Workshop Tavern ~ Aberdeen, North Carolina

106 W Main St, Aberdeen, NC 28315

This was one of the places I would have gone back to again after my first visit, but my preference for walking to watering holes precluded the 15 mile round-trip jaunt for a bite and a brown spirits beverage. For starters, this place has a nice wall of booze, with emphasis on bourbon and rye plus a fair selection of others like single-malt Scotch and Irish. I opted for a departure from my norm, a cocktail: a Sazerac. Have enjoyed the whisky of the same name distilled at Buffalo Trace on a few occasions, but the mixed drink with cognac, bitters and a bit of absinthe was a newfound pleasure. Let's just say I'm going to try this one again. And while I came in hankering for something healthy like a salad, the lass behind the bar steered me to a chicken sandwich that was quite delish. Would have liked to have tried their pulled pork, but that was too much for this occasion. Toughest part was decision on a second beverage, but managed to find an old friend in the bourbon list to refill my large-rock glass (Eagle Rare). No dessert needed!

- Rude Dante

Neko ~ Pinehurst, North Carolina

Looks like Rude Dante had a couple of more in the drawer. Take it away Rude!

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70 Market Square, Pinehurst, NC 28374

Went here on a Sunday night when a number of restaurants were down. My expectations on either sushi or Thai cuisine in NC are not all that high, but was pleasantly surprised by what I found. Good choices for sushi or sashimi. For starters, I opted for a couple pieces each of yellow-tail and tuna sashimi washed down by a couple cold Japanese beers (like every place I've been since COVID, only small bottles). For dinner I asked my server, a classic somewhat older woman of uncertain East Asian descent (would guess Chinese, but never good at this game) for recommendations. She suggested the Pad Kee Mao, which I ordered with shrimp. In hindsight, I never specified a spice level. It came out with a nice flavor and spice level, good shrimp, various veggies, wide noodles and a nice brown pepper sauce. Initially I thought I would take half home with me, but it was so good I ordered another beer and finished the whole dish. Also saw lots of people ordering take-out and stopping for a beer while waiting for their order (one of my favorite tricks with any Asian joint). Very solid establishment, and heard good reports from other locals that they also like this place.

- Rude Dante

Cedar Mountain Cafe ~ Cedar Mountain, North Carolina

This is another favorite! Went here with friends from Denver who moved to the area 4 years prior to RD's visit. Jeff & Kathy downplayed the place as just a local diner / cafe, but we had nothing but positive reviews from this trip. Was (as usual) torn between 3 choices on the menu, all fried chicken-related: fried chicken sandwich, buffalo chicken salad and chick parm. Opted for the sandwich - as recommended by Jeff; it was damn good (others went for blackened catfish, chicken parm, and trout - all looked amazing!) Nice selection of beer & wine - including local options - and an all-round very nice meal, great service and a desire to return next time in the area!

- Rude Dante

The Lazy Goat ~ Greenville, South Carolina

170 Riverplace, Greenville, SC 29601

Strongly recommended by locals, we had a great dinner here on our one night in town. Mediterranean themed with lots of interesting sides (cous cous, tabbouleh, etc). I opted for the pork tenderloin on rec of waitress - quite nice, good portion but not overwhelming, all in all a charming dinner. For a return visit it may have been worth waiting for outdoor seating but cannot say for sure.

- Rude Dante

River Wild ~ Mount Gilead, North Carolina

1185 Lilly's Bridge Rd, Mt Gilead, NC 27306

A place picked as a compromise between groups who were staying in 2 different locations to support plants 'in the middle of nowhere' in North Carolina. Since all the decent restaurants around Troy / Biscoe close before we even get off work, we drove even further out of our way to this establishment. For my part, I had a solid meal after quizzing the waitress. She strongly recommended the blackened Mahi Mahi, and it did not disappoint. Good sides as well: asparagus and a side salad. And the place is on the water on an inlet off of Lake Tillery / Pee Dee River. Would have preferred to NOT have a drive close to an hour in the dark after dinner, but if that is the only knock on this place, it's pretty good.

