Along with a Web site depicting construction progress, the Facebook page was both a big tease and an appetite-whetting medium. Urban Pizzeria and Tap House.” For months, legions of Facebook friends anxiously awaited the next snippet of news about the Bouneous return. Fortunately the Bouneous have fallen in love with the Land of Enchantment and in early April, 2016 announced the forthcoming launch of their next restaurant venture, an undertaking they named “Eclectic. For months, we all speculated as to where they would land and even if they would remain in New Mexico. In February, 2016, Maxime and Daniela sold Torinos, an event their adoring patrons believed warranted an apron flying at half mast. To say the Bouneous were beloved is an understatement. Her buoyant personality makes her the perfect hostess where she shines unlike no other in New Mexico.
While the kitchen has always been Maxime’s domain, Daniela runs the “front of the house” with an incomparable elan. They were married shortly thereafter and moved to Santa Fe where they launched Torinos Home in 2006. It’s been that way since they met in Nice, France where she was working as maitre d’ at a four-star hotel and he was the hotel’s promising sous-chef. They complete one another with a work and life synergy few couples ever achieve. Moreover, he absolutely loves what he does and continually works at improving his craft.ĭaniela is the yin to Maxime’s yang. He and Daniela are committed to using the highest quality, locally procured organic ingredients wherever possible. Maxime’s ability to coax unbelievable deliciousness out of everything he prepares isn’t just a matter of talent. Maxime’s pedigree as a chef is very impressive though more diners are acutely aware he wowed (absolutely blew away is more like it) Food Network celebrity Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives than know that in his native France, he worked in Michelin two- and three-star restaurants. He’s a great chef who can prepare virtually anything! Daniela and Maxime Bouneou Maxime isn’t a great chef who prepares great Italian food. At Eclectic, surprises fall under the “I can’t believe he can prepare this so well” category, emphasis on “this.” Frankly we shouldn’t have been surprised at the diversity of dishes he prepares so well. Surprises at Torinos were usually of the “I can’t believe how good this is” variety. It’s a testament to his tremendous creativity and talent that Chef Maxime Bouneou can still surprise diners who for nine years reveled in his fabulous Italian creations at Torinos Home, the restaurant he founded with his beautiful bride and partner Daniela.
Despite the term “eclectic” on the pizzeria’s appellation, the menu’s vast diversity actually surprised us. Considering the Eclectic Urban Pizzeria and Tap Room may have been the most eagerly awaited pizzeria to open in Albuquerque in years, you’d think a phalanx of foodies would be devouring our weight in pizza…and while three pulchritudinous pies did grace our table, so did such eclectic fare as pho, chicken wings, roasted chicken and Chimichurri skirt steak a la plancha.
Looking around our table, my friend Ryan “ Break the Chain” Scott astutely pointed out the relative scarcity of pizza at our table. Plata” Silver and Bruce Schor Leaving the Magnificent Eclectic Urban Pizzeria and Tap House