El Norteño

Other good dishes are the Chicken Mole and the fish tacos.

The original location was closed for several months and is supposed to reopen this February 2009.

In a place like Albuquerque, Mexican food restaurants are a peso a dozen. Thumbing through the latest Yellow Pages, I found 69 of them listed. But El Norteno is one of the few in this town that boasts Cabrito al Horno Estilo Birria. This slow-cooked goat stew is a house specialty.  If I had to eat it through a straw, I could have, but luckily silverware was part of the deal. Monica, who is el jefe femenino here, must have started cooking señor cabrito in the wee hours of the morning.  The robust red chile and lean cut tamed the wildness of the tender goat meat, while the warm, pillowy flour tortilla was just the thing for sopping up the last of the fiery juice.  

A fire (not caused by the red chile) back in July of 2008, forced our El Norteno friends to relocate to a new location.  As a result, they have not secured a new liquor license yet - the only down-side to this muy auténtico meal.  A Bohemia or Sangria would have quenched the thirst that only good red chile can ignite, but an horchata agua fresca had to suffice this time.  Monica assured us the liquor license would be coming soon, but in a town whose politics can be as greasy as the bottom of our chip basket, better get your Bohemia from the corner liquor store.  
 

Cruising through the Land of Enchantment on our way to Juárez: Land of Margaritas. The news about the Mexican border sounded like this: government warning, drug cartels, turf wars. We decided to stop in Albuquerque to eat and reconnoiter. After obligatory gas, restroom, and grocery stops, we ended up at El Norteño. Don't ask me; John was driving. We ordered margaritas and checked out the menu which included Mayan and other true Mexican dishes. 

Monica, head honcho, told us with no hint of bias that El Norteño was voted best Mexican restaurant for 7 years in a row. Voted by the diners, not stuffy food critics, but folks like me and you. OK maybe not me, because I wasn't here. We dug into chips & salsa while reassessing our road trip. Whoa! Watch out for that Salsa Habaner. She's got a kick. At El Norteño, chili is a religious experience. Our appetizer was a mouthwatering Queso Fundido con Chorizo. I scarfed the Pollo Relleno Empanizado and John the Carne Asada al Mesquite. Mui bueno! If it's your birthday, vamoose to El Norteño. Que? Because you're meal is on the house as John discovered. Lucky stiff. They check ID, but hey, it's free. Beware of "Diablo" dishes unless you really are Mexican. After one bite, I discovered I'm too white and should seek medical treatment. 

If you want real Mexican, go to El Norteño and order anything with the restaurant name in it. The only way to get truer Mexican food is to jump the border, but with bullets ablazin down there, I'm sticking to El Norteño. Call me chicken, but I'd rather eat pollo rancheros than lead. It was decided - tomorrow we'd visit Old Town and pretend we're in Mexico. But for now, another round of margaritas, por favor!