Soul of a Chef Lunch Series

We are an Italian Restaurant Company, but at our core we are a melting pot of culturally diverse people. We want our guests to experience that through this new program. Often the comfort foods that we love and cook are truly representative of our soul. This is our way of sharing who our chefs are with you. The Soul of a Chef Lunch Series is available Daily 11am-4pm at only M’tucci’s Italian from 4/1 – 4/7. Each Wednesday, we’ll feature a new set of dishes! 

These specials will be available through next Tuesday, then we’ll post 4 new lunch specials for this series on Facebook and Instagram.

It’s been a busy week at all three locations, and we are humbled by the huge support from our guests and by the stories about us in local media. There was a nice M’tucci’s profile in Local Flavor magazine and the ABQ Journal did a story on our employee meal program, as did the ABQ Business Journal. The links are here so you can read each one:

Local Flavor

Albuquerque Journal

Albuquerque Business Journal

Reader’s Choice Awards

Voting for Albuquerque Journal Reader’s Choice Awards begins April 5. Please vote for us! Click here to vote.

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Heat & Eat at Albertsons

M’tucci’s Heat & Eat at Westside Albertsons. Dinner for two for $14.99

Our entrees arrived in Westside Albertsons stores last weekend. Our Chefs spent a lot of time coming up with a dish that can be heated, is reasonably priced and reflects our dedication to quality. Look for more entree selections and for the entrees to be available in all area Albertsons.

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Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Moderno

Frutti di Mare - White Clams, Baby Clams, Bay Scallops, Patagonian Shrimp, Tomato Sauce & Fettucine $19

M’tucci’s Italian

Fresh Pan-Seared Atlantic Swordfish, Roasted Artichoke, Sautéed Spinach, Mashed Potatoes, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce $26

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

8 oz. Harris Ranch Prime Flatiron Steak Frites, Fried Leeks, Black Pepper and Pecorino Cream Sauce $17

DESSERT (ALL 3)

Chocolate Mousse Bombe with Oreo Cookie Crust, Vanilla Zabaglione, topped with an Oreo Cookie. $7

M’tucci’s Corporate Partners Program

In the past week, we have partnered with local, national and international corporations to supply meals for health care workers who are on the front lines of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. Thursday we delivered 51 meals to Presbyterian Rust Medical Center for ICU and Pulmonary Unit doctors and nurses, plus some of the custodial staff. This meal was made possible by a contribution from Southern Glazer Wine & Spirits and Beam Suntory beverage company.

If you would like to partner with M’tucci’s to deliver meals to health care providers or to first responders, please contact M’tucci’s Partner Austin Leard at: [email protected]

Chef de Cuisine Jorge Monterrosa garnishing Five Pork Pasta Bolognese with imported Parmigiano-Reggiano, destined for Rust Medical Center.

The M'tucci's Family

When Founders Jeff Spiegel, Katie Gardner and John Haas opened M’tucci’s Italian nearly seven years ago, they wanted to create a great gathering place with great food at reasonable prices. They had another goal: to create a workplace where everyone was family and where they could earn a living wage.

Read their profile, written last year, to understand their motivation: https://www.mtuccis.com/lagazzeta/2019/8/16/mtuccis-profiles-jeff-spiegel-amp-katie-gardner

“Since our first day, our restaurants have been about our M’tucci’s family and our community.  It’s who we are and we aren’t about to change after 7 years, even with this crisis”, said M’tucci’s President/Company Chef John Haas. Yesterday’s piece on KOB News 4 explains how we take care of our family.

https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/italian-restaurant-feeding-work-family-that-was-furloughed/5685584/

We have created special to go/delivery menus at all of our restaurants with daily entree and dessert specials. M’tucci’s Twenty-Five has created a new Picnic Menu for your lunch at home or along the Rio.

The easiest way to order and see the menus is to click on the buttons on our webpages. Order from the restaurant closest to you and one of our team will deliver to you (you’re helping put our furloughed staff back to work!). These are the buttons on M’tucci’s Twenty-Five page. It’s a photo, so please go to the webpage to order.

DAILY SPECIALS (TODAY ONLY)

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five - M’tucci’s Mac & Cheese: Pancetta, Cherry Tomato, and Roasted Garlic on House Made Campanelle topped with Sourdough Breadcrumbs. $14

M’tucci’s Italian - House Spicy Capicola Pizza: House-Cured Spicy Capicola, Garlic Oil, Onion Mostarda, Grape Tomatoes, Fresh Basil, Roasted Red Bell Pepper and Aged Mozzarella $15

M’tucci’s Moderno - Italian Fried Chicken w/ French Fries: Crispy Chicken Confit (Dark Meat) Lemon+Sheep Milk+Herb Crusted, Truffle French Fries, Pecorino Dipping Sauce. $17⁠

Dessert Special (all locations) - Chocolate Decadence Cake: Cinnamon Mascarpone, Hazelnut Bark, Triple Berry Shrub Coulis $7

We really appreciate all of your support and your takeout orders. It allows us to keep some of our staff employed and it makes it possible for us to continue our daily meals for our furloughed employees and their families. Here is a video demonstrating where you can eat M’tucci’s.

Here are some photos from M’tucci’s last week.

Buy some Shrubs for drinks at home!

See you next week. Ciao!

M'tucci's To Go!

Hello to all of our M’tucci’s fans and friends. When we started La Gazzeta one year ago, we didn’t think this would be the topic for our one year anniversary. But for edition #54 our message is this: we hope you are practicing social distancing and staying healthy. Your health and well-being are of utmost importance, which is why we were proactive and closed our dining rooms last Monday and switched to carry-out and delivery only.

President/Company Chef John Haas has been leading the team through this transition, implementing a new menu, and creating a meal program for the staff that we were forced to lay off. Our human resources specialist, Jackie, has been helping our staff (in English and Español) file for benefits to help keep them afloat during our dining room closures.

Of course, we want to thank you for your continued support. The response to our Take Out and Delivery menu has been overwhelming. If you want to see the menu, or download it, click on the big red button. Online Ordering & Pickup, plus Delivery all have buttons on each restaurant’s webpage. Choose the restaurant closest to you for pickup or delivery.

Yes, the Five Pork Bolognese is on the Take Out/Delivery Menu.

At M’tucci’s the overall feeling is one of optimism. We believe the New Mexico authorities got out in front of this virus early by closing schools and talking about social distancing. We are doing everything we can to offer great meals at a reasonable price - use (#support local) when you order and get a 20% discount, which makes the kid’s meal $4.00!!

Campanelle Alfredo with Chicken

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Margherita Pizzeta

Pepperoni Pizzeta

We realize that some of your favorites are missing from the menu, but we had to make a menu decision based on staffing and take out/delivery logistics. We think we are offering a nice assortment from our menu. Here are photos of just a few. Of course, our amazing pizza is there.

Grilled Atlantic Salmon

Twinkie d'Italia

Fresh Caprese

Miajah (L) and Lori (R) working with Jackie on filing for assistance during the pandemic layoffs.

Once again, we can’t tell you how much we appreciate you. We’ll get through this together.

We’ll try to have daily updates on Facebook and Instagram. Please follow us!

@mtuccistwentyfive

@mtuccismoderno

@mtuccis_restaurants

Italian Inspiration

A week-long trip to Italy to eat in restaurants in Tuscany sounds like a vacation - right? However, when four of M’tucci’s chefs (and one lucky photographer/writer) made that trip last summer, it laid the groundwork for the menu at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five.

For John, Shawn, Cory and Damian it wasn’t a vacation, but it was a valuable Italian experience; eating, cooking, taking a couple of classes, and basically absorbing Italian food and culture for seven days. John Haas said that nearly every dish on one page of the menu (small plates, crostini, appetizers, cicchetti, charcuterie) was inspired by their experiences and meals. He remarked about the amazing simplicity of an appetizer plate with lightly pickled vegetables that we had for lunch in Colonatta (near the Carrara Marble Mines).

“It was not the most impressive mixture of vegetables, ones that we tend to overlook, but it was the way that they balanced it perfectly with flavor and texture. So thoughtful, so simple, but so good,” he said. “We all said Wow.”

I asked each chef to choose one dish on the new menu was inspired by their meals in Italy. First up, Executive Sous Chef at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five, Damian Lucero.

“Sitting on the coast in the town of San Vicenzo at Il Bucaniere, with the salty air and the view of the sea, there was a tuna appetizer with a green, pesto-like wine sauce with a cauliflower puree on top that I wanted to put our spin on it and make a tuna entree,” he said. “So we cure sushi-grade tuna, then pan-sear it, and serve it with a spinach pesto and our house oyster mushroom fermented arancini stuffed with mozzarella. It’s really good.”

Executive Chef Shawn Cronin was inspired by bitter Italian greens, which are used in a variety of ways throughout Italy.

“What struck me was how they use and celebrate things that we use as an afterthought. Escarole is used at the other restaurants, but we use it heavily here. The Grilled Escarole Caesar Salad is a little different to most people, but when they taste it, they like it and they say it works. It’s (escarole) such a small player, but it can take center stage when you sauté it, serve it fresh or preserve it. It’s really the star on the Chianina Beef Ravioli,” he said.

President/Company Chef John Haas was inspired by how the elements come together: the sea, the land and the weather.

“We incorporated those elements in the Seared Atlantic Sea Scallops, you’ve got the saltiness of the pancetta, the sweetness of scallops from the sea and the brightness of the peas. To me the salinity, the minerals and the freshness all work together. It’s very representative of the flavors and foods of Tuscany,” he said.

Seared Atlantic Sea Scallops, sautéed spinach, pickled escarole, red onion, M’tucci’s applewood smoked bacon, white beans and English pea puree.

Come explore the menu at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five. We think it’s as close as you can get to Italy and still be in New Mexico. Click here to see the menu.

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Weekend Specials

Seafood Special - Pan-Seared Ono w/Smoked Prosciutto Powder, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Roasted Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce - $24

Cut of the Day - Chianina Delmonico, Grilled Marinated Broccolini, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Herbed Salsa Verde - $25

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24oz Hand-Cut Porterhouse: Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction 

Pan-Seared Seafood - Sand Dabs, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Caper Lemon Beurre Blanc 

Ravioli - Pesto Ricotta Ravioli, Sautéed Pink Shrimp, Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Asparagus, Shallots, Light Lemon Cream Sauce

Braise - House Spicy Bacon, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Shallots, Candied Dates, White Wine Butter Sauce, Pappardelle Pasta 

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24oz Hand-Cut T-Bone - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, and an Italian Salsa Verde.

Featured Wine Pairing: Intrinsic Cabernet Sauvignon

Pan-Seared Seafood - Barramundi - Sautéed Arugula, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Artichokes, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce, Finished with a Smoked Prosciutto Powder.

Featured Wine Pairing: Glass Mountain Chardonnay

Pasta Special - Shrimp Diablo - Pink Patagonia Shrimp, Caramelized Onion, Celery, Capers, Crushed Red Pepper, Marinara Sauce, and Spaghettini Pasta.

Featured Wine Pairing: Imagery Pinot Noir

Click here to vote for M’tucci’s Moderno for the Best of Rio Rancho. Please vote for us in the following categories: Best Italian, Best Waitstaff, Best Appetizer Menu, Best Date Night Restaurant, Best Dessert, Best Lunch Spot, Best Bartender (Tyler or Shelly or Isaac), Best Chef (John Haas), Best Tap Beer Selection, Best Happy Hour - and, of course, Best Pizza!

March Music

Thursdays 7-9
3/19 - Oscar Butter
3/26 - Melissa Rios

Friday’s 8-10pm
3/6 - Kirk Matthews
3/13 - Lani Nash
3/20 - Kirk Matthews
3/27 - Leah Leyva  

M’tucci’s Catering

Don’t forget to make your bookings for Mother’s Day and Graduation Parties. We offer on-site catering at M’tucci’s Moderno (2 private dining rooms for 35 & 75 guests) and at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five (private dining room for 45 people). We also have a large screen for your presentations when you book the private dining room at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five for your lunch meeting. We can deliver off-site catering to your home for a buffet, dinner party or wedding reception. Click here to see a menu and contact us today!

Il Salone - Private Dining Room at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company

Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30

New beer:

The Vulkanland Vienna lager is a copper to reddish-brown beer with pale chocolate and Vienna malts. It’s balanced with aromas and flavors of sweet malt and floral hops. Low hop additions allow the German malts to truly shine though, making this darker lager a quaffable beer to drink any time of the year. 5.5% ABV and 24 IBU’s. 

Daily Specials

Sunday - Happy Hour all Day

Monday - Margherita Mondays - $5 small Margherita pizza, add a pint and it’s $10

Tuesday - $2 Tuesdays Happy Hour - All pints $2 (except seasonal beers) and $2 off all Appetizers

Wednesday - Wing Wednesday - 2 pounds of our special house brined wings in 3 flavors for $8

Thursday & Friday - Live Music and regular Happy Hour

2020 Lunch Special

Every 20th guest who comes in for lunch between 11:00 & 3:00 Monday - Friday gets lunch on M’tucci’s. Who said there’ no such thing as a free lunch??

Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, . $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

Live Music - Thursdays @ 6:00 and Fridays @ 8:00

3/13: Kirk Matthews

3/19: Amy Cliser

3/20: Lea Leyva

3/26: Austin Van

3/27: GB Duo

See you next week. Ciao!

Italian Seafood

You could be forgiven for thinking of pizza and pasta when you think of Italian food. However, with more than 4,700 miles of coastline on the Adriatic, Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas, seafood plays a prominent roll on the Italian table. Seafood is even more ubiquitous during the 40 days of Lent. Italian fishermen work the seas from the Ligurian Coast, the island of Sicily, around the heel of Puglia and to the lagoons of Venice, filling the markets with an abundance of fish and shellfish.

Vernazza harbor in the Cinque Terre in Liguria

Roman Catholics comprise 78% of Italy’s population and many avoid meat during lent, especially on Friday. Many Italian Catholics avoid meat on Friday throughout the year. While seafood is popular any time of year, from Ash Wednesday until Easter, seafood takes the main stage.

Gathering in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

The different dishes and the styles of preparation are usually regional in character, but true to Italian cuisine, not complicated or fussy. Simple recipes with quality ingredients are the key.

In Liguria, whole roasted Branzino is popular (whole fish is more common for the Italian home cook than filets) and in Venice (and at M’tucci’s Italian & M’tucci’s Twenty-Five) you’ll find seafood risotto.

Along the coast of Tuscany by the Tyrrhenian Sea, the port town of Livorno is home to many simple, unassuming seafood restaurants, serving only seafood, crudo (raw) or cotto (cooked). Sunday dinner wouldn’t be a proper dinner without a plate of seafood crudo to start - essentially Italian sushi.

Further south in Campania, which includes Naples, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, pizza was invented as food for the men who went to sea, with one of the classic pizza Napoletana choices being marinara (sailor in Italian). Pasta with clams (spaghetti alle vongole) and mixed seafood and whole fish or fish steaks are simmered/poached to create fish poached in crazy water (pesce all’acqua pazza).

On Italy’s east coast with the Adriatic, in Puglia the port of Bari is known for fresh sea urchins and mussels. The mussels are so succulent, that a simple broth for steaming is all that is necessary. Don’t miss the Fresh Maine Mussels appetizer at M’tucci’s Italian tonight.

