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Submitted for your approval…A man has just traversed miles and miles of high desert. His vehicle is dusty. His throat is parched. Off in the distance and to the south, the city of Albuquerque. Too far, he calculates.
Too risky, he knows, because New Mexico is among the growing number of states that have made it difficult to have a cigar inside, safe from the wind and rain that now hamper our traveler's journey. He turns right instead, onto the big north-south highway, Interstate 25. He points his trusty ride toward the Chama River Brewing Company, which he knows has a cigar room. And beer.
Shaking off his duster and Stetson, the intrepid traveler enters the restaurant and is greeted by those fateful words:
"Just one?" says the cute hostess.
"Just me and my Padrón, 1926 Serie, 40 Years," the rider whispers, not wanting any of the other cigaristas to overhear and become covetous.
The hostess smiles reverently and leads the traveler to the cigar "lounge."
OK, let's interrupt our story for a moment. The Chama River Brewing Company is a fine place. It has a green chile burger that I would order often. The beer menu is among the best crafted, offering four-ounce samplers for just
95 cents. But Chama River Brewing Company does not, as it advertises, have a cigar lounge. It has a room that used to be an open patio when it was a different restaurant. The Chama River management came in and built walls and a roof and segregated this room from the rest of the place by putting in a glass wall and doors. Yes, there's a nice couch in front of a stone fireplace and the ceiling is pressed tin or some sort of metal, I think, but in reality the area serves as the smoking section of the restaurant. And this is perfectly reasonable. Enough said, back to our story.
The weary and thirsty traveler sits at a table in front of the plasma TV. He immediately feels his circulation improving. Baseball on the tube. A brew about to be ordered. A burger to hold him together. He orders three of the four-ounce samplers. First, the Rio Chama Amber Ale. This is light, he thinks. Not bad, but not punching through, though it's laying the proper foundation for more. The second is Copper John Pale Ale. The menu promises a medium body and a "blend of hops that add spice and citrus character." Yes, he thinks, this does have a little bit of a grapefruit finish. Nice. Brew number three is the Jack Rabbit IPA (India Pale Ale). Now he's where he wants to be. Mostly hops, but enough malt to smooth his path toward that cigar he wants to taste after 400 miles on the road.
The green chile burger ($8.95) arrives and it has a little heat. The blend of the green chile relish does not mask the taste of the meat. This usually comes with cheddar, but today it's Swiss's turn under the bun. All the flavors are there. The traveler wonders why he had the salad. It's just cutting into the proper level of consumption of the sweet-potato fries that accompany the burger. No matter. All is not lost. An espresso is on the way.
"Folly!" he thinks to himself only after ordering the coffee. "A brewery restaurant in New Mexico? What's the espresso going to be? But he's got to get his palate ready for that cigar, and the beer has left a pleasant, but somewhat sour residue.
The server brings the tiny cup. The crema is evident. The sugar goes in. The aroma is promising. The espresso is a success! The cigar is set on fire. The first puff is taken. Life returns to our traveler. He stays to watch the end of the game. He puts off the thought of tomorrow and of the road. Right now, the cigar is all.
Chama River Brewing Company
4939 Pan American Freeway (parallel to I-25)
Albuquerque, NM
505-342-1800
Open for lunch and dinner Sunday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
www.chamariverbrewery.com
Cigar list includes: Macanudo Hampton Court ($7.50), Fuente Flor Fina 8-5-8 ($6.75), Padrón Palmas ($5) and Trinidad ($10.50)
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