Archive for April, 2006
3109 Coors Blvd SW
Amadeos website
Amadeo’s Pizza and Subs has two locations, Coors and Rio Bravo and on 98th Street. They have the largest pizza that I have ever seen. You can order a 26in pizza! I usually go for the 18in pizza and that is big. The atmosphere is casual with a fifties feel, black and white tile and posters of Marilyn Monroe and other celebrities cover the walls. They deliver to a limited area, but for those outside the delivery zone, the location on Coors has a pick up window. You have to go inside at the location on 98th, but it is worth it.
The menu offers pizza, salads, subs, other Italian specialties, wings, and desert. I really enjoyed the pizza. The crust on the pizza is hand-tossed and the 100% mozzerela actually tastes like fresh mozzerela. The sauce is spicy and delicious. They offer a variety of toppings and fresh ingredients. I have had two different 6in subs which were light and had fresh ingredients. They also offer large party subs, which are generous. If you are looking for a sub for a party, try them instead of Subway, you won’t be dissapointed. I also had a piece of chocolate cake which was moist and decadent.
Every time that I have gone to Amadeo’s I have received outstanding service. I had heard stories about Amadeo’s and thier huge pizza’s from several different people, so I finally made the trip out to Coors and Rio Bravo to try it. It was worth the trip. I have been back several times since. The flavor is refreshing break from bland, greasy pizza.
Taste:
[rate 8]
Service:
[rate 8]
Ambiance:
[rate 7]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
Some new changes to Eat Albuquerque are rolling out this week. First is the readers poll on the side bar. The new poll allows you to vote for your favorite restaurant on the list or even add a new restaurant. Hopefully once a month I am going to take the results and add a new category Readers Favorites. Express your opinion and vote!
Second, is a new page with local recipes and pictures.
Four Locations:
- 8246 MENAUL @ WYOMING IN HOFFMANTOWN CENTER
292.9464
- 4565 San Mateo Blvd in@Montgomery Plaza
830.9464
- 5241 Ouray, Coors Rd @ I-40 in West Bluff Center
831.5300
- 3705 Ellison Rd @ Hwy 528 in Cottonwood Corners
899.7040
Wing Basket Menu(pdf)
I knew it was coming! With the popularity of Buffalo chicken wings, sooner or later we were going to see a restaurant dedicated to the popular bar food, “The Chicken Wing”. Being a chicken wing fan, I had high hopes for the Wing Basket. The Wing Basket offers eight flavors of wings: WB Original, Hot, TNT, Barbecue, Honey Mustard, Kentucky Bourbon, Garlic Parmesan, and Lemon Pepper. Along with their wings they also offer chicken tenders, fries, and other various sides.
The interior of the restaurant has a fresh picnicy-farm theme. There is plenty of seating for being such a small restaurant. You can order at the counter or call ahead for take-out. The staff is usually friendly and willing to give recommendations. The service can be a tad slow when you order at the restaurant, so call ahead.
The sauces at the Wing Basket were all decent. The sugar based sauces, such as the Kentucky Bourbon, and Honey Mustard, were too sweet. The Honey Mustard seemed to be missing the MUSTARD. Of all the buffalo sauces, the hot buffalo sauce was the only one spicy enough for me. I have tried all of the flavors except for the TNT. The main problem with the wings at the Wing Basket is the quality. On all the occasions the wings were dry and had very little meat, mostly dry skin and bones. One time at the West Bluff Center location, the wings had absolutely no meat, what so ever. If there was meat, it must have disappeared in the deep fryer. I love wings, but these are very low quality. The fries were soggy and tasted sweet. I have to say the only thing I did like were the sweet stix.
I have had the Wing Basket four times and all were consistently mediocre. If they upgrade their quality of wings, I would give them another try. Until then I could just not recommend the Wing Basket.
