Happy Father's Day!

To all the birth, step, foster and Grand Fathers out there, Happy Father's Day!

Christine took me out to our favorite sushi restaurant, Tomo, for a fantastic lunch.  We had Miso soup, Ocean Salad (with octopus, scallops and  squid) and each had a bento box.  Her's was with fried tofu, tempura vegetables, salad, crunch roll and BBQ beef.  Mine had sashimi (salmon, tuna & yellowtail), gyoza, spicy tuna roll, BBQ beef and salad.  The service was stellar as usual and the meal was absolutely divine!

JennAwiza (bless you) called this morning wishing me a Happy Day and Corey called this evening.  Thank you Jenn, Corey & Christine for making it a special day in June!

Red O

An amazing new LA restaurant opened Memorial Day weekend brought about by the incredible chef from Chicago, Rick Bayless.  On his PBS cooking show, Mexico: One Plate at a Time, Chef Rick demystifies the Mexican cuisine and makes it abundantly clear that there is a lot more depth to their culinary tradition than refried beans and Taco Bell.  The ambiance of Red O (O is short for Onion) is LA chic meets old world Mexico.  Every detail was superbly considered and the abundance of candlelight set against the whitewashed adobe walls and wrought iron fixtures set the mood for an intimate dining experience.  The wait staff was plentiful and paid attention to our table, as I’m sure they did all guests.  I’d take a sip of water and seconds later my glass was filled.  Fantastic!  We started with Sangria and the guacamole.  I asked our server about their habanero salsa as I didn’t see it on the menu but loved it at Rick’s La Frontera Grill in Chicago last year and was looking forward to it at Red O.  She said that they have it but that it is so spicy they don’t advertise it and it is available by request only.  Say no more, bring it on!  Out came a trio of fresh salsa; red, green and habanero. 

The food is so scrumptious I hate to go on about salsa but for those of us that love flavors that tip the scoville scale the habanero salsa is sublime.  It is packed with heat AND has a real depth of flavor with habanero pepper and fresh lime juice blended to capsaicin perfection.  After the guacamole came a Halibut ceviche with cilantro-serrano chimichurri with cucumber and alvacado.  Amazing!  Then the entries, Christine had the farm roasted vegetable enchiladas covered in a roasted tomato and cheese sauce while I had the Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (wood-grilled Mazatlan Blue shrimp with slow-roasted garlic and wood grilled knob onions) with Veracruz-style white rice with sweet plantains.  We ate slowly savoring every morsel.  It was a remarkable meal.  To top it all off we decided on the bunuelos covered in a cinnamon chocolate sauce with a scoop of caramel and salt ice cream, delicious.  The entire experience was a superb definition of how to celebrate food.  We’ll be back again and again; too bad it’s a 5 hour drive from Phoenix.

Texas BBQ in New Mexico

I have enjoyed great Bar-B-Que in Memphis, the Carolinas and throughout the U.S. but there is nothing like Texas BBQ (no, I'm not from the Lone Star State either.) Avoiding corporate restaurants at all costs I always prefer family owned restaurants over the chain variety. But sometimes a franchise gets it right and with Rudy's its not just right, it's perfect! This regional chain of BBQ joints is limited to 27 locations in three states (Texas, Oklahoma & New Mexico) with roots that go back to 1889. It's the real deal and Albuquerque is blessed with two Rudy's locations. I have been to this particular eatery a few times in addition to one in El Paso and have never been remotely disappointed. The self serve line is complimented with a relish bar (pickles, onions, jalapenos) and drink station. Picnic tables and concrete floors complete the raw style that Texas is famous for when it comes to great BBQ. The oak wood smoldering in the pit grabs ahold of your nostrils when you open your door in the parking lot. Two hours later my shirt still smells like I was sitting next to a campfire. I've enjoyed jalapeno sausage, brisket and baby backs on previous visits so this time I went with the pulled pork. The half pound serving was enough to make two nice sized sandwiches with the four slices of white bread that came on the side. The pork was very moist and sauce free. I loaded it up with sliced onions and Rudy's spicy sauce and enjoyed every ounce as I washed it down with sweet tea. I always order the green chili stew and this time was no exception. The Land of Enchantment is known for their chilies and combined with smoked meat and potatoes the stew is simply sublime. Not much of a desert person I am always a sucker for good pecan pie. Pricey at $3.99 I indulged myself anyway and oh! what a pie. At first it tastes like a good southern pecan pie. After it settles on your palette a slight hint of chocolate surfaces but does not overwhelm. Whenever your adventure leads you to Albuquerque (or any other Rudy's locale) make it a point to feast on some great Texas Bar-B-Que.

Paella in Santa Fe

I spent a few days in Albuquerque this week and really enjoyed the authenticity of the Southwestern experience. Last time I was there I ate at the Monte Carlo which was featured on Guy Fiere's "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." This time I had to follow-up on an episode that featured Sophia's Place and, as usual, it did not disappoint. The cod fish tacos were yummy but the pinon nut brownie was absolutely the best brownie I ever tasted! While in ABQ I was also able to get my fix of Texas BBQ at Rudy's; had the pulled pork and green chile stew. The big event of the trip however, albiet, I did have to do some work while I was there, was the Friday trip to Santa Fe. That is a really cool/historic/eclectic town! I dined at El Meson which is an authentic Spanish place where the chef/owner hails from Madrid. The bread was crunchy good, the sangria flowed like wine ;-) and the Pallea a la Valenciana was superb. Bomba rice cooked with saffron then loaded with chorizo, chicken, mussels, clams, shrimp, scallops and Mahi-Mahi is a recipe for heavenly dining! When in Santa Fe dine at El Meson.

Texas BBQ

Even though I am no fan of chain restaurants whenever I'm in
El Paso (as I was this week) I always eat at Rudy's. The chain of BBQ restaurants is still quite small in numbers and found only in Texas with the exception of 1 each in Oklahoma and New Mexico. The food is terrific and the rustic Texas atmosphere makes the experience even more enjoyable. This time around I sampled the baby back ribs, jalapeño sausage, Green Chile stew (to die for), potato salad and sweet tea. Texas does BBQ better than anywhere else in my book! If you find yourself travelling on I-10 through El Paso or on I-40 through Albuquerque make some time for a meal at Rudy's.