bit before 5:00 pm on a Thursday, and it was nearly empty. We made our way to the back an had a seat (or, in keeping with the focus of this blog, six).
Seating was a bit of a mess. The biggest tables seated four, but, due to the emptiness of the pace, we were able to occupy two tables—one for the kids, and one for the adults. In this respect, it was almost like a date...
The diner itself is rather Spartan—tile floor, some seating at the bar counter, low lighting, etc. It was not immaculate, but it wasn't dirty either. Kind of quaint, I suppose.
Our server, who was obviously not overburdened with other tables, was able to get to us right away. She was available, but not doting—really about right. The food arrived quickly and was appealing. The kids menu had a good selection of things they'd eat, and the regular menu—which focused on New Mexican fare—was rich, if simple.
Summer and I opted to split the Carne Adovada plate, which came in under $10 and was an ample serving for the two of us. The kids ate all of their food, and we were in and out in a half-hour. The total came in under $40, including tip. And we were nicely full all evening. Not a bad dinner experience. Duran’s is not the fanciest, but it was just right for that day.
Scores:
One note on the Pharmacy—the diner only takes cash. So a quick trip to the ATM got us on our way. In some ways it was nice to pay in cash—but perhaps that's just a factor of the novelty of it all.
When you walk in, you go through the drug store area and make your way to the back of the building where the self-seating eating area awaits. We arrived a bit before 5:00 pm on a Thursday, and it was nearly empty. We made our way to the back an had a seat (or, in keeping with the focus of this blog, six).
Seating was a bit of a mess. The biggest tables seated four, but, due to the emptiness of the pace, we were able to occupy two tables—one for the kids, and one for the adults. In this respect, it was almost like a date...
The diner itself is rather Spartan—tile floor, some seating at the bar counter, low lighting, etc. It was not immaculate, but it wasn't dirty either. Kind of quaint, I suppose.
Our server, who was obviously not overburdened with other tables, was able to get to us right away. She was available, but not doting—really about right. The food arrived quickly and was appealing. The kids menu had a good selection of things they'd eat, and the regular menu—which focused on New Mexican fare—was rich, if simple.
Summer and I opted to split the Carne Adovada plate, which came in under $10 and was an ample serving for the two of us. The kids ate all of their food, and we were in and out in a half-hour. The total came in under $40, including tip. And we were nicely full all evening. Not a bad dinner experience. Duran’s is not the fanciest, but it was just right for that day.
Scores:
- Yumminess: 5
- Budgetability: 5 (it would be a 6 if the kid's milks--the half-pint cartons that cost $.50 at school--hadn't cost $1.70 each)
- Table-for-six-ness: 4 (but a bit of a cheat, since we were the only ones there--otherwise, this would be a 2, since the biggest tables sat 4)
- Kids-will-eat-it-factor: 6
- Non-ickiness: 3
- Would we bring people here to show off ABQ?: 3
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Is This Cheating?
As Summer outlined in her introductory post, the purpose of this blog is to record our year of eating out at new places. So this may be a bit cheap, but I suppose I don't much care because, well, I'm writing this. And because the food was good.
On New Years Eve, as part of our impetuous trip to Las Cruces, we stopped in historic Mesilla, where we ate at La Posta. This meandering eatery, made of several adjoining rooms, all of which feels like the places has been expanded a number of times since it opened in 1939 (and more than a few times in the century before that, when the structure was first built). As a result, it has a cozy feel but is big enough that you can get a table pretty quickly (at least we did, arrive around 5:30; when we left an hour later there was a healthy wait for a table).
Finding the place was a bit of a challenge. It's a block off the plaza, and we missed the signs (if there were any) on our way in. Once we found a sign for La Posta, we were a bit confused, as the restaurant is part of a larger building, with a gift shop and some other spaces, so the entrance is a bit doubtful. But we got in from the cold and got a table right away.
Inside, La Posta is a bit kitschy, but cozy. Christmas lights were still up, and the feel was comfortable. The lobby had a large bird enclosure with a toucan and several fish tanks, one of which housed piranhas (at least in theory; I didn't see any). The tables were basic tourist-dining stuff, but the place was clean, well-lit, and inviting.
The food is pretty standard New Mexican fare, with a good sampling of enchiladas, burritos, tacos, chiles rellenos, and the like. There was also a good selection of steaks and burgers for those folks who go to Mexican restaurants to get standard American food.
The eating experience started well, with some crunchy and tasty tortilla chips and great salsa. Often at this kind of place you get a wimpy salsa, something that will make the folks from Des Moines or Columbus feel good that they can handle "real New Mexican salsa," but this was hearty, with a good front-of-the-mouth kick and some lingering spice in the back of the throat. And unlike many salsas that trade flavor for bite, this was full of flavor.
The kids had quesadillas (except for Ryan, who had a burger--see above for my thoughts on this), which were simple, but very heavy on the cheese. It must have been good (or they must have been ravenous), because the kids devoured their food.
