Chama River Brewing Company

You all should know that...

I LOVE FOOD.

I am also happily eating my left overs from Chama River :) Yum.

I have experienced quite a few very wonderful restaurants in ABQ. From Mexican dives where no one (literally no one) speaks English to high class French bistros, I am loving the food scene around Albuquerque. I live in a neighborhood that allows me to enjoy this food often, so expect a lot of these types of reviews!

So without further ado, my take on: Chama River Brewing Company


The Atmosphere
I loved the atmosphere of this restaurant from the moment I opened the door. Not only is there a beautiful exterior, but just inside the entrance is a peaceful rock fountain topped with a bronze hued heron statue that is reminiscent of a mountain stream nestled deep in the Sandias (mountains in ABQ). I approached the friendly hostesses and inquired as to the wait for a table for 4. Kindly, they told me there was no wait! As my party joined me inside, we were quickly seated at a comfortable booth.

The Appetizer
The waitress quickly came to our table as we ordered our drinks. For the over 21 crowd, she was very helpful and knowledgeable about the selection of beer that is brewed on site at the restaurant. After browsing the menu, we chose to indulge on the Green Chile Fondue as our starter. It was brought to us quickly and we devoured this tasty appetizer! It was served with apples, sourdough bread, broccoli, and cauliflower. The melted gourmet cheese was stringy and savory with a secretive hint of the signature Green Chile roasted flavor. This appetizer left nothing to be desired. Overall, an A+.


I also ordered a delicious French Onion-esque soup. As a fan of French Onion soup, this part of the meal was greatly anticipated. It was served to me at the temperature that I like: hot, but not so hot my mouth tasted like rubber for the rest of the meal. Perfect. Unfortunately, the soup lacked a cheese topper that is so common in this type of soup. There were shavings of melting mozzarella cheese throughout. The consistency was perfect. All in all, extremely enjoyable.

The Entree

As an entree, Cavatappi doused in a roasted red chile parmesan cream topped with grilled and seasoned chicken was my obvious choice. I appreciated the undertones of spices and the rather prominent flavor of sun dried tomatoes that permeated the dish. The spinach and peas were a nice touch; however, a minced dill or parsley would have been a better, more complimentary choice for greenery in this dish, in my opinion. The spinach was a bit slimy and the peas a bit overcooked. I still enjoyed this plate and finished about 3/4ths of it, as my appetite was slaked. A great entree, overall!


Overall Impression
My time at Chama River Brewing Company was wonderful. I appreciated the servers and hostesses who where speedy, efficient, and polite. I loved the well thought-out menu. I couldn't do without the wonderful New Mexico flare that Chama River offered. Even the seating in the waiting area was comfortable. Great atmosphere, great food, and great service make this a trifecta of greatness. This restaurant is, and should remain, a successful addition to the Albuquerque food scene.