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The cushy dining room at the Ranchers Club of New Mexico continues to beckon diners who can enjoy a menu ranging from meat to seafood. (Journal File)
When the holidays roll around, many of us vacillate between going out for blow-out celebratory meals versus dining on the cheap at local mom-and-pop places – we have to fund those under-the-tree gifts, after all! The next few weeks’ reviews serve both ends, showing you great spots to get fancy as well as new places suited for a budget. We begin with none other than the granddaddy of fancy in Albuquerque: the Ranchers Club, with refinement in spades and an ambitious menu to match.
Visually much remains the same as five years ago – a dimly lit refuge of heavy chairs and formal service staff all supporting a clientele that seems to range from “big date night” to “meet the parents.” Can this classic steakhouse with minimal cuisine shifts over the years live up to the derring-do of their massive antler chandelier? Signs point to yes after just a few minutes in the cocktail lounge: deep couches beckon, but we sipped our drinks while previewing the affordable bar menu from fish & chips to Kurobuta pork sliders.
Under manager Ralph Garcia’s watch, the main menu has shifted ever so slightly to keep regulars satisfied while luring new diners. The Bison-Sunchoke Carpaccio ($11) is a retooling of the previously standard beef carpaccio but still delicious down to the last razor-thin piece. Of course, there will be oysters: Oysters Rockefeller ($14) is a delicious trip to opulent turn-of-the-century New Orleans. Dining solely on appetizers seems plausible after tasting the Seared Foie Gras & Kobe Skewers ($16), rich as the meats and tart as the berry compote sauce. For the money, however, the portion is rather dainty.
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The Ranchers Club of New Mexico LOCATION: 1901 University NE, in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 889-8071, www.theranchersclubofnm.com HOURS: 5:30-9:30 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, until 10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays FULL BAR |
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If you’ve never dined at Ranchers Club, your impression of the place surely includes meat – lots of meat – and you’d be correct. From a petite sirloin at $28 all the way to an 8-ounce domestic “Kobe” filet at $78, there are red meats to please all. Take a vacation from standard filets and try the Bison Tenderloin ($39) – discard the bacon wrapper first as its limpness hinders the enjoyment of the steak.
While the kitchen is known for aged cuts of red meat, it has no problem creating seafood dishes at the same level – these are no throwaway options for the steak-averse – like a quartet of Seared Atlantic Sea Scallops ($26) with decadent ratatouille and a drizzle of olive oil. Wood-grilling touches other main courses like Idaho lamb chops or Kurobuta pork rack (like rack of lamb but only two bones and much bigger).
All of this will leave you packing up part of your meal if you have any hope of a sweet finish. Share a gooey Stout Brownie ($9) with caramel ice cream and homemade sauces and thank me later.
