It's Very Cool

(Toni)  It is so nice to have a locally-owned restaurant near Kirtland Air Force Base that has linen tablecloths!  And the food...  Yes, the food is divine.  Fresh, creative, and so very good.  

Cool Water Fusion Restaurant is located at 2010 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Suite B, in the Wyoming Mall Shopping Center.  It was originally a BBQ restaurant, and the new owners have done a great job at redecorating it.  It's hard to imagine a pine board, picnic table atmosphere changed to a linen-draped table cloth, with fish tank and stacked stone decor.  But they did it, and it looks fresh and upscale.

I am on a quest to find the best Cubano Sandwich in Albuquerque.  I had my first marinated pork sandwich with our son in Denver, and fell in love!  So back to Albuquerque.  When I saw this option on the menu described as "BRAISED PORK, SWISS CHEESE, GRAIN AND YELLOW MUSTARD, AND SLICED PICKLES SERVED WITH HOUSE MADE POTATO CHIPS $9.95" I decided to give it a try.

The pork was moist and fat free.  The spice in the sauce was perfect.  Not too hot, and just the right kick.  I love good bread, and this skinny roll with a hard crust and soft center filled the bill.  I ordered the creamy mustard potato salad instead of chips.  It was a good sized portion and very tasty.


My friend had the 1/2 pound hamburger on a home made bun.  He too ordered the potato salad, as he had had the house made chips previously and did not like them.  His whole order was to his liking.


The service was excellent.  The coffee was OK if you like weaker type coffee.  My rating is:  4/5/4.

http://www.coolwaterfusion.com/index.html

More Than a Tea Company

On an overcast spring day, a nice cup of tea and a sandwich sounded good, so we headed to ATeaCo., 3107 Eubank Blvd. NE, in the Scottsdale Shopping Center. The soups offered today, Green chile chicken and the Orzo/Okra/Cauliflower Garden Soup didn't sound good, so I ordered the Nutella Strawberry sandwich on toasted wheat bread. It came with a side of chips. The sandwich was fine, but the chips were hard. I had peppermint tea which hit the spot, along with a chocolate chip cookie which was hard and not worth the calories. (Toni)

My sandwich was quite disappointing.  It included a minimal amount of smoked turkey and quite dry bread (must explain that it was gluten-free, which tends to be dry especially when toasted). The side was greens with vinaigrette dressing. Also had some black tea which was fine. (CC)

The only reason Toni and I will revisit the restaurant, because we have a two-for-one coupon.

Great Downtown Caffe

Wow.  This place is receiving some high praise from the family.  Best Belgian Waffle in the state, best Southwestern Eggs Benedict in town, excellent cappuccino...  That has to tell you something!

It's the Gold Street Caffe, on you guessed it, 218 Gold SW.   We primarily visit this place for Sunday brunch, and we each have our favorite dishes.  

I (Toni) like the waffle.  Best in the state.  Today it was jazzed up a bit with white chocolate chips and blueberries.  They also offered whipped cream, but I declined.  It was incredibly tasty.  My daughter shared her fruit cup and I was able to snatch a piece of the delectable red chile marinated bacon from my husband.  

Lauren and David had the Southwest Eggs Benedict.  It's served on a homemade green chile biscuit, and has that same red chile marinated bacon.  David said that the eggs were perfect.  This dish is only served on the weekends.

We had 1/2 caf. coffees and rated them a 4.  David's cappuccino was a 5.  Other breakfast menu items include "The Best Breakfast Burrito", "Sooo Good Pancakes", "Golden Three Egg Omelet" and a good assortment of homemade pastries.   Prices for breakfast/brunch range from $5.95 to $8.95.

Lunch options include "Grilled Vegetable Sandwich", "Cubano Wrap", "Gold Street Chicken Salad Sandwich", "Fish Tacos", a variety of salads, and of course their famous bacon in a "Gotta Have A BLT."  They have great Sage Bakehouse Breads, and sides include soup, Chipotle Potato Salad, and Pan Fries.  Lunch prices range from $7.95 - $10.95.

Breakfast is served Monday - Friday 7AM to 11AM, Saturday 8AM to 1PM, and Sunday Brunch is 8AM to 2 PM.  They offer Lunch/Dinner menu Monday 11AM to 2PM, Tuesday-Friday 11AM to 10PM and Saturday 1PM to 10PM. www.goldstreetcaffe.com

Ratings for today's visit:  David 5/3/4, Lauren 5/3/4, and Toni 5/3/4.  We must note that the service hasn't always been acceptable, but today it was, so we want to give credit where it is due.

