So far, Albert Bilotti’s reputation precedes him, with notable local joints like Kanome and NYPD Pizza.

One takeaway observation from dinner at his newest spot, Lucia?

Soft ice cream + hard biscochito = great taste, yet unwieldy and hard to eat, messy, collapses…. 

Per the Kitchen Witch, “It is a fine art to create a sandwich that doesn’t collapse when you take the first bite, due to overly-soft ice cream or overly-hard cookie.”  And that means Lucia should be making the sandwiches way ahead of time and letting the biscochito get a little soft while the ice cream itself firms up to match.

But that might be a rather niggling point, eh?

So, hotel restaurants.  Good?  Bad?  ”Meh”?

Regardless, they’re opening left and right here in Albuquerque.  Al Bilotti’s Lucia in the Hotel Andaluz (more about *that* later), and now in the Doubletree, home to fresh baked cookies at check-in, we have a New Mexican-Californian restaurant called La Oja.

No word on menu specifics.  I hope it will be decent combinations of our own local treasures with some of the stereotypical California touches – goat cheese enchiladas?

Good luck to Chef Alberto Mendez – let’s see what ya got!

http://albuquerque.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2009/11/09/daily31.html

The last time I saw a person wearing their McCain “flair” (this one in the form of a t-shirt), it was when I was eating the best freaking meatloaf sandwich I have ever had.

66 Malt Shop is the place.

Go there and have root beer, or a limeade, but do order the green chile and bleu cheese burger, or this thing of beauty, the meatloaf sandwich:

I will return there again, and perhaps I won’t see that blue emblazoned t-shirt, but I will find hospitality and a darned good meal.  Thank you, Eric and Diane.  Congratulations, Obama.

Farina Pizzeria opened this weekend to preliminary rave comments.  The masterminds of Artichoke Cafe had planned this extension of their talents for well over a year, and it has finally made it to completion.

Due to the skills of Stew with his wine pairings and the cooking abilities of the entire staff, Terry Keene predicted even before opening that things would go well.

I certainly hope so, as I love a good chewy pizza crust, and I also love to see a small business succeed, no matter what the economic climate.

Robinson Park in downtown Albuquerque is the mecca of bountiful produce on Saturday mornings in the summer.  However, it is also the site for some lovely prepared foods as well, and the season is drawing to a close!

New additions to the usual Java Joe’s, French Riviera, and arepas stands is the simply divine outfit called Good Nosh.  Each week a different cuisine is featured, from French to the Carribean and onward, outward.

What will happen to the dynamic duo of Kei and Aly after the Farmer’s Market is over? I think keeping an eye on their blog is the only way to know…. unless they pipe in here with some news.

Madelines and canneles gave up their gentle sweetness to the early morning glow:

Two weeks later, the treats had shifted to coconut tartlets and mojito bars:

And now what are they doing?  I’ll be excited to hear….  the farmer’s market will not be the end of these talents, no way, no how.  Perhaps the upcoming food and cuisine fest at the National Hispanic Cultural Center?  Hmmm.