Summer ordered flautas (I have a soft spot in my heart for fried Mexican food), and she let me have a bite (it had guacamole on it, and, even though she loves the green stuff, she can't eat it without getting an awful stomach ache), so I can vouch for it. Not great, but crispy, tasty, and fattening, which is all you can really want in this life anyhow.
I wanted to be adventurous, but I couldn't pass on the enchiladas. So I ordered the Sour Cream Enchilada, which was really just a flat enchilada (I had chicken, but it came with red chile, which is always an odd pairing), covered in about a cup of sour cream. Now, I'm not a huge fan of sour cream, but it was appropriately decadent for the end of the calendar year, so I ate it up.
The enchilada was good; the chile was moderately hot, and the tortillas were good. The rice was disappointing, but you don't go to place like this hoping for great rice (when you do get the good stuff it's like a little treat).
Overall we were impressed and pleased. It's better than most of the similar places in Albuquerque's Old Town, and certainly among the best New Mexican restaurants we've been to. And, even though we were charged $1.95 for each kid's milk (I'm a sucker for the drink being included with the kids' meals), it was a good deal; we came in around $50 with tip, and the entrees we had were very reasonable at $8-10 each.
So, using our handy-dandy rating system (as outlined in the sidebar; I'm giving a score for each area on a scale of 1-36, for a total between 6 and 36 for each establishment we choose to patronize), La Posta rates as follows:
On New Years Eve, as part of our impetuous trip to Las Cruces, we stopped in historic Mesilla, where we ate at La Posta. This meandering eatery, made of several adjoining rooms, all of which feels like the places has been expanded a number of times since it opened in 1939 (and more than a few times in the century before that, when the structure was first built). As a result, it has a cozy feel but is big enough that you can get a table pretty quickly (at least we did, arrive around 5:30; when we left an hour later there was a healthy wait for a table).
Finding the place was a bit of a challenge. It's a block off the plaza, and we missed the signs (if there were any) on our way in. Once we found a sign for La Posta, we were a bit confused, as the restaurant is part of a larger building, with a gift shop and some other spaces, so the entrance is a bit doubtful. But we got in from the cold and got a table right away.
Inside, La Posta is a bit kitschy, but cozy. Christmas lights were still up, and the feel was comfortable. The lobby had a large bird enclosure with a toucan and several fish tanks, one of which housed piranhas (at least in theory; I didn't see any). The tables were basic tourist-dining stuff, but the place was clean, well-lit, and inviting.
The food is pretty standard New Mexican fare, with a good sampling of enchiladas, burritos, tacos, chiles rellenos, and the like. There was also a good selection of steaks and burgers for those folks who go to Mexican restaurants to get standard American food.
The eating experience started well, with some crunchy and tasty tortilla chips and great salsa. Often at this kind of place you get a wimpy salsa, something that will make the folks from Des Moines or Columbus feel good that they can handle "real New Mexican salsa," but this was hearty, with a good front-of-the-mouth kick and some lingering spice in the back of the throat. And unlike many salsas that trade flavor for bite, this was full of flavor.
The kids had quesadillas (except for Ryan, who had a burger--see above for my thoughts on this), which were simple, but very heavy on the cheese. It must have been good (or they must have been ravenous), because the kids devoured their food.
Summer ordered flautas (I have a soft spot in my heart for fried Mexican food), and she let me have a bite (it had guacamole on it, and, even though she loves the green stuff, she can't eat it without getting an awful stomach ache), so I can vouch for it. Not great, but crispy, tasty, and fattening, which is all you can really want in this life anyhow.
I wanted to be adventurous, but I couldn't pass on the enchiladas. So I ordered the Sour Cream Enchilada, which was really just a flat enchilada (I had chicken, but it came with red chile, which is always an odd pairing), covered in about a cup of sour cream. Now, I'm not a huge fan of sour cream, but it was appropriately decadent for the end of the calendar year, so I ate it up.
The enchilada was good; the chile was moderately hot, and the tortillas were good. The rice was disappointing, but you don't go to place like this hoping for great rice (when you do get the good stuff it's like a little treat).
Overall we were impressed and pleased. It's better than most of the similar places in Albuquerque's Old Town, and certainly among the best New Mexican restaurants we've been to. And, even though we were charged $1.95 for each kid's milk (I'm a sucker for the drink being included with the kids' meals), it was a good deal; we came in around $50 with tip, and the entrees we had were very reasonable at $8-10 each.
So, using our handy-dandy rating system (as outlined in the sidebar; I'm giving a score for each area on a scale of 1-36, for a total between 6 and 36 for each establishment we choose to patronize), La Posta rates as follows:
- Yumminess: 5
- Budgetability: 4
- Table-for-six-ness: 6
- Kids-will-eat-it factor: 6 (but perhaps skewed since they had eaten a lousy lunch)
- Non-ickiness: 4
- Would we bring people here to show off ABQ?: 4 (since it's not in ABQ, this is hard to rate, but if ever we go to Las Cruces with family, this will be the spot to eat)
- Total: 29
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