Albuquerque is high desert - 5-6,000 feet in altitude and only 10 inches average of rain a year. It is also a culinary desert. I stopped years ago going out for dinner because of my consistent disappointments with both food and service especially considering the high prices.
Recently a local restauranteur spent has spent a whole bunch of money revising a former 50's diner themed location to be a high end, California wine themed locale. A number of people I know went there and made positive comments (that should have been the first danger sign). It's really close to where we live, the first close high end place. So we decide to give it a try.
We went on a Sunday night. They're in the shakedown period prior to the "official" grand opening. So we need to cut them some slack. I read some good things about the bar and decided to go early before our reservation to have a drink. We arrive and tell the hostess we're in advance of our reservation and will be in the bar when our time comes around.
The bar decor is very austere. High ceilings black tables with stone walls and floor, a very cold environment. G and I got gimlets which are seem all lime juice and no gin. The tables have a bizare dimensions so you seem to be twice as far away from your company as you should be.
Our reservation time comes and goes so we decide we'd better get over to the restaurant side but I can't get the cocktail waitress to notice us. I mean there are two other parties in the bar besides ourselves, she's obviously slammed.
Then we go to the hostess who since we've been gone for 40 minutes doesn't remember that we've been there and asks us if we have a reservation. Dinner with the exception of a couple of appetizers is non-descript. Two had tasteless beef, and two had overcooked, tough poultry. At least the wine was good, a Pinot Noir from Oregon.
Oh well, back to eating in Chicago and LA
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