- Rude Dante

Magnolia 23 ~ Asheboro, North Carolina

23 S Fayetteville St, Asheboro, NC 27203

With some qualifications, this is probably my favorite place in the whole area I worked. Amazing food, details (and a picture of the menu below) to follow. And it's cheap: $11-12 for dinner, $3.75 for dessert. One of my colleagues described the fried chicken as something like, "I imagine the chickens are raised swimming in a pool of buttermilk from birth before being slaughtered & prepared fresh in the back of the restaurant". While I suspect this is not a factual or verifiable report, the chicken IS damn good! For starters, no liquor license: lemonade or tea for all. Dinners come with 2 sides and either biscuit or cornbread. Note: for a large table (we had 7), just randomly order sides and eat what you get (pretty much the same approach as ordering specific items). I had fried chicken (of course!) with collards and pinto beans. We ordered a few extra pieces of chicken for the table (which I ate) and a 'smoked pork chop' that was really a slice of grilled country ham in my estimation. The sides were all good (I tasted a few others besides my own), and the chicken rivals some of my fave chicken joints in the world (Castle Cafe, f'r instance). Dessert was Persimmon Pudding - quite nice! Go early if you go; they have people lined up out the door by 6 pm. Was tempted to come back and try chicken & dumplings or chuck roast, but hours of operation & proximity to my hotel conspired against me. They are building a second location in Troy, NC - scheduled to open summer 2022 - if I perchance go back to the area.

- Rude Dante

Thanks to Visit NC for first photo.

Five Points Public House ~ Abermarle, North Carolina

304 E Main St, Abermarle, NC 28001

A quick stop as I drove from Greenville, SC toward my destination plant in Biscoe, NC. Was disappointed to find no likely breakfast joints on a Sunday morning drive along likely terrain for biscuits and gravy. Instead, I stopped here and sat at the bar. Barkeep steered me towards the burgers, and I followed. It was a good burger, and was made even better by the option of fried okra as a side (welcome back to the South!) But I suspect there are some more interesting options (kinda was hoping she would steer me towards the Nashville hot chicken sandwich). For another time...

- Rude Dante

Lisi Italian ~ Pinehurst, North Carolina

90 Cherokee Rd #1c, Pinehurst, NC 28374

My expectations of finding a mom-and-pop Italian joint are generally low when it comes to touristy places like Pinehurst. Lisi was a pleasant surprise - even if because it was the only place open that I could get into on a Monday night (surprisingly, they are open every day except Sunday - dinner only). As is my want, I asked the waitress for a recommendation among 3 items on the menu. We only got as far as the first, "Tortellini e Gamberetti". She replied, "That's my favorite" - and I'll not remember what the other 2 items were. Even though we are a ways from the coast, shrimp is still pretty good in most of NC. Sauce was tasty but not very spicy (something I quickly corrected with some crushed reds). A glass of chianti, some tasty bread & butter, all in all a pretty good meal - anywhere one might find it. I almost went back the next night, but I had another place on my list to visit.

- Rude Dante

Drum & Quill ~ Pinehurst, North Carolina

40 Chinquapin Rd, Pinehurst, NC 28374

This is a place that I really want to love. But sometimes service gets in the way of what should be a really great joint. The place is named for Bob Drum, a sports journalist from Pittsburgh area largely credited with discovering (if not inventing) Arnold Palmer as a teen golfer. (Note to Editor: this would be the kind of place I would want to call 'Pops' to background). Came here twice - not because it was so good, rather because other places had inconsistent and sketchy hours of operation (see note below on Dugan's). It is also a place largely populated by white males who just finished a round of golf (see notes on the Deuce entry). But all that aside...

Drum & Quill has decent food, slow service, and appears to be too crowded for its staff to handle. As a guy who likes to sit at the bar, order a local beer and something simple to eat, I consider myself a pretty easy customer. My orders were: a couple tacos (as recommended by the bartender) and fish and chips. My drinks were beers. They brought me 4 tacos (instead of one of each as requested) with the late explanation that they cannot do mixed orders, so they just brought - and charged me - for 2 of each kind. Tacos and fish took a long time to serve (not the server's fault, I know - but just stating the fact). Even getting first (or refill) beer seemed to take a long time as the bartenders wandered around with no sense of urgency or friendliness. When it happens once, maybe just a bad night or an individual issue. Twice - with different people working behind the bar - seems like a place that is not well run.

- Rude Dante

Deuce (Pinehurst Clubhouse) ~ Pinehurst, North Carolina

In the clubhouse overlooking 18th green of course #2.

