Archive for January, 2006
6225 4th St. NW
Luigi’s serves Italian American food and pizza, and is located on 4th, north of Osuna. The atmosphere is casual. There are tables and booths with a buffet in the middle of the restaurant. On Fridays they have a seafood buffet, which offers a variety of fried seafood. The buffets don’t look to appetizing, but a lot of people get it.
The food is pretty good and the portions are large. I like the calzones and the pizza. I had the Fettuccine Alfredo, which I did not like, but I have enjoyed everything else that I’ve tried. The chicken and veal parmesan is what i usually get. The portions are large and tasty. The marinara sauce is mild and has a good taste. The prices are high for casual dining, around $12 a plate, but that includes soup or salad and fresh bread. The service is outstanding; the servers are very accommodating and friendly. I have yet had a bad server at Luigi’s.
Luigi’s is a nice place to eat Italian American food. If you are looking for an inexpensive meal or a fancy atmosphere, this is not the place. It is a perfect place for a satisfying meal in a casual rustic setting.
Taste:
[rate 8]
Service:
[rate 9.5]
Ambiance:
[rate 6]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
Central & Monroe
505.265.6919
www.dionspizza.com
I assume that everyone in Albuquerque has heard of Dion’s. They have several locations around the city. They serve pizza, subs and salads. You can eat-in or take-out. You order at the counter and when your food is ready, your name is called. The atmosphere is casual, and sometimes loud because it is a popular place for teenagers. They also have drive through windows, so that you can call in an order and then pick it up.
The food is always great. The pizza has hand tossed crust with plenty of toppings. You can order a whole pizza, or by the slice. The subs come in 6in or 10in sizes and are served with chips and Greek dressing. Depending on the type of sub, I usually substitute the dressing for ranch. Dion’s makes great salads with plenty of cheese and meat. They make their own dressings, which are outstanding. The prices of their food are very reasonable.
Dion’s is one of those places that almost everyone loves. I have enjoyed this food since I was young. It is a fun, casual place where you can go on your own, or with a whole soccer team. If you call in take-out, make sure your order is correct before you leave. They do make mistakes, but are very willing to correct them.
Taste:
[rate 9]
Service:
[rate 8]
Ambiance:
[rate 8]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
6501 Gibson Blvd. SE
JR’s, on Gibson just west of Louisiana, is located near Kirtland Air Force Base. They serve a variety of barbecue as well as seafood and beer. The building looks like a Seafood restaurant would look. The entry way is wood, and the small round windows look like those of a ship. Inside there are tables with benches, as well as some booths. There are a few tables outside in the shade. There are TVs around the two dining rooms. JR’s has a rustic atmosphere, with lots of interesting military posters and newspapers on the wall.
I like the BBQ, especially the turkey and sausage. The sauce is spicy but not too hot. The menu has a good variety of barbecue, hamburgers, fried food, and seafood. I usually get a Kirtland Combo which comes with two choices of meats, and two sides (potato salad, corn on the cob, potato wedges, Cajun fries, fried okra). The seafood is very low quality, right for a bag. I would not recommend their seafood. They offer tap beer and soda with crushed ice, for those of you who are ice connoisseurs. The prices are very reasonable, around $7.00 for a good sized meal.
JR’s is a good option for a casual dinner or lunch. At lunch it can get crowded because they are so close to Kirtland AFB. The servers are friendly and not too invasive. This is a good place to take a family or eat with friends.
Taste:
[rate 8]
Service:
[rate 8]
Ambiance:
[rate 7]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
1736 Central Ave SW
Garcia’s Kitchen has several locations. I usually go to the location on Central near 12th. Garcia’s serves New Mexican food and they are very popular for breakfast and lunch. The atmosphere is casual, with lots of tables so you could take a large group. Garcia’s is very colorful with lots of interesting New Mexican items, perfect for tourists.
The food is classic New Mexican. I usually get a burrito and opt out of the beans and rice. The chile is tasty, with a moderate heat. The portions are a decent size. My family enjoys their hot link breakfast. I enjoy the flavor of the food, but I have found that the quality is not always consistent. One time all the food at our table was cold, fridge cold. Another time the carne adovada was hard as leather. The service is not outstanding. I have had to wait a considerable amount of time whenever I go.
I would recommend going to Garcia’s if you are not in a hurry. There are several locations around Albuquerque, and I think that the overall experience is worth a try. Garcia’s would be a nice place to meet a friend for a casual lunch or to take the family out to breakfast. The prices are reasonable.
Taste:
[rate 8]
Service:
[rate 4]
Ambiance:
[rate 7]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
Wrap it Up is located on Coal just east of 10th. They serve different types of wraps and salads as well as breakfast and some New Mexican food. Wrap it Up is located in a neighborhood just west of downtown. If I am not mistaken, it is actually in the same building as the old Stuffy’s. The atmosphere is casual and colorful. There are tables and a few booths. There are a few tables out on the sidewalk in front, which would be perfect for sipping tea on a sunny spring day.
The wraps are light and refreshing. There are a wide variety of wraps and you can choose from different wrap flavors. My favorite wraps are the Hot Ham and Cheese with green chile, and the Thai Chicken wrap. The New Mexican food is mild but enjoyable. Wrap it Up is also very reasonably priced, from $3-$5 for a wrap, which comes with potato salad. The service is outstanding. I have always felt welcome as soon as I arrive.
Wrap it up is a good choice for a casual lunch. You can have a satisfying meal without spending a fortune. They also have a pick-up window, so you could call in and pick up lunch or dinner. Its perfect if you work downtown like me.
Taste
[rate 8]
Service:
[rate 7]
Ambiance:
[rate 7]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
3201 Central Ave., NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
The Gruet Steak House offers a fine dinging experience and a large collection of Gruet wines. The restaurant is located in the old Monte Vista fire station. The fire station is classic New Mexican architecture, mixed with a very modern contemporized decor.
I had the crackling pork shank. The pork was fork tender and amazing. The sauce was a nice apple reduction and complemented the pork. I highly recommend this dish. The steaks looked wonderful and were properly cooked. The salad was a bit plain and the service was a little overwhelmed that night. Entrees were in the twenty-dollar range. If you are looking for a fine dining experience and are in the mood to taste some good wine, the Gruet steak house will fit the bill.
Taste:
[rate 9]
Service:
[rate 6]
Ambiance:
[rate 8]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
Written by Peter Reinhart a professor at the prestige’s Johnson and Whales cooking school. This book offers many popular and traditional bread recipes. He does a very good job of describing the principles of bread making, rather than just presenting a bunch of recipes, it leaves you to create your own recipes, or modify his to suit your tastes. The pictures in the book show more then just the finished product, they illustrate the various steps in the process. Most the recipes take at least two days to complete. I have tried the pizza dough recipe, baguettes, ciabatta bread, and Kaiser rolls. The recipe’s came out fantastic and well worth the wait. This book is a requirement if you have any interest in quality breads