Taste:
[rate 5]
Service:
[rate 7]
Ambiance:
[rate 7]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
4266 Corrales Rd
Corrales, NM 87048-9310
(505) 898-0045
-Get Map-
There is a very good family pizza restaurant in Corrales called Village Pizza. I have been here over ten times because it some of the best restaurant pizza that I’ve had in New Mexico. The restaurant is located on the corrales business strip so it is just walking distance to various shops, occational music venues, and a walking path in the back along the ditch banks.
I usually start with some bread sticks which are really good, not cheesy or greasy, just sprinkled with some italian seasoning and parmasean. There are the usual options for pizza such as thick or thin crust, with traditional or high-end toppings. Now I’m sure the pizza with feta cheese and artichoke is good, but I’m a traditional type of guy and I like my pepperoni, mushroom, and sausage pizza on thick crust. To change things up a bit, I would definitely suggest getting the calzone here. It is a very large portion filled with marinera, ricotta cheese, and your choice of add-ins…one of the best I’ve had. They also offer a buffet with salad and pizza up until about 7 pm. If you’re looking for desert, they dont offer any here. Village pizza also has a nice selection of beer (draft and bottle) and wine.
Of course there are different expectations for service depending on the restaurant. Just like the atmosphere, the service is very laid-back here. The servers are really nice, usually get to know people, and are the kind to make a table laugh. One problem is that they usually have too many tables in their section and can get too busy to provide prompt service, especially on busy nights. But if you go to a restaurant like this, odds are you’re there for the food much more than the service.
Over the past years this restaurant has been renovated to accomodate the rise in customers, so at times it can get very loud and crowded. In that case, you might just want to pick your times wisely. Its a family restaurant so the tables are topped with disposable paper, paper napkins with silverware, and crayons are at the table to keep your kids occupied. There is a mix of private tables and long tables where families can sit by each other picnic-style. I recommend this restaurant, its a nice getaway from the city and you’ll have some really good food here.
Taste:
[rate 7]
Service:
[rate 7]
Ambiance:
[rate 7]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
This restaurant is located in the historic Old Town area of Albuquerque, inside of the Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town(formerly Sheraton Old Town). It is a private room located next to the hotel restaurant and offers the appeal of fine dining. I have gone here twice and had the Salmon and Prime Rib. The grilled Atlantic salmon was very good as were the sides of garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. The salmon was braised in a light raspberry chipotle barbecue sauce. On the other hand, the slow roasted aged prime rib was not nearly as good. It was bland and over cooked. The entree price is very reasonable for a fine dining experience (around $17) and the portions are filling. Also, for those who have an Entertainment book, you can use your card here.
The most disappointing part from me eating here was the terrible service. It took about ten minutes to get water and about 16 minutes to get bread. The server convaid about as much as I could get from a TGIFridays which is….what to drink? what to eat? are you finished? The first time I went there it was a Saturday night and there were only two other sat tables. Even so I expected the waiters to be present in the room more, and had to wait a long time after I was finished to get the check. I have been a former server in both low and high class restaurants, so I know when the service needs work.
The atmosphere is very cozy and you are given a lot of space on each table. The table dressings are very elegant and the seating is wide and comfortable. The only thing that I couldn’t make sense of were the paintings which seemed a little tacky. They were too colorful and the energetic band theme seemed like it didn’t belong with the fine dining ambiance of the room. Other than that, the lighting was good and the room is quiet. This restaurant is a good choice for those seeking a private atmosphere and fine dining with a New Mexican twist.
Taste:
[rate 8]
Service:
[rate 5]
Ambiance:
[rate 8]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
1800 Rio Grande blvd. nw
87104-2606
242-6334
Las Mananitas is a restaurant in the north valley area of Albuquerque which combines Mexican cuisine with a very homelike atmosphere. The restaurant was actually built in the mid 19th century and remodeled a few times since. However, the old stagecoach stop still reminisces of history as you duck under the low doors and look at the wooden floors with heel marks still left in the old dancehall.
