After spending the morning at Petroglyph National Monument, we headed back to our accommodations to freshen up. It was getting kinda warm so we wanted something on the lighter side. I had Vinaigrette on my list during our previous visit to Santa Fe and recalled that they had a ABQ location as well. Turns out that the restaurant was just a 15 minute walk from the hotel. Plus, we'd be walking thru Old Town and could take our time and explore a bit on the walk back.
The place was almost full when we arrived, but we got the last table outdoor table.
We were glad to get that table as the only outdoor seating still available was this…..I wonder if folks actually sit here?
As you can tell by the name, Vinaigrette specializes in various categories of salads; savory, sweet, "balanced", and so forth, along with some sandwiches and a few sides and soup.
I wanted something refreshing, so I ordered a concoction called the "Pepino", which featured cucumber and lime juice, along with club soda.
This was quite refreshing and not overly sweet.
We also ordered the Kale Fritters.
We enjoyed the crunchiness and earthy tones of the fritters, which went surprisingly well with the Sriracha Aioli. It was a tad on the salty side of things, but was not a bad dish overall.
The Missus got the "Omega".
This was mostly lettuce and really didn't have as much kale as the Missus would have liked. She thought the toasted pine nuts would be great in a salad, though it really clashed with the provided Blue Cheese Vinaigrette. The avocado was just one small piece. This salad needed more acidity added to really balance out all those greens.
I got the Spinach Mushroom which was a much better choice for our tastes.
The earthy, slightly sweet sauteed mushrooms, with savory bacon, and a slightly sweet-sour honey-balsamic vinaigrette was a nice combination. I wish there were a bit more onions for pungency and more boiled eggs to keep the Missus happy, but this was not bad.
The staff was very friendly, the crowd….well, as you can figure, very hipster-healthy-ish. Still, we didn't want anything too heavy and this did the trick….at least for me.
Vinaigrette
828 Central Ave. SW
Albuquerque, NM 87104
After lunch we took our time strolling back to the hotel. There seemed to be more businesses open on this day, but things were still really quiet.
We enjoyed wandering thru the various patios.
There was a definite charm to this place…..
While we had stopped to look at the Cottonwood Madonna the previous day, we had just walked past the San Felipe de Neri Catholic Church.
There has been a church on this site since Albuquerque was founded. The original church collapsed in 1792 and San Felipe de Neri Church was founded in 1793.
There's a museum and gift shop located in the Sister Blandina Convent onsite.
And of course the Cottonwood Madonna.
And if you want to read even more about the Cottonwood Madonna, you can read more here.
As interesting as San Felipe de Neri Catholic Church was, I found something even more interesting down this patio.
As we were looking at various shops, something caught my eye.
So I walked on in.
It was a beautiful little chapel.
This is the Chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
It has an interesting story and is even said to be haunted.
We enjoyed strolling around Old Town.
We got back to the hotel and relaxed until it was time to head out for dinner. I had made reservations at a nearby Wine Bar & Bistro, but when we walked over our reservations our reservations were MIA. The place was quite busy and we didn't want to wait so we decided to head on back to Kitsune.
And ordered our food and had a seat in the back patio this time.
I found out that the cocktail that was made for me the night before was called the "Autumn" and featured Blue Corn Whiskey.
Smoky, but not overly sweet.
Of course we got the Karaage.
Which was just a good as the previous night.
And we also got the Pork Belly Rice "Bowl".
The rice on this evening was much better than what we had the previous night; though I'm not sure about that mayo. The pork belly was a bit more chewy than I like, but the seaoning and sauce was pretty good; not overly sweet. The pickled onions handled the palate cleansing duties well.
Not bad for two nights in a row.
Kitsune ABQ
524 Romero St. NW
Albuquerque, NM 87104
We then walked on back to the hotel. On the way back, we stopped at a shop and got some liquid refreshment and a snack.
And sat on the porch and watched the action below.
We went to sleep early as we'd be headed out to Pecos National Historical Park , then it was off to Santa Fe in the morning!
It turns out that this establishment is a recipe testing, preparation and catering kitchen to the family of New Zealand inspired restaurants in San Diego: Bareback Grill, Queenstown Public House, Dunedin North Park, Raglan Public House and Queenstown Bistro…none of which Kirk or I have visited (yet)
Walk in and there's the menu on the wall in front of you. Turn to the left, meet Mack, order, pay and find a seat. 
I noticed this "Mackstar" beverage ($2) described on the wall and decided to try it-an excellent blend of English Black tea and fresh (sweetened) lemonade. The liquids are different densities so when delivered to the table, we were able to try the excellent black tea separately from the lemonade; each is good on its own and when stirred, the combination is very nice-could still taste the tea.
The "Soup and Sammie" ($13) was my choice. Tomato basil soup with pine nuts and herbs, topped with sour cream-thick with chunks of tomato,so fresh, delightful. The bowl is low and deceptive. There is plenty. 
Two types of cheese on toasted sourdough with mayonnaise, avocado, lettuce and tomato. Excellent.
The Cobb Chop salad ($12.50) was really good; fresh (flavorful; I've been buying some bitter lettuces lately) Romaine topped with warm grilled herby chicken breast, chopped bacon, avocado, tomato, hard boiled egg and Blue cheese chunks.
The salad was served with fresh made Caesar dressing (delightful, non-burning garlic) or we could have tried the Pepper Ranch (next time). 
"Sounds of Success". presented by 
Unsure about this float, but the 'spotter' in front is easy to see, as is the 'driver' near the back (with the ToR safety evaluator seated next to him). You can see the slot where the Spotter looks out in the above float photo. 
