Plenty Filling: Zea Rotisserie & Grill

About a week ago, I decided to take my husband and baby out for an early dinner/late lunch.  The hubby couldn't decide what he wanted, so I ventured over to my urbanspoon account to remind myself of my restaurant wishlist.

Surveying the choices, my eyebrows were knitting at the potentials... apparently I have expensive desires.  Then I saw it.  Bingo! Zea Rotisserie & Grill!  I have been wanting to try this place for a year, having driven past many times and having read plenty of rave reviews from local connoisseurs of Albuquerque establishments. 

  

Arriving in the late afternoon, (before the dinner rush,) we were immediately seated by the man who was also our server.  We were asked if we preferred a table or a booth and, as usual, we both said "booth."  Let me tell you... the booth was HUGE!  I wasn't too pleased that our server chose to seat us at the one booth in the joint that had a major dip in the cushion and had been sloppily repaired with industrial tape.  (I had to scoot way in to avoid the broken spring.)  All that aside, however, and not wishing to complain, we ordered our soft drinks and scanned the menu while our server, Mike recited the specials of the day.  (He was very sweet but his voice was unnecessarily loud.  So loud, in fact, he woke up the baby, who had been sleeping pleasantly in her carrier until then.)

Continuing an optimistic view and ignoring the booming sounds of our server, (even echoing throughout the fairly empty restaurant as he went about his serving duties with us and his other tables,) Michael and I continued to look at and discuss the items on the menu.  What a meat lovers dream!  Every kind of grilled and roasted meat you can imagine priced anywhere from reasonable to down-right riDONKulous.

Asian Almond Shrimp

Remembering other reviews I had read which lavished about the giant portions, the man and I decided to order two things and split them, but first... an appetizer.  The waiter recommended the Hummus or the Asian Almond Shrimp and I had also read about the Asian Shrimp being pretty tasty... So, we ordered the shrimp.  It was indeed delicious; large, crispy-fried shrimp on a bed of crunchy, fresh cabbage and topped with almond slivers, green onions and a spicy-sweet sauce.  (The "sauce" was more of a glaze and although yummy, it was a tad bit sticky for my taste.  Too much corn starch.)

For our main courses, we ordered the Sweet & Spicy Rotisserie Chicken with Zea Potatoes and Roasted Corn, and the Honey Island Chicken Sandwich with Fries.  (When we ordered the sandwich, the waiter asked if we'd seen one before and saying, "no," he said we were in for a treat.)

Boy, were we ever!  It was gigantic!  We could have just shared the sandwich...

Honey Island Chicken Sandwich - Fried breast, bacon, Jack cheese, honey mustard, lettuce & tomato

 

The french fries were quite thin and very crispy, (reminded me of Steak N' Shake's shoestring fries.)  Bridgett really liked them, too.  The chicken sandwich was killer!  And, it was only $9.95!  I didn't like their version of honey mustard though... too vinegary.  Good thing I ordered mayo on the side. 

What was really nice was how they split our chicken dish for us onto two separate plates.  The roasted corn was to die for!  I will return just for that!  The Zea Potatoes were heavily and deliciously seasoned chunks of potato... I wasn't sure if they had been fried or roasted, but they were good.  The chicken was moist and perfectly cooked, but I was highly disappointed to see that same, sticky glaze from the shrimp appetizer now smothering my chicken as well.  Like I said before, it was tasty, but way too sticky.  My hands were so messy by the end of the meal, I had to use a baby wipe to clean them.  (They should bring moist towelettes with the check.)

Sweet & Spicy Chicken with Roasted Corn and Zea Potatoes

Positives:

All in all, the food was quite scrumptious, the service was fast and our drinks were never empty.  If you order smartly, you won't spend a fortune.  Portions are large; sharing is not a bad idea.

 Negatives:

The broken booth, the overtly-loud server, the too-sticky glaze and no changing table in the men's restroom, (a MUST for any modern eating establishment.)  Also, we were seated near the servers' station and could hear EVERYTHING they said to one another, and a lot of it was NOT family friendly.

I WILL return, but not any time soon and I positively will NOT be ordering anything with that glaze on it.

All this food for less than $25, (excluding the appetizer and drinks.)

Never Disappointing: Sadie's

True-to-form and ever-faithful Texas girl that I am, finding the perfect Mexican cuisine to suit my Tex-Mex-spoiled palate is anything but an easy task here in New Mexico.  I have lived here in Albuquerque a little more than year now and have noshed at many a proclaimed "authentic New Mexican" restaurant.  As much as I have come to admire, enjoy and CRAVE the regional staple: green chile, (which is available everywhere here,) there still seems to lack a true understanding of quality Mexican food among the plethora of "Mexican" eating establishments.

There is, however, one amazing exception.  Sadie's.  Certainly not a Tex-Mex eatery, but Sadie's was the official mind-shifter responsible for allowing entry into my head the possibility that New Mexican cookery can be just as delectable.

