On a cute little patio off the beaten path in an unexpected part of town is a neat family owned Mexican restaurant called Papa Nachos. Papa comes in at 3:00 AM every morning to start the meats and chiles, and one can taste the proof. The recipes and tastes seem a bit milder than some of the New Mexican eateries, but they are still very good in their own right.
Papa Nachos huevos rancheros
On corn tortillas, with a treat of bell peppers and onions mixed in, sit the perfect eggs alongside pan potatoes and refried beans, all covered with green and red chiles with a small sprinkle of cheese on top.
The green is a mild taste at first, a green sauce with roasted chopped green chiles, and becomes more of a medium heat at the back end with a bit of pepper to make sure I’m awake. The red is also a chopped red, not as pureed as a New Mexican red, but stronger immediately than the green. However, the heat doesn’t linger as long as the green.
As all good Mexican restaurants do, chips and salsa are brought out to start, and only recently has Papa started making their version of sopaipillas (an admittedly NEW Mexican food), due to demand from customers. A great place to sit around sunset for a cocktail on the patio, in addition to being a nice brunch/lunch place. Extremely friendly and welcoming staff. If you live in the North part of Albuquerque, you really ought to check out Papa Nachos. Be prepared to feel right at home on that cute little patio.