We receive fresh seafood several times a week, and buy sustainably-wild-caught fish and shellfish when we can. All three M’tucci’s locations and M’tuccis @ Lava Rock Brewing offer Calamari Fritti with spicy marinara and garlic aioli dipping sauces. Each restaurant has created a different way to prepare fresh Atlantic Salmon. M’tucci’s Italian and M’tucci’s Moderno have a rotating weekend special of pan-seared seafood (scroll down for this week’s specials). We create specials based on what our seafood purveyors have fresh. In the past we have served swordfish, branzino, mahi-mahi, scallops, Hawaiian Ono and Yellowtail tuna.

I love the Shrimp Campanelle and the Frutti di Mare (fresh mussels, white clams, bay scallops and shrimp in a tomato sauce over fettucine) at Moderno and the Risotto Carnaroli di Pesce at Italian and Twenty-Five (both have slightly different preparations - try both!). The new Lobster Ravioli at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five will make you swoon and protect your plate from your dining companions. The Calamari Fritti at M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company goes well with the Birra di M’tucci’s Italian lager.

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24oz Hand-Cut T-Bone, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Lemon Balsamic Reduction 

Pan-Seared Seafood - California Halibut, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Lemon Caper Buerre Blanc

Ravioli - Lemon Basil Red Chile Three Cheese Ravioli,  Sautéed Asparagus, Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Caramelized Onion, Light Lemon Cream Sauce w/Arugula 

Braise - Wild Mushroom, San Marzano Tomato, Harris Ranch Beef Ragu, House Pappardelle Pasta

Appetizer - Maine Mussels, Saffron Dijon Sauce, Baguette

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

• Flat iron Steak - Prepared with garlic mash potatoes, Grilled asparagus, and an Italian salsa verde $27

  • Intrinsic Cabernet Sauvignon - Sweet-tobacco and currant aromas and flavors. Medium to full body, round and juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Harmonious and perfect for steak. $8/$38

• Shrimp & Lobster Pasta - Prepared with asparagus, grape tomatoes, lobster cream sauce, and spaghettini pasta $27

  • Imagery Pinot Noir - This wine is smooth, soft, and lovely. It's medium-bodied, ripe, has juicy fruit, red licorice, and cola flavors. $11/42

• Icelandic Cod - Prepared with sautéed arugula, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted artichokes, caper lemon butter sauce, and finished with a smoked prosciutto powder - $21

  • Glass Mountain Chardonnay -  This wine features flavors of golden apples, crushed almonds and mineral highlights, Aromas of pineapple, apricot and toasty oak enhance the vanilla and butterscotch flavors. $7/$28

VOTE FOR M’TUCCI’S MODERNO TODAY!!

Click here to vote for M’tucci’s Moderno for the Best of Rio Rancho. Please vote for us in the following categories: Best Italian, Best Waitstaff, Best Appetizer Menu, Best Date Night Restaurant, Best Dessert, Best Lunch Spot, Best Bartender (Tyler or Shelly or Isaac), Best Chef (John Haas), Best Tap Beer Selection, Best Happy Hour - and, of course, Best Pizza!

March Music

Thursdays 7-9
3/12 - Stanlie Kee
3/19 - Oscar Butter
3/26 - Melissa Rios

Friday’s 8-10pm
3/6 - Kirk Matthews
3/13 - Lani Nash
3/20 - Kirk Matthews
3/27 - Leah Leyva  

M’tucci’s Catering

Don’t forget to make your bookings for Mother’s Day and Graduation Parties. We offer on-site catering at M’tucci’s Moderno (2 private dining rooms for 35 & 75 guests) and at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five (private dining room for 45 people). We also have a large screen for your presentations when you book the private dining room at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five for your lunch meeting. We can deliver off-site catering to your home for a buffet, dinner party or wedding reception. Click here to see a menu and contact us today!

Personal service for your wedding reception.

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company

Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30

New beer:

The Vulkanland Vienna lager is a copper to reddish-brown beer with pale chocolate and Vienna malts. It’s balanced with aromas and flavors of sweet malt and floral hops. Low hop additions allow the German malts to truly shine though, making this darker lager a quaffable beer to drink any time of the year. 5.5% ABV and 24 IBU’s. 

Daily Specials

Sunday - Happy Hour all Day

Monday - Margherita Mondays - $5 small Margherita pizza, add a pint and it’s $10

Tuesday - $2 Tuesdays - All pints $2 (except seasonal beers) and $2 off all Appetizers

Wednesday - Wing Wednesday - 2 pounds of our special house brined wings in 3 flavors for $8

Thursday & Friday - Live Music and regular Happy Hour

2020 Lunch Special

Every 20th guest who comes in for lunch between 11:00 & 3:00 Monday - Friday gets lunch on M’tucci’s. Who said there’ no such thing as a free lunch??

Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, . $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

Live Music - Thursdays @ 6:00 and Fridays @ 8:00

3/6: Hat Trick

3/12: RJ Perez

3/13: Kirk Matthews

3/19: Amy Cliser

3/20: Lea Leyva

3/26: Austin Van

3/27: GB Duo

See you next week. Ciao!

M'tucci's Twenty-Five: More Photos

Today we have more photos from M’tucci’s Twenty-Five. Our chairs finally arrived, so now the dining room is complete. They look so much better than the rental chairs we were forced to use. A copy of the lunch menu card is shown below, as are more photos of the great food that the kitchen is making. Enjoy the lounge, bar, Charcuterie Bar or the dining room. We know you’re going to love all of them.

La Salone - Private Dining Room

Capicola Carbonara

Chianina Beef Ravioli

Chicken Limone

Grilled Escarole Caesar

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24oz Hand-Cut Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Lemon Balsamic Reduction 

Pan-Seared Seafood - Skate wing, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Asparagus, Lemon Caper Sauce

Ravioli - Lobster Crab Cream Cheese Ravioli, Roasted Butternut Squash, Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Caramelized Onion, Sage Butter Sauce

Braise - Harris Ranch Mushroom Braised Beef Short Ribs, Creamy Polenta, Grilled Asparagus Braising Sauce

Rotisserie - 12oz Hand Cut Bone In Duroc Pork Chop, Salt Water Potatoes, Winter Veggies, Cherry Gastrique

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Pork Belly Risotto $19 - Prepared with pork belly, risotto, mushrooms, and red onions. 

Imagery Pinot Noir 2018 $11/$42 - smooth, soft, and lovely medium-body flavors to the nose plus rip, juicy fruit, red licorice, cola flavors

Fresh Fish of the Day: Bronzino $27 - Sauteed arugula, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted artichokes, caper lemon butter sauce, and finished with a smoked prosciutto powder.

Michael David Suavignon Blanc 2018 $8/$32 - A slightly herbaceous wine, with crisp flavors of papaya, apricot, pineapple and green apple with medium acidity.

Cut of the Day: 24oz Bone-in Porterhouse Steak $34 - Traditional Italian salsa verde, crispy saltwater potatoes, and grilled asparagus.  

Frescobaldi 'Remole' Super Tuscan 2017 $7/28 - Fruity aromas, such as blackcurrant, raspberry and black cherry slowly give way to extremely delicate spicy notes. Fresh vivacity

March Music

Thursdays 7-9
3/5 - Rj Perez
3/12 - Stanlie Kee
3/19 - Oscar Butter
3/26 - Melissa Rios

Friday’s 8-10pm
3/6 - Kirk Matthews
3/13 - Lani Nash
3/20 - Kirk Matthews
3/27 - Leah Leyva  

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company

Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30

New beer this week:

The Vulkanland Vienna lager presents as a copper to reddish brown beer due to additions of pale chocolate and Vienna malts. It’s balanced with aromas and flavors of sweet malt and floral hops. Low hop additions allow the German malts to truly shine though, making this darker lager a quaffable beer to drink any time of the year. 5.5% ABV and 24 IBU’s. 

Daily Specials

Sunday - Happy Hour all Day

Monday - Margherita Mondays - $5 small Margherita pizza, add a pint and it’s $10

Tuesday - $2 Tuesdays - All pints $2 (except seasonal beers) and $2 off all Appetizers

Wednesday - Wing Wednesday - 2 pounds of our special house brined wings in 3 flavors for $8

Thursday & Friday - Live Music and regular Happy Hour

2020 Lunch Special

Every 20th guest who comes in for lunch between 11:00 & 3:00 Monday - Friday gets lunch on M’tucci’s. Who said there’ no such thing as a free lunch??

Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, . $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

Live Music - Thursdays @ 6:00 and Fridays @ 8:00

2/28: GB Duo

March Music

3/5: Oscar Butler

3/6: Hat Trick

3/12: RJ Perez

3/13: Kirk Matthews

3/19: Amy Cliser

3/20: Lea Leyva

3/26: Austin Van

3/27: GB Duo

See you next week. Ciao!

M'tucci's Twenty-Five: Week One

We did it! Remodeled and opened. We love hearing your comments about the renovation, but more importantly hearing about the menu put together by Executive Chef/Founder John Haas, Executive Chef Shawn Cronin, Executive Sous Chef Damian Lucero and Chef de Cuisine Omar Rosas (lest you think those are just fancy titles, take a look through the big dining room/kitchen windows and you’ll see all four of these guys working).

After reading this, please take a look at Twenty-Five’s web page. Here you can click buttons to see the menus and wine list or make a reservation. One entire page of Appetizers, Charcuterie and small plates. Come with a group, because you are going to want to sample everything. I’ve only had one of the Secondi, because I can’t quit ordering the pasta.

As the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are 25,000 words from the first week of M’tucci’s Twenty-Five, from the Celebratory Cocktail evening, to a few nights of practice dinners, to our first few opening days.

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24oz Hand-Cut Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Lemon Balsamic Reduction 

Pan-Seared Seafood - Mahi Mahi, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Asparagus, Lemon Caper Sauce

Ravioli - Pesto Ricotta Ravioli, Roasted Butternut Squash, Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Caramelized Onion, Wild Mushrooms, Lemon Cream Sauce

Braise - Wild Mushroom San Mariano Braised Chianina Beef Ragu, Pappardelle Pasta 

Rotisserie - Herb-Rubbed Smoked Duroc Pork Loin, Creamy Polenta, Grilled Asparagus, Cherry Gastrique

SATURDAY, 2/22 : We have a pretty special event coming up with the non-profit, Babes and Bullies. Don’t miss the chance to help and, please, neuter and spay your pets!

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Herb Roasted 1/2 Chicken - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Cranberry Gastrique. $19

Imagery Pinot Noir 2018 - smooth, soft, and lovely medium-body flavors to the nose plus ripe, juicy fruit, red licorice & cola flavors. $11/$42

Fresh Fish of the Day: Rockfish - Sautéed Arugula, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Artichokes, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce, finished with a Smoked Prosciutto Powder. $21

Tormaresca Chardonnay 2018 - Rich in ripe tropical fruit aromas and flavors. Well-balanced acidity, medium-bodied palate, with a crisp, clean finish. $8/$32

Cut of the Day: 24oz Bone-in Porterhouse Steak - Traditional Italian Salsa Verde, Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, and Grilled Asparagus.  $34

Frescobaldi 'Remole' Super Tuscan 2017 - Fruity aromas, such as blackcurrant, raspberry and black cherry slowly give way to extremely delicate spicy notes. Fresh vivacity. $7/28

Tonight @ 8:00: Kirk Matthews Live

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company

Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30

Daily Specials

Sunday - Happy Hour all Day

Monday - Margherita Mondays - $5 small Margherita pizza, add a pint and it’s $10

Tuesday - $2 Tuesdays - All pints $2 (except seasonal beers) and $2 off all Appetizers

Wednesday - Wing Wednesday - 2 pounds of our special house brined wings in 3 flavors for $8

Thursday & Friday - Live Music and regular Happy Hour

2020 Lunch Special

Every 20th guest who comes in for lunch between 11:00 & 3:00 Monday - Friday gets lunch on M’tucci’s. Who said there’ no such thing as a free lunch??

Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, . $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

Live Music at Lava Rock, we’ll have live music every Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 and Fridays from 8:00 - 10:00.

Live Music - Thursdays @ 6:00 and Fridays @ 8:00

2/21:Lea Leyva

2/27: Alex Maryol

2/28: GB Duo

Some of the live music in March includes: Oscar Butler, RJ Perez, Melissa Rios, Austin Van, Hat Trick, Kirk Matthews, Keith Sanchez and GB Duo. Watch for dates in this space next week.

See you next week. Ciao!

M'tucci's Twenty-Five Opens 2/17

M’tucci’s Founder Jeff Spiegel addresses the servers and bartenders before last night’s cocktail party.

“We are thrilled to bring our unique Italian experience to the east side of the river,” said John Haas, M’tucci’s Restaurants Managing Partner. “We’re confident that when people come to M’tucci’s Twenty-Five, they will enjoy a truly Italian experience not found anywhere else in New Mexico – except the other M’tucci’s.

Many of the new menu items are inspired from the chef team’s recent working tour of Tuscany, Italy. The team utilizes many products fabricated in house including cured meats and cheeses, homemade bread and condiments and custom cocktails from with M’tucci’s handmade shrubs. All menu items are prepared from scratch daily.

We hope you’ll love the dramatic transformation of the former Chama River Brewing, with a large lounge and bar, a custom Charcuterie Bar (anchored by the exquisite Sirman Anniversario Slicer, the gold standard in Italian design), and the comfortable dining room. Handcrafted tables from sustainable hardwoods are used throughout the bar and dining area. Click here to watch a time lapse video of them being milled and finished. Coming this spring/summer there will be additional outdoor seating.

We will open for lunch and dinner beginning Monday, February 17. Click on the button below to see the menu and download it.

Here are a few photos of the new restaurant, from a small gathering of friends and family last night.

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of day - Harris Ranch 12oz Hand-Cut Ribeye, Garlic Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction 

Pan-Seared Seafood - Sea Scallops, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce

Ravioli - Lobster/Crab/Mascarpone Ravioli, Caramelized Onion, Sautéed Pink Shrimp & Lobster Cream Sauce

Braise -Stuffed Duroc Pork Loin, Artichoke, Wild Mushrooms, Shallots, Spinach. Creamy Polenta, Grilled Asparagus, Lemon Cream Sauce

Pastry Chef Michelle Seager and her team have created some new desserts. Come try one and make it your favorite.

There are two more Prix Fixe Wednesdays in February. 3 Courses/3 wines for $25.

Valentine’s Day Specials

House-made Lobster Ravioli - Cold Water Lobster And Crab Served With Wild Pink Shrimp, Bay Scallops, Grape Tomatoes, Basil & a Lobster Cream Sauce. $30 

Pan-Seared Scallops: Served With Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Artichokes, Sautéed Organic Baby Arugula And Topped With Lemon Caper Butter Sauce & Smoked Prosciutto Powder.  $29 

“Cut Of The Day” - Our Harris Ranch 24oz Porterhouse Steak: Is Served With House Made Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus & Our Traditional Italian Salsa Verde. $34 

Harris Ranch Boneless 14oz NY Strip Steak: Is Perfectly Grilled To Way You Love It And Served With Crispy Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini & A Chimichurri Sauce. $26

Ask About Our Valentines Day Wine Features!

