January 2015 - The Cut: Ponderosa Brewery

Written by Winter Elise

Ponderosa Brewery is one of Albuquerque newest microbreweries. It offers family style dining in an unexpected location. Just off Rio Grande, behind Hotel Albuquerque, Ponderosa occupies the ground floor of a newly rehabbed building. The main building is flanked by decorative water towers. The front of the restaurant - a wall of windows, allowing you to enjoy the view while you eats.

For starters we began with the Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, easily some of the best hummus with a unique flavor in town. Served with veggies, this little dish is big on taste and low on guilt, allowing you to spend your calories elsewhere. I chose the Breakfast Stout for my brewing pleasure. Deep, rich oatmeal stout, brewed with a special coffee blend from Fat Boy Coffee Roasters. It may not have been breakfast, but the stout was able to warm the chill out of my bones before dinner. A taste of their Ocktoberfest would lead me to believe that a decision would be hard when choosing a beer.

The Ponderosa Burger is a well-done 6oz patty with all the trimmings served with a choice of fries or salad. The burger was good, all though more cooked then I would like. The salad was simple, but for someone who enjoys Blue Cheese dressing, their offering was closer to Ranch. The Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese was comfort food gone right, very creamy. Overall, the beer selection was solid, with the Breakfast Stout being the standout achievement. The food was good, if not a little bland for my taste, and prices were reasonable. Check out Ponderosa and make sure you try the hummus.