Ate here twice, once on recon mission for golf, the other after a round on Pinehurst #1. We'll paint the good, the bad and the ugly. For the good, the food and drinks are really quite good, and the prices, while high, are not outrageous (specialty cocktails $16, wine $10-15 / glass, beer a bit less, appetizers $10-15, salads and sandwiches $15-25). Again, high, not outrageous. And the view of a final hole of a course that hosts a Major probably once every 5-10 years is also cool. Lots of history. The bad & even ugly - seen through the eyes of my colleague who is in a mixed-race marriage: one of the most white male dominated scenes one might find in the world. While there are also a few white women, this is clearly a place that men come for a guys' weekend away. So - there's that. But back to the food / drinks. I opted for cocktails: a Manhattan, a French 75 (recommendation from a friend), and a couple beers. Split tater tots one night, had 2 salads (this is how one reacts to 2+ weeks of largely fried food while staying in NC). Both salads were excellent, an Ahi Tuna salad one night, Thai Salmon the next afternoon). Both colleagues enjoyed their sandwiches / burgers as well. Worth the meal and the spectacle; not a 'must do'.

- Rude Dante

Rude Dante goes to North Carolina

OK - good news - Rude Dante is on the board for 2022! And he has delighted us with tales of his recent venture to the great state of North Carolina, a region not covered prior in the RJG. There's also a side trip to Greenville, South Carolina.

Incidentally the RJG's Official Grandma (Dad's side) lived in Greenville until 1974 (RIP 1988), so I went a few times as a little tyke, remembering very well our last visit in 1972.

Here's his brief summary, and then we'll add the entries:

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After about 2 weeks hanging out and dining in and around the Sand Hill region of North Carolina. (Was working in either Biscoe or Troy, sleeping in Olmsted Village / Pinehurst area). These will be a cluster of Pinehurst village and nearby locations, followed by some outliers.

Pinehurst is truly a golf mecca, with 9 full-length courses of 18 holes each plus a variety of additional features like Thistle Du (purportedly the first miniature golf course in the US) and the Cradle (a short 9-hole jaunt). Even a guy like Dante who plays maybe one scramble per year can find enjoyment in this place. Played the relatively tame course #1 with a coworker and a couple named Bill & Linda who were at least mid-70s, maybe 80s. If I ever become a 'real' golfer, I'll go back and play a few others.

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Up on the Roof (atop the Embassy Suites hotel, Greenville SC)

An uneventful place other than the great views of the area (which are factored into drink prices here). Spent more on a couple apps and 2 rounds of beverages than a full dinner nearby.

Oasis Restaurant ~ Raton, New Mexico

Latest visit: Apr 2022

First visit: Oct 2009

For the first couple of years that we had the summer townhome in Denver, we would stop in at the Oasis on our way back home from our annual visits to New Mexico. But we didn't go in 2011, and then Raton became nothing more to us than a landmark town before crossing the pass to Colorado (or vice versa). On this trip, we'd originally planned to go to Horsemen's Haven for our final Santa Fe visit, but we weren't really that hungry and just wanted to "get on the road" back home. So by the time we did get to Raton we were starving. "Remember that Place...?" Well sure - the Oasis. It's only been here since 1954, so it'll probably last long beyond us as well. And the Motel is still functioning with apparently refurbished rooms.

There was a time when restaurants like Oasis were the only place little RJG got to eat at. My Pop loved these kind of places. He'd smoke the whole time, putting down the cigarette only for coffee and bites of eggs and toast. He could sit here for 2 hours puffing away on ciggies and getting more coffee. If you're my age or older, the Oasis brings back all the good memories, while of course eliminating the nasty smoke element. The menu is predictably large and it's a full mix of American breakfast and lunch standards, with a healthy amount of New Mexican as well. I used to enjoy getting their taco plate here - old fashioned crunchy tacos with ground beef and a standard red sauce. Nothing extraordinary, just fun to revisit an old classic when all diners had "taa-kos". On this visit, I decided to try their New Mexican offering of a smothered breakfast burrito in Christmas. Hey - not bad at all! Their green chile is somewhat similar to what you can get "down south", maybe lacking distinction. The red is definitely different, but more spicy (than their green that is to say) and excellent if evaluating on its own versus the competition in Santa Fe. Mrs. RJG stuck with an American breakfast. We enjoyed the coffee - and though they were out of flavored creamers, the waitress allowed us her "private stash". All in all a good roadside stop if hungry on either side of the Raton Pass.