Valentine’s Day Cocktails
Lillet Love - Muddled Cucumber And Strawberry, Lillet Blanc, Hendrix Gin, Fresh Lemon Juice, Cane Sugar, Prosecco $9

Chocolate Covered Strawberry - Muddled Strawberry, Absolut Vanilia Vodka, Chocolate Liquor, Simple Syrup, Half And Half $9

M’tucci’s Makers Private Select Old Fashioned – Our House Blend Of Makers Mark, Peychaud Bitters, Sugar, Orange Twist, Brandy Cherry $14

Dessert Special

Brownie Sundae - Crème Brûlée Gelato, Chocolate Caramel Sauce, Caramel Popcorn,Cherry Liquor Whipped Cream, Chocolate Covered Strawberry $8

Happy Valentine’s Day From Your Family At M’tucci’s!

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company

Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30

Daily Specials

Sunday - Happy Hour all Day

Monday - Margherita Mondays - $5 small Margherita pizza, add a pint and it’s $10

Tuesday - $2 Tuesdays - All pints $2 (except seasonal beers) and $2 off all Appetizers

Wednesday - Wing Wednesday - 2 pounds of our special house brined wings in 3 flavors for $8

Thursday & Friday - Live Music and regular Happy Hour

2020 Lunch Special

Every 20th guest who comes in for lunch between 11:00 & 3:00 Monday - Friday gets lunch on M’tucci’s. Who said there’ no such thing as a free lunch??

Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, . $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

Live Music at Lava Rock, we’ll have live music every Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 and Fridays from 8:00 - 10:00.

Live Music - Thursdays @ 6:00 and Fridays @ 8:00

2/14: AdLib

2/20: Cali Shaw

2/21:Lea Leyva

2/27: Alex Maryol

2/28: GB Duo

Some of the live music in March includes: Oscar Butler, RJ Perez, Melissa Rios, Austin Van, Hat Trick, Kirk Matthews, Keith Sanchez and GB Duo. Watch for dates in this space next week.

Shawn Cronin & Ernest Nuñez - M'tucci's Twenty-Five

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five will OPEN FEBRUARY 17! Details, Menu and photos follow.

“I first met Shawn 5 1/2 years ago when he joined us as the Sous Chef for the Market.  While many things have changed since then, one thing that has not changed is his passion and intensity for his craft.  He relentlessly sees obstacles as opportunities.  It can’t be overstated that he brings many things to our partnership and to this team.  It’s going to be an awesome sight for all to see him cut loose.  It’s a collision course destined for success with all the amazing talents that will accompany him at Twenty-Five,” said Executive Chef/Founding Partner John Haas.

Shawn Cronin - Executive Chef/Partner

He was born to a poor sharecropper family in the Mississippi Delta and spent his formative years picking cotton and tap dancing on street corners for spare change. In this poor part of the country, the spare change was rather spare, so he hopped a freight that was slowly rumbling through town and headed West to seek his fortune.

He made the astute decision to leave tap dancing and street performing behind, and since he was hungry he decided to learn how to cook. He had received an offer to apprentice (translation: 60-70 hours a week with no pay) with a Michelin-starred kitchen in France, but was refused entry to the flight bound for Paris because he had neglected to procure a passport.

Soon after that disappointing morning at the ABQ Sunport, he found a job washing dishes at O’Neills, where he received at least one meal a day. Eventually, he ended up in the kitchens of Richard Winters at Farina and at Artichoke Cafe, where he also met and worked with Cory Gray. Together, they went on to open Farina Alta. He worked his way up (blah, blah, blah - they all work their way up - do you think dishwashers become Sous Chefs overnight??) and ended up the Sous Chef at Farm & Table.

Shawn discussing pastrami curing with Sous Chef Justin.

During that time, Cory contacted him about M’tucci’s plan to open a deli and market, where they were going to cure meats, make fresh cheeses, bake artisan breads and make many other food products not found in Albuquerque. Together, Shawn & Cory were the Chef/Partners behind the Market’s success. It’s no exaggeration to say that they created something at the Market that was unique and that it became a beloved place for West Side residents (and some East Siders who were in-the-know).

Some of the above story is true, but what is undeniable is that Chef Shawn knows how to put together an interesting menu that blends traditional and contemporary Italian dishes. He also has an incredible palate. Recently I was present when he blind-tasted five Oatmeal Stouts and using beer competition Stout notes, he correctly identified each one.

You’re going to love what he and his team will do at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five.

(Editor’s Note: If you know Shawn, you know he would rather talk about food than himself and he hates having his photo taken even more than talking about himself. After a couple of weeks of trying to pin him down, I said, “I’ll just make something up.” So, I did. It’s up to you to figure out which is fact or fiction.)

John Haas on Ernest Nuñez: “Much like Shawn, Ernest joined us in one of our most challenging environments, this one being an off-shoot concept of M’tucci’s that was at NHCC.  While our paths eventually went different directions, it was extremely exciting to have him rejoin us in April in preparation for this project.  His combination of corporate and private sector experience, as well as kitchen and front of house, is a proven recipe for success with us.  For those that haven’t formally met him, he’s an infectious and inspiring person.  There is little doubt he will give this team and this restaurant that M’tucci’s warmth and vibe for which we are known.” 

Ernest Nuñez - General Manager

Ernest initially joined the M’tucci’s family in 2015, when we opened M’tucci’s Cocina at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. When we decided to close that venture, he said, “I was a manager without a restaurant, so I reluctantly left M’tucci’s and ended up running the Pueblo Harvest Cafe at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.”

Less than a year ago, his desire to return to M’tucci’s and the planning of M’tucci’s Twenty-Five aligned. Ernest has been a manager at M’tucci’s Moderno while working on the plans and the hiring at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five.

He has more than 20 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry, which began at the former Rio Rancho favorite, Pasta Cafe. He has opened restaurants for Golden Corral in California and has a background in fine dining and catering, working with Corn Maiden and Flying Star in the area.

Interviewing in the new kitchen during the job fair in January.

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Opening February 17 @ 11:00am

4939 Pan American Highway NW, Albuquerque, NM - Former Rio Chama Brewing - South of Jefferson

We’re pretty excited that the day is approaching, and we are working around-the-clock to be ready for our opening day. We will post the menu here soon. So check back often and follow us on social media. There may be a few surprises announced next week before Friday.

Like our Facebook page and Instagram feed for updates and news about our opening week. You can find us on both social media platforms: @mtuccistwentyfive Please Follow us Now!

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24 oz Hand Cut T-Bone, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Lemon Balsamic Reduction 

Pan-Seared Fish - Barramundi, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Asparagus, Lemon Caper Cream Sauce

Ravioli - Norwegian Crab/Mascarpone filled Ravioli, Sautéed Pink Shrimp, Roasted Butternut Squash, Sautéed Asparagus, Caramelized Onion, Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Braised - Harris Ranch Beef Tips, Five Cheese Tortellini, Porcini Cream Sauce, Scallions

Rotisserie - Herb-Rubbed Smoked Roasted Duroc Pork Loin, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Haricot Vert, Cherry Gastrique

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Beef Tortelloni $19 - Five Cheese tortelloni tossed in a rosa sauce with cajun spice, grape tomatoes, and feta cheese topped with scallions.

Imagery Pinot Noir 2018 $11/$42- smooth, soft, and lovely medium-body flavors to the nose plus ripe, juicy fruit, red licorice, cola flavors

Pan-Seared Swordfish $29 - Sautéed arugula, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted artichokes, caper lemon butter sauce, and finished with a smoked prosciutto powder.

Michael David Sauvignon Blanc 2018 $8/$32 - fresh and vivid, light bodied wine exudes grassy citrus aromas followed by grapefruit, good acidity keeps it lively

24oz Bone-in Porterhouse $34 - Traditional Italian salsa verde, crispy saltwater potatoes, and grilled asparagus.  

Monte Antico Toscana 2013 $6/glass only - Red Blend; black cherries and blackberries on the nose and on the palate. A light note of spice, Medium tannins, and a short finish

VALENTINES DAY RESERVATIONS ARE GOING FAST!

One of our bartenders, Isaac, created two special Valentines Day Cocktails. Make your reservation so you can try a Lillet Love (made with the yummy French Aperitif wine) and a Chocolate Covered Strawberry.

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company

Boxing Weigh - In Event today @ 2:30 -Boxer’s Roberto Duran, Jr and David Vargas at Lava Rock.

Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30

Daily Specials

Sunday - Happy Hour all Day

Monday - Margherita Mondays - $5 small Margherita pizza, add a pint and it’s $10

Tuesday - $2 Tuesdays - All pints $2 (except seasonal beers) and $2 off all Appetizers

Wednesday - Wing Wednesday - 2 pounds of our special house brined wings in 3 flavors for $8

Thursday & Friday - Live Music and regular Happy Hour

2020 Lunch Special

Every 20th guest who comes in for lunch between 11:00 & 3:00 Monday - Friday gets lunch on M’tucci’s. Who said there’ no such thing as a free lunch??

Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, . $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

Live Music at Lava Rock, we’ll have live music every Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 and Fridays from 8:00 - 10:00.

Live Music - Thursdays @ 6:00 and Fridays @ 8:00

2/7: Chris Dracup

2/13: Melissa Rios

2/14: AdLib

2/20: Cali Shaw

2/21:Lea Leyva

2/27: Alex Maryol

2/28: GB Duo

See you next week with more M’tucci’s News. Ciao!

M'tucci's Twenty-Five Team Leaders

With the opening of M’tucci’s Twenty-Five only weeks away, we would like to introduce you to a few of the people who are going to make this restaurant the place to eat on the East Side of Albuquerque.

“I am honored to work along side these four exceptional people.  For the two chefs, I‘m fortunate to have more than 17 years of history working with them.  All four of these leaders are not only people that have made M’tucci’s a success, but they’re cut from the kind of fabric that enriches our lives and our guests lives. Many of the stories and obstacles they’ve overcome in their lives are beyond inspiration.  The Partners are thankful for all their efforts and excited to see them take the next step in their careers” , said Executive Chef/Founding Partner John Haas.

Trey Godwin - Assistant Manager

Trey has been a familiar presence behind the bar at M’tucci’s Italian for the past three years. He will be in charge of the bar at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five.

He started working in the restaurant business while he was in his teens, worked for awhile as a bar back, and got a job tending bar at Grand Central Station (not the one in NYC) on his 21st birthday. 

“I worked in sports bars, slinging Jack ’n’ Cokes, pouring beers and learning that there is more to the job than making drinks,” 

When he started with M’tucci’s it was a Tuesday night, probably one of the busiest nights of the week and discovered there was more to the bar than Jack ’n’ Coke.. It was a trial by fire, but he embraced the great cocktail culture and became one of the more creative bartenders in the M’tucci’s family.

He’s said that he is excited about bringing the M’tucci’s culture across the river and hosting the nightly “M’tucci’s Party”.

Jade Santiago - Assistant Manager

Jade has been at M’tucci’s Italian for several years, most recently as an assistant manager.

She moved to Dallas after graduating from high school to get a job in the restaurant industry to “overcome my shyness.”

After returning to Albuquerque, she got a job at the Fat Squirrel, where she was “discovered” by Partner Austin Leard.

“I’ve always said that you can teach every skill in the service industry, except for personality - and it was obvious that Jade had a bright personality,” he said.

After joining the M’tucci’s team, she worked with Ernest Nuñez at M’tucci’s Cocina at the Hispanic Cultural Center, then helped train the servers at M’tucci’s Moderno before it opened. 

“I love organizing and creating new systems and doing that for our largest restaurant will certainly be a challenge, but I’m excited about that challenge,” she said.

Omar Rosas & Damian Lucero

Omar Rosas - Chef de Cuisine

After arriving in Albuquerque from Puebla, Mexico in 2007, Omar started working in Italian restaurants, working his way up the line. His second Italian restaurant job turned out to be a stroke of good luck for M’tucci’s, because he worked under Bravo’s Executive Chef John Haas, now the Executive Chef/Founding Partner at M’tucci’s.

Soon after M’tucci’s Italian opened in 2013, Omar joined the team and became Sous Chef, eventually moving to M’tucci’s Moderno as the Chef de Cuisine where he has been in charge of the kitchen for the past three years.

The late Anthony Bourdain said that the great chefs come from Puebla, Mexico. We wouldn’t argue with that claim.

Damian Lucero - Executive Sous Chef

An Albuquerque native, Damian Lucero has been the Sous Chef at M’tucci’s Italian for several years, starting as the pizza cook.

He has been involved in the restaurant business since he was in high school, helping out in family-owned spots. While he was in the hospitality program at CNM, he was the owner/chef of Food Quest Catering for a few years before joining M’tucci’s Italian two weeks before we opened.

One of four M’tucci’s chefs who traveled to Italy last summer, he is bringing a few of his favorite meals from that trip to M’tucci’s Twenty-Five.

A lot of companies use the buzzwords “team” and “family” to describe their employees. During the past year working with M’tucci’s, I’ve learned that those words are not cliches. While talking with me, Executive Sous Chef Damian Lucero, summed it up much better than I ever could.

“I knew in the interview, that I had found something that was going to be unique. I found a restaurant that would challenge me. Trust me "challenged" is putting it lightly. I found a place I could grow, learn and develop myself as a cook. John Haas has an unwavering belief in food. That belief is infectious, and it reaches the cooks, the service staff and in turn reaches the community.

M’tucci’s changed my life and  more importantly changed my daughter's life forever. If you randomly asked, you would discover that my story is the same as so many others working with M'tucci's. Now that I’m a chef, I look at this massive force of a brand that I’m helping to build. It’s those early days of hard work, dedication and belief, that I key in on, and pass down to every cook that I come across. M'tucci's is the culture that I grew up in, and it’s that culture that is the driving force behind its success. CNM's culinary program gave me a great foundation. M'tucci's has given me knowledge, skills and opportunity. Through hard work and dedication, these two institution's have made me the chef I am today.”

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Opening in Mid-February

4939 Pan American Highway NW, Albuquerque, NM - Next to Tomasita’s - South of Jefferson

There are only a few openings for skilled and motivated servers and bartenders. You can apply for a position at any of our locations online by clicking here or by going to the “Join Our Team” page on this website.

Next week we will introduce our leaders. We plan to share our new menu with you during the first week of February and we will announce an opening date at that time.

Watch this space and our Facebook page and Instagram feed for updates and news about our opening week. You can find us on both social media platforms: @mtuccistwentyfive Please Follow us Now!

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company

Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30

Daily Specials

Sunday - Happy Hour all Day - SUPER BOWL SUNDAY, TOO!!

Monday - Margherita Mondays - $5 small Margherita pizza, add a pint and it’s $10

Tuesday - $2 Tuesdays - All pints $2 (except seasonal beers) and $2 off all Appetizers

Wednesday - Wing Wednesday - 2 pounds of our special house brined wings in 3 flavors for $8

Thursday & Friday - Live Music and regular Happy Hour

2020 Lunch Special

Every 20th guest who comes in for lunch between 11:00 & 3:00 Monday - Friday gets lunch on M’tucci’s. Who said there’ no such thing as a free lunch??

Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, . $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

Live Music at Lava Rock, we’ll have live music every Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 and Fridays from 8:00 - 10:00.

