M'tucci's Market Evolves
/Five years ago this month, M’tucci’s Market & Deli opened its doors with the goal of providing artisan breads and pastries, imported Italian meat, cheese and dry goods, and an unpretentious place to have a craft beer and a damn fine pizza. In the back of the house, the small kitchen also provided all of these products to M’tucci’s Italian, M’tucci’s Moderno and a growing catering business.
Chef/Partners Cory Gray and Shawn Cronin were joined by Trey Williams, Justin Sandoval and Michelle Seager, who are still with M’tucci’s today in various roles. Lauren Bell came on as a pastry chef and Kai Werner became the mozzarella maker and jack-of-all-trades. Well-known local chef Fred Gallegos joined the team a few years ago as Market Manager. Working the daily bread production are Gabriel, Mariah and Sarah.
During the past five years we have been named Best Market, Best of the City, and given a Local Hero award from newspapers and magazines. We also developed a loyal following of many who couldn’t believe a small market on the west side of Albuquerque was curing meat, making mozzarella, baking sourdough bread to rival San Francisco and offering such Italian specialties as Speck and 2-year old prosciutto..
The next chapter in the Market’s life was written this month when we closed the doors for retail sales. There were many factors that led to this move. One reason was M’tucci’s taking over the kitchen at Lava Rock Brewing Company on Unser Blvd. This past July, Chef Fred and a lot of the Market’s menu (especially the killer pizzas) moved to LRBC. The brewers are making great beer and there is live music Thursdays & Fridays. You gotta go.
Another reason is the February 2020 opening of M’tucci’s Twenty-Five, located on the frontage road along I-25 south of Jefferson. Chef/Partner Shawn Cronin will be in charge of the kitchen, teaming up with Chef de Cuisine Omar Rosas (from M’tucci’s Moderno) and Executive Sous Chef Damian Lucero who is now at M’tucci’s Italian. Together, they have been working on a new menu for M’tucci’s Twenty-Five and designing a kitchen to meet the challenges of the busy “restaurant row” location. We will have a restaurant and lounge that will be larger than our two first restaurants combined.
Watch this space for the new menu sometime in January. You’re gonna love it.
Don’t forget that the Holiday Market will run from today through Christmas Eve, 11:00 - 6:00.
There will be lots of surprises; Christmas cookies, panettone, mozzarella demonstrations, and for all of our die hard fans, charcuterie boards and pizza by the slice together with beer and wine. Stop in to say hi to everyone and to wish them well with their new projects. Now, take a stroll through the Market’s last year in pictures. We promised that many of these products are going to be available in our restaurants and at some are cafes, restaurants and stores. Stay tuned.
SPECIAL HOLIDAY EVENTS
ITALIAN CHRISTMAS MARKET 12/20 - 12/24
M’tucci’s Italian Cafe & Market will reopen for these dates only. Our holiday market will feature Fresh Mozzarella making demonstrations, Christmas Cookies, Pizza by the slice, cheeses and meats. Hope to see you there today!
An Evening of Holiday Music by Delphia 12/23, 7:00 - 9:00
Voted Best of the City Vocalist, Delphia will perform in M’tucci’s Moderno lounge, but the music can be experienced throughout the restaurant. Space is limited for dinner reservations, so make your reservation today for the dining room or the mezzanine. As usual, there is no cover charge and tables in the lounge cannot be reserved.
Special Christmas Menu for Monday & Tuesday at Moderno
House made Bolognese & Ricotta Lasagna (a family tradition for our Chef John Haas) with five layers of ricotta cheese, house bolognese, and house marinara sauce topped with pecorino cheese and parsley. $18
Children’s portion $7
Herb Roasted & Brined Pork Loin served with Sweet Potato Purée & Grilled Broccolini. $21
We will also offer a plate of our house made cookies for $1 per person at the table.
Drink Specials:
House made Hershey's hot chocolate with marshmallows (non-alcoholic) $3
Bourbon Coffee Hot Cocoa - Bourbon Whiskey, Kahlua Coffee Liqueur, House made Hot Chocolate $7
Chocolate Peppermint Martini- Chocolate Spirit, Peppermint Liquor, candy cane rim- $8
NEW YEAR’S EVE @ MODERNO
The celebration runs well past the ball dropping on New Years Eve in Rio Rancho!
Food Specials
House made Lobster Ravioli, Grilled Chianina Flat Iron Steak, and Grilled Ribeye with Truffle-Artichoke Purée.
