Bien Shur Executive Chef Sean Staggs with a New Mexico junior foodie. Photo by Becky Rutherford
By BECKY RUTHERFORD
Los Alamos
Bien Shur is a fine dining restaurant and rooftop lounge located on the 9th floor of the Sandia Resort & Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is known for its sophisticated atmosphere, elegant American and French-inspired cuisine, extensive wine selection, and breathtaking panoramic views of the Sandia Mountains and the Albuquerque skyline, especially at sunset.
The restaurant is a popular choice for special occasions, offering an upscale experience with high-quality food, excellent service, and stunning views, and headed by Executive Chef Sean Staggs.
Who is Chef Staggs? He is one of New Mexico’s most renowned chefs, with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Rather than follow trends, he opts for a sustainable, farm to table menu, working with local pueblo farmers to source fresh produce. The creativity and quality shine through in every dish.
My son, boyfriend, and I recently had the opportunity to dine there, and it was an incredible experience.
We tried a special chef’s tasting menu, starting with a special amuse bouche of pancakes, creme fraiche and caviar. These were adorable and incredibly flavorful. Photo by Becky Rutherford
Next, we got to try the salads and an amazing bread basket with cherry sourdough, green chile cheese rolls, and rosemary garlic and plain sourdough. Photo by Becky Rutherford
CARROT & ARUGULA SALAD
orange & honey slow roasted heirloom carrot, arugula, pistachio brittle, orange segments, crème fraîche, carrot chips, whipped honey
SPINACH & APPLE SALAD
aged gouda, pickled shallots, 8 brix apple cider vinaigrette, apple chips
I loved both; my son especially loved the roasted carrot in the carrot and arugula salad, he said it was very sweet and an excellent foil to the spicy arugula.
Next, we got an appetizer sampling. Photo by Becky Rutherford
SEARED YELLOWFIN TUNA
house kimchee, toasted pinion, black garlic shoyu, nori rice chips
BEEF CARPACCIO
crispy capers, pickled mustard seeds, arugula, crostini, parmesan cheese
I loved everything, but honestly, I could have just eaten the appetizer course and been happy!
Both were delightful. The pinon was an amazing and unique addition with the tuna, and the crispy nori rice cups had a perfect texture. The beef carpaccio had so much rich umami flavor, it was delicious.
The next course was a sampling of their seafood dishes. Photo by Becky Rutherford
PINON CRUSTED CHILEAN SEA BASS
spinach pesto mushroom risotto, roasted mushrooms, toasted pinon. Pairs well with: Pierre Sparr, Pinot Gris, Alsace, France
WILD SALMON
Israeli cous cous, smoked salmon broth, roasted artichokes & leeks. Pairs well with: Pazo das Bruxas, Albariño, Rías Baixas, Spain
CRISPY PORK BELLY & SCALLOPS
almond quinoa, crispy brussels sprouts, lemon beurre blanc. Pairs well with: French Blue, Brut Rosé, Bordeaux, France
All were amazing, and the quality of the seafood was top notch, we could have been on the coast! Our favorite was the crispy pork belly and scallops. The pork belly was incredibly crunchy! Perfect texture and flavor. I hadn’t had quinoa in awhile and it was my favorite carb side out of all of these. Really amazingly flavored with the almonds.
Up next, a sampling of their meat dishes. Photo by Becky Rutherford
RACK OF LAMB
spring peas, pea purée, confit baby carrots, sunchoke chips, lamb jus. Pairs well with: Château La Chapelle d’Aliénor, Bordeaux, France
AMERICAN WAGYU NEW YORK STRIP
lyonnaise potatoes, haricot verts, cured egg yolk. Pairs well with: DAOU, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma, California
A-5 JAPANESE WAGYU FILET MIGNON
whipped yukon gold potatoes, roasted asparagus, bone marrow butter. Pairs well with: Caymus, Cabernet Sauvignon, California
BISON SHORT RIB LOLLIPOP
puff pastry, parsnips, carrots, peas, onion, demi-glace. Pairs well with: Decoy by Duckhorn, Merlot, California
At this point, we were approaching food coma, but we pushed on! Some fine dining establishments have tiny portions, not Bien Shur. Everything was very generous, and this was a chef’s tasting. The bison short rib lollipop was rich and delicious, and trying both American and Japanese wagyu beef was fascinating. The American had a richer flavor to our palates, but the texture on the Japanese was melt in your mouth- this was a steak you could eat without chewing! Super tender. The lamb was also outstanding!
Chef Staggs brought out a sampling of dessert and we were once again blown away. Photo by Becky Rutherford
MILLE FEUILLE
crunchy puff pastry with sweet guava filling and creamy goat cheese diplomat
RELIGIEUSE
choux pastry filled with orange blossom pastry cream, topped with chocolate ganache and chocolate tuile
VACHERIN gf
light rose water meringue filled with Chantilly cream, raspberry sauce, and passion fruit sorbet on a bed of almond crunch
APPLE CINNAMON CHEESECAKE – New for fall
salted caramel, whipped cream, vanilla streusel
Vacherin
Too pretty to eat! All were amazing. I think the cheesecake may have been the favorite. It had the lightest, airiest texture ever on a cheesecake, lovely, salted caramel and sauteed apples, it was just perfect for fall. The other desserts were classic French-style pastries, and just incredible. The most visually pleasing was the vacherin, like an adorable easter egg in a meringue, and also delicious!
We sampled a few cocktails, the Espresso Martini and the Holiday in Jalisco.
HOLIDAY IN JALISCO
El Tesoro Reposado Tequila, Yellow Chartreuse, charred pineapple cordial, habanero tincture, spritz of Del Maguey & ‘Chichicapa’ Mezcal
ESPRESSO MARTINI
Your choice: Vanilla Bean-infused Tito’s Handmade Vodka or Casamigos Añejo Tequila, house-made coffee liqueur, brown sugar syrup and Espresso
Holiday in Jalisco. Photo by Becky Rutherford
Espresso martini. Photo by Becky Rutherford
Very creative and well made drinks! The espresso martini was perfect, and the holiday in Jalisco was incredibly flavorful, with just the right amount of heat.
They have a very extensive wine cellar; we stuck with cocktails, but if wine is your thing, they will have you covered.
The views from the top were amazing, sunset is definitely the time to go.
In addition to the dining room, they offer a lounge with its own special menu if you’re just looking for apps and drinks.
All in all, if you are looking for an experience, want to celebrate a special occasion, or just grab an elevated cocktail and app, Bien Shur is a place to check out. We highly recommend it; the servers are amazing, and the food is some of the best we have had anywhere.
Dining and Cooking