Cuco's Kitchen continues to make a splash with new ABQ location

The story of Cuco’s Kitchen, the fledgling Mexican restaurant chain with two locations in Albuquerque, speaks to the power of perseverance.

After launching in 1992, Cuco Tapia’s eponymous restaurant came closing to failing twice — first, during the Great Recession of 2008, and then 12 years later when COVID hit. The pandemic forced the closure of Cuco’s Cottonwood Mall outlet, leaving only the takeout business at the Northeast Heights spot on Menaul Boulevard to keep the operation afloat.

Now that the worst of the pandemic is over, Cuco’s is growing again. A Santa Fe location opened on Cerrillos Road in 2022. Recent months have seen the launch of a beer-and-pizza place in Los Lunas and a fourth spot at Wyoming and Montgomery boulevards in the Heights.

The Heights location occupies a strip mall at the edge of Montgomery Crossing, the shopping center anchored by Party City and Michaels. Inside is a high-ceiling box decorated with picado banners made from brightly-colored plastic panels. One wall displays the restaurant’s red and orange logo; the opposite wall is covered with a mural of photos from the restaurant’s other locations. The metal seats are painted a blazing orange. The bright colors are a stark departure from the farmhouse décor of the Acre, the vegetarian restaurant that used to occupy this space.

Based on a couple visits for lunch, the customers appear to be evenly divided between takeout and dine-in. A soundtrack cranking hits of the 1980s accompanied my first visit; the second time, it was Tejano and other Spanish-language styles. Spanish and English spoken in roughly equal amounts among the customers and staff.

The menu fits on two monitors on the wall behind the counter. Prices start out at $5.49 for a breakfast torta and top out at $13.99 for a 32-ounce Shrimp Cocktail. A cornerstone of the all-day breakfast menu, Huevos Rancheros ($6.99) were served on a Styrofoam plate. The yolks of the two over-easy eggs trembled before a stab of the fork sent them running into a red chile sauce that was more smoky than spicy. As usual, the eggs came with refried beans and seasoned rice, along with a couple of corn tortillas to sop up whatever remained. All in all, a very respectable representation of the form.

The section of the menu called Antojos, from the Spanish word for “cravings,” includes Nachos and Chile Cheese Fries. The Asada Fries ($12.99) were served on red checked paper in a plastic basket. It’s a pretty basic meat and potatoes dish elevated by the small cubes of marinated and grilled steak that were crisp around the edges, providing a textural contrast to the fries. The asada tasted a bit like the burnt edges of a steak from the grill. The whole thing was dressed with sour cream sauce. A nice stick-to-the ribs entree, but the core of it was a bit underheated.

Cuco’s offers massive burritos for $8.99 and three tacos for $11.99.

I tried the latter. The Barbacoa, made up of moist, finely-shredded beef, and the Carnitas, comprised of dark and white meat cubes of pork with a flavorful sear on them, were good but the Al Pastor was exceptional: nothing but crisp, salty bits of pork with a little snap of acid from the marinade.

The same selection of meats is available as Platos ($12.49 each) served with rice and beans.

The Flautas Plate ($12.49) with chicken arrived on a Styrofoam plate. Flautas, rolled tacos that are slightly bulkier than taquitos, traditionally use flour tortillas, but Cuco’s version features the corn version. The four flautas, each tightly wrapped around a filling of shredded white meat chicken, stayed crisp under the sour cream sauce. Guacamole, rice and beans accompanied them. Like the huevos, it was simple dish elevated by the careful preparation and good quality ingredients.

Among the vegetarian options is an Avocado Torta ($8.99) served with shredded lettuce and sliced tomato on a soft, slightly sweet telera roll with a couple of seams on the top bun. The avocado was bright green and fresh, but it needed something to liven it up.

Enter the salsas.

The absolutely blazing red one was a particularly good match for the beef. The green version, tart from the tomatillos and not as hot as the red, paired well with the pork dishes.

Mexican sodas and a rotating selection of Aguas Frescas ($3.49 for medium, $4.29 for large) make up the drink selections. The hibiscus-flavored Jamaica and the Sandia, or watermelon, versions were well done, with a sweetness level that augmented the flavors without overpowering them. If you’re looking for a less sweet option, the Pepino, a mix of cucumber and lime, does the trick while also serving as an effective palate cleanser. The sweet and creamy Horchata is suitable for dessert, and if that’s not enough, Cuco’s also offers slices of Tres Leches Cake and a couple other sweet finishes to the meal.

Service was prompt and friendly. The server told me that most things on the menu are gluten-friendly, including the corn tortillas and salsas.

After a couple of significant setbacks, Cuco’s Kitchen appears to have taken root in the community. It offers familiar dishes crafted with care, and enough variety on the menu to keep you coming back for more.