I have to say that the food here was very good. I have gone several times and had the meat and potato floutas, combination burrito, and chicken enchiladas. You are started with homemade posole and each entrée is served with a sopapilla (thick and not greasy, just the way I like them). Now, I have worked in a Mexican kitchen before and this restaurant does not fall under the faults of some of the bigger and more popular restaurants. The kitchen is just a room away and everything is made from scratch, no bins full of bean or trays full of food under a heat-lamp, and yes there is a big difference. I saw the kitchen, met the cooks and was very impressed by how they operated. The owners are there all the time, stopping by to make sure everything is fine, serving your food with a smile on their face, and making good conversation. The servers are really laid back and funny. They will go out of their way to make you comfortable and I have not been to another restaurant in this city that offered the same hospitality. They were happy to give me a tour of the restaurant and enjoyed explaining the history of the old building and its area. To me, this is what makes me go back time and time again, the feeling of being a guest to a family.The only drawback is that the price is a bit higher and the portion sizes are smaller than what you may get somewhere else.
For most the best part of Las Mananitas is feeling like you are part of the history, which is why old town is so popular. For those who want a break from the contemporary, the restaurant stays true to its origins with the original old adobe walls, roof beams, fireplaces, wooden floors. There are two main rooms with six tables in each so it is very quiet. The walls have historic paintings and iron works true to the stagecoach origins. So if you feel like a relaxing dinner of good Mexican quisine with a homelike atmosphere, I would recommend Las Mananitas.
Taste:
[rate 8]
Service:
[rate 9]
Ambiance:
[rate 9]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
Pappadeaux Website
The food at Pappadeaux is an excellent and tasteful Cajun escape for all New Mexicans. If you like your seafood spicy or pronounced with a lot of seasoning this may be the right choice for you. The restaurant serves high quality Cajun entrees with a variety of fish flow in fresh daily, a fruit and vegetable selection that surpasses anything you can pick up in your local grocery store, and its own unique blend of 9 Cajun spices to blacken your favorite fish. Of course, with quality comes price, which is also at the higher end for this seafood restaurant.
The menu offers variety to the guest, yes even those who do not like seafood. To start you may like to try something new like Blackened Alligator or Boiled Crawfish. You can taste this restaurants’ take on popular fishes like Salmon and Catfish, or seek something more exotic like Alaskan Halibut and Swordfish. However you like your fish cooked, Pappadeaux offers a wide variety of signature sauces to add on top. For those pasta fans I recommend the Pasta Mardi Gras and to those who don’t like seafood, you’ll be surprised at how good the steaks are. To drink, try their Swampthing which is layered tropical drink or just browse through the variation in the wine list. The icing on the cake is when the server brings by the desert tray with ten excellent suggestions. But if you ask me, the break out star in the bunch is the Oreo Mousse.
The service at Pappadeaux is not the best in Albuquerque, but you will get prompt service, food served fairly quick, and all of your requests taken care of. The servers here are well trained to be knowledgeable about the food and restaurant and can answer almost any question you may have. Remember this is a high-paced family restaurant so if you are looking for more attention or professional service, you may want to go to a higher end establishment.
This restaurant offers an escape for the southwest natives as soon as you get first sight of the artistically molded shrubs and water fountains. Once inside it’s more of a family-style décor covered with wall dressings from mounted fish and pictures of jazz musicians to a loft with a life size fishing boat with nets and equipment. The main layout of the restaurant is very social and crowded, not for those looking for a little privacy in their meal. However there are great options as you may like to eat in the patio area with a nice fountain view or my favorite, the lounge, with a cherry wood finish, leather sofas, and big screen T.V.
As you can tell by the size and layout, this can be a very loud restaurant. While the background Zydeco music is very Cajun and creates the mood, it is also not the greatest selection of the genre and becomes a little irritating by the end of your meal. So just a warning, if you go at a busy time, be prepared to use your loud voice.
Taste:
[rate 8]
Service:
[rate 7]
Ambiance:
[rate 7]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