As an aside, it seems to us that Raton should be a major tourist / real estate destination. It sits in a beautiful area. But the town is mostly rundown. Might be a good real estate play, though I'm sure many have died thinking the same thing for the last 40 years...

10/4/09; 5/29/10; 4/20/22 (new entry)

Thai Cuisine II ~ Albuquerque, New Mexico

Latest visit: Apr 2022

First visit: Oct 2018

As noted before, we got shut out at Thai Spice for Thai New Year. We had intended to go back there this night when we remembered Thai Cuisine II. The difference? The latter serves beer and wine. It's dinner time and that's what we want! So this is our second visit, both since we moved back to Colorado. Mrs. RJG had the red curry, which has more of a coconut base than she's used to but she still stated it was excellent. I had my usual Thai Basil with ground chicken and a fried egg. And it's a menu item! No having to ask for special consideration. I only went with hot because we'd been eating super spicy all week, but I could definitely have gone to Thai Hot. They have the usual disclaimers and warnings about such things, but my palate is ready (in fact, on our first visit, I did have Thai Hot and my note says it was "very hot"). The dish overall is very delicious and craveable. Better - unfortunately - than anything I can get here in the Springs. We started with (doing this backwards I see...) the Butterfly Shrimp. It was... just OK. Too breaded and not cooked to perfection. We'll get something else next time. The wine glasses are on the chintzy side, so I recommend sticking to beer, which will come from a bottle or a can. Service on this visit was exemplary. For my tastes, I'd rather come here than Thai Spice, but we'll see what Mrs. RJG recommends next year.

10/21/18; 4/20/22 (new entry)

Blake's Lotaburger ~ regional chain : Albuquerque, New Mexico

Last visit: Apr 2022 (NW Albuquerque)

First visit: May 1994 (Albuquerque)

Blake's Lotaburger is an iconic burger chain that proliferates throughout New Mexico. If you've watched Breaking Bad, then most assuredly you've seen the Union Jack emblem on cups and bags. In effect, Blake's is to New Mexico what Whataburger is to Texas and In-N-Out is to California, the only difference being that Blake's has not expanded as rapidly out of state as the others. Or at least they haven't to date. As far as regional burger chains go, Blake's stacks up well against the competition. The one aspect of Blake's that separates them is the green chile cheeseburger, which definitely puts a New Mexican stamp on it. And it is very good. I'm sure locations vary in quality. This particular one was very busy on the day we visited which resulted in kitchen confusion. But our meal came out as ordered. There is no uniform look to a Blake's. This one has a small dining area made up of barstools around the window, or you can sit out on the patio tables outside, which is what we did. No drive-thru here, but many do have that feature. If we have extended stays in New Mexico, we try for one visit, just to mix up the diet a bit.

As of this writing, there are ~71 locations in New Mexico, 3 in Tucson, Arizona and 2 in El Paso, Texas.

5/1/94; 9/1/97; 9/17/13; 4/20/22 (new entry)

Lino Trattoria and Pizzeria ~ Santa Fe, New Mexico

First visit: Apr 2022

While hopelessly looking for parking the other night at Fire & Hops, we stumbled upon Lino and decided we should try it the next night (and they have their own parking spaces). We were burning out on New Mexican fare (hard to imagine, but true), so Italian sounded like a great diversion. Further research demonstrated they also have a brewery as well. Well now, that makes it a slam dunk - we're trying it! Apparently they've been there 12 years, so I have no idea how we missed it until now.

We had one of those special nights you don't forget. Everything went right on this particular evening.

Having stuffed ourselves at Valentina's in the late morning, we weren't particularly starving when we arrived around 5 in the afternoon. Because we arrived early we were seated in isolation by the to-go entrance, which also houses a bar area (they have two such areas). Which allowed us time to relax and enjoy our beers. As mentioned, they brew their own under the brand name of Chile Line. It also gave us a chance to chat with the floor manager, who reminded us of old fashioned professional waiters. Clearly trained in the art, and he made sure everything was to perfection. We decided to split a 12 inch pizza that is cooked in their custom tiled pizza oven. We chose the pepperoni with green chiles. We can't help ourselves, we must have chile in everything it seems. Asked for it slightly crispy and that's exactly what we received. Delicious. Well... I guess we can eat more, so we then decided to split a Chicken Parm. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, with excellent tomato sauce. Orange in color, just as I remembered my Italian neighbors making it rather than the usual red. The Parm was slight crispy and superb. In chatting with the manager, he figured out Mrs. RJG and I had just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. So he comped us a yummy tiramisu for dessert and a couple of liqueurs. Just an awesome evening made special by the restaurant and its staff. Lino will be in the must-go rotation for future Santa Fe trips.

