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Collaborative efforts: The Craft Kitchen at Old Town combines classic dishes and local spirits, brews
Everything has come full circle for chef J Martin Torrez.
He has returned to Old Town where his culinary journey began washing dishes at age 15 at what is now Hotel Albuquerque.
In October 2023, he took a leap of faith to open a restaurant with business partner, Damon Maddox. The Craft Kitchen at Old Town quietly opened its doors during the first week of Balloon Fiesta.
The Craft Kitchen shares a building with The Taproom at Old Town, which offers cocktails created with Left Turn Distilling spirits, as well as craft beer and ciders produced by Palmer Brewery and Cider House. It is located at 524 Romero St. NW and open from 4-9 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, from noon-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, and noon-7 p.m. Sunday. Brunch is served beginning at noon on Saturdays and Sundays. More information can be found at or craftkitchenoldtownabq on Instagram.
鈥淭he collaboration is amazing,鈥� said Miranda Chavez, general manager of The Taproom at Old Town. 鈥�(There is) great communication between the bar as well as the kitchen, which is great for us. Customers really seem to enjoy the food served with the cocktails. We鈥檙e creating some New Mexican flair on both sides, both the distillery and brewery as well as the kitchen, which people really enjoy.鈥�
Menus change seasonally for the kitchen and the bar.
鈥淲e鈥檙e always going to be keeping it fresh and progressive,鈥� Torrez said of the food menu. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 really have a cuisine type per se. I am going to be doing a homage to some of my mom鈥檚 food. It鈥檚 just a take on some family traditions like the enchiladas, the handcrafted tamales and our red and green (chile). It is really authentic.鈥�
Torrez will be switching things up after the holidays but for now he has plenty of patron favorites on the menu including New Mexico Papas, which are crispy, fried potatoes, dressed with green and red chile, and topped with queso blanco.
Collaborative efforts: The Craft Kitchen at Old Town combines classic dishes and local spirits, brews
鈥淚 just wanted to do something that was fun and shareable to eat, kind of like french fries, but with a New Mexico twist.鈥�
Tamales are a must-have when celebrating the holidays in New Mexico.
鈥淲e make our tamales with brisket,鈥� Torrez said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really proud of (our tamales). A lot of people can鈥檛 have pork, so we tried to switch it up a little bit. We braise the brisket for 12 hours and then we shred it.鈥�
On the lighter end, The Craft Kitchen offers a flaky and flavorful Ruby Red Trout out of Colorado. It is served with cilantro lime rice and a warm tomatillo salsa. The tuna wontons are comprised of ahi tuna tossed in a sweet citrus soy sauce placed on light and crispy wontons and topped with housemade sriracha aioli and pickled cabbage.
A touch of sweetness is added from confections created by chef de cuisine Tyler Linebarger. His desserts also transition with the seasons.
鈥淲e have a seasonal cheesecake that we do,鈥� Linebarger said. 鈥淎t the moment, it鈥檚 a spiced vanilla with a cranberry orange coulis with a gingerbread crust. We have a maple pumpkin bread pudding with a pecan praline sauce on it. And then we have a fudge plate with three different types of fudge on it, so there鈥檚 white chocolate peppermint, traditional chocolate and peanut butter.鈥�
Linebarger also does an in-house bread program as well.
鈥淲e make handcrafted hamburger buns for our restaurant,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l do slider rolls, baguettes, things of that nature when our menu changes to involve bread.鈥�
Another highlight of The Craft Kitchen鈥檚 menu is its use of Left Turn spirits in some of its food menu items.
The blue corn whiskey barbecue sauce, which complements the barrel-smoked chicken lollipops, is made with the distillery鈥檚 New Mexico Blue Corn Whiskey. Torrez and his team also saute shrimp in Left Turn鈥檚 Tres Piedras Blanco Agave Spirit with lime, butter and chile powder for its tacos. Spanish rice and pinto beans accompany the shrimp tacos.
The restaurant鈥檚 food offerings paired with The Taproom at Old Town鈥檚 cocktails, craft beer, and ciders are an ideal union that will elate the palate. Its most requested cocktails include the Blue Old Fashioned, Rosemary Sour and the Ala Vargas.
鈥淥ur Blue Old Fashioned is made with our New Mexico Blue Corn Whiskey,鈥� Chavez said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 100% blue corn and that gives it a really nice buttery popcorn flavor. Our Rosemary Sour is made with our Brothers Old Tom Gin and some toasted rosemary, lemon and housemade simple syrup. The Ala Vargas (includes) our La Luz Vodka, pomegranate juice, local (Heidi鈥檚 Raspberry Farm) jam, lime and housemade simple syrup.鈥�
On the craft beer side, Palmer Brewery鈥檚 Low Card Lager and Export Stout are popular among guests. The Old Town Tea is also in high demand.
鈥淥ur Old Town Tea is a collaboration between the distillery as well as the brewery,鈥� Chavez said. 鈥淲e make it with our La Luz Vodka at the distillery and then the brewer (Rob Palmer) makes it all come together with the tea, lemonade and vodka inside of a keg. He kegs those for us.鈥�
The Taproom at Old Town has been open for about 2陆 years. The location offers indoor dining areas, a bar, a large back patio and a spacious front patio with seating. During the cold months, outdoor heaters, as well as fire towers at each of the tables, keep things cozy. A new addition to the back patio is a large, round fire feature. It was created by Left Turn owner and distiller Brian Langwell, who has a welding background.
Its sister location, located at 2924 Girard Blvd NE, is where Left Turn and Palmer Brewery have their distilling and brewing operations. The Craft Kitchen鈥檚 sister restaurant, The Kitchen at Palmer鈥檚/Left Turn, is also located in the building.
