Slapfish, a Modern Seafood Franchise serving up bold, crave-worthy dishes in a fast casual setting, announces the opening of its newest location in Albuquerque. Launching right before the International Balloon Fiesta, the restaurant’s first location in New Mexico—and 10th location so far—will soon open its doors at 6400 Holly Avenue as it continues spreading its brand of ridiculously fresh and refreshingly responsible seafood throughout the Southwest.
Known for inventive dishes like Clobster Grilled Cheese and Chowder Fries, the modern seafood shack has created a niche in the marketplace, serving up well-managed seafood in a fast casual setting. Specializing in boat-to-plate cuisine, Slapfish Albuquerque offers an array of chef-driven dishes including the Grilled Shrimp Burrito, Baja Mahi Sandwich, Simply Grilled Fish Bowls, Surf N Turf Lobster Burger, and Lobster Grinder, as well as a green chili-inspired feature that is true to the region. Boasting a menu of seasonally-rotating dishes, guests reap the numerous benefits of seafood with every bite.
“Opening our first New Mexico location is a huge milestone for the Slapfish brand, and we couldn’t be more excited for Albuquerque residents to experience our crave-worthy seafood,” says Chef Andrew Gruel, founder and CEO of Slapfish. “With our menu of seasonally-rotating, gourmet dishes in a relaxed setting, guests experience the quality of fine dining at the cost and convenience of faster food. Also setting us apart is the fact that we only serve the finest fish and shellfish sourced from responsible suppliers of seafood.”
Slapfish Albuquerque is family-owned, and operated by New Mexico native Eric Wilson and his wife, Kendra. An experienced chef with over 15 years of culinary expertise, Wilson was drawn to the chef-inspired dishes and creative presentation Slapfish offers, and looks forward to enhancing the local dining scene with bib-worthy seafood options. With the flourishing population and lack of high quality seafood options, expanding into New Mexico’s largest city was a no-brainer for the family-owned business. Greater Albuquerque has also seen tremendous growth in the film industry, increasing the demand for quality, convenient and unique offerings such as Slapfish in the region.
“Slapfish is re-defining the seafood market, and we’re thrilled to bring an exciting new concept into Albuquerque unlike anything else currently available,” adds Wilson. “New Mexicans seek quality dining options, and we are confident that locals will quickly fall in love with the brand just as we did.”
Founded by Chef Gruel in 2011, Slapfish started as a food truck serving boat-to-plate seafood and quickly grew into ten brick-and-mortar locations, with upcoming international openings in South Korea and the UK. With plans to open up to a second Albuquerque location in 2018, the husband-and-wife duo looks forward to making Slapfish a household name in partnership with Gruel.
To celebrate the opening of the vibrant new location, Slapfish Albuquerque invites locals and visitors to the Grand Opening on Saturday, October 7, with free Lobster Rolls offered to the first 100 guests. Customers are invited to indulge in the remarkable seafood offerings, and meet the restaurant innovator behind the concept, Chef Andrew Gruel.