4/18/22 (new entry)

Sunrise Family Restaurant ~ Santa Fe, New Mexico

Latest visit: Apr 2022

First visit: Aug 2016

We're back for our annual review. Sunrise has been reliably one of our top New Mexican breakfast houses since first discovering it 6 years ago. Not so much on this visit. The green chile was a bit watery and the red only covered 40% and not very much of it. Neither were particularly spicy and the temperature was about 80% of what it should be. The dish to the right (from last year's visit) shows potatoes (no longer offered) and a lot more cheese. The restaurant was mostly empty though service could not have been better. I fear to say inflation is going to put all these places out of business. First COVID, now this. $30 breakfast for 2 is not sustainable and it certainly won't suffice for those on a fixed income, who usually represent a large audience for breakfast meals. The RJG is fortunate to still be in his money making years, but otherwise every meal is becoming a splurge meal. And because of this downward spiral, restaurants are having to cut back on everything while raising the prices. We'll definitely return next year, presuming the business survives. It was certainly good, but not awesome as we are accustomed to.

---original 2/15/21 review

I had this gnawing feeling I'd never entered anything about Sunrise Family Restaurant. It was 2015 when I went on a tear about Santa Fe restaurants. But we came back again in 2016, and that's when we first discovered Sunrise. Psst - let the RJG give you a little tip. Everyone goes on about The Pantry. We've gone on about The Pantry as well, and there's an entry here on this blog. But it's always crowded, and it will be especially now (if they're even open beyond take out). You want The Pantry, but actually want to eat immediately? Go to Sunrise. Other than last year when we weren't allowed to visit New Mexico, we've gone once a year and made Sunrise our primary breakfast destination. I go right for the smothered (Christmas) breakfast burrito with eggs and bacon. Also comes with whole beans and fried potatoes. The green was particularly excellent on this visit, very spicy and flavorful. Their red is also delicious, not quite as hot, but with an excellent flavor and velvety texture. The whole beans are perfectly cooked, something Mrs. RJG is an expert cook with, and she was also very impressed. Mrs. RJG had the Huevos Rancheros, also Christmas, with beans and rice. The latter was perfectly cooked and delicious (I snuck in a bite). The service has consistently been very friendly over the years. The restaurant itself is quite spacious, so you have a real chance of getting seated right away. And given it has become one of our favorite restaurants in Santa Fe, that's no small feat.

Managed to get in a quality photo of my meal before chowing down. Mouthwatering isn't it? Tastes even better.

8/5/16; 2/15/21 (new entry); 4/13/22

Hidden Mountain Brewing ~ Santa Fe, New Mexico

First visit: Apr 2022

Back for our 3rd brewpub dinner in a row. This time trying the relatively new Hidden Mountain Brewing. But is it new? Not really. In these very pages you will find a glowing review for a one Blue Corn Brewing, a long time Santa Fe favorite of the RJG. For whatever reason, the owners decided a "reimagining" of the brand with a focus on BBQ. Well I suspect that idea never took hold, as this looks and feels to us like the traditional brewpub that Blue Corn was! Besides, Blue Corn was a great name with a great brand, so it's their mistake to move away from it.

For dinner, I used to adore Blue Corn's much featured Carne Adovada, but even they ditched that for no good reason (what is wrong with these folks? They keep getting rid of what works!). This time we decided to stick with pub fare, and so we agreed to split a green chile hamburger and a... yep you guessed it... a Cuban sandwich. Regular fries and slaw are the only side options, which is disappointing. As for the "Cubanita", it comes in a fairly distant 3rd behind Second Street and Starr Brothers. Black bean spread gives it a New Mexican spin but is entirely unnecessary. The bread was excellent though, but they used very thin deli slices of pork loin, versus the thick cut at Starr Brothers (which we prefer). The winner here was the green chile hamburger, though we could have used more chiles and more flavor from the chiles. The cheeseburger itself is what is fantastic. Between that and the ever delicious brewery itself (some of the beers are the same from the Blue Corn days), Hidden Mountain remains in our good graces. But will it be part of the yearly routine? Doesn't look good.

