Pillows of Heaven.

[Jana]

Kids, maybe I just have not found the right place in Austin, but I don't think a good sopaipilla exists there. Hence, when I come to Albuquerque, I have to have a sopaipilla and honey fix from Los Cuates. I like sopaipillas as big as your head.

For those not yet initiated (i.e. my Texan friends), they're basically fried dough, put in oil so hot it causes the dough to puff when cooking (we sometimes call them "sofa pillows" because of their fluffiness). They are delivered to your table with your meal, and the "correct" process for eating them is to poke a little hole in the sopaipilla and drizzle honey throughout. It's not generally a dessert...usually you eat it with your meal. The dough and honey do a good job of sopping up some of the residual heat from your green or red chile. (I have seen horrible crimes against sopaipillas that involved stuffing them with ice cream and covering them with powdered sugar...that's not cool. Simple is best).

In fact, I got curious and checked on Wikipedia...here is what it says about why I can't find a good one just anywhere:

"Thought to have originated in Albuquerque in the late 18th century, sopaipillas are served in nearly every New Mexican-style restaurant, and have spread into other areas where New Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine is served. They are less common in restaurants specializing in other genres of Mexican food such as even in neighboring Arizona and Utah, and are practically unknown in Mexico itself."

Interesting. If anyone knows of a good place for sopaipillas around Austin, let me know.

And what are your favorites in Albuquerque? One friend of mine swears by Garcia's...I remember Papa Felipe's as being good but it's been a while.

[Phil_0]

I think El Patio has the best sopaipillas. Originated in Albuquerque, huh? There's a story from Las Huertas (modern Placitas) from somewhere between 1757 and 1821 about a woman who saves the village from marauding Apaches by distracting them with sopaipillas.

[Lynn]

I.Want.One!!!

[rf]

El Patio- hands down! Just ate one today.

[andrea]

i live walking distance to el patio and i cry/die inside when i smell them
cooking... they rule.

also, perea's has a mean sopa.

[Aly Sanchez]

Had some tasty ones at El Paragua in Espanola Sunday. Sopapillas and a couple Doz Equis (amber, of course) sure hit the spot after a morning of rafting

[David Cramer]

I go to Coronado Grill in Bernalillo when I want a great sopa (and red chile). I tell my Texas friends it's a donut biscuit, to help them understand. I don't think you can find a good one in Austin (or anywhere in Texas 20 miles from the NM border. But you can find great tortillas. The best I had were at El Meson. And be sure to ask if they have fresh huitlachoche.

[Hairy McLairy]

Dos Amigos on 4th had pretty fantastic Sopa's. Ever eaten a cold cook Sopa, not so dreamy...

[Gemini Goddess]

I concur with some of the other comments, El Patio has great sopas. They literally melt in you rmouth! Great, now I am craving sopas!
Pretty interesting - I didn't realize that sopas originated in Albuquerque. Very cool!

[Brendan]

Garcia's in my favorite- they're a little bit thicker and sweeter... can be eaten without honey, even.

[Atrisqueño]

I am not a big sopaipilla fan but I do like em at Stufy's. MMMM beans and red chile stuffed sopaipilla's.