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You are here: Home / Archives for Chef Marc Quiñones

10 Things I Love About Groundstone

December 15, 2017 by Chef Marc Quinones

When I heard that one of Albuquerque’s longest restauranteurs, Russ Zeigler who opened his first establishment here in 1977, decided to open a casual neighborhood friendly restaurant smack in the middle of Albuquerque I couldn’t wait to get down there to find out all about it! The result was a multi hour conversation with some of the most genuine individuals I have had the pleasure of meeting. Oh, and tons of incredibly tasty food. Here’s 10 of the many things I loved about Groundstone.


1. The Heisenburger. This has quickly become an iconic hit and the second I bit into this bad boy I knew it was the real deal. Akaushi Beef topped with Smoked Cheddar, Bueno Green Chile, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Onions, Lettuce, Tomato and Green Chile infused Mayo on a local Fano Bakery bun. The thought process behind this winner was spot on. I’m still licking my fingers.

2. Owner Russ Zeigler and his wife Maddie. Russ has owned and operated a few different restaurants over the last 4 decades including Assets Grill (formerly Liquid Assets), Sandiago’s Mexican Grill, and High Finance which was a long time fine dining staple in New Mexico. I’m pretty sure that all of you at some point have taken the tram up to the peak to eat at High Finance for a special occasion meal. When I sat with Russ and his lovely wife Maddie, we spoke for hours about many different things. See, I’ve met many many owners over the years but something was different about this one. Not to say that anybody I’ve met prior was disingenuous, but sitting with Russ and hearing his story was something that came across as rare. His passion and commitment to doing things the right way is what this business is all about. He really really cares about your dining experience. And that was great to see. During an era where a lot of people only care about the bottom line, it was nice to meet and get to know someone who puts the dining experience first at all times. Hat’s off and tons of respect to Russ for never wavering on that.

3. The Stacked Shake. Normally I would put dessert as one of the final items but this one was so good it deserves a spot on the top! Read this carefully, Hand spun vanilla shake stacked with chunks of brownie, Heath toffee bar, wafer and whipped cream served in a chocolate chip rimmed glass… Thasssss riiiiiight! No more words needed.

4. Fried Green Chile Strips. Fresh Bueno Green Chile cut into strips, hand battered and then deep fried until ultra-crispy. If that’s not enough then they serve it with an avocado ranch dipping sauce. Incredible balance of flavors that will excite your taste buds. Nom nom nom.

5. Warm & Friendly Service. Something that is becoming a lost art is alive and well at Groundstone. The staff here goes above and beyond to ensure that you will want or need for nothing. They do it the old fashioned way, with a genuine smile and attentive detail. It’s one of Russ’s core values and it’s amazing to see how he has made sure everyone on his staff shares that same quality.

6. Chef Patrick Correa. When I sat with Chef Patrick I saw a passionate fire in his eyes that kinda reminded me of myself. Originally from Isleta Pueblo, Chef has traveled and got his culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu. He brings a tremendous skill set to the table and his desire to please your palate is both genuine and appreciated. With Chef Correa at the helm the forecast for Groundstone remains quite pleasant.

7. The Yellowfin. Ok friends, you gotta hear me out here. Russ and Chef went out of their way to source Sashimi grade Tuna. And only charge you $14.50 for a huge chunk of it. That’s love! It’s served with sweet chili kale, cucumber, pickled ginger, avocado, and a sesame soy glaze. Seriously good stuff.

8. The Décor. The term “Groundstone” represents the idea of ground beef and the stone upon which really great pizza is baked. When you walk When you walk into the dining room you can really feel the spirit of both a classic hamburger, and tremendous pizza cooking in the back. The floors, walls and overall vibe of the place just screams Groundstone. It’s cool to see how Russ was able to tie the feel of his place to the name. Brilliant stuff right there.

9. The Stockyard. This pizza is REAL PIZZA! Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, Canadian Bacon, Fire Roasted Red Peppers, Red Onions, Olives, Roasted Garlic, Mozzarella, Fontina & Garlic infused Olive Oil is what rounds this tiger out. These ingredients play well together in the sandbox and the crust is not to be outdone. There’s some heavy skills going on to put a pizza like this out.

10. Spinach, Beet & Goat Cheese Salad. If I’m going to put a salad on my top ten list then it needs to really be high level stuff. This fits the bill. With grape tomatoes, red onion, toasted almonds and a pomegranate vinaigrette this is the type of salad you write home about. Or take a picture of, or order another to take home, or don’t share with your friends, or fight over, or… Ok, enough. You get my point.