4/12/2022 (new entry)

Tortilla Flats ~ Santa Fe, New Mexico

Latest visit: Apr 2022

First visit: Sep 2006

This is only the second time for us to visit Tortilla Flats. You can probably guess that since it's been 16 years since we last went, our first encounter wasn't pleasant. There were a few reasons for that, including the fact that the RJG hadn't yet fully understood the New Mexican palate. We also went on a Sunday morning, there weren't as many options back then, so the place was jam packed. According to my notes, it took forever to get our food (after a long wait just to get a table), the enchiladas were lukewarm, the green chile was bland and the posole was no bueno. As you can see, we probably didn't focus on the right items to order.

And we never went back. But the restaurant is still there and is as popular as ever, so we should give it another try on a regular weekday. Glad we did. No wait on this visit with prompt service (and the meals were at the proper hot temperature). This time I had a smothered burrito (ham and egg) with Christmas, and Mrs. RJG had the Huevos Rancheros with similar. We ordered chips and salsa to start (extra cost). The chips are great straight out of the bag (we presume, based on what we were told), and the homemade red salsa was delicious with a strong garlic flavor and lots of chiles. The green smother had a slight kick and not a very dominant flavor. The red, however, was most excellent. Velvety and very spicy. Better than even Perea's, and reminded us most of La Choza. A major surprise, and had we known this all these years, we would have been regulars. Mrs. RJG's meal came with a side of homemade pancakes, which we enjoyed as dessert after dousing it with maple syrup.

Added to our annual rotation places to go in Santa Fe (running out of room here...)

9/10/06; 4/11/22 (new entry)

Starr Brothers Brewing ~ Albuquerque, New Mexico

First visit: Apr 2022

The original plan was to go to Thai Spice (in these very pages), but they were closed for Thai New Year (who knew?). Then we had another place we wanted to try called Craft Republic. We took a seat at a table in the bar. No one there to wait on us. Finally some 10 minutes later she came by and dropped off the menus. Craft beer? I guess Michelob and Budweiser now are considered craft. Sure, they had some New Mexico beers - all the same ones we can get in Colorado Springs. Jeez. We waited a few more minutes for the gal to return (she did not) and then decided to hang it up and leave. I'm sure the food would have disappointed as well.

As we always say: Things happen for a reason. Because that lead us to Starr Brothers Brewing. By this time I was dying for a craft beer, but we also wanted to eat dinner. Starr Brothers advertises that they provide a top notch kitchen in addition to their beers. And it was close by to where we were on the north side, so let's give it a shot shall we?

A much more welcoming and cleaner space compared to Craft Republic, we knew instantly this was going to be a better experience. This isn't the first time I'd tried a Starr Brothers beer, having had one at the now defunct Matanza Beer Kitchen, a once great place that apparently lost their way. In any case, we went about ordering some delicious beers while preparing for our meal. We did similar as the night before at Second Street and split 2 meals. In this case one was the green chile pepperoni pizza (appetizer technically) and yes... a Cuban sandwich. We both liked the pizza, especially the spicy green chiles. Probably could have stood for more chile and a little bit crispier crust (and we asked for it this way), but not to complain, it was very good. The Cuban was also delicious, maybe not quite as startling as the Second Street version, but still excellent. The winning formula here is they use pork loin instead of pulled pork, which I prefer for my Cubans. Overall an excellent experience that combines tasty beer with a well cooked meal.

4/11/22 (new entry)

Perea's ~ Albuquerque, New Mexico

Latest visit: Apr 2022

First visit: Aug 2016

Back for our annual review. The good news is that Perea's has full service again on the weekends, though they still have you order at the cash register during the week. This seems to make a difference on the timing of the food getting to your table. On this visit I went with the carne adovada burrito. Adovada can be a dicey proposition but in the hands of Perea's it was cooked perfectly and very tasty. On this occasion the green was hotter than the red, both very distinctive and excellent. Mrs. RJG went with the Huevos Rancheros with hash browns, also smothered in Christmas. The only thing holding it back from a gold star is the temperature could still be just a tad hotter, though it was much better than our pandemic visit. Perea's is not to be missed.