Live Music - Thursdays @ 6:00 and Fridays @ 8:00

1/31 - Mario DeHuerta

February

2/6: Marco Topo as Scott Jarrett Duo

2/7: Chris Dracup

2/13: Melissa Rios

2/14: AdLib

2/20: Cali Shaw

2/21:Lea Leyva

2/27: Alex Maryol

2/28: GB Duo

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction 

Pan-Seared Fish - Swordfish, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce

Ravioli - Braised Short Rib/Ricotta Ravioli, Sautéed Artichoke, Haricot Vert, Shallots, Spinach Lemon Cream Sauce 

Braised - Braised Beef Short Ribs, Sautéed Mushrooms, Shallots, Garlic & Spicy Red Wine San Marzano Tomato Sauce 

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Spaghettini and Goat Cheese Pasta

A wonderful chili pepper goat cheese sauce with sweet and spicy peppers, shrimp and hazel nuts.

Pan-Seared fish of the Day: Mahi Mahi

Mahi Mahi has a semi-firm texture with a mild flavor that is almost sweet.  The fish is pan-seared and served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, roasted artichokes, sautéed organic arugula and topped with a bright lemon caper butter sauce and smoked prosciutto powder

Cut of the Day:  NY Strip
Hand-cut in-house, grilled to perfection and served with crispy saltwater potatoes, grilled asparagus and our Traditional Italian Salsa Verde.

Ask about our wonderful wine pairings! 

VALENTINES DAY RESERVATIONS ARE GOING FAST!

One of our bartenders, Isaac, created two special Valentines Day Cocktails. Make your reservation so you can try a Lillet Love (made with the yummy French Aperitif wine) and a Chocolate Covered Strawberry.

Live Music

Thursdays @ 7:00

2/6: Shane Wallin

2/13: RJ Perez

2/20: Shane Wallin

2/27: Alex Maryol

Fridays @ 8:00

2/7: Cali Shaw

2/14: Kirk Matthews

2/21: Kirk Matthews

2/28: Lani Nash

Ciao! See you next Friday

Vermouth

“Vermouth is vastly under appreciated, in my opinion.  For without Vermouth, there is no Manhattan or Boulevardier.  Without a Manhattan or Boulevardier, there is an emptiness in the soul. “ says M’tucci’s Founding Partner John Haas.

Like Amari, vermouth was first used as a medicinal drink, and can be traced back more than 3,000 years to China and India. The beverage is made by adding herbs, botanicals and dried fruit to a relatively neutral white wine. After aging, sugar and neutral spirits are added for flavoring and to raise the alcohol level, which is usually less than 20%. So, vermouth is both an aromatized and fortified wine. While vermouth is made in several countries, the most popular come from France (white and dry) and Italy (red and sweet). Some of the flavorings include chamomile, gentian and wormwood. In Italy, the most common grape in vermouth is trebbiano. The word vermouth comes from the French pronunciation of the German word for wormwood, Wermut.

An Italian merchant, Antonio Benedetto Carpano, is credited for creating the first modern vermouth in Turin, Italy in 1786. The flavor profile that he created still exists today in Italian sweet vermouth: bitter, dark red, with vanilla and sweet cherry flavors. Today’s Carpano Antica sweet vermouth is THE sweet vermouth used for a Manhattan, Boulevardier, Negroni and many more cocktails. Of course, it’s the sweet vermouth used at all M’tucci’s restaurants. Its big flavor can stand up to rye in a Manhattan or bourbon in a Boulevardier. I also love it in a La Rosita (reposado tequila, Carpano Antica, Dolin Dry Vermouth, Campari & a dash of bitters) and a Negroni Sbagliato (Carpano Antica, Campari & prosecco).

French sweet vermouth, like Noilly Prat or Dolin tend to have a lighter flavor and are suited for cocktails other than those with rye whiskey.

White or blanc vermouth was formulated in Chambéry, France at the foot of the Alps, then adapted by the Italians. Blanc or bianco vermouths are similar is sweetness to reds, but are less spicy and more herbal. We use Italian bianco vermouth for our martinis, but we also have Cinzano Dry. Dry vermouths are lighter and less bitter than bianco vermouth.

Death & Co. (a popular cocktail bar in Manhattan, Denver and Los Angeles) cocktail books suggest making a martini by mixing the gin and Dolin Dry vermouth half and half, with a dash of orange bitters and a lemon twist. Try that “I’ll have a very dry martini” fans!

The sweetness in vermouth compliments the high alcohol spirits such as gin or whiskey and it is vital for bringing balance to martinis and manhattans. Speaking of balance in martinis and manhattans, technique is very important in making a balanced drink, instead of one that smacks you in the face with hot alcohol flavors. Next time you are at the bar, watch our bartenders when they stir one of these drinks before serving. Count the seconds that they stir. We would NEVER simply pour gin and vermouth into a glass of ice and serve it.

There are a few other aromatized and fortified wines that taste similar to vermouth, but are different because they rely on just a few ingredients for flavoring. Not surprisingly, one is French and the other is Italian. Lillet Blanc is a very nice aperitif wine, only slightly bitter with sweet, floral aromas. Try some on the rocks with a wedge of orange. Italy’s Cocchi Americano Bianco also has a mildly bitter, orange flavor. Try either as a substitute for Dry or Bianco Vermouth in a cocktail.

Since vermouth is wine-based, buy small bottles and refrigerate them after opening.

Regardless of how you like your vermouth, don’t hesitate to try one on the rocks alone, with a splash of seltzer and maybe a lemon twist or orange twist. Either is the perfect aperitivo to stimulate your taste buds for dinner.

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Opening in Mid-February

4949 Pan American Highway NW, Albuquerque, NM - Next to Tomasita’s - South of Jefferson

We are looking for a few skilled and motivated servers, kitchen staff and bartenders. You can apply for a position at any of our locations online by clicking here or by going to the “Join Our Team” page on this website.

Next week we will introduce the management and kitchen team followed by photos of the interior. We plan to share our new menu with you during the first week of February and we will announce an opening date within the next week or two.

Watch this space and our Facebook page and Instagram feed for updates and news about our opening week. You can find us on both social media platforms: @mtuccistwentyfive Please Follow us Now!

Working on the new menu: Chefs John, Omar, Damian, Shawn and Alfredo.

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company

Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30

Daily Specials Begin Sunday!! Check them out!!

Sunday - Happy Hour all Day - SUPER BOWL SUNDAY, TOO!!

Monday - Margherita Mondays - $5 small pizza, add a pint and it’s $10

Tuesday - $2 Tuesdays - All pints $2 (except seasonals) and $2 off all Appetizers

Wednesday - Wing Wednesday - 2 pounds of our special house brined wings in 3 flavors for $8

Thursday & Friday - Live Music and regular Happy Hour

2020 Lunch Special

Every 20th guest who comes in for lunch between 11:00 & 3:00 Monday - Friday gets lunch on M’tucci’s. Who said there’ no such thing as a free lunch??

Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, . $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

Live Music at Lava Rock, we’ll have live music every Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 and Fridays from 8:00 - 10:00.

January Live Music - Thursdays @ 6:00 and Fridays @ 8:00

1/24 - Cali Shaw

1/30 - Oscar Butler & 1/31 - Mario DeHuerta

Ram and Steve filling the M’tucci’s bourbon barrel with Seismic Stout and a “secret ingredient”.

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction 

Pan-Seared Fish - Hawaiian Ono, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce

Ravioli - New Mexico Red Chile/Three Cheese Ravioli, Caramelized Onion, Roasted Butternut Squash, Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Braised - Braised Beef Short Ribs, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Braising Sauce

Blood Drive 1/25 Saturday @ 10:30am

We are joining with Weichert Realty, New Mexico United and several local sponsors to host this very important event.

“Join us and save lives! Our goal is to get at least 50 blood donors! Text "Blood" to 505-365-6721 or visit http://wriabq.events/ to reserve an appointment to donate!

FIRST 100 DONORS GET A FREE NM UNITED "BLEED BLACK AND YELLOW" T-SHIRT!

FIRST 35 DONORS WILL GET A GIFT CARD TO THE PALETA BAR OR SPRING ROLLIN!

Special "Blood Themed" drink and food menu inside M'tucci's!

If there aren't any available time slots available on the website, don't worry! We will have some extra slots for walk-ins, just show up!

If you don't feel comfortable donating blood, we will also have an alternative food drive for canned goods!

We will be just outside of M'tucci's Italian on Coors and Montano from 10:30AM to 2:30PM on Saturday January 25th.

See you there!”

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

M'tucci's Pork Piccata

served with spaghettini pasta, tomatoes, capers, sautéed arugula and a lemon butter sauce. 

Pan-Seared Fish: Yellowtail
Yellowtail has a buttery texture and bold flavor. Served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, roasted artichokes, sautéed organic arugula, topped with a bright lemon caper butter sauce and smoked prosciutto powder

Cut of the Day:  T-Bone
Hand cut in house and grilled to perfection. Served with crispy saltwater potatoes, grilled asparagus and our traditional Italian Salsa Verde

Ask about our wonderful wine pairings!

Live Music

Tonight 8:00: Melissa Rios

1/30 @ 7:00: Amy Cliser

Ciao! See you next week. 

Birra di Italia

Like most people, when I’m considering a beverage to have with Italian food I’m thinking about wine. However, beer has a long and illustrious history in Italy. Beer can be traced back to 7th Century BC in Sicily. The world’s first medical school, which was in Salerno in Southern Italy, proclaimed that beer “supports old age, flows through the veins, increases well-being and strengthens the blood”. 

Beer played a part in the Battle of Actium in 31 BC when Emperor Augustus defeated the Egyptian navy of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Cleopatra financed the building of her navy by taxing beer - most likely the first-ever beer tax!

While serving as Governor in Britannia, Emperor Agricola became very fond of beer. He returned to Italy in 83 AD with three master brewers from what is now Gloucester, England. There is no report on whether they came willingly.

This excerpt is from the Craft Beer & Brewing dictionary: 

“In 179, during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the Romans built a full-scale brewery for 6,000 elite legionnaires at Castra Regina (present-day Regensburg) on the banks of the Danube. This brewery was excavated between 1974 and 1980 and is now considered the oldest preserved brewery site where beer was made not from baked bread, as was common for tribal brews at the time, but from mashed grain.  The spread of beer making in the Roman Empire is further documented in the writings of Saint Benedict of Nursia (480–547 AD), the founder of the order of Benedictine monks, who were to become the most prominent brew monks of the Middle Ages. When Benedict stayed, between 529 and 543, at the Abbey of Monte Cassino in Latium, in central Italy, he composed a set of rules that have served as the model for monastic daily conduct to this day. In it, beer assumed a crucial role, because Benedict considered hard manual labor, at least 5 hours a day, in the fields, the bakery, and the brewery the only road to salvation. To Benedict, food was intended to be simple, and beer was primarily a necessary source of nourishment, not an indulgence. He understood that beer—if made strong enough and from the best grains—was not only thirst quenching but veritable “liquid bread.” Thus, Benedict entitled every monk to a substantial amount of daily beer, which, in modern measure, added up to about 1 keg of beer per monk per week! But Benedict also insisted that beer be respected. He forbade drunkenness; any monk who spilled beer was punished by having to stand upright and perfectly still for an entire night.”

Today, one of the top craft brewers in Italy is Baladin, which has been popular since it opened its first brew pub in the Langhe part of the Piedmont in 1996. Inspired by the brewers in Belgium and Germany, Baladin started experimenting with local heritage grains and wild yeasts. Today they have pubs in Turin, Rome and sell their beer in the U.S. at Eataly.

While in New Mexico we see a lot of experimentation with barrel aging and using odd ingredients, sometimes Italians take it a bit too far. One Italian beer journalist mentioned tomato ales, ales with fresh basil (so they taste like pesto), and even beers made with local truffles (pronounced “awful”).

It’s highly unlikely that any Burqueño brewers follow in the footsteps of Birra del Borgo. This Roman brewery produces Perle ai Porci, a seasonal Oyster Stout. Yes, you read that right. They add boiled English oysters to their mash. Probably not coming to a M’tucci’s near you soon! (Editor’s Note: After publication, I was told that Bosque Brewing brewed an Oyster Stout a few years ago and that it wasn’t bad. Learn something every day!)

You can find the popular lagers like Moretti, Peroni and Nastro Azzurro at local retail outlets and you might even find a bottle of Tre Fontane Birra Trappist Italiana Tripel from the only Italian Trappist brewery, which is located in Rome.

At M’tucci’s you’ll find Peroni and the newly released Birra M’tucci’s, brewed by our partners at Lava Rock Brewing Company. Both Steve Siciliano and Ram Kahlsa are from Italian families and they wanted to create an Italian lager that is perfect with pizza. 

“It’s a crisp and clean international style based on the Italian tradition of using pilsner malts and maize, with Perle and Saphir hops,” said brewer Steve Siciliano.

In addition to the new Birra M’tucci’s, Lava Rock also features 10 lagers and ales on tap, some are regulars and some are seasonal brews. My current favorites are Ash Cloud Hazy IPA and the Pinche Pilz, a classic German-style pilsner.

Pinche Pilz, a German-style Pilsner

Although we probably think of wine when it comes to Italian food, beer surpassed wine in per capita consumption in Italy in 2010. Italians prefer beer with pizza. Enjoy one with a pizza at M’tucci’s @Lava Rock, M’tucci’s Italian or M’tucci’s Moderno.

Watch this space for NFL Playoff and Super Bowl specials. 

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Opening in Mid-February

4949 Pan American Highway NW, Albuquerque, NM - Next to Tomasita’s - South of Jefferson

We are looking for a few skilled and motivated servers, kitchen staff and bartenders. You can apply for a position at any of our locations online by clicking here or by going to the “Join Our Team” page on this website.

In the next few weeks we will introduce the management and kitchen team. We plan on sharing our new menu with you during the first week of February.

Watch this space and our Facebook page and Instagram feed for updates and news about our opening week. You can find us on both social media platforms: @mtuccistwentyfive Please Follow us Now!

The new bar area.

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company

You are going to love the new eggplant parmesan sandwich. Pair it with the new Birra M’tucci’s, an Italian lager. A refreshing new beer, made in the international pilsner style with Perle and Saphir hops.

Another beer in the works is a Stout, which will be aged in the bourbon barrel in which the M’tucci’s Maker’s Mark Private Select was aged.

Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30

Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, . $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

HAPPY HOUR ALL DAY SUNDAY FOR NFL PLAYOFFS

Live Music at Lava Rock, we’ll have live music every Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 and Fridays from 8:00 - 10:00.

January Live Music - Thursdays @ 6:00 and Fridays @ 8:00

1/17 - Kyle Martin

1/23 - Melissa Rios & 1/24 - Cali Shaw

1/30 - Oscar Butler & 1/31 - Mario DeHuerta

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction 

Pan-Seared Fish - Hawaiian Opah, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce 

Ravioli - Chianina Beef/Goat Cheese Ravioli, Braised Greens, Sautéed Shallots, Roasted Red Pepper, Rosemary Cream Sauce

Braised - Braised Chianina Beef, Mushrooms, San Marzano Tomato Ragu, Fresh Pappardelle Pasta Gremolata 

Some of our products from the Market are now available as you enter Italian. Olives, meat, cheese, jams, mostarda and fresh pasta.

