At his lamentably closed burger and steak joint called Independence Grill, Jerry Wright served good burgers, tasty prime rib, addicting fried pickles, and Pig Wings.  Those delectable drumsticks were actually small pork shanks with all the flavor bestowed by having the bone on the premises for extra flavoring.

Well, Jerry was ahead of the Times, literally: New York Times loves Pig Wings. Apparently “shank” is not a dining public friendly word, so pig wings was the appointed moniker to pair with ranch dressing and/or barbeque sauces.  I also learned that Chili’s riblets (or are those the infamous “baby back ribs”???) are actually the transverse process of the vertebrae. That’s pretty nifty, and means that Baby Back Ribs is actually a correct term.  Who woulda thunk it?

Too bad the recession nailed us all when it did – or maybe the grass-roots campaign should begin now to bring back Jerry, the fried pickles, and those luscious pig wings.

It is (finally) chilly and the fall/winter menus are in full swing.  Here’s a little for you to nibble on in our local lineup:

Jennifer James 101 has a new menu heavily invested in roasts, comforting veggies, and luxurious soups.  PLUS, they are doing a winter Sunday dinner on 11/20 featuring the comfort foods of Italy.  With wine pairings included for $75, that’s a great pre-holiday stress season splurge for yourself.

In Los Lunas, you have to try the Greenhouse Bistro and Bakery – adorable space, friendly people and darn good food.  Plus, they’re doing a special cooking class next week featuring cured salmon.  Yum.

While the sun is out, follow the ABQ Food Trucks around town and snap up a tasty lunch or dessert with other devoted diners.

When you can no longer bear the chill in the air, about the warmest place I can think of is the “old” standby, Pars Cuisine (ack, turn off the flashing button!!!).  Bringing a tingle to your belly with Middle Eastern foods and belly dancers who show the right way to keep themselves warm, this is a great “destination” restaurant right in your backyard.

I’m off for a pig pig pig dinner, but have a great weekend and let me know if you spot great seasonal specials around town!

Food for your thoughts the next time you see menu prices and get annoyed:

Restaurants’ raw ingredient costs have increased 26% in the last 4 years.

Menu price increases in the same time period average 2.6% – exactly 1/10 of the differential.

In the real world, how does that play out? Let’s say a dish was on the menu for $19.  The raw food cost on that item was probably around $8.  That left $11 for the restaurant to pay rent, bills, servers, cooks, insurance, et cetera.

NOW the dish costs $20 and you’ve noticed.  However, the food costs are now $10.  Two dollars have flipped in this deal – you’re paying $1 more but the restaurant is “getting” $1 less.  For the restaurant to still be making their $11 (of which about 50 cents to a dollar will be actual profit), they’d have to price the dish at $21 or more.  No one wins, but the restaurant is still cutting you a break.

Sucks, right?  Well, we are in a recession and you can choose how you spend your money.

My request for you is to consider spending your less-frequent dining dollars locally.  Instead of $30 for pizzas from a national chain, get take-out from Johnny’s.  Or delivery from Giovanni’s or Straight Up Pizza.  Or have a sit-down meal at The Grill and plan your next special occasion at the next-door spot, Jennifer James 101.

With many restaurants operating on a 3 or 4% profit margin, this means there are a lot of small local spots that are trying to just survive this recession, raising prices a tiny bit or not at all while making no money – possibly even losing money for awhile hoping to not have to drive away customers that are having their own wallet-pinching woes.

Go.  Visit your favorite local restaurant, where the cooks are visible, the owner circulating (if they’re not the same person!), and the patrons nearly all regulars.  Thank them for the service they provide and let them know you hope they’ll be around for a long time.

Then, tip well after you enjoy a great meal, even if it won’t all go to your server if the restaurant practices tip-pooling.  Know that you are making a difference in both your local economy as well as a small business owner’s success.