Drink Specials
Bubbles and Cocktail specials throughout the evening, with a sparkling toast provided to ring in the new year.
Music
RJ Perez performs in the bar from 7:30 - 9:30
DJ D-Monic starts at 10pm and plays until 1AM.
NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S
M’tucci’s Provisions (formerly M’tucci’s Italian Cafe and Market)
Order your cookies and Panettone by tomorrow, 12/21. Don’t forget that our fresh bread is delivered Tuesdays and Fridays to Silver Street Market downtown. Watch this space and our Facebook and Instagram for updates on other products availability around the ABQ.
M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company
Some new menu items are now available. Stop in for Nachos, a new salad, a new pizza and eggplant parmesan.
HEAD OVER TO LAVA ROCK BREWING COMPANY FOR “WORD OF MOUTH”, A BRETT SAISON. This French Farmhouse Saison fermented for six months and comes in a 9.2% ABV with 30 IBUs. Hurry, since this is a small batch beer and supplies are limited.
Try our collaboration with Bar Uno that produced a traditional English Bitter. Not as hoppy as an IPA, nor as malt-forward as an ESB, this terrific beer says, “bet you can’t drink just one.”
A few new beers are coming. The first is an Italian lager, “Birra M’tucci’s” which will be available at LRBC, M’tucci’s Italian and M’tucci’s Moderno. Another that is in the works is a Red Ale, which will be aged in the bourbon barrel in which the M’tucci’s Maker’s Mark Private Select was aged.
Gift Certificates available for Holiday Gifts. A $20 Gift Certificate can buy a 64 oz. Growler and an Happy Hour Pint!Home Delivery now available through Door Dash
The “Two-Minute Warning” HAPPY HOUR & Monday Night Football!
HAPPY HOUR EVERY MONDAY UNTIL THE TWO-MINUTE WARNING!
Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30. $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.
$5 basket of Wings all day on Sunday
We are serious about Live Music at Lava Rock, we’ll have live music every Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 and Fridays from 8:00 - 10:00.
Music Schedule for December:
Thursday’s
12/26 - Oscar Butler
Friday’s
12/20 - Melissa Rios
12/27 - BuddhaFunk
M’tucci’s Italian
Weekend Specials
Cut of the Day - 24 oz Hand-Cut NY Strip, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction
Braised - Milk Braised Duroc Pork Short Ribs, Creamy Polenta, Grilled Asparagus, Braising Sauce
Ravioli - Lobster Cream Cheese Ravioli, Sautéed Pink Shrimp, Caramelized Onion Lobster Cream Sauce
Pan Seared Seafood - Swordfish Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula Lemon Caper Sauce
M’tucci’s Moderno
Weekend Specials
Seafood Risotto - Sautéed Bay Scallops, Wild Pink Shrimp, asparagus, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes tossed with house made seafood butter cream sauce and Carnaroli rice
Pairing - Kiona, Reisling, Washington. Honey and apricot aromas with honeysuckle and floral notes.
Pan-Seared Swordfish - Swordfish is mildly sweet in flavor and has a meaty texture and a moderately lean consistency. Pan-seared and served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, roasted artichokes, sautéed organic baby arugula and topped with our lemon caper butter sauce and smoked prosciutto powder.
Pairing - Whitehaven, Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand. Full flavored and medium bodied with bright acidity and a long clean finish.
Cut of the Day: Hand-Cut 24oz Bone-in NY Strip
Our cut of the day is perfectly grilled to way you love it and served with house made crispy saltwater potatoes, grilled asparagus and our traditional Italian Salsa Verde
Pairing - Barossa Valley Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia . Pleasant aromas of black currents, plum, spice and vanilla, tastes of rich ripe fruits with a semi dry finish.
Live Music
Tonight 8:00: Lani Nash
12/26 @ 7:00: Gilbert Uribe
12/27 @ 8:00: Leah Leyva
M’tucci’s Twenty-Five
M’TUCCI’S TWENTY-FIVE JOB FAIR + ONLINE APPLICATIONS
Our Job Fair for our new location will be from 10:00am - 4:00pm pm on January 11 & 12 . We are looking for highly skilled and motivated servers, kitchen staff and bartenders. You can apply for a position at any of our locations online by clicking here. Applicants should come to the job fair with a resume and should have completed the online application.
See you next week. Buon Natale y ciao!
