El Padrino ~ Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Nov 2024

First visit: Apr 2019

And speaking of RJG Rotation restaurants, here's one of our last revisits for 2024. Same excellent ambiance as before as we were seated in the bar area. I went for the frozen marg and Mrs. RJG had one on the rocks. She complained to me that it wasn't that strong, and mine certainly wasn't. Doesn't make sense to skimp on the tequila, that's how you get regulars in the door! Chips were somewhat typical. They gave us two salsas, one a tomato mild and the other pretty much the same with additional chiles. Nothing too spicy unfortunately though plenty of garlic. I was in the mood for enchiladas, so I ordered the lunch special of two chicken enchiladas with rice and beans, smothered in their hot green chile. Chicken was of the dark meat variety. One major plus, like prior visits, is the dish came our smoking hot! But otherwise nothing too distinctive including a rather mild green sauce. Mrs. RJG went with the two ground beef taco plate, like below. She said it was good, but nothing great. And she needed to add Tapatio sauce for any kind of heat (she didn't like the table salsas at all). The $14 lunch combos are way too pricey for what you get.

So, as you can tell, El Padrino has fallen out of favor with the RJG and out of the rotation it goes. It's a good place, but nothing more I'm afraid. It has slipped in quality.

---4/24/23 update

I'm pretty sure I mentioned this somewhere in this blog, but there's something special about going for a Saturday Mexican lunch on a cold dreary day in Colorado. And that was, in fact, this day. Nothing has changed from our prior visits in terms of quality. Alterations this time is that I went for a draft beer (Red Leg Helo) instead of a frozen marg, and Mrs. RJG went back to boring water (I'm making progress though on corrupting her again...). They did bring out both a mild and a spicy salsa. The mild is more like a medium and the hot is more like a medium. Huh? We agree the "hot" is spicier but not by much. Both were delicious though. Perhaps this is what we received last time without realizing the difference. And we had remembered that the tacos were our favorite, so we stuck with Taco Plates this time. They serve these on a custom tin, made just for tacos (2 per order). On the plate itself were steaming piles of beans and rice. Hot temperature - yaay! Everything came out excellent to our taste and we enjoyed our return visit. Will we be back before next year? It deserves more visits, but we'll see where the priorities land.

---11/12/22 update

OK, back on home turf here. It's lunch time and I still have a hankering for our old habit of a Saturday Mexican lunch. I suggested El Padrino, and Mrs. RJG surprised me with a yes answer (see original review below). On this visit, like the others, we sat in the bar area. Rather than beer, I wanted my biannual frozen margarita and wifey had one on the rocks. Very good - tequila was present and accounted for. Chips and salsa were just as good as the last trip, though I forgot to order a spicy salsa, but the regular one has a nice kick and is very flavorful. This time I ordered the combo #1, and she had #8. The only difference is her enchilada was shredded beef and mine was ground. Both come with a ground beef taco. We each ordered the enchilada to be smothered in the spicy green. I think a wire got crossed because it wasn't very spicy on this visit. Or maybe it just wasn't hot this go round. The big hit was the taco. Mrs. RJG loved the homemade crispy fried shell, as did I. Ground beef was seasoned lightly but the salsa made up for it. No matter, the shell won her over. Rice and beans came out very hot, something we're not seeing much anymore. Yet another plus. So hooray, I think we finally won over Mrs. RJG at El Padrino. Next time we might just get tacos. See you next year if not before. 

---original 4/24/21 review

This was only our second visit to El Padrino, a place that should be our "local" Mexican restaurant. Trouble is - for reasons I cannot ascertain - Mrs. RJG doesn't like it. But I most certainly do. Walking in, you can sit in the cozy bar, or wait to be seated at a regular table. We've only done the former - a nice dark space with a large modern bar nearby. Once settled into the little booth, I was pleasantly surprised to see they have local brewery Goat Patch on tap. Not going to miss out on that! Those beers are registered in the Bier Reise (see tab above).

The chips arrived with the server, no need to ask. Nice and crispy, with two salsas - one a medium, the other a hot. Both excellent and entirely unique. Not a common recipe, which is a plus. I do believe they have cumin in them for certain, and the hot likely has chile de arbol or something hotter than jalapenos.

