Oops.  It helps if you actually cook the food in your buffet, and keep it nice and hot so that little critters don’t start growing in it.  But that wasn’t quite happening for the AA Buffet on Juan Tabo, who got a rare RED sticker on their health inspection after an eater complained of cold food.

“Inspectors said they found raw shrimp on the buffet, chicken not kept hot enough, improper sanitizing and soiled and moist cloths on the kitchen counters.”

I’m a huge fan of raw food – WHEN it is from a clean source and meant to be served raw.  That’s a big difference from a place like a buffet where dozens or  hundreds of people are looking for inexpensive belly-filling sustenance.

AA Buffet also serves sushi and oysters on the half shell – something I’d be pretty wary of, not only because their sanitation is in doubt, but because the source of the (non-oyster) fish is probably factory farms and East Asian shrimperies.  It’s hard to avoid, true, but when I *know* I can avoid meat of questionable origin, I still will do my best.

StreetFood Asia is Nob Hill’s newest and most darling upcoming restaurant gossip object. They just had server training last weekend and will be having a soft opening this Thursday during the Shop n’ Stroll.

But…. their website shows NOTHING for a menu or details. I’ve got it, and you get a sneak peak. Enjoy!

StreetFood Asia Menu Page 1
StreetFood Asia Menu Page 2
StreetFood Asia “tapas” menu (2 pages)

Well, the Groupon “thing” is firmly in place, like it or not. If you’re a small business, you might like it quite a bit – getting butts in seats and all that. How does it work? Who makes money? TechCrunch did a fantastic analysis a few months ago.

But if you are a small business and/or restaurant with an upscale target market and a really polished image, it might not be the best thing for you, especially if you’ve opened recently. Google for “groupon sucks” and the #1 hit you will see is a blog post from a spa marketing company talking about how discounting is not always the best way to attract new customers. It is certainly food for thought and a great post, but targeted at “luxury” goods like hundred-dollar treatments and the like.

What if your per-check average is well under $20? Is it such a bad idea to discount, then?

A friend just told me that they were hesitant to try a local restaurant because it always looks empty. I know for a fact that the restaurant‘s food is quite good and told him so. They have a dining room too big for their needs and that hurts them with walk-by traffic, as my friend’s perception shows. This place might benefit from a quick-and-dirty campaign to get more people in the door. Or perhaps you can skip giving half the money to Groupon and just go to the restaurant. Do we have a deal? Good. Also try out another local place experimenting with Groupon – but just go instead of buying the coupon. Their sandwiches are amazing.

Every time you rise 1000′ in elevation it is normal to lose 5 degrees or more in temperature.  When it is blazing hot in Albuquerque, head east and just 10 minutes from town is the micro-community of Cedar Crest, home to one of the best homestyle and quirky cafes around:  Greenside Cafe.

This week there are some really amazing specials (like a Cantaloupe Bisque TODAY), so take a quick little drive and check out Jay’s cooking skills.  He’s open every single day with the latest hours on the mountain – that’s great news for you, even on a “school night”.

Greenside Cafe

Open weekdays at 7am, weekends at 8am, and open until 8pm weekdays, 9pm weekends.  Here are some other of the nifty specials this week (via Facebook):

Seabass Tacos:  Seared Pacific seabass, served with white corn tortillas, black beans, rice, fresh avocado and spicy grilled pineapple salsas

Buffalo Tortilla Burger: Grilled onions, pepper jack, all rolled up in a flour tortilla with a grilled 1/3 lb hamburger.

Watermelon Gazpacho

Beer poached bratwurst with saurkraut served OR Hebrew National Hot dog topped with homemade chile.

Oh, and don’t forget – Jay makes his own ice cream!!!

Seriously, I think thyme is an underrated herb.  But anyway, I’m excited about the slew of restaurants that are brazenly opening up as we try to shake off this recession.

On my radar slash hit list in recent weeks and upcoming months:

Torinos @ Home

P’Tit Louis Bistro

Noah’s Ark

La Oja (new chef)

Amici

Slate at the Museum

The Oasis

What else?  New stuff I haven’t yet spotted?  Lay it on me!