That Food Guy
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Azuma Sushi and Teppan
Azuma – Sushi and Teppan
4701 San Mateo Blvd
Albuquerque, New Mexico
(505) 880-9800
This was to be a father and son day, a boys’ day out, a day at the museum, a rekindling of bonds. The morning chores completed, we started off and, and as it was nearing midday, we decided to stop somewhere for an early lunch. Larry took us to one of his favorite places. It was to be Azuma’a for a sushi lunch. Open daily at 11:00 am. When we entered we found that A
This was to be a father and son day, a boys’ day out, a day at the museum, a rekindling of bonds. The morning chores completed, we started off and, and as it was nearing midday, we decided to stop somewhere for an early lunch. Larry took us to one of his favorite places. It was to be Azuma’a for a sushi lunch. Open daily at 11:00 am. When we entered we found that A
zuma opens at 11:30 on the weekends. We were a bit early, about 15 minutes. Larry
told the receptionist that we would wait in the car. She bade us to have a seat in the lobby, “It is nice and cool inside.” Already a nice touch… We were soon seated in a comfortable booth adjacent to the sushi bar. Besides being a comfortable booth, the little glass dividers make a cozy open personal area with very low noise. Although several couples had followed us into the restaurant the noise level was pleasantly very low. The sushi chef from his station was able to ask my son about his order from across the room. With soft lighting, well appointed fixtures and a quiet atmosphere, the stage was set for a good meal without distractions. Your visit to Azuma is started off with a nice bowl of miso soup. Well. Miso soup is miso soup 
and our Azuma serving was as good as any other miso soup I have ever had. Hot with a tasty dashi broth it set the stage for things to come. For openers my son ordered the spicy tuna roll and I ordered the California roll and a cucumber roll. Strange as it may sound, Larry and I both don’t care at all for surimi but we do like a lot of other sushi offerings. Larry ate his spicy tuna roll with gusto and said that it was very good, very tasty. Freshly made sushi can sometimes be crumbly, the sushi rice not congealed. That was not the case here. The rice cake was firm enough to hold together when picked up with the hashi and dipped into the soy sauce and still be soft and tender to the bite. The Azuma sushi chef has the sushi master’s touch. The California roll and the cucumber roll were excellent. The rest of our order was soon served. Larry had ordered the Boston roll without the cream cheese. I ordered the nabeyaki udon soup. The Boston roll is a large serving of to inside-out filled rolls with an olio topping of vegetables and lightly drizzled with a succulent sauce. It took some time to assemble. My souvenir 
take-out menu copy didn’t list that sushi selection so I am at a bit of a loss to remember all the ingredients. That was not a problem for my son as he enjoyed all of it in short order. He considered it an excellent selection. Years ago I first encountered udon soup in the international passenger quarantine area at the Anchorage International Airport. Most of the passengers were on Asian carriers making a refueling stop before flights over the old Soviet Union were possible. The small snack bar’s menu reflected the clientele. It was not an elegant serving. A package of fresh udon noodle was placed in a tall Styrofoam cup, then the cup was filled to the rim from a kettle of hot dashi stock and something dead placed on top. It was served with the disposable hashi for a typical in-airport rip-off price. Not knowing what it was, the first thing I did was dispose of the dead thing floating on top into the nearest trash can. Then I sipped the dashi and developed a liking for the taste of the hot mild broth. The fresh udon noodles are not Italian pasta but a whole new world of noodles. They were delicious. Since then 
I have tasted udon soups in many places and was about to see if Azuma’s offering was up to par. It was a large soup bowl serving; a meal in itself. Considering that I had already eaten my California and cucumber rolls, it was a bit too much. It was served with two very large tempura shrimp on the side. The broth was hot and savory. The fresh noodles were excellent and the bits
