ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – An Old Town classic is getting ready to close its doors after almost five decades of serving New Mexican food. It wasn’t an easy choice for Monica’s El Portal to make this decision as the owner says she considers this long-time restaurant her home but she says now is the time to move on. “I’ve made thousands and thousands of tortillas,” said Monica Baca, owner of Monica’s El Portal.
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For 47 years, Monica Baca has started her day in the steamy kitchen with a big smile on her face. Preparing food for hungry customers. “Tamales, chicken, beans and we have all of our line here and you can see everything is fresh,” said Baca.
All that fresh food is being dished out at Monica’s El Portal on Rio Grande in Old Town. “Just let me know what you want, and I will make it for you,” she said.
She made thousands of New Mexican dishes in her lifetime like enchiladas and huevos rancheros. Monica’s devotion and passion have earned plenty of longtime customers.
“You can’t beat the food here,” said Richard Ortiz who is a regular customer.
“The chile is always good here the red and the green,” said Olga Ortiz.
“I’ve been looking for the best New Mexican restaurant in the city and this is it, but I found it too late,” said customer, Jose Griego.
After nearly five decades, Baca now says it’s time to hang up the apron and close the doors to her restaurant at the end of June. “It’s time, it’s 64 years old so it’s time for me to move on to new things,” said Baca.
She’s been running El Portal since she was 17 after her mother handed her the keys. While she tried to pass it down to her kids, she says right now, they’re not interested in carrying the legacy forward. “What am I going to do…whatever I want … hahaha, probably a little more traveling spend a little more time with my kids,” she said.
She says she will miss the customers that have come in through the years and the staff that’s made a lasting impression on Albuquerque. “I just want to thank the community for keeping me here for as long as they did, my customers have been great,” she said.
“We’re going to miss this place,” said Ortiz.
As for the building, Baca says she’s planning to lease it out with the hope that one day her kids might take it over for a business of their own. BACA says one of the few business decisions she still thinks about is passing up the opportunity to allow “Breaking Bad” to use her restaurant as a filming location.