Also unknown is this float, with an intricate 'skeleton' which may have some interesting mechanics attached.
Well. Of course we stopped. 
The walls and ceiling are covered with nostalgia. After ordering and paying, we got our beverages and found a nice, clean table. Our food was brought to us. 
The breakfast menu is pretty simple. The complete menu at the Drive Thru has me wanting to return.
Realizing I haven't had a breakfast sandwich in a very long time, I jumped at the chance to try a sausage breakfast sandwich on rye ($8.99). flat omelet style eggs on toasted, thick slices of rye with four skin-on breakfast sausages, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise…just a wonderful sandwich.
The Breakfast plate with a hamburger patty, three eggs (over easy) and real hash browns ($9.99) was The Mister's choice. Oh, we both really appreciate the char broiling of a patty and the seasoned grill here produces a wonderful flavored burger.. The eggs were perfectly over easy and the soft boiled potatoes, crisp fried on a flat top grill were just wonderful. Of course The Mister also chose rye toast-an excellent bread, filled with rye seeds.
What caught my eye, on the counter were these 
The Mister and I made the trek West, to Old Town, a few months ago, so that I could have the breakfast I was craving and He could fulfill His cravings.
His order was F10- the Italian sausage frittata ($15.99). A simple baked (in cast iron; thicker than an omelet) egg dish of Italian sausage, tomatoes and mixed cheese. A nice, mild sausage, fresh tomatoes and plenty of cheese and eggs…filling and tasty.
Instead of toast, He chose biscuits and gravy- house made, fluffy inside with a crisp crust covered by a creamy, breakfast sausage filled gravy.
Also part of the meal were hash browns. Nice and crisp.
Here's my Fish and egg meal ($16.99)-cod fish, lightly floured and pan fried, two (properly) poached eggs and crisp Home fries. The fish was served with the appropriate condiments of tartar sauce and lemon. 
Instead of bread, I chose the muffin of the day (blueberry). It's light and cake-like and filled with fresh, plump blueberries.
Then again, the interior decor is unique and focused on types of 'money'.
Walk up, order and pay. You are given a number and find a seat. 
Here is a close up of the menu.
"The Mess" ($9.10) Eggs, cheese, hash browns, bell pepper, onion, ham, bacon, sausage and toast. Everything in every bite. A lot of food, a lot of flavor, a lot of texture. Should be enough for anyone.
Chili Cheese omelette ($8.90) Three eggs filled with house made chili (no beans) and topped with a slice of American cheese. A slab of crispy hash browns and toast. Again a lot of food. A bowl of chili will be a nice meal when the weather cools down. 
We decided to share a side and since it was our first time, a Combo Plate ($6) was ordered. Fries (not too many; a nice surprise), onion rings (whole onion, not diced), zucchini fingers and mushrooms. This large platter was served with two large cups of house made Ranch (you can order more for 50¢). Excellent, fresh, proper fry (even the potatoes were nice and crisp) and leftovers.
A "3 x 3" burger ($6.60) was one order. Three charred beefy patties, three slices of cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion on a toasted bun. Excellent, fresh and, of course, large.
The Chicken Breast Sandwich ($7.75) was a great choice. Served on a lightly toasted Squaw Roll, the grilled chicken breast has a slight char and is moist and flavorful. Lettuce and tomato is all that was needed to compliment this sandwich. 
We decided to share a banana milkshake ($4.50) and it was great! 
A remnant from the vault is now part of the decor.
Really friendly folks, a nice selection. I got the Missus a French Press and I got an Americano before we hit the road.
The red brick building with the black awning, next to LLL Reptile on East Grand between North Kalmia and North Juniper. It's pretty easy to spot. 
There is plenty of indoor seating as well as quite a few outdoor tables.
Step inside and the menu is on the wall. There are paper menus also. Order, pay and your food will be brought to your table.
The first item that caught our eyes, top left-Original Poutine ($8.99). Fresh cut fries, brown gravy, cheese curds. We had to. The fries were skin on, definitely made here. Not too crisp, but hot and thoroughly cooked, covered with the not-salty brown gravy and cheese curds, which melted in the heat of the fries. The cheese was plentiful and stretchy and a really great part of each bite. There were leftovers which reheated quite well in the fry pan at home. 
Pretty much the center of the menu board, the Cuban Torta ($16.99) wa our agreed choice. A toasted Torta roll slathered with mayonnaise, filled with adobada, pulled pork, ham, provolone, a fried egg, pineapple, and pickled jalapeño.`
You can see it all here. Each meat (plenty of meat in this sandwich) was fresh and offered a discernible variety of flavors. Then there were textures-the egg was runny, adding a richness and the sweet slice of lightly crisp pineapple was very complimentary to all of the porky goodness. Even the light crunch, slight saltiness and light heat of the pickled jalapeño helped bring it all together with each bite. We each had leftovers of our respective halves.
Looking over to the bottom right of the menu-Beignets ($7.99). Oh yes, this would be a dessert day. We were asked if we wanted the deep fried dough to come out with our meal or would we like to wait, since everything is made to order here. We said we were not in a hurry and later were asked if they should start on the dessert. 
We recently were back in the area and stopped in. 
I did not get a photo of the menu, but 
Of course we had to try a combo: Two chicken tenders, waffle, fries and a drink ($13.99).
I was curious about the falafel slider ($4.99)
A fresh made falafel patty with tahini, lettuce, tomato and a pickle on a toasted eggy bun. I really liked this. 
We also ordered a House Salad ($6.99). Mixed greens, cheese, onion, grape tomatoes and cucumbers. We asked for ranch dressing, which was standard and good.