Posts tagged two fools

Two Fools Pt.2 

Rating: 4

Cost: ~ $8.75

Location: Albuquerque (NE Heights)

Customized: No

Website

This isn’t a double post, so don’t worry. I had already reviewed the Classic Nachos from Two Fools half a year back, but I had been intending on returning to sample their “Irish Nachos.” I recently had the pleasure of returning to this quaint little pub and discovering if their Other nachos could compete with their classic offering. For an Irish pub, they do a great job of maintaining Irish/British centric food on their menu, while also offering fusion cuisine and offbeat alternatives. 

Two fools offers two kinds of nachos. The first, which I reviewed in an earlier post are their Macho Nachos, which are a classic style dish. The Second is their Irish Nachos, which takes a far more unique approach. These nachos are comprised of a body of Potato chips, covered in Cottage Pie Beef and cheddar, with tomatoes, lettuce, and sour cream on top. 

When these nachos first arrive, you are stricken by how different they look. They have a much darker color, due mostly to the cottage beef. Their size is great, it is comparable to their classic nachos. They are also layered well, another similarity with their other nachos. The tomato and lettuce on top are very appetizing, and the sour cream portion is good. The cheese was melted perfectly on the chips, so no complaints there. Not knowing what to expect, my first bite was admittedly weird. Although the cottage beef was delicious, I admit they offer a flavor I have never previously associated with being Nacho-ie. However, something weird happened, something that has never happened before. 4 or 5 chips in, I started to really like them. Usually I grow tired of a dish the more I eat, but this one grew on me at an astonishing rate. By the end of the nacho I was satisfied, and extremely pleased by this new found combination. The Cottage beef offered a hearty thick sauce to the dish, which countered the saltiness of the chips and cheese. Unlike most nachos, as the chips got soggy, they became more enjoyable, because of their similarity to soaking up stew with bread wedges. I recommend these nachos with a slight warning. I can see how some would hate it, but just give it a try and live a little. If you don’t like them after one chip, give it a few more, it might grab you too!

** Update. I recently (9/17/11) increased the score on these to 4. I have found that in the last few months I have craved these nachos on a weekly basis. I would argue that I crave these more than most other nacho’s that can be found. I felt upon further consideration that these definitely deserved a 4 rating, not the original 3 I gave it.

O’Niells Pub

Rating: 2

Cost: ~ $11

Location: Albuquerque (Nob Hill)

Customized: Yes (Added Ground Beef)

Website

Once again, the lighting is dim, But the Nachos look Pretty Good

O’Niells is located at the very eastern end of Nob Hill, and despite being near few other reputable establishments, draws a large crowd daily. Despite being coined as an Irish pub, the majority of the food is standard American Restaurant fare: Burgers, Sandwiches, Salads, and Pasta. The food is tasty, and the ambiance is nice. On busy nights, the service is often very slow, but they are always very friendly. I recommend O’Niells as a lunch time establishment since I find its primary draw to be its food, and the service is always best when it is least crowded.  Its fitting that I review the Nachos from Oniells Pub right after my review of the Two Fool’s Nachos. Both O’Niells and Two fools represent the only significant Irish Bars in the Albuquerque area, and each has its own dedicated loyalists and defenders. This, however, is not a debate as to which is a better establishment… no, this is only a competition of their respective Nacho making skills!

O’Niells offers a single style of Nacho within their starters section. These Nachos are a body of chips covered in ground beef (added cost), black beans, Tomatoes, green chili, and shredded cheese. It comes with a side of Sour Cream and Salsa.

I am very split on my feelings about the O’Niell Nacho. The portion is great, as it could easily fill two people, or provide appetizer for 4+. Much like Two Fools, I am ecstatic that they included black beans w/ their nachos as it is a great addition to any Nacho. The addition of Tomatoes is also well received. However, that’s really where the high quality elements stop. The green chili applied is minimal, and the flavor is bland compared to other restaurants offerings. Due to the slow service, the cheese had already hardened and was cold. This made separating the chips with cheese difficult (often requiring the use of two hands). No layering was employed in the creation of these nachos, so after the top layer is consumed, there are a lot of plain dry chips below. The sour cream amount provided is laughable, and Guacamole is completely absent from this nacho (and not offered as an add on). The biggest trouble with the O’Niell’s Nachos is that meat was so expensive. The addition of Ground Beef to the Nacho cost an additional $3.25 (just under what a pound of free range gb costs at sunflower). All this added fee gets you is a very small amount of bland ground beef that is almost missed if you didn’t know it was in the Nacho. i find this unacceptable considering the quality and quantity of meat on their fabulous burgers. There needs to be at least a double, nay, triple the amount of meat. I find all of this sad considering the high quality that the other O’Niell’s food has. Normally I would rate this a 3, as an average Nacho, since it is nothing spectacular. However, considering that it is also the most expensive Nacho I have ever seen, I can’t rate it any higher than a 2, since it just isn’t worth it.