Good time to point out that El Padrino is everything Senor Manuel is not - that is to say, it's modernized, clean, and very comfortable for the whole family. Well, Senor Manuel is certainly comfortable, but not everyone goes for those older, dingier places. Like we do lol.

For the primary meal, I'm burying my ground beef burrito in their spicy green chile (you have the option of mild). Again, I'm lapping it up with glee - and a little sweat. Excellent rice and beans. Maybe not the best rice and beans ever, but certainly very good. Mrs. RJG seemed to be enjoying her meal as well (similar, but enchiladas with chicken). But as she'll often do - she'll tell me it's great while there, and later say "I didn't like it". Why? "I dunno". OK. That's how you stay married for almost 25 years. You say OK.

Problem with the above scenario is I wouldn't go to a place like El Padrino by myself, so it can be awhile before we give it another shot. But Mr. RJG gives El Padrino a thumbs up.

4/18/19; 4/24/21 (new entry); 11/12/22; 4/24/23; 11/30/24

RJG Rotation

I refer to the RJG Rotation often but have never really clarified what it means.

In effect it represents restaurants that I would like to return to at least once a year. As time has marched on, once a year is usually the only frequency in which I go to most of these restaurants. Much of this has to do with eating better, which means eating at home. Other factors include expense (which, as everyone knows, has gone beyond the reach of normalcy) as well as interest level. But the fire to try new places is still there! And, the purpose of the topic here, to revisit places we really enjoy.

For the inaugural entry (and I will attempt to update this annually), I will highlight what is currently in rotation, and where I plan to visit at least once in 2025. Almost all of these are in Colorado Springs just because of the logistics. There are a couple of outliers as well. I do see adding more in Denver and Pueblo soon, and I will explain why when I'm ready, but for now Denver only has a couple of places listed. This list is highly fluid, so changes happen often. I will also include the first year the restaurant (or food truck) was included. Some of these we'd been to prior but they weren't rotation restaurants. We moved to Colorado Springs in 2018, so many start there. Some followed us from DFW, so they go back even further.

(all Colorado Springs unless noted)

Schlotzsky's (1995) The oldest rotation place. Started eating there regularly in Denver and just kept going wherever we moved.

Freddy's Steakburgers (2009) Great example of the first paragraph. I went on Jan. 1, and that was my sole visit all year.

Fuzzy's Taco Shop (2011)

La Choza - Santa Fe, NM (2014) 2020 notwithstanding due to Chancellor Wuhan's dictatorship.

Del Taco (2018) They moved out of DFW only a few years prior or this would be older.

Phantom Canyon Brewing (2018)

Quijotes Mexican (2018)

Josh & Johns Ice Cream (2018)

Colorado Creamery (2018)

Walter's303 Pizzeria (2018)

Joey's Pizza (2018)

Zapata Taco Shop (2019)

The Brass Tap (2019)

Taste of Philly (2020)

Parry's Pizza (2020)

Culver's Hamburgers (2021)

Birdcall Chicken (2021)

South Jersey Subs (2021)

Sugarlump Ice Cream - Westcliffe (2021)

In-N-Out Burger (2022) - Had to wait until they opened in Colorado.

Whataburger (2022) - Had to wait until they opened in Colorado pt. 2.

Leon Gessi Pizza (2022)

Luigi's Italian (2022)

Bingo Burger (2022)

Back East Bar & Grill (2022)

Mollica's Deli (2022)

Granelli's Pizza - Castle Rock (2022)

Valentina's - Santa Fe, NM (2022)

Slice 420 Pizza (2023)

Dr. Taco (2023)

Mission BBQ (2023)

Oliver's Deli (2023)

Chiltepin Mexican (2023)

Dave's Hot Chicken (2023)

Cogstone Brewing (Pizza) (2023)

Pass Key Italian - Pueblo (2023)

Glacier Ice Cream - Castle Rock (2023)

Quincys Steakhouse - Florence (or other mountain towns) (2023)

Wayback Burgers - Woodland Park (2024)

Daddy's Chicken Shack (2024)

Tacos del Gordo (2024)

South Park Brewing (2024)

Basil & Barley (2024)

Jet's Pizza (2024) Welcome back to the Rotation! Had to wait for them to open here.