and our Azuma serving was as good as any other miso soup I have ever had. Hot with a tasty dashi broth it set the stage for things to come. For openers my son ordered the spicy tuna roll and I ordered the California roll and a cucumber roll. Strange as it may sound, Larry and I both don’t care at all for surimi but we do like a lot of other sushi offerings. Larry ate his spicy tuna roll with gusto and said that it was very good, very tasty. Freshly made sushi can sometimes be crumbly, the sushi rice not congealed. That was not the case here. The rice cake was firm enough to hold together when picked up with the hashi and dipped into the soy sauce and still be soft and tender to the bite. The Azuma sushi chef has the sushi master’s touch. The California roll and the cucumber roll were excellent. The rest of our order was soon served. Larry had ordered the Boston roll without the cream cheese. I ordered the nabeyaki udon soup. The Boston roll is a large serving of to inside-out filled rolls with an olio topping of vegetables and lightly drizzled with a succulent sauce. It took some time to assemble. My souvenir 
take-out menu copy didn’t list that sushi selection so I am at a bit of a loss to remember all the ingredients. That was not a problem for my son as he enjoyed all of it in short order. He considered it an excellent selection. Years ago I first encountered udon soup in the international passenger quarantine area at the Anchorage International Airport. Most of the passengers were on Asian carriers making a refueling stop before flights over the old Soviet Union were possible. The small snack bar’s menu reflected the clientele. It was not an elegant serving. A package of fresh udon noodle was placed in a tall Styrofoam cup, then the cup was filled to the rim from a kettle of hot dashi stock and something dead placed on top. It was served with the disposable hashi for a typical in-airport rip-off price. Not knowing what it was, the first thing I did was dispose of the dead thing floating on top into the nearest trash can. Then I sipped the dashi and developed a liking for the taste of the hot mild broth. The fresh udon noodles are not Italian pasta but a whole new world of noodles. They were delicious. Since then 
I have tasted udon soups in many places and was about to see if Azuma’s offering was up to par. It was a large soup bowl serving; a meal in itself. Considering that I had already eaten my California and cucumber rolls, it was a bit too much. It was served with two very large tempura shrimp on the side. The broth was hot and savory. The fresh noodles were excellent and the bits
of vegetable, including asparagus, were delicious. It was as good as, if not better than any udon soup I have ever sampled. Even though it was more than I should have eaten, it was too good to leave any behind. Father and son enjoyed a quiet interlude in comfortable surroundings. We were catered to by a most courteous staff. We were served delicious food that charmed the eye as well as the pallet. Even the clientele, ma
ny of whom filled the dining room while we were there, were respectful of the surroundings and we were hardly aware of their presence. Surely the Azuma deserves high marks for quality of food, service and atmosphere; a place to go. It will surely be on my agenda for another visit on my next trip through Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Labels: Albuquerque, cheesecake, Nabeyaki, New Mexico, soup, sushi, teppan, Udon
¶ 1:42 PM 0 Comments
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Dion's Pizza - Albuquerque, New Mexico
Dion’s Pizza
Coors and Montano
Albuquerque, New Mexico
(505) 898-1161 http://www.dions.com/
Food cooked at home seems to always be the best. Sometimes, during a busy day, there just isn’t time to cook in so it becomes a night to carry home from your favorite local restaurant. It was just such a night when son Larry called Dion’s to order a pizza and salads. He would pick them up after he picked up his wife, Vickie, at work. I smiled when I noted he had Dion’s on his speed-dial menu. Sometimes the pace is too hectic for young married couples. Dion’s is a chain of restaurants with about seventeen stores in New Mexico and Texas. You can eat in or carry home from each of their stores. Their mantra is that their dough and pizza sauce are made from scratch daily and that they use only the freshest ingredients. Their menu features pizzas, salads and sub sandwiches. The order was for a large pizza (16-inch cheese $10.65, additional toppings $1.65 each) split with half pepperoni and the other half pepperoni, sausage, green peppers and onions. Two salads were ordered; one tossed ($4.35 full size iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, croutons and Dion’s mix), and one gourmet chicken salad ($5.35 full size Spring mix lettuce, grilled chicken strips, pecans, bleu cheese crumbles and tomatoes). The salads ar
e well prepared and neatly package. The large size is certainly sufficient for two or three diners. He lettuce was crisp, the dressing tasty. The croutons were crisp and not soggy, not an easy trick in a salad packaged to go. The pizza was the thin crust style, cooked in a hot oven not unlike a New York pizz
