Geckos Bar and Tapas
Geckos Bar and Tapas
Rating: 3
Cost: $8.50
Location: Nob Hill (Carlisle and Central)
Customized: No
The Nob Hill section of Albuquerque is home to some of the best, and weirdest restaurants in New Mexico. This eclectic part of town is home to bizarre layouts in which one can see a fancy and expensive restaurant backed up against a rowdy college bar. Such is the case with Geckos, a fun and intriguing bar stuffed in a strip between a grocery co-op and a high class Italian restaurant. Geckos is often filled with people in their 20’s and 30’s who are looking for well made drinks, good company, and great food. The clientele is the respectful type, and the service is on the better side for Nob hill. Gecko’s most unique feature, the one that sets it far apart from the other bars in town, is its unique menu. From Crab Taquitos to Es Car Got, and back to familiar with Green Chile cheese fries, there is something for all tastes here. There is no surprise that their menu includes nachos, and even less of a surprise that their nachos are slightly different from the rest.
Geckos offers one Nacho in two different sizes: regular, and small. The Nacho consists of chicken, green Chile and cheddar piled on a layer of chips, which is layered on top of a black been puree.
These nachos were a good price, and as the picture shows, they were definitely a good size. I can say that my initial reaction was mixed. I was less than thrilled that the avocado was sliced and not mashed into guac. I was confused that I couldn’t see any beans, and I was also a little bummed that the cheese appeared to be a liquid sauce. Furthermore, I was upset that chicken was the only option, since as you know I would choose beef over chicken 99% of the time. Despite this bias, these nachos still looked really appetizing (dare I say pretty?). One bite in and I knew my predispositions were wrong. These nachos were awesome. The cheese sauce wasn’t some cheap factory sauce, it was obviously a kitchen made cheddar that was unique and delicious. I soon discovered that the beans were hidden beneath the chips in a puree sauce that was absolutely mesmerizing. I now feel its a good idea to keep the beans separate like that for groups that may have people less inclined. That way they can be avoided or consumed at an individuals leisure. The most important thing about this nacho has to do with how it changed my opinions on certain ingredients. First, I now realize that chopped avocado has its place amongst nachos. Its a different experience than guac, but a delicious one. Also It must be stated that this is the second Chicken nacho I have ever had in which I actually liked the chicken. Much like the only other chicken nacho I liked (San Diego Firehouse, see previous review), this Nacho would NOT work well with beef. This nacho needs chicken to work its tasty magic. If you find yourself at Geckos, get yourself an order of nachos. If you are with a group, make sure its a large order, and get some of the green Chile cheese fries as well!