Papa's Pizza (2024)

Thai Boran - Albuquerque, NM (2024)

Blake's Lotaburger - New Mexico (2024) Lot of fits and starts with this chain, but added back.

The below fell out of the RJG Rotation in 2024

Colorado Mountain Brewing (2016-2024). They'll probably get a revisit anyway since they're so close. We started going there on our annual trips to Colorado Springs before moving here. There are better breweries here though. It's a tourist restaurant, but a good one.

Omelets Etc (2018-2024). They should be better. Never hot enough.

Dog Haus Biergarten (2022-2024). I had lost interest but they just closed our location anyway.

El Padrino Mexican (2019-2024). Slippage in quality.

Chick Fil-A (2018-2023). They weren't a rotation place in Texas. I like them, but not mandatory.

Five Guys Burgers (2007-2023). I went way too long with this chain going back to my time working in Reston, Virginia. Their prices today are more than a steakhouse. Ridiculous for a fast food restaurant.

Jersey Mike's (2005-2023). Another chain I went too long with starting back when I had an office in Las Colinas, Texas. I hold them personally accountable for the "unearned tip" idea, something they started doing back in 2016. Now their sandwiches have become a victim of shrinkflation, and their employees seem to be stoned all the time. I'll reconsider re-adding back at another time.

Trivelli's Subs (2020-2023). Asian run Philly Steak and Italian sub place. They're very good but not essential.

Senor Manuel's (2018-2023). Too much heavy food for us at this stage. Good place though. We'll be back.

Restaurants or places under consideration for annual visits

Some of these get annual visits anyway, but I don't make a concerted effort to do so.

Abby's Irish Pub; Arelita Cuban; Samich Shack; Public House; Sonora's Taco Shop; Cheba Hut; Erickberto's; L&L Hawaiian; Rosie's Diner; Front Range BBQ; East Coast Deli; Bonchon; El Chapin; Wooglin's; Rizuto's Ice Cream; Zesty Thai; Roman Villa; Western Omelette; Schnitzel Fritz; Ted's Montana; The Loop (Manitou Springs); Qdoba; Rib & Chop House; Biaggi's; First Watch Cafe; Skirted Heifer; Wade's Cafe; Parkway Tavern; Gunther Toody's; Jose Muldoon's; Old Chicago

And... just about all the local breweries lol. Not enough time for them all though. And many are closing. :-(

The list is also very long for Denver and Pueblo. I feel like next year some of these will be new for the Rotation. More to come on that.

Alien Brewpub ~ Albuquerque, New Mexico

First visit: Nov 2024

The original plan was to have Italian food, but both Mrs. RJG and I weren't really in the mood for a pasta dish, and besides we really didn't see a place that caught our eye. Maybe next time we're town, we'll try one for lunch. Now what? After some deliberation, we decided on a brewpub that had hamburgers.

Alien Brewpub, which is Sierra Blanca / Rio Grande Brewing, is an old fashioned brewpub. It reminds me of Heavy Seas in Baltimore before they closed up (we have a writeup in the RJG somewhere), and many other places from the 90s and 00s. A little bit different than the historic Phantom Canyon (Colorado Springs) or Montana Brewing (Billings) that we've covered here. More of a mix of sports pub meets brewery, and the latter has a set list of beers that doesn't change much. More sports bar than brewery I'd submit. Near a large indoor shopping mall with familiar big box anchors. These places have been steadily going out of business in recent years, and based on the crowd on this Saturday night, one wonders how much life this particular Alien has left.

No matter, if the food is good, we would have succeeded in our quest for a quality dinner. And the good news is that the pride of the cooks won out on this night. Mrs. RJG had the UFO Burger with cheese and green chile strips ordered well done. Also came with regular French fries. She really enjoyed it (and the fries were hot). I had the Alien Burger which features a green chile tempura, now that was different. Like a piece of fish on top except it was a chile. I liked it. Also came with smoked applewood bacon. Also had the curly fries with a nice seasoning. Burgers were large and filling. Excellent all around. Probably not a place we'll be returning to, if it will even be around to go back to. But if we lived in ABQ, it would be in the RJG Rotation for as long as possible.