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Sous Vide Duck Breast and Mascarpone Polenta

Topped with sautéed Broccolini and a red chimichurri 

Pairing - Blind Taste, Pinot Noir: Medium body, tastes of red fruits, slight oak notes and spice undertones with an mellow finish 
  

Pan-Seared fish of the Day: Rockfish 

Rockfish has a medium firm texture and sweet nutty flavor.  Pan-seared and served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, roasted artichokes, sautéed organic arugula and topped with a bright lemon caper butter sauce and smoked prosciutto powder

Pairing - Ruffino, Sparkling Rose, Italy  Crisp bubbly texture with notes of strawberry and hints of rose petals.

Cut of the Day: Black Angus NY Strip 
Hand-cut in house, grilled to perfection and served with crispy saltwater potatoes, grilled asparagus and our Traditional Italian Salsa Verde 

Pairing - Conundrum, Red Blend, California: Rich and complex but approachable, flavors of cherries and baking chocolate with refined tannins to finish

Live Music

Tonight 8:00: Leah Leyva

1/23: Kirk Matthews

1/24: Melissa Rios

Ciao! See you next week.

Amaro - An Italian Tradition

To most of us familiar with Italian cuisine, an Italian meal is not complete without pasta, wine and an espresso to finish. An Italian might suggest that you’ve omitted an important part of the meal - an Amaro. A little more than a year ago, my knowledge of these wonderful bitter-sweet beverages didn’t go beyond Campari (which I drank with club soda and lemon) and Jagermeister (which I hated). After a year with the M’tucci’s family, I have discovered that there is one thing universally loved by management, the chefs and the bartender’s - and that is Amari (plural of Amaro, which means bitter in Italian). Now I love them, too!

Chef/Partner Shawn Cronin brought back four bottles from Italy last summer and says amaro might be one of his favorite beverages. He said if you can find Amaro Nardini - buy it!

The lineup of Amari at M’tucci’s Moderno.

Amanda Romero, the manager at M’tucci’s Moderno, says they are much more than just an aid to digestion.

“I love that each Amaro has different flavors and layers, mixing between bitter, herbal & nutty. Although I have my favorite brands, I will always order an Amaro that I've never tried to see what flavor combinations it has to offer. All Amaro are different which means you can order one no matter your mood! There are sweeter Amaro, extra bitter Amaro, earthy Amaro, the list is endless. My favorite Amaro has remained Cynar,” she said.

David Duran at M’tucci’s Italian created the Pirate’s Cruise, which is based on Cynar, adding Pyrat XO Rum, Frangelico, fresh orange and lime juice, and a bit of cane syrup.

Trey Godwin, manager and bartender at M’tucci’s Italian created a signature coffee drink, the Italian Iced Coffee, using two amari, Campari and Bigalett China China. It’s not just for breakfast!

Spend some time at our bars, or at any bar that cares about the craft of cocktails, and you’ll notice the increasing number of amari on the shelf. There is an Amaro list at Moderno and you can expect to see one at the new M’tucci’s Twenty-Five.

A centuries-old beverage, amari began as healing tonics or elixirs used for medicinal purposes. While there are an astounding number of styles and makers of amaro, nearly all of them begin with a neutral spirit or wine that is macerated with bitter barks, seeds, spices, flowers, vegetables, herbs and citrus peels, then balanced with sugar. Some of the bittering agents include gentian root, angelica root, wormwood and cinchona bark. You might find anise, cardoon, clove, rhubarb, cardamom, licorice and juniper among the herbal profiles. Some amari are barrel-aged for complexity. The recipes are all closely guarded secrets.

The flavor profiles of amari are definitely local. Amari made in the North rely more on the herbs and flowers available in the mountains, while Southern amari might use more citrus peels.

Humans are born with an aversion to bitter flavors and many of us (Americans) have more interest in the flavors: sweet, sour and salty - even umami. So, a little palate education is necessary to appreciate bitter flavors, and we are acquiring that appreciation by drinking IPAs, cocktails with tonic water, and even coffee and tea. Italians embrace bitter foods early in their lives (greens, chocolate, espresso) and consequently have a long history with bitter flavors and especially with amari.

To an Italian a liqueur is an amari if it is consumed after dinner, which would leave Aperol, Campari and many vermouths off of the list. Is a vermouth an amaro? Technically it’s not, but you would have to consider them bitter cousins, vermouth is usually the lower alcohol cousin. Vermouths are a subject for their own future blog post.

For cocktail history and recipes, I refer a lot to the book, “Death & Co. Modern Classic Cocktails” by David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald and Alex Day. Death & Co. is a popular cocktail bar which first opened in Manhattan (NY) and now has locations in Denver and LA. They list a few popular amari and their flavor profiles:

APERITIVO AMARO

Meletti 1870 Bitter: Balance of sweet and spice with mild bitterness.

Aperol: less bitter and more sweet than Campari, probably the most popular in the US

Campari: is versatile as a sipper or a mixer. You couldn’t have a Negroni without Campari, which has a higher alcohol content and a stronger flavor profile than Aperol.

DIGESTIVO AMARO

Amaro Averna: Described as tasting like Coca-Cola.

Amaro Meletti: Produced in Ascoli Piceno since 1870, it has a distinctive nose of violets with flavors of saffron and anise.

Amaro Nardini: has a menthol flavor similar to Fernet-Branca, but isn’t as bitter

Amaro Nonino Quintessentia: Subtle and approachable, the grappa based amaro is flavored with alpine herbs and is my favorite - so far.

Cynar: thought there is an artichoke on the bottle, it really doesn’t taste like artichokes, but has a flavor profile that transitions from sweet to sharp and citrusy with some vegetal notes.

Fernet-Branca: “This is amaro on crack with an aggressive medicinal, mentholated flavor profile.” Comment from the Death & Co. cocktail book.

Try this recipe, a riff on an Old-Fashioned, from Death & Co.’s book “Cocktail Codex”. It uses two amari, so you don’t need to use bitters or sugar.

1.5 oz. Amaro Nonino

3/4 oz. Germain Robin Brandy

1/4 oz. Amaro Meletti

6 drops of a salt solution

Stir ingredients over ice, strain into an Old-Fashioned glass over 1 large cube. Express an orange twist over the glass, gently rub it on the rim and place it into the drink.

The interesting, but also frustrating thing about amaro is that there are no regulations or rules about what constitutes an amaro. So, in order to discover what you like, you’ll have to experiment with different labels. Or come see us, we have a growing collection and we’re always happy to steer you in the right direction.

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

M’TUCCI’S TWENTY-FIVE JOB FAIR + ONLINE APPLICATIONS

4949 Pan American Highway NW, Albuquerque, NM - Next to Tomasita’s - South of Jefferson

THIS WEEKEND

Saturday, January 11 from 10:00am - 4:00pm * Sunday, January 12 from Noon - 5:00pm

We are looking for 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.

It’s Penne Bolognese, but a new look for a new restaurant!

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company

You are going to love the new eggplant parmesan sandwich. Pair it with the new Birra M’tucci’s, an Italian lager. A refreshing new beer, made in the international pilsner style with Perle and Saphir hops.

Another beer 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.

Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30

Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, . $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

Saturday - Monday Football Special. Growler/Pizza Deal! Free growler bottle when you pay for the beer, plus $7 Margherita & Pepperoni Pizzas TO GO ONLY!⁠

$5 basket of Wings all day for the NFL Playoffs Saturday and Sunday

Live Music at Lava Rock, we’ll have live music every Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 and Fridays from 8:00 - 10:00.

January Live Music - Thursdays @ 6:00 and Fridays @ 8:00

1/10 - David Vigil

1/16 - Stanlie Kee & 1/17 - Kyle Martin

1/23 - Melissa Rios & 1/24 - Cali Shaw

1/30 - Oscar Butler & 1/31 - Mario DeHuerta

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction 

Pan-Seared Fish - Mahi Mahi, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce 

Braised - Slow-Roasted Fennel/Orange Duck, Sautéed Asparagus, Caramelized Onion, Kale, Fennel Cream Sauce, Pappardelle Pasta

Ravioli - Lamb & Goat Cheese Ravioli, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Shallots, Wild Mushroom Rosemary Cream Sauce

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Fried Chicken and Risotto 

Carnaroli risotto, wild mushrooms, carrots, celery tossed with wild mushroom soup and topped with Italian fried chicken.

Pairing -Tormaresca, Chardonnay, Abruzzo,  Italy Scents of pineapple and peach, floral notes of daisy and jasmine with a balanced acidity and fruity aftertaste.  

 
Pan-Seared Swordfish

It has a medium firm texture with a sweet nutty flavor.  Pan-seared and served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed organic arugula and grilled artichokes.  Topped with a lemon caper butter sauce and smoked prosciutto powder.    

Pairing - Ruffino, Sparkling Rose, Italy Crisp bubbly texture with notes of strawberry and hints of rose petals.

Cut of the Day is a Chianina Flat Iron Steak

Chianina is a breed of cattle only raised in a few areas of Italy, prized for its marbling and flavor.  Grilled to perfection and served with our crispy saltwater potatoes, grilled asparagus and a traditional Italian Salsa Verde. 

Pairing - Tercos Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, Aromas of blackberries and black cherry, great volume and depth with a long finish of soft tannins

Live Music

Tonight 8:00: Cali Shaw

1/16: RJ Perez

1/17: Leah Leyva

M'tucci's Profiles - Michael Lewis

After several months of sharing M’tucci’s news and offering my insights into Italian food, culture and travel, the partners at M’tucci’s thought I should properly introduce myself. So here, in abbreviated form, is my long, strange restaurant and photography trip (45 years in less than 1,000 words).

While I have worked as a server, bartender, line cook, prep cook, and baker, I’ve also worked as a commercial and editorial photographer. For the past 30 years, I’ve shot assignments for TIME, Newsweek, Smithsonian, Harley-Davidson and National Geographic. My work has taken me to all 50 states, every Canadian Province and 49 other countries, including multiple trips to Italy.

It all began with me fleeing the cold winters of Missouri for the sunny skies of Central Florida where I worked for a small chain of restaurants that specialized in steaks and salad bars. I was in the management training program; learning to serve, to tend bar, and to do the daily butchering necessary for that night’s service. The most interesting part was being behind the bar in the 70s, when business men still came in for martini lunches and lingered in a dark bar with no windows.

As the company was preparing to open their fourth location in Gainesville, I was selected to open and run the seafood bar, and spent several weeks driving the coastal areas of Florida searching for the best sources for shrimp, crab and oysters. The management team had already located to Gainesville when we got the bad news that the construction was running late and the opening was delayed two months. Several of us were watching a John Denver Rocky Mountain High special on television one night and two days later we were driving to Colorado. 

American Basin - Colorado

My first trip out West, camping around Aspen and near Tierra Amarilla, NM, was the beginning of my love for the West. I moved to Aspen a month later, got a job tending bar in a Chinese restaurant (lots of Mai Tais and Fogcutters) and doing prep work by day (minced garlic, julienned ginger and deboned whole chickens with a cleaver - there were no knives in the kitchen). During my four years in Aspen I worked as a waiter, a breakfast cook, in catering and as a baker. I also developed a passion for photography while trying to capture the beauty of the Roaring Fork Valley.

Seeing myself at the crossroads, I chose journalism school over culinary school and returned to Florida. I finished college in Miami during the Marielito Cuban Boat lift, the Liberty City riots, and the Haitian diaspora. Working as a photographer at newspapers in Georgia, then at television stations in Florida and Ohio, I finally came to my senses and returned to Colorado and began working as a freelance photographer.

Travel and travel photography became my specialty and, based from Denver, I photographed four travel books for National Geographic, two in the U.S. and two in Canada. As I was wrapping up the Eastern Canada book for the NG America’s Outdoors series, I got the assignment to photograph a book that would be the companion to an 8-hour NGS/PBS series on Africa. During the next two years I made six trips to the continent shooting stories (often with a British film crew) in eight different regions.

We were telling stories of everyday Africans and didn’t touch on politics, war or famine, so I really wasn’t in danger, except for the time when the crew and I boarded a small Russian jet in Agadez, Niger, with a Russian crew who had spent the last hour in the small airport bar drinking shots of vodka. Worst flight ever! 

I was living the photographer’s dream: trekking with a Tuareg camel caravan to trade salt in Niger, experiencing the Epiphany observances in Ethiopia, traveling up the Niger River in Mali and living among fisherman on Lake Victoria in Uganda. 

To promote the book and television series, a week of programs were scheduled at NGS headquarters in Washington, DC. A couple of the subjects from the book and film were flown from Africa to appear on “Oprah” with the series’ executive producer. Unfortunately, the date was 9/11/2001, my flight from Denver to D.C. was forced to land in Kansas City, the entire week of “Africa” was cancelled and nobody in the U.S. cared about a book or television series on Africa.

I continued to shoot photo assignments for magazines and corporate clients. Also, I was the part owner of a small restaurant in Colorado, where I was drafted into running the kitchen at night during the busy summer season. Creede is where I met a wonderful woman, who had just finished the photography program at Brooks Institute. After a 3-month trip through South America shooting stories and travel photos for NGS and a few NGOs, Jennifer and I moved to Mexico, got married on the beach and started a photo business. 

Jennifer and I taking the leap!

We moved to the island of Cozumel, thinking we would get work shooting advertising photos for resorts. However, destination weddings were becoming a big business in the area and we spent the next eight years photographing beach weddings and underwater trash-the-dress sessions.

For a variety of reasons, we decided to return to the U.S., gave up our Mexico resident visas, and moved to Albuquerque. 

As it turned out, I found the perfect home for my skills and my interests with M’tucci’s. I am as proud to be associated with M’tucci’s as I am to have been a National Geographic photographer. Both have an unwavering commitment to quality and both consist of people with a passion for doing the best work possible.

In the coming weeks, you’ll meet some of those people who are responsible for M’tucci’s Twenty-Five, which will open in February.

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

M’TUCCI’S TWENTY-FIVE JOB FAIR + ONLINE APPLICATIONS

4949 Pan American Highway NW, Albuquerque, NM - Next to Tomasita’s - South of Jefferson

Saturday, January 11 from 10:00am - 4:00pm * Sunday, January 12 from Noon - 5:00pm

We are looking for 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.

Artist’s rendering of the bar and lounge at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company

You are going to love the new eggplant parmesan sandwich. Pair it with the new Birra M’tucci’s, an Italian lager. A refreshing new beer, made in the international pilsner style with Perle and Saphir hops.

Another beer 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.

Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30

Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, . $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

$5 basket of Wings all day for the NFL Playoffs Saturday and Sunday

Live Music at Lava Rock, we’ll have live music every Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 and Fridays from 8:00 - 10:00.

January Live Music - Thursdays @ 6:00 and Fridays @ 8:00

1/3 - BuddhaFunk

1/9 - Kirk Mathews & 1/10 - David Vigil

1/16 - Stanlie Kee & 1/17 - Kyle Martin

1/23 - Melissa Rios & 1/24 - Cali Shaw

1/30 - Oscar Butler & 1/31 - Mario DeHuerta

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction 

Pan Seared Swordfish - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Caper Lemon Sauce 

Ravioli - Pesto Ricotta Ravioli, Iberico Chorizo, Artichoke, Shallot, Spinach, Light Lemon Cream Sauce 

Braised - Rosemary/Milk Braised Lamb Shank, Creamy Polenta, Grilled Asparagus, Braising Sauce

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

House made Lobster Ravioli - Cold Water Lobster and Crab served with Wild Pink Shrimp, Bay Scallops, Grape Tomatoes, Basil & a lobster cream sauce. 

