My feeling about Albuquerque's Old Town is that it is a great tourist spot, but it is one of the areas where you are least likely to experience authentic New Mexican cuisine. This feeling was confirmed when I ate at Monroe's Restaurant on Lomas in Old Town, and for a while it kept me from trying the Osuna location. Fortunately, though, I eventually found out that the food was better at the Osuna restaurant, and maybe my experiences at the Old Town Monroe's were not really representative of the restaurant. This does not mean that the Osuna location has the city's best, spiciest, or most "hard core" New Mexican food, while the Old Town location does not. I believe, though, that the restaurant on Osuna is more geared to the tastes of the local population than to the tourists (who many restaurants seem to think cannot handle spicy New Mexican food).

My most recent visit to Monroe's resulted because they were open late (until 9:00 p.m. or so), something surprisingly rare in the Duke City. Osuna Road is not the most obvious place to look for restaurants if you are driving through town on the Interstate, but previous visits had demonstrated to me that Monroe's was worth seeking out.

The Blue Corn Red Enchiladas were a real treat after spending some time in El Paso where they are not available. These may not be the best blue corn enchiladas you can find, but they are close enough to satisfy me.

The Stuffed Sopaipilla was a little disappointing, but it was still enjoyable. Normally the stuffed sopaipilla is my favorite New Mexican dish, and the fact that the enchiladas were more enjoyable makes me think the latter is what I should order on any future visits.

Monroe's sells salsa in the restaurant and by mail order, and I think it's one of the best around. Even though I bought a jar to take home with me, it was not quite as good as the fresh salsa served in the restaurant.

One good thing about Monroe's is that it is a large restaurant, and can handle large groups as well as provide private dining for those who want it a little quieter. I certainly think it is one of the better choices for New Mexican food.