11/16/24 (new entry)

Flock of Moons Brewing ~ Albuquerque, New Mexico

First visit: Nov 2024

We're slowly but surely working our way through the Albuquerque breweries. Like with yesterday, we were busy all day, this time going to antique shops and record stores, and by the later afternoon we were both thirsty. Time for a beer! 

Flock of Moons is one of those classic right-off-the-university hangouts. Lots of hipsters, oddballs, and eccentrics. In other words, we fit right in then! At least the latter two characteristics. The decoration is pure mid-century modern with hanging globe lamps and clean lines. They also sport a full patio where you can enjoy your beer with your dog. Or the dog can enjoy a beer with you... Excellent beer BTW. All good vibes. Dude.

11/16/24 (new entry)

Vision City Brewstillery ~ Albuquerque, New Mexico

First visit: Nov 2024

After a full day of estate and garage sales, along with a pile of thrift shops, it was time for an adult beverage. The nearest one to where we last shopped was Vision City Brewstillery, so let's go there. It's a large space, with lots of big screen TV's. And on this day, that was important as many folks were gearing up to watch the Mike Tyson fight. Like most normal people, I had no idea Tyson was back in the ring. I thought he stopped fighting while I was still a road warrior consultant (i.e. a lonnngg time ago). It also answered my second question: Boxing still exists? Whatever the case, the space was alive with enthusiasm. We didn't stick around to see the fight - good thing based on the news clips I read afterward about Netflix's hiccups.

In any case, we each had one very cold beer that was delicious (mine is cataloged in the Bier Reise link above). We also tried their chips and salsa, and the latter was both excellent and spicy.

Good place to stop for "a cold one".

11/15/24 (new entry) 

Las Animas Grill ~ Trinidad, Colorado

Latest visit: Nov 2024

First visit: Mar 2021

The RJG's are back for our annual New Mexico trip! Way later than normal, or even originally planned. But we finally found a four day weekend that looked promising. We had another restaurant circled for our trip, but it was inexplicably closed. There was no explanation offered, though it didn't look permanent (we'll try it next time through). After reviewing a couple of more options, I decided that we return to Las Animas Grill, a place we went to once in the middle of the pandemic. That visit, only 3.5 years ago, was packed to the rafters with patrons. On this late morning, only a handful were here - inflation no doubt wiping out the regulars and curiosity seekers. Hopefully they can weather the storm. Despite an unenthusiastic general public, the cooks were ready to please. Mrs. RJG went for the smash burger, double meat and cheese (who was this woman I was dining with anyway?). She loved it, and reminded her of Wayback Burgers that we enjoyed in Woodland Park earlier this year. I had the regular cheeseburger with green chile strips, lettuce, and pickles. It too was excellent, and in particular the pickles, something odd to call out but there it is. I also ordered a side of chile cheese fries with red and green that we both shared. I had to ask for a spoon. Good chile, though not overly distinctive, and certainly not thick enough to cover fries. The latter, regardless, was excellent.

---original 4/5/21 review

Mrs. RJG and I were looking for a quick day trip, that allowed for some thriftin', eatin', and drinkin'. What we call TEDing. All these years living in Colorado, plus going back and forth to Texas and New Mexico, our knowledge of Trinidad is pretty much limited to getting gas on the way to and fro. Trinidad is, in fact, the very first place in Colorado I visited. I literally moved to Colorado sight unseen, having taken a new job in Colorado Springs via the phone. This was the end of November, 1993. I stopped at a local Mexican restaurant, which is now long gone. I recall little of the dining experience, only that I caught Trinidad at dusk, and it was strikingly beautiful to my eyes. When I left, it was already dark. My two cats and I completed the journey to Colorado Springs that night - everything pitch black to me. When I woke up the next morning at my new apartment, I looked out my window - and there was Pikes Peak. Can you imagine? I was 29 at the time. The only other visit was back in 1998, when the newly minted Mrs. RJG and I were to meet my parents "half way" in Amarillo. We stopped for a late breakfast, at a place that is also long gone. Every time we journey over Raton Pass, I state that we really need to spend more time there. And so we finally did it. But where to eat? Based on various online reviews, Las Animas Grill lit up large.

