This week, my food journey took me to Cottonwood Mall to try Upscale Burgers & Shakes.

I did not plan on going here, but I am glad I did! Now, allow me to do what I do best, which is get off topic…

It was a warm Sunday afternoon, and my mom wanted to go see “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.” My Mom is not a Transformers fan (by any means) but she is Peruvian, and a large majority of the movie was shot in Peru. So, she wanted to support Peru.

I drove her but did not see it with her. I already saw it two days before, and Transformers is not my thing. However, I will say the movie was better than I expected. I only fell asleep three times, and my buddy Erick fell asleep for like 30 minutes. Not bad for a Transformers movie.

So, while my mom watched the movie. I walked around Cottonwood Mall and saw that it was happy hour at a place called Upscale Burgers & Shakes. Also, I checked out my coupon peeler card (courtesy of the Cleveland High School football boosters), and saw that I had a 15% off coupon.

Happy hour? Fifteen percent coupons? Hours to kill? The universe speaks to you sometimes; you just have to listen.

I walked in, and right off the bat they had a sweet aesthetic: cartoons playing, old-fashioned 1950s diner furniture, and random plants everywhere. If you know me, then you know I’m a sucker for random plants.

For starters, I ordered pulled pork mac and cheese. It was cheesy and had great house-made cheddar sauce.

For my entree, I ordered a Green Chile Double.

The Green Chile Double was a cheeseburger with two patties, cheddar, green chile, lettuce, tomato, onion and Upscale sauce. It is served with fries and two of the tiniest pickles you’ve ever seen! I mean that as a compliment. They were adorable — and delicious.

The burger itself was juicy and had a nice bite. The garnish and toppings were very well balanced. Also, the fries were very crispy and went well with that Upscale sauce.

I finished off with a Fanta ice cream float and a vanilla milkshake. Both rich, simple and delicious.

By the time I finished my milkshake, my mom had finished the movie. Not a bad Sunday, and I did come back the next day. So, that should tell you something.

If you want to contact Upscale Burgers & Shakes, call 505-835-5902.

Upscale Burgers & Shakes is open from 10 a.m. To 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. On Sundays, they are open from 11 a.m. To 6 p.m. Happy hour is everyday from 3-6 p.m. and all day Sunday. It under the same ownership as Lily & Liam Bistro and Upscale Rio in Rio Rancho.

Upscale Burgers & Shakes is located at 10000 Coors Blvd Bypass NW Suite C-1, Albuquerque.

Where should I go next? Email me at [email protected]