What's going on, Albuquerque?

Sunshine Cafe closing / Cafe Azul opening

Sunshine Cafe on 12th and Mountain is closing on Dec. 20th. In it's place soon will be Cafe Azul, New Mexican food.

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Permalink Reply by Senor Budd on January 6, 2010 at 6:26pm

I don't understand the implication. To go to or to be gone with?

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Permalink Reply by Senor Budd on January 6, 2010 at 6:24pm

I adored this quaint cafe in the secluded location. Definitely did not match its local surroundings and it's priceyness didn't help. The bruschetta serving was the best and so was their roast beef with au jus dipping sauce. I loved going there whenever I felt like spoiling myself and friends. It was one enjoyable spot in town where eating outside wasn't deafening.

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Permalink Reply by LaGuera on January 6, 2010 at 10:49pm

I hate eating at a restaurant where I could have made the food myself. The last time I ate at Sunshine, I had a pasta dish. Pathetic. Really. For 11 or 12 dollars. I remember once I went there and got a Cubano sandwich that was definitely passable. There were tasty pickles that were homemade, and home smoked meats, but as the life of the restaurant went on, it became more and more marginal in quality and interest, and less and less friendly. I am sure there is something relentlessly hip about getting PBR on tap (whatever that is, oh thriftstore/hornrimmed one, please tell me), but whatever that may be, I am not willing to pay more than a buck for the swill. And at Sunshine, they were willing to separate me from my hard-earned $3 for a pint. And for that, I am forever resentful.

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Permalink Reply by JMG on January 7, 2010 at 4:59pm

So how do you all feel about the "bang for your buck" you get paying ten bucks for a "Buddha Bowl" at Flying Star? Fewer ingredients than in a Teriyaki Chicken Bowl and sauce that tastes like it came out of a bottle. And they don't carry local wines; I don't know about local beer. Meanwhile, the lines go around the block. I don't get it.

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Permalink Reply by Brendan on January 7, 2010 at 5:02pm

Inertia. Double Rainbow was great.

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Permalink Reply by dolores on January 8, 2010 at 6:07pm

I dont get it either, except as I mentioned in the Dont Eat There section, they have a captive audience downtown, especially in the evening. But that does not explain their absolutely amazing takeover of the entire city and the outskirts. You know I find that most of the people that I know that eat there, they dont like it either. Its strange. But talk about a successful business strategy.......mind blowing.

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Permalink Reply by killbox on January 9, 2010 at 11:23am

I know they sometimes get my business, because they are reliably open fairly late have coffee and wifi. and the option of mildly expensive foods (but if i wanted extra cheap crap i would go to taco bell) .

If there are other evening/late open places that offer these things speak up.

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Permalink Reply by Kimm on January 8, 2010 at 3:11pm

I'm very disappointed Sunshine is gone. It was the only breakfast spot where I could get a healthy, good-tasting breakfast. The prices IMO were much lower than The Range and Flying Star and to me the food was significantly better tasting, fresher and more interesting. The people who worked at Sunshine were always exceptionally friendly to us. The ambiance was relaxed and sunny. Frankly I don't know where to go now for a decent breakfast experience. Diss me if you want but Frontier, The Range and Flying Star are all mediocre to me and I'd rather stay home and make some decent food myself. Still breakfast out is just what the doctor ordered sometimes so if anyone out there who liked Sunshine has a suggestion for a similar contemporary style (aka not fast food, high sugar, saturated fat, cornstarchy etc.) breakfast spot with good tasting food and a friendly environment for breakfast, do tell.

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Permalink Reply by JMG on January 8, 2010 at 3:43pm

Okay, since some people have opened that door, being sacrilegious by dissing the Frontier and their tortillas, I'll take it a step further with my claim that Golden Pride's breakfast burritos are overrated. I don't usually complain about not enough salt, but their burritos are full of greasy hashbrowns and taste bland and saltless. Yeah, I could add it, but I shouldn't have to while I'm driving. If I stop there, I generally order the #1 "light on the potatoes and with extra green chile." The only thing that makes their burritos passable is the fresh roasted green chile. One time I ordered just a bowl of scrambled eggs with green chile at Golden Pride and I swear the eggs aren't real. I don't know if they have egg powder filler or what, but they didn't have the texture or taste of real eggs. Check it out sometime and tell me what you think.

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Permalink Reply by Hunter on January 9, 2010 at 11:01am

Since Frontier and Golden Pride are the same company, why would you expect a different result?

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Permalink Reply by dolores on January 8, 2010 at 5:58pm

Maybe the new place will have breakfast? Oh I just saw you said contemporary style........thats a hard one. I absolutely hate the Flying Star, and I am even more angry at them because I live downtown, 3 blks away and when I want to ride my bike on a summer eve and get coffee and sweets I go there, like a fool, cause they have a captive audience down here in the evening, nothing down here in my hood. The only thing good I can say is I like the layout of the one near me, cause there is such a variety of seating. Outside overlooking street if weather is nice, inside on the big couches if you want to crochet/knit, kick back and relax. Also you can sit in their for hours reading magazines while sipping and munching on their horrible desserts.

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Permalink Reply by Kimm on January 8, 2010 at 8:27pm

By contemporary style I just mean not a ton of cornstarch, overly salted and sugary food - that seems kind of '50s-'60s to me! Now that the world has ready access to good ingredients and there are known ways of fixing it that don't promote dis-ease...I'd hope a few restaurants would take advantage of these modern advances!

I used to hang out at Flying Star on Silver and on Rio Grande alot...then even their coffee started giving me a stomach ache. I agree though the environment is intriguing and fun and the pastries look good in the case (they just taste bad!) Maybe I should order hot water and bring in my own tea bag and biscotti! :)

The new place is New Mexican so they most likely won't have Sunshine's awesome French Toast with a pinch of Cardamon!