Il Vicino

Il Vicino Restaurant Review:

Vicino means “neighborhood” in Italian; Il Vicino, at least in Albuquerque, means Nob Hill. After all, that’s where the flagship of this regional chain opened in 1994. It's been producing microbrews and making wood-fired pizza and friends ever since. You’ll feel the warmth, too, as long as you keep your expectations in line with the prices --- reasonable. Skip the pastas and go for the signature pies, like the ham-and-three-cheese Bianca, or make your own Southwestern-style with green chile and pine nuts. The Tacchino --- flatbread stuffed with turkey, two cheeses and caramelized onions and drizzled with the house vinaigrette --- makes for a pleasant change of pace, as does the namesake salad, a Cobb lookalike with roasted chicken, egg, Gorgonzola, walnuts and more. Token desserts aren’t anything special --- but house-brewed root beer is; speaking of beer, brewing takes place at the I.V.B. Canteen (2381 Aztec Rd.), which serves its own selection of pub grub (try the pizza-stuffed soft pretzels). Other locations.