Pan-Seared Scallops - served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, roasted artichokes, sautéed organic baby arugula and topped with lemon caper butter sauce and smoked prosciutto powder. 

 Our Chianina Flat Iron Cut of the Day - is perfectly grilled the way you love it and served with house made crispy saltwater potatoes, grilled asparagus and our traditional Italian Salsa Verde. 

 Harris Ranch Boneless 14oz Ribeye Steak - served with Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini & a Truffle Artichoke Puree.

Live Music

Tonight 8:00: Melissa Rios

January 9 @ 7:00: Stanlie Kee

January 3 @ 8:00: Cali Shaw

See you next week. Ciao!

Buon Anno (Happy New Year)

As the year comes to an end, we thought we should take a look at some of the best of La Gazzeta in the past year and to talk about some Italian New Year’s Eve traditions.

Wearing red underwear is a thing, especially for couples hoping to conceive, since red is the color of fertility in Italy. Don’t worry, we won’t be conducting panty inspections at the door. Let’s call it a private tradition.

Dinner throughout the country is also loaded with tradition, with pig’s trotters (feet) or a sausage containing pig’s trotters, and a side dish of lentils being the most popular dish. The high fat content is supposed to symbolize abundance. 

You will not find pig’s trotters among our NYE specials at M’tucci’s Italian or M’tucci’s Moderno. We’re going with Duroc Pork Loin, Sea Scallops, Lobster Ravioli and Grilled Chianina Flat Iron Steaks. All of the details are listed below for each restaurant.

Dried fruit and grapes (also traditionally eaten before the stroke of midnight in Mexico) are served at the end of the meal. The grapes symbolize the will power it took to save your grapes from the fall harvest. Enjoying them will mean wisdom, wealth and frugality in the coming year. 

Another Italian tradition that you are welcome to perform is “out with the old”, which finds southern Italians tossing old pots, pans and clothes from their windows. That won’t be very dramatic if you don’t live on the 3rd floor of an apartment building.

However you choose to celebrate New Year’s Eve and the first day of 2020, we want to thank you for all of your support in 2019 and promise to bring new and interesting Italian food to you in the coming year.

We will definitely bring a new restaurant to you in February 2020, M’tucci’s Twenty-Five at I-25 & Jefferson!

Artist rendering of the bar and patio at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five opening in February 2020.

La Gazzeta di M’tucci’s - the best of 2019

June 21 - Report from the chef’s travels in Italy https://www.mtuccis.com/lagazzeta/2019/6/21/mtuccis-in-tuscany

June 28 - Part 2 of the trip to Italy: https://www.mtuccis.com/lagazzeta/2019/6/28/mtuccis-in-italy-part-2

August 9: Pizza - https://www.mtuccis.com/lagazzeta/2019/8/9/mtuccis-pizza

May 9: Ravioli - https://www.mtuccis.com/lagazzeta/2019/5/8/ravioli-queen-of-stuffed-pasta

We hope you have enjoyed our weekly journeys through Italy with M’tucci’s. 

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NEW YEAR’S EVE @ M’tucci’s 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.  

New Years Eve @ M’tucci’s Italian

Food Specials

Pan Seared Sea Scallops, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke Heart, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Butter Caper Sauce 

Rosemary & Milk Braised Lamb Shank, Creamy Garlic Polenta, Sautéed Greens 

Herb Roasted Duroc Pork Loin, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, braising sauce

Wine Specials

Mer Soleil Chardonnay 2015

Mollydooker Gigglepot Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Lucky Star Pinot 2015

We will close at our normal hours, 10:00pm. Please join the M’tucci’s family at M’tucci’s Moderno for music and might toasts!

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

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.

We also have a few new beers. “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.”

Also, Ash Cloud Hazy IPA is back (5.5% ABV and 35 IBU). A juicy and fruity IPA.

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. A $20 Gift Certificate can buy a 64 oz. Growler and an Happy Hour Pint!Home Delivery now available through Door Dash

There is a full schedule of bowl games next week, come in for Happy Hour and Football!

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

Live Music at Lava Rock, we’ll have live music every Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 and Fridays from 8:00 - 10:00.

Tonight

12/27 - BuddhaFunk

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24 oz Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction 

Pan Seared-Sea Scallops - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Caper Lemon Sauce 

Ravioli - Lobster/Crab/Cream Cheese Ravioli, Sautéed Pink Shrimp, Caramelized Onion, Lobster Cream Sauce

Braise - 12oz Hand Cut Pork Chop, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Cherry Gastrique

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Herb Roasted Pork Loin: Herb roasted and brined in house and served with a sweet potato puree and grilled broccolini 

Pairing - Mimi, Chardonnay, Washington  Fresh and soft tones of apple and citrus, subtle spice and oak.

Pan-Seared fish of the Day is Yellowtail  - Yellowtail has a mild buttery flavor with a medium texture.  Served with our garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed organic arugula, grilled artichokes, topped with our caper lemon butter sauce and smoked prosciutto powder  

Pairing - Ruffino, Sparkling Rose, Italy  Crisp bubbly texture with notes of strawberry and hints of rose petals.

Cut of the Day - hand cut bone-in Porterhouse or a Boneless Ribeye 
Grilled to perfection and served with crispy saltwater potatoes, grilled asparagus and our traditional Italian Salsa Verde  

Pairing - Tercos Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina Aromas of blackberries and black cherry, great volume and depth with a long finish of soft tannins

Live Music

Tonight 8:00: Leah Leyva

January 2 @ 7:00: Oscar Butler

January 3 @ 8:00: Melissa Rios

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

M’TUCCI’S TWENTY-FIVE JOB FAIR + ONLINE APPLICATIONS

4949 Pan American Highway NW, Albuquerque, NM - Next to Tomasita’s - South of Jefferson

January 11 from 10:00am - 4:00pm & January 12 from Noon - 5:00pm

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. Ciao!

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.

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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.  

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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!

Eating Italian Style - Region to Region

Executive Chef & Founding Partner John Haas spent time in both Tuscany and Rome this year. After returning, I asked what he thought of the food from both places.

“I’m amazed at how different the food and cooking were in each place, even how the meals in Tuscany changed from one town to the next, even though the towns were only a few miles apart,” he said.

His comment speaks volumes about the concept of Italian cuisine, because for centuries there was no “Italian cuisine”, it was truly regional in every sense of the word with each city/state creating their own dishes based on what was available. Food on the table in Naples and Venice, which are separated by more than 400 miles, is markedly different. The favored plates in Bologna and Florence, which are only 60 miles apart, are significantly different, also.

Charcuterie Board, Caprese Classico and Frutti di Mare at M’tucci’s Moderno.

Industrialization and transportation has changed the way Italians (and Americans) eat today to some extent, with some Northern dishes and techniques showing up in Southern Italy and vice versa. However, for the most part, Italians still cling to their sense of place, and take great pride in the dishes of their region, truly embracing the mantra of “eat local”.

The menu at M’tucci’s draws on regional specialities from throughout the country, without calling attention to their origins. We’re more focused on the essence of what makes Italian food so good: choosing great ingredients and employing great technique.

While the entire country can feel like one large farm or garden, and the Mediterranean climate means that lemons and tomatoes are both grown in the North and South, regional specialities still exist.

Backyard garden in Ravello near the Amalfi Coast

Our pizza style is firmly rooted in the traditions of Naples, the birthplace of pizza. We make a crust leavened by a sourdough starter, which ferments for 48 hours (instead of commercial yeast). We use a very hot oven, and produce a pizza with slightly “blistered” crust (called leopard spots) on the bottom that enhances the slight bitterness of the sourdough crust. This balances with the sweetness of the tomato sauce and the sour flavor from the mozzarella.

Pastas are definitely regional in origin. Orecchiette (little ears) originates in Puglia and is the most common pasta throughout Southern Italy. It is the perfect pasta for the Italian Pork and Beans at M’tucci’s Moderno (a riff on orecchiette con cime di rapa e salsiccia the signature dish of Italy’s boot hell region).

Pappardelle, tortellini and tagliatelle are most commonly found in Emilia Romagna, the home of ragù, the slow cooked meat sauce now popular everywhere. This wealthy region claims many dishes with expensive ingredients, including truffles. Our take on Bolognese is to slowly cook five different cuts of pork and pair it with our house-made rigatoni.

Spaghetti is the favorite pasta of Rome, where the iconic cacio e pepe, spaghetti all carbonara and spaghetti all’amatriciana are the icons of the Roman table. These first two dishes are made of simple ingredients, but require exacting techniques that if not followed closely, can leave you with lumpy, congealed sauces. Guanciale, which we cure in-house, is important to the latter two dishes. The pork jowl is cured, not smoked, and has a more mellow flavor than pancetta, which many recipes substitute for guanciale.

Cured meats and complex cheeses are found throughout the country, but Tuscany claims wild boar sausage, red wine salami and lardo. We make our own version of lardo, called Colonnata Butter (since lardo originated in the small mining town of Colonnata). Those items are on Charcuterie Board C and show up from time to time in weekend specials.

Farro, which we use in the Farro & Beet Salad, is a staple in Umbria. It is an ancient grain that probably predates wheat. Umbrians use the grain whole in soups and salads and grind it into flour for pasta, gnocchi and even crepes. The nutty flavor of farro is great for salads and soups.

We at M’tucci’s (and in my kitchen at home) love polenta and offer it in a variety of forms at our restaurants. Polenta originated in the mountainous north, was considered peasant food and is most commonly cooked with butter and parmesan. It should be a stone-ground cornmeal, never a finely ground meal that looks like flour. Polenta is equally good as a creamy porridge or as a solid cake when it cools. We mix it with creamy mascarpone cheese as a side. We also grill the cooled polenta for our Grigliata Misto, served with seasonal grilled vegetables.

Like polenta, risotto is also a Northern dish, with two main types of rice being used. Arborio is the most common and is favored in Lombardy in simple risotto dishes such as risotto with saffron or with parmesan and white truffles. Carnaroli was developed by a Milanese rice grower who crossed the Italian Vialone with a Japanese strain of rice. There is less acreage of this rice and it’s more expensive than arborio, but it has a softer starch that dissolves more easily with cooking and has a deeper flavor. We use carnaroli in our Risotto Carnaroli di Pesce at M’tucci’s Italian at M’tucci’s Italian.

Ravioli is a weekly special at M’tucci’s Italian and a permanent menu item at M’tucci’s Moderno. We make all of our ravioli in house a couple of times a week. It’s a slow labor intensive process (see how long it takes you to make 1,200 ravioli!). Stuffed pastas are popular throughout the country and are typically served with a cream or tomato sauce or en brodo (broth). Ravioli is also commonly found on the table for Christmas dinner.

Thanks for reading, see you next Friday!

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SPECIAL HOLIDAY EVENTS

M’tucci’s Bourbon Tasting - Today, 12/13, 4:00 - 6:00

M’tucci’s Maker’s Mark Bourbon Tasting: Maker’s Mark Private Select tasting at Jubilation Wine & Spirits. Both M’tucci’s Private Select and Two Fool’s Tavern Private Select will be available for tasting and purchase today. Don’t miss this special event.

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.

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. As usual, there is no cover charge and tables in the lounge cannot be reserved.

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s Provisions (formerly M’tucci’s Italian Cafe and Market)

Order your cookies and Panettone today. 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 coming soon, which we will announce when we get the printed menus. There are a few new beers on tap, Winter Lager, with a malt forward, unique style (6.2% & 17 IBU). I tried it the other night and it’s a complex lager, with flavors that evolve as the lager warms up a bit. Try and see if you can spot the unique flavor.

Head over to Lava Rock Brewing Company for Word of Mouth, a Brett Saison.

Also new is the 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.” Added this week is our first aged Brett beer, Word of Mouth. This French Farmhouse Saison fermented for six months and comes in a 9.2% ABV with 30 IBUs. Probably should take home a growler of this big boy!

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

12/19 - RJ Perez

12/26 - Oscar Butler

Friday’s

12/13 - Leah Leyva and The Band

12/20 - Melissa Rios

12/27 - BuddhaFunk

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Salmon and Farro - Farro tossed with grilled zucchini, red onion and Alfredo Sauce topped with pan-seared salmon, grilled asparagus with a bright garnish of sweet tomato, basil, garlic and 10-year aged balsamic vinegar

Paired with - Bottega Vinaia, Pinot Grigio, Trentino, Italy . Refreshing flavors of peach, nectarine and Granny Smith Apples. Crisp acidity with a hint of herbs and a clean finish.

Pan-Seared Branzino, served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed organic baby arugula and our lemon caper butter sauce, finished with smoked prosciutto powder.

Branzino is an ocean fish native to Europe's western and southern coasts. It is a delicate, white flakey fish with an almost sweet flavor.

Paired with - Mimi Chardonnay, Washington. Balanced fruit flavors of pear and yellow apple, spiced aromas with a crisp finish.

Cut of the Day: Chianina Flat Iron Steak

Grilled to perfection and served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and our traditional Italian Salsa Verde

Chianina beef is an Italian cow, which is one of the oldest breeds in the world. It is highly prized for its quality, marbling and flavor. M’tucci’s is the only restaurant in New Mexico with Italian Chianina.

Paired with - Zinphomaniac, Zinfindel, Lodi, California. Complex and full bodied, aromas of dark cherry, blackberries and spice.

Live Music

Tonight: Cali Shaw @ 8:00

12/19: Amy Cliser @ 7:00

12/20: Lani Nash @ 8:00

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24 oz Hand-Cut Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction

Pan-Seared Yellow Tail Tuna, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Lemon Caper Sauce w/Arugula

Braise - Chianina Beef, Butternut Squash, Spinach Cream Sauce, House Pappardelle Pasta

Ravioli - Chianina Beef, Artichoke, Ricotta Ravioli, Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Artichoke, Caramelized Onion, Light Lemon Cream Sauce

December Prix Fixe Menu

12/18/19

1st Course- Creamy Roasted Garlic Polenta, Roasted Eggplant Ragu

2nd Course- Grilled Chianina Rump Steak, Parsnip Puree, Roasted Baby Carrots, Chimichurri

3rd Course- Italian Cheesecake, Pomegranate, Ginger Mousse, Candied Rosemary

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ONGOING NEWS

M’TUCCI’S AROUND TOWN

Our market items can be purchased at a couple of locations in Albuquerque. We deliver our fresh bread every Tuesday and Friday to Silver Street Market at 2nd and Silver. Choose from Sourdough, Fennel Rye, Wheat, Baguette, Ciabatta, and Raisin Rosemary Focaccia.

Drinking at Bosque in Nob Hill? You can order a M’tucci’s Charcuterie Board while there.

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.

SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT & DISCOUNTS

Area service industry workers can get a Service Industry card from us by showing proof of employment. With the card you receive 10% off your check every day and 20% off on Sundays from 6:00 - 9:00. Dine in only.