Coors and Montano
Albuquerque, New Mexico
(505) 898-1161 http://www.dions.com/
Food cooked at home seems to always be the best. Sometimes, during a busy day, there just isn’t time to cook in so it becomes a night to carry home from your favorite local restaurant. It was just such a night when son Larry called Dion’s to order a pizza and salads. He would pick them up after he picked up his wife, Vickie, at work. I smiled when I noted he had Dion’s on his speed-dial menu. Sometimes the pace is too hectic for young married couples. Dion’s is a chain of restaurants with about seventeen stores in New Mexico and Texas. You can eat in or carry home from each of their stores. Their mantra is that their dough and pizza sauce are made from scratch daily and that they use only the freshest ingredients. Their menu features pizzas, salads and sub sandwiches. The order was for a large pizza (16-inch cheese $10.65, additional toppings $1.65 each) split with half pepperoni and the other half pepperoni, sausage, green peppers and onions. Two salads were ordered; one tossed ($4.35 full size iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, croutons and Dion’s mix), and one gourmet chicken salad ($5.35 full size Spring mix lettuce, grilled chicken strips, pecans, bleu cheese crumbles and tomatoes). The salads ar
e well prepared and neatly package. The large size is certainly sufficient for two or three diners. He lettuce was crisp, the dressing tasty. The croutons were crisp and not soggy, not an easy trick in a salad packaged to go. The pizza was the thin crust style, cooked in a hot oven not unlike a New York pizz
a but th
e variety of toppings put in a different class. The crust was crispy chewy, there was adequate mozzarella cheese and sauce and the additional toppings in a sufficient amount. It had good flavor and the large size pizza with salads was enough to provide left overs for a light lunch the next day. It was good tasty food that can ordered by telephone or through the internet, was close by and convenient when doing other errands. I can see why Larry keeps the telephone number on his speed dial. Labels: Albuquereque, Dion's, New Mexico, pizza, salad, take out, take-home
¶ 11:59 AM 0 Comments
Thursday, September 23, 2010
KOA Kafe – KOA Albuquerque North - Bernalillo, New Mexico
Traveling around the country we often stop at Good Sam’s or KOA campgrounds. We are thus assured of at least a minimum standard. There are many independent campgrounds out there but they are hard to find. The Sam’s and KOA directories make finding a campground easy. So it was that we found KOA Albuquerque North.
It is 
actually located just off the Interstate in the small, independent town of Bernalillo, a few miles north of Albuquerque. Even though the campgrounds have a minimum standard, many of the campground owners go beyond the minimum and devise many clever ways to cater to their camping customers.
KOA Kafe
KOA Albuqurque,North
555 South Hill Rd
Bernalillo, New Mixico 87004
(505) 867-5227 9/23/10
KOA Albuqurque,North
555 South Hill Rd
Bernalillo, New Mixico 87004
(505) 867-5227 9/23/10
Traveling around the country we often stop at Good Sam’s or KOA campgrounds. We are thus assured of at least a minimum standard. There are many independent campgrounds out there but they are hard to find. The Sam’s and KOA directories make finding a campground easy. So it was that we found KOA Albuquerque North.
It is 
actually located just off the Interstate in the small, independent town of Bernalillo, a few miles north of Albuquerque. Even though the campgrounds have a minimum standard, many of the campground owners go beyond the minimum and devise many clever ways to cater to their camping customers. Well maintained, with lots of trees to shade your camping spot, clean restrooms with lots of hot shower water, a carefully maintained pool for an afternoon dip, large fenced pet walks, even weekend movies, this particular campground is already well above standard and a very pleasant stopover. The owner has one additional perk for us, the KOA Kafe. Not a full service café for sure, but rather a casual provider of the campground equivalent of the big hotels continental breakfast. From about seven to nine each morning, a campground guest only has to 
stop by the office, get a small ticket and present it to the Kafe cook for a free pancake breakfast. The free pancake breakfast consists of two pancakes and syrup, butter on request. A side bar has coffee, tea, sugar and creamers at your leisure. During the warmer temperate months the service is al fresco in a nice covered patio and enough picnic benches to accommodate everyone. A decorated full-scale beehive oven sets the mood for this New Mexico patio. In bad weather there is an adjacent enclosed dining area.
