Good bye old friend

Tonight I got some very sad news. The Martini Grill in Albuquerque has shut it's doors for good. According to the news reports they lost their liquor license, because they were serving well liquor and passing it off to their costumers as premium liquor.

I don't agree with them cheating their costumers and breaking the law. But I have to say that when I heard the news my hear was broken. Even though I have not lived in Albuquerque for four years now. The Martini Grill was still one of my top spots to visit when I came home. It was one of the few spots that all my friends and I could agree on. 

The thing that made Martini Grill so special wasn't just the cocktails. Although they did have over a dozen varities of martini's. The food was great, they took bar food to a whole new level. One of my favorite dishes to order there was, the green chile cheese waffle fries topped with chicken wings. 

They made the best waffle fries I've ever had in my life! So good that they were even featured on the Food Network. When my mother told me the news she said you grew up there! She didn't mean I had been going there as child. But that I once I was drinking age I grew up drinking there. It was the place my friends and I would go when we wanted a "grown up" cocktail.

Not our standard rum and coke, or lemon drop shots we would do at our local college bar.  It was a place for us to go for girls night out. I've so many great memories there, of happy hours and long talks with friends that lasted until last call.  There are so many Friday nights here in California when I wish I could go to Martini Grill for a drink after work. 

I know it may seem silly to be this upset about a bar closing. But for me and my friends it's truly an end of an era! I feel like I've lost a friend. One of those really great friends who would keep your secrets, who is there for you to celebrate your triumphs and to comfort you when your down.  Good bye Martini Grill! You will always have a place in my heart. And all though you are gone you are not forgotten! As long as I can hold a martini glass in my hand you will be in my heart!

Love,

the 505 girls!

Foodie word of the week?

It's a working title okay. I told you I didn't think I could commit to a new word every day but I am going do my best to post a word as often as I can.  Remember if there is a foodie word or term you want the definition let me know and I'll post it.  

Today's word is for all my peeps in my home town of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The hardest thing about living in California is not the gas prices. It's not being able to get these delicious treat accompany every Mexican food meal. The word of the day/week/month is....

Sopaipilla -[soh-pi-PEE-yuh] This crisp, puffy deep-fried pastry resembles an air-filled pillow. The sopapaipilla is thought to have orginiated in Albuquerque, New Mexico, more than 200 years ago. It's a favorite Southwestern U.S. dessert, usually served with honey or syrup flavored with anise or cinnamon. Sopaipillas are also sometimes filled with savory ingredients like Refied Beans.

Kim's note they are also great stuffed with beef and red chile! New Mexican's leave a comment with your favorite place to get a good Sopaipilla. Since I no longer reside there I think it would be unfair for me to weigh in. To be perfectly honest, I miss them so much that all Sopaipillas are good to me these days. :)