By Jesse Jones
A local restaurateur is giving American food a Southwest spin at Bernalillo’s newest upscale restaurant, 200 Social House.
Dustin Darnell, owner of 200 Social House, is bringing the same “elevated” fine dining approach that defines his two other businesses, 3128 Social House and Gather, located in Albuquerque’s Nob Hill district. The restaurant will also feature farm-to-table elements, incorporating fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
“This is my hometown, so it’s really exciting to be back. Everything we do is about cultivating community,” Darnell said. “I think the pandemic really emphasized how much we need people. We have a huge community table here in the center of the room that can seat up to 34. So it’s gonna be just everybody breaking bread, sipping on wine together. Just bringing people together.”
According to Darnell, he and his co-owner initially thought about developing their farm and creating an event space in Bernalillo. Instead, they decided to open a full sit-down restaurant to build on what they’re already doing with the farm.
Last year, he said the farm provided a lot of produce for its Nob Hill locations and plans to expand even more this year.
Darnell’s cofounder and former executive chef, Chef Joe Cruz Anguiano, died on Dec. 15 after battling cancer. A Michelin star trained chef from Los Angeles, Anguiano had worked all over the world.
“We are looking to continue our vision with what we’re doing,” Darnell said. “It’s different every day that he’s not here, but I know he’d be proud of the space and what’s going on.”
According to The Paper., Darnell and Anguiano met when they served as part of the opening team for the Sawmill Market project in Albuquerque.
Darnell has a background in the food and beverage industry, primarily working as a consultant for luxury hotels. He served as the food and beverage director in Tennessee and Taos, and previously worked at Hotel Andaluz in Albuquerque and the Hyatt Regency Tamaya.
“We both left our corporate jobs and then were able to put it together and build the dream out in Nob Hill,” Darnell said.
According to Darnell, he plans to honor Anguiano at the restaurant by displaying photos and memorabilia throughout the space to “truly honor his time and contributions with us.”
Darnell said the restaurant will bring over a few menu items from Nob Hill, including dishes Anguiano worked on in the past but never had the chance to bring to the table. He added that they’ll continue developing those dishes at the new location.
The new restaurant is located at 200 South Camino Del Pueblo in Bernalillo, occupying a 7,448-square-foot space that had been vacant for about five years.
According to Darnell, the space was originally built for Flying Star, and later housed The Freight House Kitchen and Tap Room, a spin-off of the Range Café. He added that the restaurant will accommodate about 250 people inside, with an almost full wrap-around patio outside. As the weather warms, he plans to add more tables and fire pits to enhance the outdoor seating.
According to Darnell, 200 Social House’s new head chef, Kieran Gorman, most recently served as the sous chef at the Artichoke Café in Albuquerque. Gorman will bring his Navajo heritage to the menu, incorporating family recipes and traditional dishes into the offerings.
“He’s going to bring a true Southwest experience; it’s not gonna be a copy-paste menu,”Darnell said. “It’s gonna be true to his craft and background — he’s classically trained and French-trained. The menu is coming together beautifully and I’m very, very excited.”
The gastropub will feature a variety of craft cocktails made from scratch, 24 draft handles and wine on draft — a similar experience to what is already offered in Nob Hill, according to Darnell. A few cocktails will also be available on draft, with everything made in-house from scratch.
The restaurant is nearly ready to open. Darnell said he is awaiting the completion of food and fire safety permits and the final approval of their liquor license. Once these are secured, 200 Socal House will be ready to go.
“We’re very excited to be here, coming back to the town of Bernalillo has been amazing,” Darnell said. “It’s really exciting to see life come back to this little pocket of Bernalillo, our neighbors are great to us. It’s really going to be an amazing space. People are really rallying around us. So that’s really cool.”