Danny Dines: Range Cafe

Gather around everyone, it’s story time: I have never had chile rellenos before.

Yup, that’s pretty much it. What a story, huh? Still a better story than “Twilight.” Sorry. I was forced to watch yet another “Twilight” movie last night, and I am still stewing about it. On the bright side, it was a great time to catch up on my sleep. I digress.

Chile rellenos: I have never had them. Growing up, I never understood what was in them, too afraid to order them. That all changed when I received emails from four different people saying that I should try the Range Cafe, and one, in specific, urged me to try their Blue Corn Chile Rellenos plate, his favorite meal for the past two decades.

“It’s amazing that so many people would say such nice things about us ... this community in particular has been so supportive of the Range,” Jeff Barnes-Trujillo, director of operations said. “Having the support of Los Lunas, Albuquerque, Bernalillo and Rio Rancho has been great.”

So, I jumped in my mom’s Kia Rio and headed over to the Range Cafe in Bernalillo. Sorry Mom, I will bring it back in like two hours.

The Range Cafe is a popular diner in New Mexico that specializes in making top-tier classic foods along with New Mexican favorites. According to its website, the Range Cafe was started in 1992 by Tom Fenton and Matt DiGregory in Bernalillo. The first restaurant was in a funky, 56-seat former gas station that was destroyed in a fire in 1995. Then, in 1996, the Range Cafe opened in its current location in Bernalillo: the home location. Now, the Range Cafe has four locations (three in Albuquerque and one in Bernalillo).

I walked in through the front doors and immediately thought, “This is my type of place!” The Range had cool, rustic diner decor, friendly staff who complimented my Kirkland button-up shirt, a full bar and a bakery with delicious sweets on display.

I wanted to order, like, seven things from the bakery alone. Some cool items in the bakery included amaretto bread pudding, green chile apple pie and Mexican latte cake.

With the help of my wonderful waitresses, I decided to order the biscuits and gravy deluxe, the blue corn chile relleno plate and a cinnamon roll.

First, came the cinnamon roll. As you all know, I eat dessert first, and at the Range, if you order a dessert first, you get a 10% discount for the entree ... finally someone who understands me (besides my girlfriend). The cinnamon roll was amazing. It was buttery, soft, had a great-tasting maple icing and could feed a family for a day.

Next, came the blue corn chile rellenos, and this plate was super colorful and photogenic. The plate came with blue corn-encrusted green chiles stuffed with white cheddar cheese. The dish was served with arroz verde, pinto beans, garnish, sprinkled white cheddar, a tortilla and your choice of chile ... I asked for Christmas.

The chile relleno had a crispy and crunchy exterior and a flavorful filling of spices and cheese. It was delicious. My tastebuds were on cloud nine when I started pairing the chile rellenos with the beans and rice. These chile rellenos epitomize true New Mexican food, and I easily cleaned my plate.

Now, the person next to me ordered the same thing and ate the stems off the green chile, but I am not here to judge. I eat kiwis with the skin on ... to each their own.

Finally came the biscuits and gravy, and they were fantastic! The biscuits and gravy deluxe came with house-made buttermilk biscuits, two eggs, country-style sausage gravy, Range fries, a choice of meat (I chose bacon) and green onions. First bite in, and I already knew that this was the best biscuit I have ever eaten. It was flaky, buttery and very, very soft. The meal was rich, creamy, savory and a true comfort food.

Next, I ordered nothing. Don’t worry, Dr. Klinkenberg; I was more than full at this point and did not, as you would say, “eat the whole planet.” Thank you for reading my stuff, sir!

My experience at the Range Cafe was absolutely fantastic, and I urge you all to try any of their four locations.

Where should I go next? Email me dzuniga@rrobserver.com