Aardbargain Guide
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Blue Cactus Grill, Albuquerque NM
Restaurant Review
Three Stars (Good)
Bottom Line: Good New Mexican food, attractively presented, in a casual atmosphere.
Date last visited: January 16, 2010
The Blue Cactus Grill is located in northern Albuquerque, not far from Rio Rancho, in an unassuming location close to NYPD Pizza. The restaurant opened toward the end of 2008, and promises, "a new fresh atmosphere for dining at breakfast, lunch or dinner." Does it deliver on this promise?
We've eaten at the restaurant twice, once for dinner on a Friday night and once for Sunday brunch. The restaurant is bright and fresh inside - perhaps a bit too bright for Sunday brunch, since the windows have no window coverings, and it was a bit hard to escape having the bright New Mexico sun in one's eyes. But what about the food?
The food can best be described as upscale (or gourmet) New Mexican cuisine, a concept many restaurants in the Land of Enchantment have tried, but few have succeeded at. The Blue Cactus Grill has succeeded.
We had enchiladas for dinner, and they were superb. For Sunday brunch, we chose to forego the buffet - too much food for us - and instead satisfied ourselves with Huevos Rancheros. All of the food is attractively presented.
Service is polite, and pleasant, and relaxed.
So, what suggestions do we have for the Blue Cactus Grill? Expand your menu. Our biggest suggestion would be to include more choices for those who don't eat red meat, or are vegetarian. This is easy enough to do with New Mexican cuisine, but even the Sunday Brunch choices were heavily meat-centric when we went.
Other than that, stick to your original concept. New Mexican cuisine deserves gourmet treatment, and at The Blue Cactus Grill, it receives it.
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Of related interest:
The Santa Fe School of Cooking Cookbook
Cooking With Cafe Pasqual's: Recipes From Santa Fe's Renowned Corner Cafe
Hours
Monday closed
Tuesday 7-11 am (breakfast) 11-8 pm (dinner)
Wednesday 7-11 am (breakfast) 11-8 pm (dinner)
Thursday 7-11 am (breakfast) 11-9 pm (dinner)
Friday 7-11 am (breakfast) 11-9 pm (dinner)
Saturday 7-11 am (breakfast) 11-9 pm (dinner)
Sunday 9-2 pm (brunch)
Location
Blue Cactus Grill
9780 Coors NW
(505) 890-7800
