Relish the Thought

So I hate saying anything is my "favorite" food (unless it's pizza, of course) because I feel like it limits you to one thing. You're committed. That's it. It's like marriage (although once again if it were pizza I wouldn't mind). That being said, sandwiches are a food I definitely enjoy eating because there are so many different ways to make them: sweet (pb&j), meaty (Reuben), salty, cheesy, or a mix (Monte Christo). 

Yesterday for lunch Nate and I went to Relish located at 8091 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 97110. The thing I love most about Relish is that you know their ingredients are fresh and everything is freshly prepared but they don't have to boast about it. 

The menu has hot and cold sandwiches, salads, and freshly made sides. 

Decor: Excellent! Local artists' work lines the walls, so if you see something you like but it! You're supporting your local economy! The space consists of 2 dining areas (roughly 100+ seats), the walls are colorful, and the tables and chairs are comfortable and inviting. 

Cleanliness: Excellent, the tables were turned over quickly by staff despite the fact it was 12:30 on a Tuesday. 

Food appearance: good, food is served on disposable plates but I think it works for the location. Relish is supposed to be a quick-service restaurant to cater to the many businesses in the area so the disposable is good for the get-up-and-go atmosphere. Plus look at this food and tell me honestly that you're not tempted to lick the screen of the device you're looking at. 

Food taste: excellent! Like I said before, the freshness makes this place incredible. I ordered the Isotopes hot sandwich which has smoked turkey, bacon (aka nature's candy), Havarti cheese, tomatoes, mixed greens and spicy buttermilk dressing on a toasted roll  with a side of their pasta salad (farfalle pasta, grape tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and balsamic vinegarette). Everything was incredible and I'm salivating now just thinking about it (excuse me, I need to go get a bib now). Nate ordered the Homemade Mozzarella (vegetarian), homemade mozzarella cheese, roasted red pepper, mixed greens, tomatoes and balsamic vinegarette on a toasted roll with a side of potato salad (IDAHO potatoes [sorry, I gotta tease because Nate went to the potato museum in Idaho, bet you didn't know there was one, huh? And told me how gung-ho the tour guide was about Idaho potaoes], hard boiled eggs, relish, mayo and mustard). 

Service: good. It's hard to rate service since the only interaction you have is when you order and when your food is delivered to you. However, with this limited interaction I will say both people I met (order person/delivery person) were both friendly and efficient. 

Total: 13/15 

Not bad Relish, not bad. If you are in the mood for a gourmet sandwich and in the height's area check it out. However I have some tips to make your experience better:

1) Parking is limited! The parking lot is small to begin with and then factor in that the lot is shared between multiple businesses. However, there is street parking available on Vermont St NE

2) It's not as cheap as Subway. In this case you are definitely paying extra for quality but keep in mind that it is well worth it. A sandwich or salad run you anywhere from I'm $8.00 to $10.50 not including a drink. 

3) If possible try to go around 12:45 when the lunch rush dies down or call ahead to place your order. This tip will help alleviate the stress of realizing you've spent 15 minutes of your lunch hour just waiting in line to order your lunch. 

Check out the 3 time Albuquerque the Magazine Best of the City winner (2011, 2012 and 2014) next time you're nearby and craving some seriously good sandwiches.