505 Entrée: Try On Green Jeans
BY ARIANE JAROCKI
Green Jeans Farmery
3600 Cutler NE, greenjeansfarmery.com
Even with its central location at Carlisle and I-40, I still run into people who haven’t heard of Green Jeans Farmery. Built from rainbow-hued shipping containers, this commercial plaza’s spectrum of interest includes a community-oriented mission.
Stalwarts of the ABQ food and beer scenes band together with relative newcomers in a shared space connected by free range seating. Think plein air food court with contemporary offerings and a hip vibe. From beers at Santa Fe Brewing Company‘s taproom to burgers at Rustic, options are vast.
Facing a group dining situation wherein choosing a restaurant seems impossible? Green Jeans Farmery has something for everyone. Check out their website, greenjeansfarmery.com, for all the deets. Below, scope highlights of three new-to-me offerings. There’s even a Green Jeans iOS app.
Bocadillos
bocacillosnm.com
Bocadillos’ 505 Philly
After extensive nagging from foodie pals to try Bocadillos’ sandwiches, I finally did. And now I regret not making it out to their flagship location. As I enjoyed the sights and sounds of Green Jeans’ environs, Chef Marie delivered my sammy to the rooftop patio.
I chose the 505 Philly, and my taste buds were smiling on first bite. The chuck roast is slow-cooked to falling-apart perfection. While easy to bite through, this meaty awesomeness isn’t at all mushy. A plethora of fresh portabella mushrooms, green chile and pickled onions cuddle into the generous bun, while melted Muenster blankets everything, melding flavors together.
The buns are hardy enough to absorb the meat’s flavorful juices without getting soggy. It’s like a French dip and a Philly had a Burque baby. The tomato, mozzarella and artichoke salad is a pleasant, unexpected side. The baby heirlooms’ slight acidity is juxtaposed to perfection by the creamy mozzarella rounds.
SoupDog
soupdog-alb.com
SoupDog’s Sonoran Dog.
A soup place and a hot dog joint? Color me intrigued. Expect strong offerings and variety in both items.
I tried the Sonoran Dog. This Nathan’s hot dog comes wrapped in bacon, covered in chili beans and roasted jalapeno salsa and drizzled with mayo and mustard. But the game changer here is the bun. This isn’t the average hot dog bun of childhood camp-outs.
SoupDog actually carves a divot in a bolillo roll for your hot dog. Dare I call it a hot dog manger? This bun holds up to any topping you can slather on it. While not the spiciest option, the Sonaran boasts a strong, smoky flavor from the chili beans that blends nicely with the Nathan’s garlic notes. It’s a good-sized dog, so I didn’t have room to try the soup. But the red chile-infused New Orleans-meets-New Mexico Gumbo sounds like a winner.
Chill’n
chillnicecreams.com
Chill’n’s Java Chip.
This frozen confection isn’t just about showmanship. Chill’n uses fresh, local, organic ingredients every step of the way. Even the flatware and containers are compostable. I always knew that ice cream was the food of the future.
Chill’n uses nitrogen to freeze their ice cream. The resulting texture is the same, but their method means each and every serving is created fresh for you, right then and there. The process is remarkable to watch: the liquid nitrogen creates a fog around the mixing bowl as it freezes the ingredients.
The nitrogen is off-gassed before serving, so you needn’t worry about any Terminator-type side effects. Chill’n has linked up with local businesses like Epiphany Espresso for their Java Chip, and Chocolate Dude makes the chocolate chip cookies for Chill’n’s ice cream sandwiches.
Resident foodie Ariane Jarocki fearlessly reports on Albuquerque’s restaurant, food truck and bakery scenes for ABQ Free Press.