---original 9/19/21 review

I didn't realize until now that I hadn't covered Perea's in the RJG. Well it's never too late. Along with Sunrise Restaurant in Santa Fe, Perea's has become our go-to breakfast house in New Mexico. After trying a few places in ABQ, Perea's made an immediate impact and now we're hooked. It's all about the chile in New Mexico, and Perea's is all aces with both the red and green. Christmas is essential here. Usually spicy but always very tasty. You can bury that chile on just about anything and walk away happy. Mrs. RJG goes with the Chile Relleno, while I stick to the breakfast burrito - all cooked perfectly. But it's the chile that makes it special. Perea's is a little family owned place (I think it was an old Captain D's), but you can usually count on large crowds. But not overwhelming like The Pantry or La Choza in Santa Fe. It's a neighborhood joint, and one that is a must stop when traveling through, living, or staying in Albuquerque. We turned Mr. Music onto it, and he goes more than us, since he journeys through on his way to see Lady Music in California. And she too now loves Perea's. 

You have no choice. If you are in Albuquerque, you have to go to Perea's. Well... you do.

8/5/16; 4/22/17; 10/21/18; 3/25/19; 9/19/21 (new entry); 4/11/22

Qdoba ~ national chain : Monument, Colorado

Latest visit: Apr 2022 (Monument, CO)

First visit: 1997 (Denver - as Z-Teca)

As with Chipotle, I go way back with Qdoba, yet another Denver based burrito chain. They started as Zuroma then changed their name to Z-Teca in 1997, followed by Qdoba in 1999 (all due to legal reasons). In the 90s "the big 3" of burrito were Chipotle, Qdoba and Baja Fresh. The first 2 had a major burger chain that became it's primary owner, in order: McDonald's and Jack in the Box, whereas the latter stayed with private equity. Of these 3, Baja Fresh fell on harder times, while the other 2 thrived. For my tastes, I liked all 3 but Qdoba was my favorite primarily due to their spiced ground beef option, something the others didn't bother with. They also feature a very hot salsa similar to Chipotle.

Times have changed, and Jack in the Box is out of the picture. What should be seen as a positive outcome, Qdoba has gone downhill. The flavors have changed. Sometimes I think it's just me, but then my latest venture to Chipotle has proven that is not the case. Qdoba has simply gotten blander. I've tried them many times since moving back to Colorado, but it's just not the same. They were very scarce in our former homestead of Fort Worth, us having to drive to Camp Bowie which we did at least once. They finally opened in our area (Southlake), only to close shortly thereafter (2012 time frame). I used to crave those ground beef burritos with the habanero. But it appears those days are gone. Our location in Monument is nice enough (though it still has pandemic spacing? Seriously?). But it doesn't matter, as I won't be back for some time. Too many tries without a different result.

According to Wikipedia, in 2018 Qboda existed in 47 states. As with a lot of these annoying chains, they only offer a "location finder" with results for the local area. So I have no idea where they stand today, but I'm sure diminished from prior.

8/3/12; 3/6/20; 3/21/21; 4/10/22 (new entry)

Rib & Chop House ~ regional chain : Colorado Springs, Colorado

First visit: Apr 2022 (Colorado Springs)

It was time to celebrate Mrs. RJG & I's 25th wedding anniversary! We usually don't fuss about such things, but 25 is a milestone that we didn't want to pass up. Hard to imagine we were only on our 11th anniversary when we started this blog. The original plan was to go all out to a place downtown called Famous Steakhouse, but Mrs. RJG hasn't had much luck at places like that - primarily because she likes a well done steak. And they don't like to make well done steaks! She had noticed this east side restaurant some time ago while running errands, and it had been recommended to her, so why not celebrate here instead?

Much more casual - I would categorize Chop & Rib House as a high end Outback or Saltgrass. We ordered a reasonably priced bottle of Cabernet (a decent wine too - it wasn't a table wine substitute). Mrs. ordered the ribeye with a "loaded" baked potato, side of spinach, and a house salad. They cooked her steak to perfection and she ate the whole thing, happy as could be. That's a rare occurrence (pardon the pun) for her when it comes to steakhouses. At first she didn't care for the spinach, but later changed her tune saying it was cooked properly and she enjoyed the flavor. The potato is often the highlight for her, and she enjoyed that as well. I had the "baseball cut" sirloin (ordered medium) with garlic mashed potatoes and a side salad. Mine was cooked medium rare, but I grew up eating steaks that way, so no complaints from me. Not as tender as I'd hoped but certainly not tough, and it possessed a great meaty/salty flavor. The potatoes were excellent, but not as hot temperature as expected, especially considering the steaks came out on hot sizzling plates. And we both agreed the salad could have used fresher lettuce, but otherwise sufficed (and we both enjoyed the balsamic vinaigrette dressing). We liked the super cold plates for that as well. I couldn't finish my potatoes, and we both passed on dessert. 