 

F L Y to "Flying Star" - Multiple locations in Albuquerque/Bernaillo/Santa Fe

Very Trendy and Popular restaurants, although they can be pricey for what they offer!  They serve a nice variety for breakfast e.g., eggs, homemade potatoes, pancakes, burritos, bagels, muffins, and sweet rolls.  Lunch and Dinner are the same menu, with great sandwiches offered - Turkey Jack is quite popular, and one of my favorites.  It is on sourdough bread, with turkey, melted cheese, green chili and tomatoes and served with a side - french fries, cole slaw, potato salad, fruit (about two thimbles, though) and nice side of greens for an extra price.  They also offer some wonderful salads (greens) and soups.  One of their other "standouts" is their homemade, baked by them, pastries - must try the pies and yummy cakes (must warn you, most are $5.50/each.!) 

Must comment on the ambience - quite colorful and trendy, their theme is "flying star" or orbit system, most have fireplaces and quite comfortable seating.  When my husband and I take our out-of-town guests, we like to take them to one of the many "Flying Star" retraurants.

5/4/4  

CC

A Peaceful Oasis

With soft contemporary country and folk music in the background and the sound of graceful waterfalls, we tried a new (for us) restaurant, Oasis Corrales, a desert bistro, for Sunday brunch. The restaurant is decorated with fine art, garden sculptures, and a variety of upscale patio furniture.  There is a wine bar, and a few tables on the patio.  The wait staff was kind, informative and attentive.

With a limited, but creative menu, all four of us found something to our liking. The grilled steak breakfast burrito was fresh and tasty. It was served with a side of fresh fruit and salsa. They offer 1/2 orders on some dishes which is a welcome option. My sister ordered Eggs Benedict which she declared was "OK". The English Muffin was toasted too much, so she asked for a replacement, and it was quickly provided.

Mom and I had the French Toast which was so good, with some secret ingredient (maybe vanilla?). The serving was quite large, a little too much for a senior. Not everyone can cook turkey bacon well, but ours was delicious.

David had the Breakfast Burrito with eggs, fried potatoes, cheese & green chile (and turkey bacon for an additional $1) for $6.  It was very dry, even with the salsa provided.  He would have liked more cheese and an additional egg inside.  He rated his experience 2/2/5.

Lauren had the Road Runner Breakfast Sandwich for $5.  It had eggs, cheddar cheese & ham.  It was supposed to come on green chile cheese bread, but it did not.  That was disappointing.  She rated her experience 3/3/3.5

The coffee is roasted in Cedar Crest, New Mexico, and was a good bold cup. I had both regular and decaf, and both were flavorful.

Other brunch options included Lox and Bagels, Patatas Bravas, and a variety of pastries and espresso drinks.

The only recommendation is to turn the volume down a bit on the music as it was difficult to hold a conversation.

Oasis Corrales is located at 4940 Corrales Road, and their number is 505-792-4720. www.oasiscorrales.com

Toni:  My rating is 5/3/4

Savor "Savory Fare" - 7400 Montgomery Blvd. NE, 884-8514

This is a wonderful, quite popular Deli/Bakery Eaterie.  It is primarily a Lunch Spot, however they are open until 7 p.m. during the week and 4 p.m. on Saturday.  They feature a Hot Entree and several soup options every day.  The food is fresh and flavorful AND can't go wrong with their desserts!  They offer cakes, pies, cookies, biscotti, etc., at a reasonable price, compared to others in town of similar quality.  One of my favorite dishes is the Chicken and Fried Sage Salad, that includes red grapes, celery and pecans.  Their sandwiches are great too (favorites - chicken pita and their Chicken Salad with dried apricots) and can choose a side such as a salad and/or soup.  They do offer a good Roast Beef sandwich as well. Their menu for the summer should be published soon that indicates their specials for each day.

Definitely "Worth a Visit!"

Ratings: 5/4/4

CC
  

My Heart is Full of Joy - CLOSED

I still can't quite believe what happened to me today.  I was running errands for work in the downtown area, and decided to check out what I thought was a new coffee shop, Community Cup. Inside I met owners Kim and Pelli.  As I usually do, I struck up a conversation, asking how long they had been open, what types of foods did they have, etc.  I locked in on a scrumptious looking coffee cake, but had just had a big cheese danish from the French Riviera Bakery on 4th Street, so I passed, and ordered a macchiato to go.