The KOA Kafe also has a small menu for additional purchased food items. Bacon or sausage is $1.50, eggs $1.50 each and a bowl of breakfast chili (remember, we are in New Mexico) is $3.00. There are some combo plates, featuring either fried potatoes,
corned beef 
hash, omelets or burritos, ranging from $4.00 to $7.00. There is even a telephone number for takeout orders. At the window you present your ticket and order any additional items you desire. It is cash only when your name is called for pick up. The cook has been there a long time. We have seen him on the last three trips through Albuquerque. He is a bit gruff but never any problems. Let’s just say he is amusingly irascible, much like his motto, "If we don't have it, you don't need it!" After eating, you buss your own table and police your area. Toss the trash in the canister and get on with your wonderful day after a satisfying breakfast at the KOA Kafe.
stop by the office, get a small ticket and present it to the Kafe cook for a free pancake breakfast. The free pancake breakfast consists of two pancakes and syrup, butter on request. A side bar has coffee, tea, sugar and creamers at your leisure. During the warmer temperate months the service is al fresco in a nice covered patio and enough picnic benches to accommodate everyone. A decorated full-scale beehive oven sets the mood for this New Mexico patio. In bad weather there is an adjacent enclosed dining area.The KOA Kafe also has a small menu for additional purchased food items. Bacon or sausage is $1.50, eggs $1.50 each and a bowl of breakfast chili (remember, we are in New Mexico) is $3.00. There are some combo plates, featuring either fried potatoes,
corned beef 
hash, omelets or burritos, ranging from $4.00 to $7.00. There is even a telephone number for takeout orders. At the window you present your ticket and order any additional items you desire. It is cash only when your name is called for pick up. The cook has been there a long time. We have seen him on the last three trips through Albuquerque. He is a bit gruff but never any problems. Let’s just say he is amusingly irascible, much like his motto, "If we don't have it, you don't need it!" After eating, you buss your own table and police your area. Toss the trash in the canister and get on with your wonderful day after a satisfying breakfast at the KOA Kafe. Labels: Albuquerque, bacon, Bernalillo, breakfast, chili, free, Kafe, KOA, New Mexico, pancakes
¶ 1:19 PM 0 Comments
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Weck's - Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Weck’s
1690 Rio Rancho Dr Rio Rancho, NM
( ) 881-0116 www.wecksinc.com
Passing through the Albuquerque area, we had the opportunity to visit with my son, Larry, and his charming wife, Vickie. My son insisted one morning that he was going to take us out to breakfast. He knew of a place that served big meals and he knew I like to eat a lot. With 5 stores in Albuquerque and one in Rio Rancho, Weck’s seems to be a growing concern. And as for the big meals, their menu proclaims, “A full belly tradition since ’91.” We were about to put that to the test.
A store front restaurant, it is located in a new and busy shopping center. Catering to the breakfast and lunch crowd, the restaurant is open daily from 6:30 AM to 2:00 PM. Although we did not sample any of the lunch fare, they offer a selection of hot and cold sandwiches ($8.19), soups, salads and hamburgers ($6.39 to $8.39). As would be expected from a New Mexico restaurant, they also offer southwestern specialties such as quesadillas ($8.19), burritos ($8.19) and enchiladas ($8.19). They also offer vegetarian options. Since breakfast was very good, on a future trip to the Albuquerque area we will have to have lunch at Weck’s to round out 
our dining experience.
