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venue dining
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Get A Taste of Retro Comfort at Paul's
By Andrea Lin
For the Journal
It could take teetering toward lunk-headedness to completely forget Mother's Day, but this time around you've got a whole two days left to plan. While that might not be enough time to score a reservation at that special brunch event, trust me, the crowds can be a bit much. Choose something eclectic instead, or have a relaxing meal at home, old photo albums spread over the table, while you present Mom with a gift certificate to Paul's Monterey Inn.
It's likely that she has already eaten at Paul's, for good reason — it has been around for ages. Days and weeks from now, when the once-a-year crowds have thinned, is the perfect time to experience Paul's in its everyday splendor.
Sumptuously dark, the interior still holds evidence of some more recent local pastimes with a cigarette machine in the foyer, intended for those ensconced in the glass-doored cocktail lounge. You'll bounce on the heavily padded carpet to your table, flanked by wheeled captain's chairs, or to a curved and deep-hued booth.
Other parties are assembling, for birthdays, for family events, or just for a night out. They all look comfortable. The whole room is having fun, and we feel the effects as we spread cold butter over steaming hunks of delicious fresh bread.
Appetizers begin appearing soon enough, and we're not as smitten. The shrimp cocktail are huge, yes, but they are a little tough, and they number exactly five, not what I'd expect for $11.95. Hand-battered onion rings ($5.95) are better, but the ranch dressing on the side was better left alone.
Since my last visit, the salads had seen an upgrade to mixed spring greens, a welcome bit of color to the previously pale iceberg assembly, but other than that, they were dinner salads, an interlude before the main event.
Main is what I'd call my Turf and Surf ($39.95), a half rock lobster tail plated with petite sirloin steak and a fluffy baked potato — no mixed veggies to get in the way. Each chunk of white lobster came out of its little cup of dunking butter perfect and flavorful. The contrastingly salty steak was brilliant, if only a shade more done than I had requested.
My companion's filet ($27.95) fared equally well with its moisture-locking shawl of bacon and tender pink interior. Even his fries passed muster, crisp as the onion rings had been and lightly seasoned.
Our tour could only end with the famous Chocolate Cheese Pie ($5.95), a rectangular slice of tarted-up cheesecake, the crumb layer with chocolate chips, the cheesecake lightly vanilla, and the dark cocoa mousse layer on top gently sweet.
Tucked up on Juan Tabo since that part of town was out of town, Paul's is itself a gently sweet and dark topping to cap off a night in 1970s Albuquerque, retro at its most unapologetic.
HOURS: Lunch 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; dinner 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and 5-10:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays
FULL BAR
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