Written by Chef Marc Quinones | Photography by Kori Kobayashi


Groundstone is located at

5001 San Mateo Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109
(505) 404-8287

STOCKYARD
Groundstone_Pizza
THE YELLOW FIN
Groundstone_Burger2
veggiedish_groundstone
STACKED SHAKE
HEISENBURGER
FRIED GREEN CHILE STRIPS
CHICKEN & AVOCADO SALAD

Filed Under: Featured, Magazine Tagged With: 10 Things I Love, Albuquerque, Chef Marc Quiñones, Cuisine, Dessert, Fried Green chile, Groundstone, Heisenburger, Pizza, Restaurants, Russ Ziegler, San Mateo

10 Things Chef Marc Quiñones Loves About Nob Hill Bar & Grill

October 15, 2015 by Joshua Lara

nob-hill-bar-and-grill-salad

photo by Kori Kobayashi

1. The ambiance. From the moment you pull up and catch a glimpse of this restaurant the contemporary and modern design will appeal to you. With brick walls that give the place a metropolitan look and the giant fish tank hanging from the ceiling which adds a touch of originality, the decor is just flat out awesome. The retractable garage doors that separate the dining room from the patio are equally attention grabbing.

2. The bar. Wow… When you envision specialty hand-crafted cocktails and a jaw-dropping lineup of craft beers, this is the place your dreams will take you to. The new owner, Nicole Kapnison, has a passion for craft beer which is made evident by the impressive list of delicious beers she has put together. Whether it’s a super creative cocktail or a hard to find beer, you’re looking for, get down to the bar at Nob Hill Bar & Grill to find something different and exciting!

3. The new Owner: Nicole Kapnison. To be clear, Nob Hill Bar & Grill has always been a good place to drink and dine but with Nicole up to bat, the establishment as a whole has been elevated to a new level. From the aforementioned new beer and cocktail list to the new menu, one thing is very clear, this place has gone from a good place to eat to an absolutely fantastic restaurant & bar to see and be seen, any day of the week.

4. The Executive Chef: Philip Roybal. Having had the pleasure of watching this man whip up a few dishes on the line in his immaculate kitchen I can tell you, this guy can throw down! Chef Roybal cooks with flair and a passion that shines through every single dish. It doesn’t matter if he is cooking a signature entrée, or something as simple as a salad, his love and desire to please your taste buds is inspiring and can be tasted in every bite.

5. The ‘This Ain’t Yo Mama’s Meatloaf’. I’m just going to come right out and say it, this is my favorite thing on Chef Roybal’s menu without hesitation. In fact, this is arguably the very best Meatloaf I have ever had in my entire life! A really cool side note is that Chef Philip uses 100% New Mexico raised beef for this dish. As if that isn’t enough, he stuffs it with Mozzarella Cheese and wraps it in BACON! Applewood Smoked Bacon to be exact. Served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, fresh vegetables and a delicious Shallot Gravy this dish is the perfect meal anytime.

nob-hill-bar-and-grill-meatloaf

“Aint yo Mama’s Meatloaf” photo by Kori Kobayashi

6. The service. Most would agree that the service at a restaurant can make or break the experience. Nob Hill Bar & Grill is the type of establishment which puts forth a highly commendable level of effort to ensure that each and every guest has the best service possible. From the second you walk into the restaurant you will encounter some of the best hospitality The Duke City has to offer. No request is too large at Nob Hill Bar & Grill. I thoroughly enjoyed the service and I am sure that you will too.

7. The freshness. Everything about this place has a bright fresh appeal to it and to me, quite frankly, that’s an exciting quality to encounter in a restaurant. It all sparkles, the walls, floors, and booths, it’s all so clean that you just want to sit there for as long as possible and soak it all in. That is a huge deal at eateries and it was very refreshing to see Nob Hill Bar & Grill at the top of the list of places I eat at that are extremely fresh and clean.

8. The support of local business. Whether it’s sourcing his vegetables, his meats or even baking his own breads, Executive Chef Philip Roybal goes to great lengths to ensure that your meal is as local as possible. It’s very important for Chefs to support their local farmers and butchers as much as they can because nothing builds a community better than when you support a local restaurant who supports their local farms. Practices such as this are what make a city as close knit as Albuquerque is.

9. ‘The Dirty Burger’. They tricked me into this one, and boy am I glad they did! I had just finished up sampling a bunch of Chef Roybal’s tasty cuisine when out walked Nicole with this HUGE beastly thing they call “The Dirty Burger” which consists of their own house blended beef patty, topped with Chile Con Queso, Chile, Frizzled Onions, Bacon, Beeronaise and Fried Egg! As full as I was I couldn’t help but take one giant bite out of it and that was when I tapped out! Juicy, full of flavor and flat out fun is what comes to mind when I think of this burger.