ONLINE ORDERING

Our food is available for delivery with Door Dash or for pick up. Pick up something for the weekend or on your way home from work. The links to ordering are on the Home page.

MTUCCI’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Videos about making cocktails and pasta and getting to know the M’tucci’s culture. Click here

See you next Friday - Ciao!

Buon Natale (Merry Christmas)

Christmas in Italy has many traditions, and as one could expect, many of them revolve around food. Fish is usually the main course for Christmas Eve and meat is served on Christmas Day. Midnight mass is very popular with many families, who afterwards return home for a glass of spumante or prosecco and the opening of presents from Babbo Natale (Father Christmas/Santa Claus).

The Christmas day meal will likely last for hours, starting with seafood dishes, cured meat and olives; the primi might be tortellini in broth or lasagna or pasticcio (baked pasta), then roast meat or chicken. The main meal is usually followed by pandoro (a traditional Veronese yeast sweet bread) and panettone, chocolate or homemade cookies. 

Babbo Natale is gaining popularity in Italy, as is gift giving during the holiday season. In that spirit, here are some gift ideas to help you have an “Italian” holiday season. 

Food & Drink

M’tucci’s Provisions has created three holiday cookie boxes and two types of house-made panettone. Details and ordering information are listed just below.

Of course, who wouldn’t love getting a gift certificate from M’tucci’s? 

LaMarca Prosecco is perfect for holiday cocktail parties. At the moment, I’m really enjoying a red from Southern Italy, Appassimento by Bonari and Il Bruciato, Guada al Tasso from Antinori from Tuscany. Il Bruciato is on the wine list at M’tucci’s Italian and you can find both locally in wine shops. Splurge on that special someone and buy them a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino, a Barolo, or one of the Super Tuscans, such as Sassicaia or Tignanello. The liquid gift that won’t disappear during one dinner is an Amaro. One of the best being Quintessentia Amaro Nonino. There are cheaper Amari, but this one is well worth the extra money, with the perfect balance of herbal, sweet and bitter.

Tully’s Deli on San Mateo has a very good selection of dried pasta by DeCecco, canned tomatoes, and very good extra virgin olive oils/EVOO (the best selection I have seen in ABQ).

If it’s cured meat you want, definitely go to Molinari’s website (this San Francisco institution probably makes the best commercial U.S. salami you can buy).

Eataly has a good website with a large assortment of EVOO, truffle products, and gift baskets.

After my first trip to Italy, I was hooked on cappuccino. Upon returning, I bought an entry level espresso machine, but quickly outgrew it. I upgraded to a well-known Italian brand, Gaggia, and have been using their burr grinder (necessary for great espresso) and the Gaggia Classic for many years. You won’t find them locally, but the website Whole Latte Love has everything you will need for great espresso and cappuccino at home. I regularly buy the Hermes Espresso Blend from Red Rock Roasters and occasionally splurge on one of the espresso blends from Cutbow Coffee.

Coffee Table Books

Since I used to shoot assignments for National Geographic, I’m a bit biased when it comes to recommending photo books on Italy. A few stand out:

“Rome: Eternal City: Rome in the Photographs Collection of the Royal Institute of British Architects” - published this year

“National Geographic Inside the Vatican” by James Stanfield

“Italy” by Gray Malin

“One Hundred & One Beautiful Small Towns in Italy”  (Rizzoli Classics)

“Italy Seen through Magnum's Lens: From Henri Cartier-Bresson to Paolo Pellegrin”

Recipes, Food & Drink

If you only had one Italian cookbook, it should be “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking” by Marcella Hazan. As the title says, it is essential. I’m not that big of a fan of Ina, Giada or Lidia, so I don’t mention their books here:

“The Mozza Cookbook: Recipes from Los Angeles's Favorite Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria” by Nancy Silverton

“Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas”

“Red, White, and Greens: The Italian Way with Vegetables” by Faith Willinger

“Italian Wines” by Gambero Rosso - An annual guide to the best of Italy.

“Treasures of the Italian Table” by Burton Anderson - one of my favorites. Hard to find and a bit expensive, but worth every penny.

Travel & Food (some with recipes)

“Pasta, Pane, Vino: Deep Travels Through Italy’s Food Culture” by Matt Goulding - great stories of traveling, eating and cooking from Piedmont to Sicily. The chapter about taking pizzaioli classes in Naples is great.

“Tasting Italy” by National Geographic & America’s Test Kitchen - Beautiful photos and really good recipes. My copy has red wine stains on some pages.

“See You in the Piazza” by Frances Mayes - she cares a little more about churches and Italian architecture than I do, but this is a terrific book for discovering the small towns in Italy, Sicily and Sardinia. The meals and recipes are worth the price!

From “Tasting Italy”

Photo Tour/Workshops

Want to give a really special gift? One of my colleagues is offering a Photography Workshop in Italy next year. Not only will you get photography tips from world-class photographers, but you’ll eat and drink well, too. 

Read about the workshop and contact Catherine Karnow here:  http://catherinekarnowphotoworkshop.com/home

Photos from Italy

Only for M’tucci’s guests and for a limited time, the prints below are on sale for the holidays. They are printed on 13” x 19” Luster Paper with archival ink with an approximate 1” border. Click on the photo to see it large. Each print is signed and is $150. Please contact me, Michael Lewis: [email protected]

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

The new M’tucci’s Maker’s Mark Private Select Bourbon is now available at M’tucci’s Moderno and M’tucci’s Italian.

Try some in an Old Fashioned for Happy Hour today.

There are only two Maker’s Mark Private Selects available in New Mexico: ours and Two Fool’s Tavern. Join us for a tasting of both at Jubilation Wine & Spirits: December 13 from 4:00 - 6:00pm.

Creative cocktails with M’tucci’s Maker’s Mark Private Select!

M’tucci’s Provisions (formerly M’tucci’s Italian Cafe and Market)

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Order your cookies and Panettone today. 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.

32 Bravo at Bar Uno

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company

Fish n Chips with the Lava Rock/Uno Bully Bitter

Weekend Special: Fish & Chips -Lava Rock/ Bar Uno’s Bitter Battered Mahi Mahi, House Fries and Apple & Carrot Slaw.

Lot’s of good things happening at LRBC. Some new menu items are coming soon, which we will announce when we get the printed menus. There is a new beer on tap, Winter Lager, with a malt forward, unique style (6.2% & 17 IBU). I tried it the other night and it’s a complex lager, with flavors that evolve as the lager warms up a bit. Try and see if you can spot the unique flavor. We did a collaboration with Bar Uno and they now have the 32 Bravo Double IPA on tap.

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. Pair the food with a beer for $10.50 or $11, depending on the beer. Not eating (why not?), then $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
12/12 - Kirk Matthews
12/19 - RJ Perez
12/26 - Oscar Butler

Friday’s
12/6 - BuddhaFunk
12/13 - Leah Leyva and The Band
12/20 - Melissa Rios
12/27 - BuddhaFunk

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24 oz Hand-Cut Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction

Ravioli - Artichoke, White Wine Braised Duroc Pork & Goat Cheese Ravioli: Sautéed Wild Mushroom, Caramelized Onion, Porcini Cream Sauce, Nduja Crumble, Arugula, Shaved Parmesan

Pan Seared Seafood - Hawaiian Ono, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce

Braised - Hand Cut Duroc Bone-in Pork Chop, White Wine Braised Greens, Roasted Parsnip, Shallot, White Cheddar Broccoli Sauce

  December Prix Fixe Menu

12/11/19

1st Course- Grilled Vegetable Medley, Herbed Lemon Browned Butter 

2nd Course- Chicken Limone, Grilled Asparagus, Crispy Potatoes, Preserved Lemon

3rd Course- Hazelnut-Mocha Panettone Bread Pudding, Vanilla Bourbon Gelato

12/18/19

1st Course- Creamy Roasted Garlic Polenta, Roasted Eggplant Ragu

2nd Course- Grilled Chianina Rump Steak, Parsnip Puree, Roasted Baby Carrots, Chimichurri

3rd Course- Italian Cheesecake, Pomegranate, Ginger Mousse, Candied Rosemary

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Rotating Dinner Special : Center Cut Bone-In Pork Chop - Cold smoked Duroc Pork Chop, grilled to perfection and served with our Italian Succotash, Bourbon apple bacon sauce and organic arugula to garnish

Pairing - Conundrum, Red Blend, California - Complex yet approachable, flavors of cherries, baking chocolate with fine tannins and a silky smoothness

PanSeared Fish of the Day : Baramundi - Clean, buttery flavor and meaty texture Served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, roasted artichokes, topped with a lemon caper butter sauce and prosciutto powder

Pairing - Mimi by Ste. Michelle, Chardonnay, Washington - Balanced fruit flavors of pear and yellow apple, spiced aromas with crisp finish.

Cut of the Day : Hand Cut Porterhouse - Grilled to to order and served with crispy saltwater potatoes, grilled asparagus and our traditional Italian Salsa Verde
Pairing - Liberty School, Cabernet Sauvignon, California - Aromas of black cherry and plum followed by subtle notes of strawberry and spice, finishing with balanced tannins

Live Music

Tonight: Melissa Rios @ 8:00

Dec 12: RJ Perez @ 6:00

Dec 13: Cali Shaw @8:00

Holiday Special on December 23

“An Evening of Holiday Music by Delphia” 7:00. 

Reservations taken for the dining room, where her performances will be carried on the speaker system throughout the dining rooms. Enjoy the exquisite style of Delphia together with M’tucci’s special holiday drink and food specials.

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ONGOING NEWS

M’TUCCI’S AROUND TOWN

Our market items can be purchased at a couple of locations in Albuquerque. We deliver our fresh bread every Tuesday and Friday to Silver Street Market at 2nd and Silver. Choose from Sourdough, Fennel Rye, Wheat, Baguette, Ciabatta, and Raisin Rosemary Focaccia.

Drinking at Bosque in Nob Hill? You can order a M’tucci’s Charcuterie Board while there.

M’TUCCI’S TWENTY-FIVE JOB FAIR + ONLINE APPLICATIONS

Watch this space for the announcement of our January Job Fair for our new location. We are looking for highly skilled and motivated servers, kitchen workers, bartenders and managers. You can apply for a position at any of our locations online by clicking here.

SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT & DISCOUNTS

Area service industry workers can get a Service Industry card from us by showing proof of employment. With the card you receive 10% off your check every day and 20% off on Sundays from 6:00 - 9:00. Dine in only.

ONLINE ORDERING

Our food is available for delivery with Door Dash or for pick up. Pick up something for the weekend or on your way home from work. The links to ordering are on the Home page.

MTUCCI’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Videos about making cocktails and pasta and getting to know the M’tucci’s culture. Click here

See you next Friday - Ciao!

Prohibition Cocktails

Cocktails have evolved since the first bartender’s guide was published in 1862. At that time, a cocktail was considered to be a mix of spirits, sugar, bitters and water. That first guide, “How to Mix Drinks; or, The Bon Vivant’s Companion” by Jerry Thomas had recipes for sours, punches, slings, toddies, shrubs and flips. 

While these early cocktail guides raised the level of cocktail culture, the counterfeiting and diluting of spirits was rampant and the customer was rarely able to be sure of the quality of the spirit served. 

As the country entered World War I against Germany, anti-German feelings in the U.S. were linked to a campaign against beer drinking. That animosity against Germans and other immigrants, in combination with the strong Christian temperance movement opposing saloon culture and alcohol, caused Congress to pass the 18th Amendment, the Volstead Act, which was then ratified by the states. Although Woodrow Wilson vetoed the legislation, Congress overrode the veto and 100 years ago, this coming January, Prohibition was enacted: “No person shall . . . manufacture, sell, barter, transport, import, export, deliver, furnish or possess any intoxicating liquor.”

Rather than creating an alcohol-free country of sobriety where the jails were emptied, families stayed together and ice cream parlors replaced saloons, Prohibition created speakeasies, booze cruises, and an underground cocktail culture that changed cocktails in a few fundamental ways. 

The home and clandestine production of spirits (primarily gin) produced a harsh, sometimes nasty, sometimes lethal, spirit that required creative recipes with additional ingredients to make the drinks palatable. Honey, fruit juices and other flavorings became common in cocktails made with home-distilled or smuggled spirits from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Bartenders had to be creative in order to keep the customers happy. 

Trey and Joe keeping the guests (and themselves) happy!

Rather than go underground and risk jail time, many bartenders fled the U.S. for England and Europe. During that time, a few bartenders made names for themselves by publishing mixing guides and experimenting with French and Italian spirits, Amari and cordials. 

Harry Craddock, left the U.S. and became the head barman at London’s posh Savoy Hotel, writing “The Savoy Cocktail Book” in 1930. He was credited with inventing The White Lady (gin, Cointreau, lemon juice and egg white). The book was reprinted in 2008 and is still available today.

Gin became increasingly popular during prohibition, since it was so easily made at home or in secret stills and, unlike whiskey, didn’t require aging. A few gin cocktails created during this time were the Dubonnet Cocktail and the Bee’s Knees (gin, honey and lemon juice).

Rum drinks became popular since Americans were visiting Cuba and the Caribbean islands and they would take “booze cruises”, a cruise with no destination, but one that would sail into international waters where cocktails would be legal.

While still in his teens in the 1920s, Ernest Gantt, sailed to the Caribbean with his grandfather who was in the “import/export” business. He was exposed to the daquiris of Cuba and the rum punches of Jamaica. Entranced by island culture, he traveled the South Pacific then returned to Los Angeles as Prohibition was ending. He is credited with opening the first Tiki Bar, Don’s Beachcomber, where Hollywood was introduced to Mai Tais, Fogcutters, Scorpions, Zombies and other exotic rum drinks..

Authentic Whiskey didn’t fare well during Prohibition, since a quality whiskey requires years of aging in wooden barrels and bootleggers didn’t want to invest the time necessary. During Prohibition, clear moonshine would have oak sticks or chips added to it and after a few hours or maybe a few weeks, the results were bottled as whiskey. One cocktail, a Rock & Rye, (mixed sour cherries, cinnamon, orange juice and horehound candy) was considered a wholesome, “medicinal” beverage if you had the sniffles.

After thirteen years, Prohibition (The Noble Experiment) was responsible for an increased jail population, increased crime, and more than 10,000 deaths from drinking lethal home-made spirits. Considered a failure, the 21st Amendment was enacted on December 5, 1933, repealing Prohibition (the only time in U.S. history that an amendment has been repealed). The country could, once again, have a legal cocktail. 

To celebrate the end of Prohibition, M’tucci’s Italian is having a special Prohibition Dinner on December 5. Chef Damian has created a 3-course menu of dishes popular during Prohibition. They are paired with 3 cocktails created by Trey that pay homage to that era and  to the cocktail culture of that time. Reservations are suggested and the dinner is $40 per person, tax and gratuity not included.

1st Course: 

Mai Tai with a vanilla spice, one of the cocktails that started the Tiki Bar culture.

Nduja Shrimp Cocktail:  Nudja Cocktail Sauce, Olive Brined Pink Patagonia Shrimp. 

Lemon, mixed Greens.

2nd Course: 

Spiced Cranberry Sazerac, with Templeton Rye which was Al Capones bootlegging/drinking whiskey of choice. The Sazerac, created in New Orleans also featured Absinthe, which remained banned in the U.S. even after Prohibition ended.

