Vinaigrette — Restaurant in Albuquerque

My wife and I stopped here on a Wednesday night on a recommendation. We were visiting Albuquerque from New Jersey. The restaurant has a nice vibe and a quite enough outdoor patio although the corner tables are dark. There were two people dining inside and two tables of two, one table of one and one table of four people outside, so not a lot of patrons. We waited about four or five minutes for someone to come out of the back as there was no hostess/greeter or anyone inside the restaurant. After about five minutes, the waiter came out and just told us to sit wherever which we did. I ordered a Cuban sandwich with a Greek side salad, which was small but tasty. We tried to order drinks, but the waitress told us that the only liquor they had was whiskey. My wife then ordered a glass of the red, but once we realized when it was, she changed it to a rosé which was fairly terrible and at $14 a little overpriced. The big problem came when my wife placed her order for the Apple cheddar chop salad which says it contains pork tenderloin. I then said that I was going to order it, but I always let her order first and she generally orders what I want to eat so I end up having something else. After waiting about 20 minutes, even though there were not a lot of customers, our food came out. She began to eat her salad, which is supposed to contain the pork tenderloin, but it had none. She then got up and went back into the restaurant and had to wait another five minutes before the waiter came out from the back, and when she said that she needed to speak to someone because she did not receive any Protein in her salad, he said “it’s not my problem“ and went and got the waitress. We waited up another 10 minutes before the waitress bought us the pork tenderloin. By this time, we were about an hour and 20 minutes into eating salad. I’m not sure if it was an off night, they don’t have enough staff, but there seem to be an air of a failing business or lack of care concerning the food and its presentation. The waitress did say that she didn’t charge us for the pork tenderloin although we did not see another salad that was a cheddar apple chop without it. There may be better versions of this restaurant in Santa Fe in Austin, but we were in both places and would not try it after...

16Jan2021. First-time visitor to this 'Vinaigrette' restaurant on Central Ave in Albuquerque NM! Really memorable time, here!

Easy to recognize this business while driving in traffic. Parking lot is modest sized and looks new. Currently, there is NO dining 'inside' due to State restrictions because of state & county (wide) increasing COVID-19 infection data.

There are two (2) outdoor dining patios at this location. One is on the eastern side of the bldg (visible from the street) and the other is on the western side of the building. THAT patio is somewhat secluded and, even, sexy!

Our Server, "Josh", was outstanding! He had the most relaxing personality, was very knowledgeable of the menu selections, and a total gentleman! He took the time to answer ALL of my 1st-timer-questions and made us feel like SHAREHOLDERS! =)

We ordered the Hot Turkey sandwich ($16.75), the Omega salad (added on for only $1.00), the Solacho salad w/chicken ($17.50) along with a couple of glasses of iced water. Amazing! ALL of it! Our meal only took about 15 minutes before it hit our table and the 'presentation' was awesome!

Total charge (incl tax) was $38.03. As other 'reviewers' have mentioned, the 'gratuity' is built into the final price. Vinaigrette is a 'tipless' restaurant.

Personally, this is NOT a business that I would take youth under 16 years old, unless they're USED to menu offerings as 'eclectic' as Vinaigrette's. A party of four or five, to include youngsters, could EASILY run-up a $100.00 tab after the smoke clears!

So, if you're desiring an economical meal at a restaurant that'll allow you to 'tweak' the menu items to your own personal tastes AND make you feel like you're the CEO while doing it, maybe you should dine elsewhere.

I admire and even RESPECT this business! I will DEFINITELY return to try other menu selections. This particular visit was exceptional because they were NOT very busy when we arrived (Saturday at 12:30PM) and we were able to take OUR time & 'enjoy the experience'. There MAY have been a dozen other customers dining at that time.

Thanks, again, to Josh for his Customer Service Excellence AND for answering my questions about the pomegranate and apple trees!!

For my guest and for me, this was a 5-Star...

Vinaigrette: Where the Greens Are Glamorous and the Vibes Are Curated

Tucked into a sun-drenched corner of Albuquerque, Vinaigrette is where the salad gets its swagger back. This isn’t some sad desk lunch joint serving pre-packaged greens in compostable containers. No, this is where kale gets massaged like it’s at a spa retreat in Ojai, and where your arugula comes dressed to kill, preferably with a side of lemon herb chicken and the existential satisfaction that you’re “doing something good for your body.”

The place itself is curated—no, cultivated—like a Wes Anderson set redesigned by Goop. Picture reclaimed wood, pastel hues, the faint smell of turmeric and privilege wafting through the air. It’s got that farm-to-table glow, but make it fashion. You walk in and know exactly who this is for: the yoga mat-toting millennial with a CSA subscription, the silver-haired Santa Fe transplant craving something “clean,” and yes, even the odd food writer pretending not to care about any of it.

We ordered the Kale Caesar—bitter, briny, and perfectly smug—with a generous serving of lemon herb chicken. There was mac and cheese for our little guy, which, against all odds, came out creamy and sincere. The “Beet” salad was an earthy, jewel-toned punch of goat cheese, greens, and quiet self-righteousness—like a farmer’s market in a bowl, dressed for brunch. Drinks? A turmeric elixir that tasted like it could banish inflammation and your sins, and a green Bloody Mary that hit like a punch from a vegan kickboxer. Everything tasted like a clean conscience.

As for the service, don’t expect theatrical tableside flourishes. This isn’t that kind of show. You’ll be checked on—eventually—but mostly you’re left to admire the minimalist cutlery and wonder how radicchio suddenly became sexy. Seating is communal, like a Scandinavian summer camp, which means you’ll be overhearing plenty of talk about “microdosing” and second homes.

Yes, it’s expensive. And yes, you’re absolutely paying for the vibe. But in a city of sopapillas and smothered green chile, Vinaigrette is a refreshing, overpriced, beautifully pretentious detour. And you’ll come back. Because there’s a part of you—no matter how deep—that wants your salad to taste...