Kim told me that Pelli makes all of the goodies (except the bagels), and that they have freshly made breakfast burritos, salads, and daily specials.  They have coffee (espresso drinks only - no drip) in real cups if you are going to sit and enjoy it.  (Real cups!)  Anyway, I decided to pick up an artichoke chicken and cheese salad on a bed of lettuce for my lunch, so I went up to the counter to pay.

Here's the thing.  I handed Pelli my card and she said "we only take cash."  I told her that I didn't have any and asked where the closest ATM was.  She told me not to worry about it, that I didn't have to pay at the moment, that she knew I would be back, and I could pay then.  I couldn't believe what I was hearing!  After I closed my mouth, and blinked a few times, trying to take it in, I held out my hand to shake hers and told her "I give you my word.  I will return and pay you."  She said "I know you will."

Toni, Pelli and Kim

Is anyone else surprised?  This has never happened to me.  I was going to send her a check in the mail, but then remembered that they only take cash!  So I will stop by on my day off and take them the money.

Maybe the kindness and sincerity of these special owners has something to do with the name of the business, "Community Cup."

My rating:  4/5/4.

They are located at 219 Central Ave. SW, and are open Monday through Friday.  Lunch specials are available "until they run out!"  Their motto is "From Scratch Food" - "From Scratch Pastries."

P.S.  I went back and paid my bill today - Friday, May 20!

Brunch @ Just Muffin Around

(Toni) My husband David and I went out to eat after church on Sunday.  He had a sandwich and I had french toast.  He ordered the #3, West Coast Turkey, which came with a side, so he chose coleslaw.  The sandwich was on fresh Fano (a local baker) whole wheat bread, and had sliced turkey, cucumbers, leaf lettuce, sun dried tomatoes, avocado, and alfalfa sprouts along with pesto mayo. 

His comments were: "Good bread - toasted perfectly," and "What struck me was the freshness of the sandwich."  He enjoyed the coleslaw too, tasting a hint of horseradish.

I had #31 French Toast with a side of bacon.  The flavor of the FT was very good, but it was not cooked through so the middle of each piece was soggy.  The bacon was dry, but had a good flavor.  I enjoyed the coffee.

I must admit that I ate everything on my plate, so it could not have been too bad!

Other breakfast offerings include: Pancakes, Breakfast Sandwich, Classic Breakfast, and several omelets.

Our ratings are as follows:  

David: 4/5/2
Toni: 3/4/2

For those who enjoy outdoor seating, they do have a nice, small patio.

  A picture of their floor...

Dessert First

My (Toni) daughter Lauren has been raving about the Bear Claws at Rolling in Dough so we stopped by for lunch on a warm, breezy, spring day.  OK, it was lunch time, but we were oh so disappointed when we saw that the Bear Claws were all gone!  We did find very good desserts though, and decided to eat those while waiting for our sandwich!  I had a fudgy brownie, and Lauren had a "Figure Eight" with apple and cherry filling.  Both were delicious.  The coffee was quite good too.  We split a Doc Holliday, aka bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich on homemade wheat bread (they also bake white, rye and green chile cheese breads).  The bread was so good that I could have just had that with a little lettuce on it!  We chose the pasta salad as our side and were disappointed that it was slightly dry and needed a lot of salt to add flavor.  Other sandwiches with names like "Tingley Beach", "Calamity Jane" and "Plaza Don Luis" reflect the Old Town area where this restaurant is located. 

Breakfast is served from 9 - 11 a.m. daily, with a short menu of American specialties such as pancakes and omelets.  However, when I go back for breakfast I'm having a Bear Claw!

Stop by this bakery and cafe in Plaza Don Luis in Old Town, 303 Romero Street NW (505-248-1786).  Here are our ratings:  Lauren 4/4/3 and mine is also 4/4/3.

Mother's Day Brunch at Cafe Green

What a delightful experience we had today in downtown Albuquerque!  It's Mother's Day, and it was my (Toni) turn to choose a restaurant for brunch.  Since I love their food, and knew that they would have music, I chose Cafe Green.  The vibe is European/local foods/healthy choices.  We had everything from French Toast made from house-made banana bread, to Crab Benedict, Dutch Baby Pancakes (Sunday's only), and the Classic American.  Everyone in my party enjoyed their food.  