10. The overall presence, and contribution, in the city. I really feel like this place gets it right. From A to Z what Nicole Kapnison and Chef Philip Roybal are creating is a real winner. With the comfort of their guests at the forefront of their decision-making process, it’s no surprise to see them achieving as much success as they have. Nob Hill Bar & Grill brings a fresh, exciting and innovative approach to the Duke City dining scene and as a result, the entire industry benefits. Whether it’s going in for a quick bite to eat for lunch, going in for a fantastic alcoholic beverage or sitting down for an extended dinner, you are sure to have a great experience from beginning to end. I know I did. Hats off to a job well done.


 

Check out the video below to see Chef Marc Quiñones in action at Nob Hill Bar & Grill!

Filed Under: Around the web, Bon Appétit Tagged With: Bon Appétit, Chef Marc Quiñones, food, Nob Hill, Nob Hill Bar and Grill

Chef Marc Quiñones on 10 things he loves about M’Tucci’s Kitchina

January 13, 2015 by Chef Marc Quinones

 Ten Things Logo

When I first dined at M’Tucci’s on Coors & Montano on Albuquerque’s Westside I knew, upon first bite, that this place was going to wreak havoc upon the Duke City. Aside from all of their recent accolades including Best New Restaurant, amongst many others, here are 10 reasons why I was right!!

1. Executive Chef and Partner, John Haas. Hailing from the Midwestern state of Iowa. From the second he shook my hand and starting speaking I said to myself, “this guy gets it”. His passion and commitment to providing the guest with an unforgettable dining experience is contagious. Surrounding himself with talent and putting them in a position to succeed is what means the most to him. Put quite frankly, not only can this man can cook, but he always looks out for those around him.

Photography by Kori Kobayashi

Spaghettini e Polpettini

2. Owners Jeff and Katie Spiegel. Two extremely high character individuals who have owned and operated over 10 restaurants in The Big Apple, New York City. It doesn’t matter what time of day you get there, one or both of them are always there and interacting with the guest. Totally inspiring.

Photograph by Kori Kobayashi

Kitchina Mixed Grill

3. Ribbon Pasta with Sausage (Papperdelle con Salsiccia). My personal favorite thing on Chef Haas’s menu. Order it!

4. Any of Chef Haas’s rotisserie meats. He does something different every night, it just gets better and better. He does killer Lamb, Beef, (Pork which I will touch more on later), Chicken and a whole lot more. As I type this now all I can think about is how perfect his Chicken is. I’ve even swung by there on my way home just to pick one up to eat as a late night snack!

5. I just have to mention the bread basket. All too often we go to a restaurant and the bread is a foregone conclusion. Not here. No way, no how. This bread is house made and grilled to absolute perfection. You will order more before your entrées arrive because it’s just that good.

6. In the spring and summer seasons Chef Haas grows his own Herb Garden which adds an element of freshness to his dishes that are beyond belief. Nothing like a Chef being able to step outside his back door and pick fresh oregano to throw into his sauce!

7. Super creative mixologist Austin Leard, this guy crafts some of the best cocktails in town and has fun doing it. The bar at M’Tucci’s is a great place to be on any night.

8. They host guest Chefs, how do I know this? Because I was one of them. I had an amazing time on this past Cinco de Mayo Chef’ing it up in the kitchen with Chef Haas. The hospitality that they showed me was warm and unforgettable. I look forward to doing it again with them this year.

Photograph by Kori Kobayashi
Photograph by Kori Kobayashi
Charcuterie Board
Charcuterie Board
Photograph by Kori Kobayashi
Photograph by Kori Kobayashi

9. Community involvement, not only do they work with various non-profit organizations but they participate in a number of local events that benefit our great state of New Mexico.

10. Expansion. Chef Haas, Jeff, Katie and the gang just opened up a brand new concept a few doors down called M’Tucci’s Market and Deli—A true New York style deli that just opened a few weeks ago. From aging and curing their own meats to making all of their own spices and breads they are doing it all from scratch the old fashioned way, with integrity. You want to know how to gauge if a place is destined for success? When you walk in the first day they open and the room is wall to wall packed. I was there and that’s exactly what I encountered.

Written By: Chef Marc Quiñones

Chef Marc Quinones

Chef Marc Quinones

Filed Under: Bon Appétit, Featured, Magazine Tagged With: Abq, ABQLive, Albuquerque, Chef Marc Quiñones, M’Tucci’s, New Mexico

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