Danny Dines: The Office

I got a submission from a group of golfing fellas who informed me of a little slice of paradise called The Office Bar & Grill.

Ironically, The Office Bar & Grill is part of the Paradise Hills Golf Course.

Now, I am no golfer. In fact, I have the two intangible qualities of a person who should never touch the golf green: I have zero interest in the sport, and I’m terrible at it.

However, I do know that my opinion on golf will change soon and by my mid-30s, I should love it. If you don’t know, some things in life are inevitable like death, taxes, signing up for a credit card, liking NPR radio and IPAs, golfing, and entering a rock-climbing phase in your mid 20s.

Golfer or not, The Office Bar & Grill is one of the most popular eating — and hang out — spots on the west side. Its food, atmosphere and service is beyond golf and has attracted a plethora of customers and grand reviews from people in the community.

“Obviously, our main business is a golf course, we’re Paradise Hills Golf Course, but I can tell…you’re gonna see plenty of people who are not golfers, they are here just because our food is good, and our service is good,” said Rudy Perez, director of food and beverage. “Simple is always best. We start from scratch, we don’t cut corners, and we are really proud of how good our food is.”

Some of their signature food items include their “Bump N’ Run Chicken Fried Steak,” “The Tee Box Turkey Sandwich,” and the “Mulligan Fried Mozzarella.” They also have a breakfast menu which is served from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m, and one of the customers told me that “The Bunker Biscuits & Gravy” is their favorite meal.

“We also do fried ice cream from scratch. I think our chile is one of the best red chiles in the city. You’re going to think, ‘How can your red chile be good? You’re a golf course,’ but trust me, it is!” Perez said.

The first thing I ordered was the “Hole In One Jalapeno Poppers,” which are their handcrafted jalapenos stuffed with chorizo cream cheese, wrapped in bacon, and cooked until golden brown. Their poppers are also served with a side of ranch dressing.

The food came out quickly, and I got four gigantic poppers that filled my nostrils with the smell of delicious and crackling bacon. I can understand why Michael Scott would want to wake up to the smell of delicious bacon. There is nothing like it. What is this, like my 20th Office reference in this food column? Well, when in Rome. Do you get it? Because, we are at The Office talking about The Office.

The first bite was clean and smoky, the bacon was crispy and tender, the jalapeno had some kick, and the stuffed cream cheese was beyond incredible! It’s no wonder the “Hole In One Jalapeno Poppers” has won a Best of the City award. It is without a doubt the best jalapeno popper I have ever had, and I’ve been to Texas.

Next, I ordered “The Office Signature Nacho Grande,” which is one of their most popular food items. I ordered mine with smoked brisket.

The nachos came out, and it was more than grande, it was like a mountain of chips filled with nacho goodness.

“The Office Signature Nacho Grande” came with crispy tortilla chips, queso blanco, shredded cheese, pinto beans, jalapenos, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole and smoked brisket.

The white queso melted the shredded cheese, and together they were warm, gooey and cheesy. The homemade tortilla chips had a zesty and delicious, seasoning. The nachos were savory, crunchy, spicy and even had a little bit of sweetness from the smoked brisket. You want multiple textures and flavors when eating nachos, and these nachos knocked expectations out of the park. These nachos are in the same tier as Sadie’s nachos for best in the state. Think of these nachos as the Larry Bird to Magic Johnson or the Patrick Mahomes to Tom Brady. They are that good and can hold up with the best.

The food was so good here that I am actually considering playing golf. Oh gosh, am I almost 30 already?

According to the menu, the “Hole In One Jalapeno Poppers,” $13, and the “The Office Signature Nacho Grande” is $10 with an add-on amount for your choice of protein.

Besides food, The Office Bar & Grill offers a full bar, $3 draft beer Mondays, hosts karaoke nights, and has won back-to-back Best of the City awards for best karaoke bar. They also have live music on their patio, dance nights, and host private events.

The Office Bar & Grill is located at 10035 Country Club Lane NW, in Albuquerque, just across the border from Rio Rancho.

If you would like to reach out to The Office Bar & Grill, call 505-898-9553.

The Office Bar & Grill is open seven days a week.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Where should I go next? Email me at zunigasauce@gmail.com