Mom enjoyed the crispy hash browns.  David enjoyed the lemon curd on the banana bread french toast, and Lauren thought the crab flavor was perfect in the Benedict.  Nancy had never had the Dutch Pancake and really enjoyed it.  I would have like more berries instead of kiwi on my Dutch Pancake, and actually prefer it with just lemon and powdered sugar.  The bacon was crisped to perfection!

The prices for this well prepared food were reasonable.  Averaging out our ratings Cafe Green received a 4/4.2/4.2

The service was good, and the music added a festive flavor to our visit.  They serve Red Rock Roasters coffee and it was about a "3.5".  

An improvement to consider would be a home-made biscuit for the Eggs Benedict. 

Cafe Green is located at 319 5th Street SW, Albuquerque, NM and they can be (505) 842-1600.  The owners are Camilla and Kyle Weaver. ‎

A New Cupcakery in Town

After a disappointing lunch, we thought we would  try the new cupcake place.  We entered Gold Rush Cupcakes at 20 First Plaza, "Sweet" 211, in downtown Albuquerque.  The cases were full of attractively decorated cupcakes, many with Easter designs.

You have to understand that our family loves cupcakes, and that we try them in as many places/cities that we can.

The daily lunch specials on the board looked appealing, and we thought that we would like to come back for a meal another day.  The lunch specials included Golden Gobbler and Rocky's Bad Boy sandwiches, homemade soups, and green garden salads.

Hours of operation are Monday - Friday (they may open on weekends in the future) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or until the last cupcake is sold!

My daughter ordered a chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting, and I ordered a chocolate cake  with chocolate frosting and a peanut butter cup garnish. The cake on both of our desserts were OK, but the frosting was underwhelming.  Not much peanut butter flavor, and my chocolate frosting was not very sweet and not thick enough for me.  

My rating is 2/4/3.   

Paris in Downtown Albuquerque?

I had learned of the "La Quiche Parisienne Bristro" when visiting the Downtown Growers Market.  Their chocolate croissant was delicious so I filed the bistro's name away for a future lunch or breakfast.  

Today was the day, and my daughter accompanied me.  We walked in and immediately noted that there was not a lot of inventory in the cases.  We decided to split a small mushroom spinach quiche and a Classic Salad with the house dressing.  Even though we told them we were splitting the meal, they brought it on one plate so that we had to split it ourselves.

The whole quiche was dry.  We added salt to pump up the flavor.  The salad was fresh, but the dressing was watery.  

Additionally, the atmosphere was a bit dreary.  I've been in warm, sunny French bistros with flowers and printed fabric curtains.  This restaurant had magazines all over the window ledges, and we had to bus our own table without a receptacle for the dirty dishes.  There were unprofessionally created signs posted, and a tree that needed to be composted.

So, with ratings of 2/3/3 from my daughter, and 2/3/2 from me, we will not be going back to La Quiche, 401 A Copper NW.

Today's Special - Pecan Pie Muffins

We met with Marcey Henderson, owner of Just Muffin Around, after a lunch of Uptown Turkey sandwich, #1, one of their most popular selections. This is a great local place for both breakfast and lunch with a choice of over 15 specialty sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads. Toni's favorite side is the homemade carrot and raisin salad, and she loves the whole grain Fano bread.

For breakfast, there are 9 selections (wow!). CC recommends the #33, a hearty Green Chile Burrito. Inside you'll find eggs, hash browns, green chile and cheddar cheese.

Ok, now for the best part, the muffins. They bake 16 varieties every day, and rotate them daily. Are you a Muffin Top type of person, or a Whole Muffin type of person? You have a choice! Muffins are $1.95 and the tops are $1.25. Marcey tells us that the blueberry and orange cranberry are the best sellers. Her personal favorite is the bran muffin, a healthy choice with fresh apples and carrots.

CC's rating is 4/4/3. Toni says 5/4/3.

Improvement's we'd like to see include an upgrade of the ambiance. A few special touches like fresh flowers at each table, and removal of the vinyl tablecloths. The temperature is on the cool side. Offering of a mini basket of muffins would be a great option too. We're not crazy about the coffee. Maybe another local roaster?


Overall, good food at very reasonable prices. Try it!

Muffins or Muffin Tops?

Stay tuned for our first post from "Just Muffin Around" a local bakery and sandwich shop.  We've been there before, but this will be our first time in review mode.  Can't wait!