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Posts Tagged "green chile"
If I had to pick a most favorite restaurant in the world, I think this would be it. It isn’t fancy or even innovative. It is always the same, never changing. And yet, when someone does something this well, why would they need to change? They are completely dependable, fabulously delicious, spicy, flavorful and amazing. When I was at the University of New Mexico over 20 years ago, I ate there a lot. It was cheap, delicious, and a pretty good place to study. Now, I often wake up on Saturday morning and wish for a Frontier Restaurant breakfast burrito. This morning during a visit to Albuquerque, I got my wish. I woke up and made my way to the Frontier on Central Avenue. It was as good as I remember—it always is. The building itself is iconic. Rumor is they bought it during the Vietnam War era when anti-war protesters were smashing all the windows on Central Ave. and real estate prices plummeted. The restaurant takes up an entire city block right across the street from the University of New Mexico which has about 30,000 students. It has 7 rooms. The loudest room is the front where you order at the counter. I stood around trying to get a table in the front room. I wanted it for the people watching. I scored! Back further in the restaurant the rooms get progressively quieter with student study groups working in the very back. The walls are covered in tacky southwestern art including several paintings of John Wayne. It is fantastically visually stimulating. It is not unusual to see a homeless guy sitting at a table next to business men in suits. On this Saturday morning, the restaurant was pretty full. Everyone loves the Frontier. There seems to be a magical flow that no matter how full it is, you can always get a table. I am sure they have figured out how to make this work. People order at the counter and always find a...
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I first tried this side dish at a little restaurant in Albuquerque in the late 80’s. I am not sure whether it is a regional dish or if it was unique to this restaurant, but I experimented and came up with my own version. It’s a summer favorite in my family, served with beans and a main dish like tacos or enchiladas, or with potatoes and a green salad. We receive weekly delivery of an organic food box from a local farm and, with the exception of the green chile, we usually have most of these ingredients in our weekly box. I’m a bit of a chile fanatic, so I bring back a stash of Frozen Green Chile from New Mexico when I return from a trip south. For those who are less likely to travel internationally for their chile consumption, “Old El Paso” brand canned green chile is fairly easy to find in the Mexican foods section of any Canadian or US grocery store, and works well in this delicious dish. For those who prefer their food cranked down on spicy scale, use mild green chiles. If it is still a bit spicy for your taste, add sour cream and extra cheese. 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 garlic cloves crushed 1/2 medium onion chopped 3 zucchinis 1 cup corn 1/2 cup fresh roasted chopped green chiles (Anaheim peppers) or 2-3 small cans chopped green chile 3/4 cup cheddar cheese (optional) Salt to taste In a skillet, heat olive oil to medium. Sauté onion and garlic until clear. Add zucchini. Cook until the zucchini is firm but cooked through. Add corn and green chiles. Salt to taste. Top with cheddar cheese and allow it to melt in the pan....
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Owl Cafe Green Chile Burger vs. Buckhorn Tavern Green Chile Burger I stopped in San Antonio, New Mexico for lunch the other day. I wanted to go to the Owl Cafe, which is famous for its green chile cheeseburger. Now, it is in the middle of nowhere on the way to nowhere (apologies to the 3 people who live there) but it has been a popular stopping point my whole life. As I got off the highway, I noticed a “newer” burger restaurant with signs proclaiming that it offers the #7 burger in the nation. I was intrigued. The Buckhorn Tavern (the “new” restaurant) had a full parking lot while the Owl Cafe was looking pretty lonely. I decided to do my own comparison. Step 1: I start at the Owl Cafe. I order their green chile burger without cheese because they only have nacho cheese and american cheese which both have corn in them and I am allergic. The waitress is probably in her late 50s to early 60s. She has worked there a long time. I am pretty sure she has waited on me before. She doesn’t seem to care whether I’m happy or not. See their very empty dining room in the photo below. As usual, the fries are brought by one server and the hamburger is delivered several minutes later by the waitress. This has been the way they have done their food for 20 years. On a scale of 1-10 the fries are a 3. The oil tastes old and they are nothing special. The green chile burger is delicious and I would give it a 9 on a scale of 1-10. I am only giving it a 9 because if I give it a 10 and the Buckhorn has a better burger I won’t be able to rate them properly. The burger comes with Green Chile, tomato, lettuce, onions, and mustard and the patty is clearly home-made. I discovered this restaurant in my college years and it is always...
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