Dave's still not here, but that's just fine

Side Dish

John Vollertsen | For The New Mexican

4/8/2008 - 4/9/08

How long does it take a new restaurant to get on its feet and run smoothly?

In the case of Tune-Up Café — which opened just over a week ago in the spot that housed Dave's Not Here for more than two decades — the answer is "Not long."

I had a delightful lunch there just four days after owners Charlotte and Jesús Rivera opened the doors. The cozy dining room has been brightened up with a fresh coat of paint and the kitchen has been completely redesigned, incorporating an ordering counter and window seats that face the street, a nice sunny setting.

The offerings are reminiscent of those of the previous tenants, with some goodies from Mexico and El Salvador added to the menu. We shared two fat pupusas ($7.50) to begin; one was stuffed with refried beans, zucchini and queso fresco, the other with tender bites of flank steak, chile pasado and more queso fresco. (A pupusa is an adaptation of a Mexican quesadilla or gordita, with sautéed moist masa stepping in for the corn tortilla in the Central American version.) Served with a zippy roasted tomato salsa and pickled red cabbage escabeche, it's a tasty starter that could also make a whole lunch.

The house-ground beef on the "Dave Was Here Burger" ($7) was tasty and delicious and served on a big, soft brioche bun — a two-hander that was better than I remember its namesake being. The Cubano sandwich ($8) was another colossal option — a ciabatta roll pressed with roast pork, cured ham and the requisite dill pickle and yellow mustard. The meats on the classic sandwich were a tad dry, but considering the youth of the café, it's a challenge that could be easily resolved with a swipe of mayo on the bun before it hits the panini grill. The french fries that came with both meals are hand cut and, I daresay, the best fries in Santa Fe — golden brown and crispy on the outside, yielding and creamy on the inside.

The desserts are house-made as well. If you don't have time to try the old-fashioned banana-spice cupcakes filled with custard and topped with cream cheese icing ($2.50 — yum!), grab one of the dense peanut butter cookie sandwiches ($2) stuffed with Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spread. They are killer.

Tune-up Café (1115 Hickox St., 983-7060) is open for breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. Monday to Friday, and from 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and until 3 p.m. on weekends, when the menu is a more brunch-like affair.


I don't want to even mention the "R" word — or suggest we may be heading for one — but no matter what the interest rates are, or how sluggish the economy may be, who doesn't appreciate a bargain? I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the meal I had at Season's Rotisserie & Grill (2031 Mountain Road, 505-766-5100) in Albuquerque recently.

My salad special of warm confit of duck with roasted grapes, baby spinach, grilled red onions, shaved grana padano cheese and balsamic dressing was a bargain for $7.50. A main course of blue cheese-crusted filet mignon with a wedge of truffle-scented potato cake and brussel-sprout sauté ($28) was too big to finish. A luscious chocolate-banana bread pudding, made of cubes of both chocolate sourdough bread and banana bread, was just $5.50. Even the wines on the by-the-glass list barely topped the $10 mark with most lingering in the $7 range.

I'm not suggesting that Santa Fe hasn't got some great gourmet food bargains of its own — in fact, I would love to hear from readers about any good deals they've come across that I can include in future pieces. (My contact information is at the end of this column.)


As an eggplant aficionado, I have to pass on something I discovered at Kaune Foodtown, 511 Old Santa Fe Trail. It's an organic spicy eggplant spread ($7.29 for 12 ounces) from Caleb & Milo, a Taos-based company. The chunky dip is a delicious topping for crostini and relish for a sandwich, but I have also tossed it into cooked pasta with a splash of olive oil for a yummy vegetarian dish. The addition of Hatch chiles and jalapeños give it a kick. If you also are a fan of this tasty nightshade, check it out.