Las Animas Grill sits in downtown, in one of the many restored buildings. I believe this one goes back to 1901 (or maybe the 1800s?). Tall ceilings and it's a fairly spacious place with bar seating. Though they advertise craft beers, I wouldn't suggest you go here for that reason. Their tap offerings are mainstream. They do offer a bit more variety with their can selection, but still nothing you can't get elsewhere in Colorado. So we settled on water. Then we proceeded to order. Mrs. RJG was craving a cheeseburger, and so was I. Needed to be cooked well-done dictates Mrs. RJG. It's amazing to us how few restaurants actually listen to that simple request. But Las Animas cooked it to perfection and it was delicious. I added green chiles to mine, which were mild, but flavorful. We had the hand cut fries, which were also excellent. Las Animas is definitely geared more toward the gastropub side of the aisle, and feels chef driven. That comes with a cost, but we felt it was worth it. A wonderful overall experience to start our Trinidad day.

3/27/21 (new entry); 11/14/24

Granelli's Pizzeria ~ Castle Rock, Colorado

Latest visit: Nov 2024

First visit: Dec 2022

And in what appears to be now an annual ritual, Old Boss and I once again met at Granelli's near the end of the year, though earlier than the prior two. He's 8 years older than me and has been threatening retirement for years (even executing the idea before backing out). I'm now the one talking retirement, and thinking next year may be it. But as it stands, we continue to work for the same software company. I'm forever grateful I've been able to close out my career here, and who knows how long it will go? We'll see if I can get another year out of it.

In any case, demonstrating zero creativity, I ordered the 11" thin crust pizza with hot sausage. Once again it was great, though the crust wasn't as crispy as I remembered. So that's something we'll need to call out if Mrs. RJG ever joins me here. Old Boss ordered a thicker crust pizza with a veggie topping. He ate half and took the rest home. We'd probably still be there yammering as I type this out, but he had an appointment to go to. 

So I wandered over to my next post....

---12/27/23 update

We're back at Granelli's almost one year to the date. And yes, once again with Old Boss. We had much to catch up on since it's been a full year. We're both still at the same company even though he retired then unretired. I rarely get to eat pizza, so I wanted to revisit Granelli's. And despite my bold claims below, I stuck with an 11" thin crust pizza with "hot" sausage. Absolutely delicious. I need to come here on my own next time I'm crate digging in the area or bring Mrs. RJG along. I'm sure I'll try something else. Probably not...

---original 12/21/22 review

It was time to meet Old Boss again, a good friend going on 27 years now. Met him originally at the same place as Mrs. RJG and Rude Dante, though he didn't work for the same company, but rather one of the software vendors. Fortuitous meeting as he indeed hired me for my first job after marriage in 1997. And we've been close ever since. Today we work again for the same firm in our familiar roles. We cannot escape large software companies it would appear.

Old Boss suggested we try Granelli's Pizza, a Castle Rock legend going on 25+ years now. Despite being a resident of nearby Castle Pines, he'd never been. And neither had I, so it was a perfect choice. Sitting just outside the busiest part of downtown Castle Rock, Granelli's is a quaint full service restaurant with a hearty menu of pizzas and Italian specialties. They originally started on the south side of Chicago, and that's why their slogan is what it is. I was tempted to try a deep dish, but having just experienced a mediocre offering from Giordano's in Chicago, I stayed thin crust. With homemade rolled hot Italian sausage. Hey that's two pizza's in a row with that! The thin crust - square and corner cut - reminds me very much of my time working in Racine, Wisconsin (also in 1997 - while reporting to Old Boss in a consulting role - synchronicity overload!). In any case, it was delicious. Mrs. RJG would have approved. Thin crispy crust, plenty of cheese, good sauce, and great tasting sausage. Would like to try one of their Italian entrees at some point, or even a sandwich. Perhaps next year, as Castle Rock is a usual stop on my Denver crate digging runs. Looking forward to a revisit.

