July 20, 2017

El Modelo – A NM Fave!

Overall Bites:

Value: Out of all the reviews I’ve done this is by far the best value. Under $5 for a stuffed sopapilla with green chile, chicken and rice (instead of the beans).

Taste: WOW! Maybe it’s the low price I paid and how much I got and how good it tasted. I can tell you from the lines inside that I’m not the only one that loves this place.

Presentation: El Modelo has figured something out…you don’t mess with a good product. To that end, they wrap your stuffed sopa in Modelo paper and then in white butcher type paper and tape it up so nothing falls apart.

Vibe: There isn’t much to say about the vibe, since there aren’t any seats inside but you can tell the workers are hustling!

El Modelo Mexican Foods is no secret to the locals. When you’ve been around since 1929 it’s hard to keep your business a secret. They’ve been able to grow their business making home made burritos into one of New Mexico’s most recognizable brands. On this occasion I decided to introduce my teenage girls to an explosion of flavor wrapped in a sopapilla.

We went shortly before lunch time. I knew they would be busy so I decided to call in the order – 3 sopas, all green chicken but two with rice instead of the beans. I arrived to pick it up about 10 minutes later and the food was ready for pickup. The lines had already started forming – you walk up to the counter and there are usually two people taking orders. From there you walk up to the cashier where you pay. There is a coke machine on the Southern side where you can fill your own beverage until your number is called.

It’s been a while since I’ve had El Modelo but they did NOT disappoint. They were just as good as I remember years ago. The sopa is nice and fluffy with just the right amount of dough. It’s wrapped in El Model paper and then wrapped again in white butcher paper with some tape to keep everything in it’s place. Unwrapping the sopapilla is like unwrapping a warm gift on a cold Christmas morning. The sopa is stuffed to full capacity – you can tell they don’t want you to go hungry. And then you bite into it and the flavors just come to life. The green chile which has just enough bite to it, the chicken that is seasoned well, the rice (or beans) that are also cooked to perfection. All of this food, and all of the flavor, for just shy of $5! You can’t find a better deal in town!

There isn’t too much to write about as far as vibes go. They do have a patio and some tables underneath some trees in the parking lot. The customers don’t mind waiting and there are two benches inside. Most customers find themselves standing and waiting patiently. You could see quite a few people eating in their cars, the picnic tables were all full, and there were just as many taking their food to enjoy elsewhere. If you’re an El Modelo pro you’ve called in your order. So you just walk up to the counter, give your name, pay and off you go to enjoy some of Albuquerque’s finest New Mexican stuffed sopas!

El Modelo Mexican Foods gets 4.5 Bites!!! It’s really hard to find any fault with them. Their only drawback is not being an actual sit down restaurant. Be prepared to take your food to go or to eat in your car. They do have plenty of trash cans in the parking lot, and some tables, but the Albuquerque heat runs in the high 90’s to low 100’s in the summer time. Even being in the shade can be somewhat miserable. Regardless of this small detail, El Modelo Mexican Foods is a must try!

Give them a like on Facebook and also check them out on Instagram.