My selection was a Sausage Big Breakfast Burrito ($6.39). It is three scrambled eggs in a rolled flour tortilla with your choice of filling (ham, bacon or sausage – carne adovada – carnitas – chicken – veggie) and a choice of sauce or cheese. Red and green chili sauces are available but I chose the Cheddar and Jack cheese combination. The burrito is served with a large helping of hash brown potatoes. It is served on a large oval platter and certainly lives up to its name, big. The hash browns were the shredded kind, brown and crispy on the outside, steaming hot on the inside. Delicious, they were also covered by the melted
Cheddar-Jack cheese. It was a good tasting meal of ample proportions and certainly worthy of ordering again.
The wife ordered what Weck’s calls a pancake sandwich ($6.89). It is two large buttermilk pancakes, two bacon strips (she ordered sausage instead) and one egg any style. In keeping with the full belly tradition, it is served on two plates. The pancakes were nicely browned, tender and tasty. The egg was cook right to order. A satisfying meal with some for the doggie bag.
My son ordered the Full Belly Egg Plate ($6.89). It is two eggs any style, hash browns and choice of ham, bacon or sausage. He ordered scrambled egg. The eggs were light and fluffy, the bacon just crispy as ordered. Again, in the full belly tradition, it was served on a platter filled to the edge.
The facility was a new, clean and well maintained facility. The serving staff was quick and courteous. They kept the coffee cups full without hovering over the table. All of the food served that day was tasty and well presented. The experience has made me anxious to go back and try the offerings on the lunch menu.
1690 Rio Rancho Dr Rio Rancho, NM
( ) 881-0116 www.wecksinc.com
Passing through the Albuquerque area, we had the opportunity to visit with my son, Larry, and his charming wife, Vickie. My son insisted one morning that he was going to take us out to breakfast. He knew of a place that served big meals and he knew I like to eat a lot. With 5 stores in Albuquerque and one in Rio Rancho, Weck’s seems to be a growing concern. And as for the big meals, their menu proclaims, “A full belly tradition since ’91.” We were about to put that to the test.
A store front restaurant, it is located in a new and busy shopping center. Catering to the breakfast and lunch crowd, the restaurant is open daily from 6:30 AM to 2:00 PM. Although we did not sample any of the lunch fare, they offer a selection of hot and cold sandwiches ($8.19), soups, salads and hamburgers ($6.39 to $8.39). As would be expected from a New Mexico restaurant, they also offer southwestern specialties such as quesadillas ($8.19), burritos ($8.19) and enchiladas ($8.19). They also offer vegetarian options. Since breakfast was very good, on a future trip to the Albuquerque area we will have to have lunch at Weck’s to round out 
our dining experience.My selection was a Sausage Big Breakfast Burrito ($6.39). It is three scrambled eggs in a rolled flour tortilla with your choice of filling (ham, bacon or sausage – carne adovada – carnitas – chicken – veggie) and a choice of sauce or cheese. Red and green chili sauces are available but I chose the Cheddar and Jack cheese combination. The burrito is served with a large helping of hash brown potatoes. It is served on a large oval platter and certainly lives up to its name, big. The hash browns were the shredded kind, brown and crispy on the outside, steaming hot on the inside. Delicious, they were also covered by the melted
Cheddar-Jack cheese. It was a good tasting meal of ample proportions and certainly worthy of ordering again.The wife ordered what Weck’s calls a pancake sandwich ($6.89). It is two large buttermilk pancakes, two bacon strips (she ordered sausage instead) and one egg any style. In keeping with the full belly tradition, it is served on two plates. The pancakes were nicely browned, tender and tasty. The egg was cook right to order. A satisfying meal with some for the doggie bag.
My son ordered the Full Belly Egg Plate ($6.89). It is two eggs any style, hash browns and choice of ham, bacon or sausage. He ordered scrambled egg. The eggs were light and fluffy, the bacon just crispy as ordered. Again, in the full belly tradition, it was served on a platter filled to the edge.
The facility was a new, clean and well maintained facility. The serving staff was quick and courteous. They kept the coffee cups full without hovering over the table. All of the food served that day was tasty and well presented. The experience has made me anxious to go back and try the offerings on the lunch menu.
Labels: Albuquerque, breakfast, burrito, hash browns, New Mexico, pancakes, Weck's
¶ 9:32 AM 0 Comments