12/21/22 (new entry); 12/27/23; 11/1/24

Border Burger Bar ~ Manitou Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Oct 2024

First visit: Jul 2021 (Colorado Springs - closed)

At one point Border Burger Bar was a small chain with two locations in the Colorado Springs area and one in El Paso, Texas. The latter is still open with the name Phred's prepended to it. There's no common website anymore either. So we'll presume they are now independently owned and operated.

I had been wanting to revisit Border Bar for a couple of years now, but as noted above, the Academy location closed not too long after opening, another victim of the pandemic. And we never go to Manitou Springs anymore, primarily because of the parking situation. There was a time not long ago where you'd drive down, park anywhere you can, and hit the shops and restaurants. But now you have to pay everywhere in the city except the far outskirts. And I hate paying for parking, especially when it was once free. In any case, I ended up in Manitou for an estate sale that took me about two hours to go through. When finished it was lunch time. Well shoot, I'm already here, might as well go into the city and revisit a restaurant. My first choice was Manitou Brewing but they don't open until noon. That's not going to work. There's always The Loop but that's a lot of food and Mrs. RJG would be mad at me for not taking her along. Ah yes, Border Burger Bar. So after paying my three bucks using one of those mobile apps (that took a full five minutes of my precious hour to complete the transaction), I made the six minute walk over.

Step into the "rotunda" and to the left is the front door of a rather large restaurant. Bar is upfront, so I grabbed a stool and proceeded to order a Mexican lager to quench my considerable thirst. The beer list would be good for out of towners, but not overly researched otherwise. I would have liked one from nearby Manitou Brewing myself, not something I can get anywhere else. Oh well.

I did try something else from the below this time - my tavern favorite Cubano with fries. The sandwich is a thicker variety than I've been enjoying of late. More meat doesn't necessarily translate to better, though usually it does. Here the pork may have been a bit too porky. I certainly liked it, but the balance of flavors wasn't ideal. The fries were homemade and not as crispy as I prefer. But again, still very good. I customized my dipping sauce, and had the spicy aioli. Essentially a mayonnaise based concoction that was exceptionally good. Probably the best part of the meal. Service was prompt and friendly. There were only three of us at the bar, and the restaurant was empty. Sign of the times I'm afraid.

I'll definitely make an attempt to go back and try something else from the menu (which remains large), but it won't be in the rotation, so it could be some years.

---original 7/9/21 review (Colorado Springs)

Saw this restaurant recently while driving up and down Academy doing the routines. It's your classic craft burger tavern, and those were the RJG's favorite places pre-pandemic. Time to get back into some bad habits. Walk in, and you can take a booth, table, or sit at the bar to your right. I took the latter, since I was by myself. Out comes a very large burger menu, and a nice selection of Colorado craft beers to choose from (about 9). Mostly from the Springs, but a couple of others from the state. So I selected one from our very own FH Beerworks, and then chose The Coloradoan. This burger's distinctions include green chile (hear that, did ya Wienerschnitzel?), Swiss cheese, avocado, tomato, spring mix (arugula, etc...), onion slices, and lemon zest aioli. Yea, it's pretty chef-fy, but I'm all for a local burger. I passed on the avocado, as I really wanted to savor the green chile - which is mixed into the ground beef + they add a sliced Anaheim pepper. I asked for truffle fries as well. Basically fries with truffle oil and parm cheese and parsley (excellent BTW). They don't mention it, but this burger comes in a potato bun. The burger was cooked medium well, since I didn't specify. All very good, though I didn't get as much chile flavor as hoped. But given that they have 20 different options, I'll be sure to try something else next time. Overall I was most reminded of an old RJG favorite back in DFW called Jac Mac's Swill and Grill (which you can find in these very pages). Perhaps not quite as beer focused, but the menu certainly is geared similarly. Friendly counter service as well. Great place - we'll be back for sure.

Border Burger Bar is a very small regional chain. They started in El Paso, Texas (hence the name) with only one location there before branching to the Springs area, where they also have one in downtown Manitou Springs - a perfect fit for the tourist foot traffic they receive.

7/9/21 (new entry); 10/31/24