Last Saturday evening was my 10th visit to this now-beloved restaurant; 8th visit to my personal favourite location: Sadie's East.

My husband and Mother-in-Law in front of Sadie's East.

From the very first moment of entry, Sadie's East welcomes you.  The front doors, obviously handcrafted, complete with whimsical red chile handles bring you into an inviting entryway dressed in Southwest textiles and Mexican decor, the distinct and tantalizing aroma of corn tortillas and chiles pulling you in with a smile.  Friendly and accommodating staff await you promptly, seating you either instantly or within minutes.  (Sadie's on 4th is a hit or miss when waiting and service are concerned.  I have been there twice and must say it's an entirely different vibe, one I don't care to repeat.)

Each and every visit to Sadie's has been a memorable, fun and FILLING experience.  All waitstaff are incredibly amiable.  We've yet to have a repeat server, yet each one has seemingly been better and more pleasant than the previous.  One thing I greatly appreciate is their abundance of staff, each table not only having a server but also a "helper" of sorts who takes care of your drinks exclusively for the entirety of your stay.

Is this ALL there is?  Great staff, traditional design, inviting smells of classically-favourite foods?  Oh nooooooooooooo, my friend.  

The Food!

Hungry?  Sadie's.  "Nuff said," as my little brother states often.  The inconceivable amount of food per portion can be intimidating to any who prefer to lightly pick at their meals or dieters.  Prepare to be full beyond full and almost always have to leave with an accompanying "doggie bag."  They are definitely not stingy; no portion control here.  

Keep in mind, however, that you will indeed pay for such beastly-sized dinners.  After our first couple of visits, the hubby and I got wise... especially once our eyes found a heaping MOUNTAIN of piled-up deliciousness.  We inquired to find that the mound was actually their famous Sadie's Nachos.  And not only are these humungous, (will feed anywhere from 3-6 people,) but they are unequivocally scrumptious, too.  The half order is just shy of $9 and the full order is a mere $10.99!  Where else can you feed so many with ONE dish at such a reasonable price?

Sadie's Nachos.  My FAVOURITE!
Photo courtesy of http://www.sadiesofnewmexico.com

As I have already stated, these nachos are not only unprecedented in their massive size, but also beyond delicious.  They can be topped with chicken or beef, (I recommend the beef.)  The deluge of toppings also includes refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole (always yummy,) cheese (the finest,) and FRESH jalapeños (not the pickled kind either... these are hot and good!)

Another favourite here is the Sadie's Chile Relleno: a huge green chile stuffed with cheese and deep fried.  As with all Sadie's dinner entrees, the relleno is surrounded by a veritable moat of frijoles and papitas, (small cubes of pan-fried potatoes,) and is smothered with your choice of red or green chile, or as my husband orders- Christmas, (meaning both red AND green.)  After tasting one of these fine, fried peppers stuffed with cheese, my Dad proclaimed it to be "the best relleno he'd EVER had," and he is actually from New Mexico and had always shown allegiance to a family friend-owned hideaway in Clovis where he grew up.  (This place is now closed, owners have retired, but even I have had their famous rellenos and found them to be quite lovely.)  Never in a thousand years did I think my father would announce a NEW relleno favourite.

In addition to splitting the nachos with whomever may be dining with me, I usually order a beef taco a la carte.  It's never been disappointing; shell freshly fried, the ground beef spicy and more grated cheddar than you'd think legally possible.  Sometimes, I also order a side of guacamole, which is invariably fresh, but isn't the cheapest for the size you get.  The chile con queso is another smart order, but get ready to pay entirely too much for this savory dip.  (I have to admit my own queso blows this one out of the water... and I'd never charge over $7 for a tiny bowl.)

A simple substitution:

Try the refried beans instead of the traditional frijoles.  They are LOADED with flavour.

One last endorsement...

 Please don't discount the salsa!  Absolutely and without question some of the tastiest and HOTTEST salsa you'll ever eat.  It's genuinely spicy to a degree that will leave your mouth ablaze all while teasing your taste buds with its unmatched flavour.  You'll drink plenty of water and swear it's "just too hot," ...at the same time you're reaching for yet again your 50th+ chip to dip into it.  Every guest I've brought along has quite verbally and figuratively made their appreciation of the salsa known.

*You can also purchase this famous salsa in a jar... and while it is indeed better than any standard off-the-shelf-mass-produced hot sauce, the jarred product pales in comparison to the fresh.

Photo by: Eric Williams, Alibi.com

Come hungry... leave MORE THAN full.  Sadie's will leave you content, happy and craving it within a week.   I guarantee it.

I just went Saturday, and I'm already planning another trip.

Been to Sadie's?  What's your favourite menu item?  Haven't been... what's your favourite 

Mexican food place?