Eat Albuquerque - ABQ Restaurant Reviews and Dining Guide

Casa Grande

April 11th, 2007 by art365

2424 Central Ave SW
Albuquerque, NM 87104
(505) 243-2519
MAP

Casa Grande is located on Central next to the Rio Grande Bio Park and directly across from the Village Inn.
The menu at Casa Grande has a little something for everyone. There are Mexican Dishes, Seafoods, Steaks & Chops, Pasta, Chicken, Open Faced Sandwiches, Cold Sandwiches, Salads, Low Carb Specials, Deserts and the Breakfast Menu (served all day) has just about anything you would want.
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I suggest trying the Mexican Combination Plate which has two enchiladas, one relleno, a taco, spanish rice and beans. The red chile is hot, but not too hot. Some of my favorite items are the biscuits and gravy(just $2.50), Patty Melt and Spare Rib Plate. The food here is simple, but that simplicity still tastes good. After every meal you are offered a free desert, which is usually a bowl of rice pudding or tapioca pudding. This is a nice simple thing to offer guests that just adds to a positive experience.

Overall the most amazing feature of Casa Grande is their prices. It is one of the most affordable restaurants that I have visited. It’s like when you go to Walmart sometimes and wonder how they make a profit with some of their prices. Sandwiches here range from $3.95 to $5, are well sized, and come with a good portion of fries. Most breakfast items are in the $5 range. Dinners come with a salad, mashed potatoes and butter, wonderful green beans and bread. When you walk in, don’t forget to look at the daily specials, because they are a bargain!

The atmosphere at Casa Grande is very relaxed and casual. It has a small town feeling, and all different types of people come here to eat. I get the feeling that many people eat here on a daily basis. The interior is a little out of date, but still clean and inviting, consisting mainly of booths with some tables in between. There is a large mural on one one wall and some other smaller art work scattered the restaurant. In a way, the art and the atmosphere remind me of the Frontier Restaurant, without all the hustle and bustle. At times you can find merchants here, selling jewelry to the customers.

The service is sometimes great, sometimes very slow, but never rude. Casa Grade is the type of place where you can enjoy a meal, a cup of coffee and the newspaper without feeling like you are being rushed out the door. I would recommend this place to families with picky children or for a group of people who all want something different. Casa Grande has a loyal customer base which is the main reason why they offer great prices, food, and customer service.

Pros: Friendly Environment, Prices
Cons: Inconsistent Service

Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]

   Post in American, Breakfast, Lunch, New Mexican, Old Town, Route 66    4 Comments

Golden Crown Panaderia

March 30th, 2007 by mandoza

1103 Mountain RD NW
243-2424
Sun: 10am to 8pm
Tue - Sat: 7am to 8pm
MAP | WEBSITE | MENU

Golden Crown Panderia is a neighborhood bakery that now serves pizza, located in what looks like an old house on Mountain just east of 12th street. Even though I frequently pass by, I never really noticed the this cute little bakery, until I received a flyer in the mail. I couldn’t pass up the offer that they gave me so I went by one evening to try out their pizza.

As I mentioned before the outside looks like it was once a home. There is a covered patio outside and a lot of room for outdoor dining. Continue reading ‘Golden Crown Panaderia’

   Post in Bakery, Deli, Old Town, Pizza    3 Comments

Monica’s El Portal

March 7th, 2007 by art365

321 Rio Grande Blvd NW
Albuquerque, NM 87104
505.247.9625

Situated in a old home across Rio Grande Blvd. from Old Town. Chef Monica Baca cooks with traditional recipes passed down trough the generations. The interior of this old building is set up in small dining rooms. As you would expect from a restaurant in Old Town, New Mexican art adorns the walls and entry. My wife has been wanting to try this place for a long time. She has heard good things about the food.

We went into Monica’s clueless on what to expect from this little charming restaurant in Old Town. I had the combination plate which came with a chile relleno, beef enchilada, beans and rice. The red chile had a surprising kick to it. I was expecting a more mild heat, especially coming from a place that caters to a lot of tourists. The relleno and the enchiladas were good but not great. My wife had the chicken tacos. The chicken came shredded, but lacked flavor. Thankfully it came with salsa and guacamole to add flavor the tacos. The prices were fair, $8.75 for the two idem combination plate and $6.55 for the chicken tacos. Next time I am going to have to try the breakfast items. We left satisfied, but knowing that there’s better New Mexican food restaurants in the area.

Although some staff is very informal and friendly, the servers seem rushed. We have gone twice and both times we had to sit a dirty table while the waitress goes to find a rag to clean the tables. Not a very good first impression especially being a weeknights and not very busy.

Pros: Nice hot red chile
Cons: Service

Taste:
[rate 7.5]
Service:
[rate 6]
Ambiance:
[rate 7.5]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]

   Post in New Mexican, Old Town    2 Comments