Chianina Beef Meatloaf Involtini: Stuffed with Spinach, Bacon, Aged Mozzarella, Artichoke, Potato Puree, Tomato Reduction. "Ketchup Kinda" 

3rd Course: 

Roasted Corn Brandy Flip: Flips are arguably the oldest cocktail, probably invented in the 1600s, when they were served warm, heated with a red hot iron which caramelized the sugars in the cocktail. 

Italian Cheese Cake, Candied Orange Peel, Rehydrated Cherries, Graham Cracker Crust.

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M’tucci’s Italian Café & Market - Closing Permanently for retail sales Saturday, November 30 at 6:00 PM.

Stop by today and tomorrow for bread, meat, cheese and pastries. There will be a 15% off table with some tasty Italian imported products.

Friday & Saturday Specials

$3 Tap Pints

$5 Glasses of House Wine

Don’t miss the 15% off table today and tomorrow only!

M’tucci’s Restaurants is expanding its wholesale fabrication of bread, meats and cheese. The M’tucci’s product lines will soon be found throughout Albuquerque at several locations. The M’tucci’s Shrubs line, which is now available at Jubilation Wine & Spirits, will soon be available at Total Wine & More.

Due to the expansion, M’tucci’s Italian Café and Market will be converted to wholesale operations in 2020. The space will close its retail operations November 30, 2019, but the space is available for private parties up to 25 people throughout the month of December.

“The demand for authentic Italian products has far exceeded our expectations,” explained John Haas, M’tucci’s Restaurants Managing Partner. “It’s very exciting to see an explosion in demand for our custom meats, cheeses, breads and shrubs. Expanding our manufacturing operations allows us to continue to innovate and bring more products to market.”

People interested in booking the M’tucci’s Italian Café & Market should call 505-503-7327 and ask for the Manager on Duty.

DECEMBER SPECIALS: We hope you loved our Thanksgiving Pies (the Pecan Pie was the best Pecan Pie I have ever had). Watch this space and Facebook/Instagram for December Special Products. Think Chrismtas cookies and house-made Panettone.

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Co.

We were recently featured by the top NM beer blog, the New Mexico Dark Side Brew Crew. If you love NM craft beer and you don’t follow these guys, you are totally missing out. We’re lucky to have such a resource for beer news in NM and we are honored that they included us on their blog. Read the full post by clicking here.

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. Pair the food with a beer for $10.50 or $11, depending on the beer. Not eating (why not?), then $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

On Tap Now - 32 Bravo DIPA (8% ABV and 100 IBU). Fall Fest, a German Fest Lager is on tap now (5.8% ABV and 20 IBU).

We’re getting 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.

November Live Music:

11/29: Dos o Tres Pendejos

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24 oz Hand-Cut New York Strip, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction

Pan-Seared Seafood - Mahi Mahi Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce

Ravioli - Baby Clam Mascarpone Ravioli, Scungilli Salad, Artichoke, Red Peppers,

Arugula, light Lemon Cream Sauce

Braised - White Wine Pancetta Artichoke Braised Pork Shank, Creamy Polenta, Sautéed Kale, Braising Sauce

                                   December Prix Fixe Menu

12/4/19

1st Course- White Cheddar “Broccoli Soup” M’tucci’s Ciabatta Roll

2nd Course- Squngilli Fra Diavalo, Fettuccini

3rd Course- Rum Cake, Roasted Figs, Cinnamon Whipped Cream

12/11/19

1st Course- Grilled Vegetable Medley, Herbed Lemon Browned Butter 

2nd Course- Chicken Limone, Grilled Asparagus, Crispy Potatoes, Preserved Lemon

3rd Course- Hazelnut-Mocha Panettone Bread Pudding, Vanilla Bourbon Gelato

12/18/19

1st Course- Creamy Roasted Garlic Polenta, Roasted Eggplant Ragu

2nd Course- Grilled Chianina Rump Steak, Parsnip Puree, Roasted Baby Carrots, Chimichurri

3rd Course- Italian Cheesecake, Pomegranate, Ginger Mousse, Candied Rosemary

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Braised Pork Cheek Pappardelle Pasta - Savory Braising Sauce, Carrots, Celery, Prosciutto, Lemon Zest, Pecorino.

Fresh Pan Seared Rock Fish - A medium firm, very lean, sweet flavored fish with a nutty accent to finish, accompanied with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Marinated Italian Artichokes, and Sautéed Arugula in a bed of Lemon Butter topped with Capers

Cut of the Day - 24oz Hand-Cut Porterhouse served with Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, and an Italian-style Salsa Verde Sauce

Holiday Special on December 23

“An Evening of Holiday Music by Delphia” 7:00. 

Reservations taken for the dining room, where her performances will be carried on the speaker system throughout the dining rooms. Enjoy the exquisite style of Delphia together with M’tucci’s special holiday drink and food specials.

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ONGOING NEWS

M’TUCCI’S AROUND TOWN

Our market items can be purchased at a couple of locations in Albuquerque. We deliver our fresh bread every Tuesday and Friday to Silver Street Market at 2nd and Silver. Choose from Sourdough, Fennel Rye, Wheat, Baguette, Ciabatta, and Raisin Rosemary Focaccia.

Drinking at Bosque in Nob Hill? You can order a M’tucci’s Charcuterie Board while there.

M’TUCCI’S TWENTY-FIVE JOB FAIR + ONLINE APPLICATIONS

Watch this space for the announcement of our January Job Fair for our new location. We are looking for highly skilled and motivated servers, kitchen workers, bartenders and managers. You can apply for a position at any of our locations online by clicking here.

SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT & DISCOUNTS

Area service industry workers can get a Service Industry card from us by showing proof of employment. With the card you receive 10% off your check every day and 20% off on Sundays from 6:00 - 9:00. Dine in only.

ONLINE ORDERING

Our food is available for delivery with Door Dash or for pick up. Pick up something for the weekend or on your way home from work. The links to ordering are on the Home page.

MTUCCI’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Videos about making cocktails and pasta and getting to know the M’tucci’s culture. Click here

See you next Friday - Ciao!

M'tucci's Profiles - Cory Grey

Chef/Partner Cory Gray is determined to embrace the “old ways” in the kitchen, returning to a time when almost everything was made in house, instead of purchasing processed food. It’s the type of cooking he grew up with in the South, home made, not processed food.

He worked in restaurant kitchens while in high school and college, while he was studying computer science. 

“I took the kitchen jobs, since I knew I would at least get one good meal a day,” he said

While he was still in college, a part-time job changed his life. He started working for well-known Chef Richard Winters at Artichoke Cafe. Chef Winters became his mentor.

“He opened my eyes to what real food is and I got hooked and fell in love with creating great food with my own hands,” he said. “The other places where I worked used pre-made food. The experience with Richard changed my life.”

When he finished college, he decided he was going to pursue cooking as a career and immediately set becoming a Chef/Partner as his goal. He spent a few years learning the basics, including sauces, French techniques, making pastry, bread, and cheese. 

“He didn’t want a Sous Chef, but I bugged him about it and he finally agreed to train me. He put me through hell for two years to make sure that I had the talent and dedication necessary for that position.”

When Winters opened up Farina, Cory worked as the Sous Chef for nearly six years. It was during this time that he had his first experience with Italian food and when he met Shawn Cronin who was a student in the restaurant program at CNM. Shawn came in and started working in the pantry.

“He was always asking questions and showed a real interest in creating quality food. He bugged the chef forever and ever about making pancetta until he finally said to go ahead and do it. That was really the beginning of our interest in curing meat. It was so good, that we bought the refrigeration and created the curing program.”

“When I got the opportunity to go to the new Farina Alta in the Heights, I knew right away I wanted Shawn to go there because he was so passionate about food and the curing program. At Farina we were only doing guanciale, pancetta and bacon, but we would have more space at Alta and we said, let’s really do this.”

He and Shawn were given free rein to create the meat curing program and even designed the curing room that is still visible in the dining room today.

After leaving Farina Alta, he took a few months off and was contacted by M’tucci’s Executive Chef/Partner John Haas, who told him about the plans for M’tucci’s Italian Market. His previous experience fit perfectly for the planned bread, cheese, and meat curing program at the Market. However, in order to handle the demands of production, he had one condition.

Shawn had to be on the team and they would both become partners. 

“There was no way I could have done it alone, he had so much knowledge, he knew how to make bread and cheese, and loved curing and preserving meat. So we were the perfect team for such a small space.”

He said that he learned early in his career that you can’t do everything yourself and that you have to train your kitchen staff and encourage them to be good, to reach their highest potential and to take responsibility for being part of the culture of excellence. He said that M’tucci’s has such a strong team that when we take part in local food competitions or fundraisers we have so much talent that our Sous Chef (usually Damian Lucero) can take the lead, instead of always sending the Head or Executive Chef like the other restaurants.

“That’s what I love about being here and about being in the food business, there’s so much to learn and everyone here cares about doing it (line cooking, prep work) the right way.” 

His commitment and his passion for Italian cuisine were raised a couple of notches after the eating and cooking trip to Italy in June. 

“A lot of cooking, like French, is about technique, but we’re evolving the menu here that reflects the Italian philosophy of using quality ingredients that are allowed to speak for themselves, and working more with house made products. The pastas are now 90% house made, (rigatoni, campanelle, pappardelle and ravioli), we’re doing more butchery in house, and we’re making more products that come from our experiences in Tuscany, like Chianina Osso Bucco and Colonatta butter (lardo),” he said.

The Tuscan Charcuterie plate that inspired much of what we have on the menu today.

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

NOTICE: All locations will be closed on Thanksgiving. Enjoy the holiday with your friends and family.

Last Call for Ordering your Thanksgiving Pies. Order from any M’tucci’s location by tomorrow. Saturday is the last day to order.

Choose from:

Classic Spiced Apple ($14), Classic Pumpkin ($14), Green Chile Apple with Piñon Nut Streusel ($16) or Pecan with Honey Bourbon Whipped Cream ($16).

Deposit required at time of order. You may order from the Market, M’tucci’s Italian or M’tucci’s Moderno.

Pies must be picked up on November 25 or 27 at the M’tucci’s location where you placed your order.

Classic Spiced Apple Pie

M’tucci’s Italian Café & Market - Closing for retail sales November 30.

M’tucci’s Restaurants is expanding its wholesale fabrication of bread, meats and cheese. The M’tucci’s product lines will soon be found throughout Albuquerque at several locations. The M’tucci’s Shrubs line, which is now available at Jubilation Wine & Spirits, will soon be available at Total Wine & More.

Due to the expansion, M’tucci’s Italian Café and Market will be converted to wholesale operations in 2020. The space will close its retail operations November 30, 2019, but the space is available for private parties up to 25 people throughout the month of December.

“The demand for authentic Italian products has far exceeded our expectations,” explained John Haas, M’tucci’s Restaurants Managing Partner. “It’s very exciting to see an explosion in demand for our custom meats, cheeses, breads and shrubs. Expanding our manufacturing operations allows us to continue to innovate and bring more products to market.”

People interested in booking the M’tucci’s Italian Café & Market should call 505-503-7327 and ask for the Manager on Duty.

Watch Facebook and Instagram for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday Closing Specials.

Don’t feel like cooking tonight, but you want to stay home? Pick up a M’tucci’s Pasta Kit: 1 lb. of House Made Pasta, choice of Bolognese or Carbonara Sauce, House Made Meat and an Italian Cheese for garnish.

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Co.

We were recently featured by the top NM beer blog, the New Mexico Dark Side Brew Crew. If you love NM craft beer and you don’t follow these guys, you are totally missing out. We’re lucky to have such a resource for beer news in NM and we are honored that they included us on their blog. Read the full post by clicking here.

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. Pair the food with a beer for $10.50 or $11, depending on the beer. Not eating (why not?), then $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

On Tap Now - 32 Bravo DIPA (8% ABV and 100 IBU). Fall Fest, a German Fest Lager is on tap now (5.8% ABV and 20 IBU).

We’re getting 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.

November Live Music:

Tonight: Rebecca Arscott

11/29: Dos Pendejos

Let’s Make Mozzarella!

Saturday Night, 11/23 @ 7:00 Mozzarella Making Demonstration. Come see the Market’s Kai making fresh mozzarella. Pair it with the Blonde Ale now on tap.

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24 oz Hand-Cut Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction

Pan-Seared Seafood - Pan-seared Sea Scallops, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Sautéed Arugula Artichoke, Lemon Caper Sauce

Ravioli - Red Wine Braised Chianina Beef Ricotta Ravioli, Caramelized Onion, Bone Marrow, San Marzano Tomato Ragù

Braised - Rosemary, Lemon, White Wine Braised Petite Duroc Pork Shank, Creamy Polenta, Sautéed Arugula Braising Sauce

  November Prix Fixe Menu

11/27/19

1st Course- Chef’s Choice Charcuterie Board

2nd Course- “All’Arrabiata Ravioli” House Made Shrimp-Scallop Stuffed Ravioli, Roasted Grape Tomatoes, Fresh Pea Sprouts

3rd Course- Sweet Potato Pie, Red Chile Whipped Cream, Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Sous Vide Duck Breast - This extraordinary dish is served with Creamy Polenta, Braised Italian Greens and a Red Chimichurri Sauce

Fresh Pan Seared Rock Fish - A medium firm, very lean, sweet flavored fish with a nutty accent to finish, accompanied with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Marinated Italian Artichokes, and Sautéed Arugula in a bed of Lemon Butter topped with Capers

House Cut of the Day - A 24 oz Hand-Cut T-Bone served with Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, and an Italian style Salsa Verde Sauce.

Live Music

Tonight: Cali Shaw @ 8:00

11/29: Lani Nash @ 6:00

Holiday Special on December 23

“An Evening of Holiday Music by Delphia” 7:00. 

Reservations taken for the dining room, where her performances will be carried on the speaker system throughout the dining rooms. Enjoy the exquisite style of Delphia together with M’tucci’s special holiday drink and food specials.

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ONGOING NEWS

M’TUCCI’S AROUND TOWN

Our market items can be purchased at a couple of locations in Albuquerque. We deliver our fresh bread every Tuesday and Friday to Silver Street Market at 2nd and Silver. Choose from Sourdough, Fennel Rye, Wheat, Baguette, Ciabatta, and Raisin Rosemary Focaccia.

Drinking at Bosque in Nob Hill? You can order a M’tucci’s Charcuterie Board while there.

M’TUCCI’S TWENTY-FIVE JOB FAIR + ONLINE APPLICATIONS

Watch this space for the announcement of our January Job Fair for our new location. We are looking for highly skilled and motivated servers, kitchen workers, bartenders and managers. You can apply for a position at any of our locations online by clicking here.

SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT & DISCOUNTS

Area service industry workers can get a Service Industry card from us by showing proof of employment. With the card you receive 10% off your check every day and 20% off on Sundays from 6:00 - 9:00. Dine in only.

ONLINE ORDERING

Our food is available for delivery with Door Dash or for pick up. Pick up something for the weekend or on your way home from work. The links to ordering are on the Home page.

MTUCCI’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Videos about making cocktails and pasta and getting to know the M’tucci’s culture. Click here

See you next Friday - Ciao!