Decor is nice - a variation on the Western theme, with a full bar and good views of the mountains. Would be a nice place to take guests.

Overall, a fine meal - perhaps not so memorable. Then again, our best meals are usually at the local dives and insider places. Hence - The Regular Joe's Guide. But we'll definitely come back. 

The generically named Rib & Chop House is a small regional chain based in Bozeman, Montana. They currently have 12 locations: Montana (4); Wyoming (5); and one each in Utah, Idaho, and this restaurant in Colorado.

4/6/22 (new entry)

Biaggi's ~ regional chain : Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Apr 2022 (Colorado Springs)

First visit: Oct 2018 (Colorado Springs)

Back for our annual review a bit earlier than anticipated. Mrs. RJG and I had just finished a very successful day selling at the Colorado Springs Record Show (side hustle as they now call it), and we were exhausted. Unfortunately the taco truck that was hired didn't show up - so we were starving too! So we decided on an early dinner at Biaggi's. Not too much different than our experience below, especially the kitchen was on point this late afternoon. Despite the early hour, we were looking at a 20 minute wait. Fortunately there was a table in the bar area, and we went for that for immediate seating. I went with the Spaghetti and Meatball this time, and the pasta was cooked perfectly, as were the meatballs. Probably could use a bit more flavor in the sauce, but not complaining. Mrs. RJG went for the Farfalle Alfredo, which she enjoyed. It was a bit salty, but this was a day where extra salt was welcomed. She also had the soup of the day and a house salad (remember we were hungry...). I tried both and they very good, especially the Italian sausage soup. We each enjoyed craft beers as well. You know we don't focus too much on service, but on this day it was what my Indian friends would call "doing the needful". No check-ins to see if the meal was good, or if we might need something (and I did - parm cheese! Had to track them down). Waited 15 minutes to get another beer, even though my glass was empty and we're in the bar! It did appear they were understaffed. Strangely Biaggi's was the one place that didn't have that problem late last year, and now they do when others are getting back to full staff. Oh well, not a big deal, but just to note it. Expensive dinner as well - didn't seem to deter the full house though.

Biaggi's is a small regional chain based in Bloomington, Illinois. As of this writing they have 17 locations. Most of them, naturally enough, are in the upper Midwest. Colorado represents their western border. Besides this location, there's also one in Loveland.

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It was time to celebrate the RJG's Official Mom's birthday. Ah, but where do we go? We don't really have a "go to" place anymore. It had been some years since we last went to Biaggi's, so let's try it again, shall we? This is our 4th visit here. The first was just Mrs. RJG and I after a few months of living here in the Springs. We enjoyed it immensely. So we took the Official Mom out for her birthday here in 2018, along with Mrs. RJG's Official Mom. It too was an excellent meal. The following April, Mrs. RJG and I celebrated our anniversary here. And... not so bueno. And that was it for Biaggi's. Another overpriced chain going downhill it would appear. The pandemic only further intensified our non desire to go here. But we did like it once, didn't we?

Happy to say - despite all the challenges a modern restaurant must deal with - Biaggi's was back on track with our earlier experiences! The restaurant itself hasn't changed - with the same interior as prior. They first bring out two types of bread that is to be dipped into their olive oil and garlic mix. The latter is pretty strong so be ready for that. Mom and wife shared a bottle of Chianti and I had one craft beer from the Denver Beer company. For entrees, Official Mom went for the chicken parm, Mrs. RJG had the spaghetti and meatballs, and I had the rigatini with bolognese and sausage. And we each ordered a salad: House, Mediterranean, and Caesar respectively. The "small" salads are very large, and I noticed to starting to feel full after the bread and Caesar. Uh oh! All the same I persevered through my meal and finished each bite - which was delicious. Even better I thought was Mrs. RJG's spaghetti and sauce. Perfectly cooked al dente with an excellent red sauce. The homemade meatballs were very good as well. Best of all, the food came out piping hot, something of a lost art in these trying times. Oh, I should mention that Mrs. RJG absolutely loved the Mediterranean salad. Great salad = happy wife at the RJG household. Obviously we didn't try for a dessert, as we were stuffed and Official Mom brought home half her meal.

10/18/18; 12/21/21 (new entry); 4/3/22