New Mexico, anyone??? (Or, ''It's my turn to ask for vacation advice.'')

In My Humble Opinion
1

OK, I’ll be in NM for 10 days next month. My itinerary is pretty much set, but what I’d like to elicit is some restaurant advice (not just things to try out, but also things to avoid). Especially in the areas of Socorro, Roswell, Santa Fe, and Taos (yep, I’m gonna be all over the frickin’ state).

In my previous trip to NM many years ago, I really enjoyed the opportunity to eat what I called, “real Mexican food.” That is, not the formulaic “Mexican food” of various regional chains (like Monterrey and San Jose) in my area. However, I know we’re not going to want Mexican food every day for every meal, so I’d welcome any comments.

2

Hey, Earl! Sniffs_Markers and I may be going next month too! My family is there, but she’s never been so there’s some great stuff we’re going to see.

Make sure you eat some sopapillas (a fried bread that has its origins with the natives in that state) – I’m so looking forward to sopapillas with warm honey poured in that I’m already drooling.

The state is pretty vast with a lot to see. You may wish to see the Carlsbad Caverns – always a popular tourist attraction. At dusk you get to watch the bats pour out like thick smoke (that may be seasonal though, I don’t remember.) Carlsbad is kinda the opposite way that you’re going though (more southerly).

If you like opera, my mom just got back and said the Santa Fe opera was phenomenal!

There are also some marvelous, marvelous, ancient native ruins (e-mail me and I can recommend the best ones to go and see). Actually there are some in the general direction of Roswell, but I don’t remember the name (hey, I’m used to wandering with my relatives and not paying attention.)

E-mail me though because I’m looking into the cool things that I most want Markers to see when we go, so I can let you know of the things that I think would be the most worthwhile.

3

Oh, and note: I can give you no restaurant recommendations.

I don’t live in the state and my relatives’ idea of “eating out” is a buffet where they serve jello with little, orange wedges suspended in it.

(There are however some “classic NM fare” restaurants in the “Old Town” areas of Albuquerque and Santa Fe.)

4

Hmm. I don’t know of anything off the top of my head in Taos, but I’m sure there’s something. Socorro, not so sure, but there is a restaurant that at least used to have the world’s best green chile cheeseburgers near there (someone want to help me out here?) I know there’s stuff in Santa Fe, but not sure what either. However, if you are going to do Socorro to Santa Fe to Taos, I might suggest, depending on the time, that you stop in at Albuquerque. Off the top of my head, places to go (depending on what you’re looking for) would include El Pinto (North Valley), Gardunos (all over), Monroe’s (one at least in the NE Heights), Dos Hermanos (more of a carry out than anything else), The Frontier (near UNM), and lots of others.

5

BTW - there are virtual guide books that let you check out some of the cool attractions. They have lots of the quicktime movies that allow you to do a 360 degree turn (they actually nauseate me a little. Woooo dizzy!..) And the New Mexico Tourism website lists a lot of the cool things.

Also in October there is the huge Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (Albuquerque)! It’s a lot more impressive than it sounds, really! Honest! This year I think it starts in early October.

6

Oh, I can pitch in with a second vote for Garduños. It’s a chain and so is pretty consistent, no surprises, the menu and quality won’t change much from location to location. Think “Red Lobster” only instead of seafood, a tex-mex style. Some locations also regularly have mariachis which are fun.

7

Native New Mexican here:
Eat a Lotaburger with green chile and cheese (new mexico chain burger joint)

The range in Bernalillo (not the one in Albuquerque) is a must. Any meal, save room for dessert!

Los Cuates in Alb.
(the little one on the south side of Lomas St., the original and the best, they’re both really good though.)

Gardunos is good, but touristy,

Sadie’s -bring your appetite and be prepared for hot chile.

Barelas coffee house will give you good authentic new mexican culture and food.

Garcia’s in old town

The Frontier- across from UNM, great people watching 24/7. Have Huevos Rancheros with green chile stew on top, and have a sweet roll (I repeat, have a sweet roll)
Also good but addictive: Anything with the carne Adovada on it, or just Carne Adovada burritos.

Good pizza/italian food at Saggio’s across the street from the frontier, if you don’t eat there, just peek in at the artwork, but the food is really good.

Coffee and Dessert at The Flying Star Cafe (formerly double rainbow) in Nob Hill area on Central east of the university about 1-2 miles.

Monroe’s is good

Little Anita’s in old town is good and sometimes they have Mariachis

Fancy in old town: Maria Teresa.
Fast food: Twisters, hurricanes, disasters (all part of a themed chain) have a disaster burrito.
In Santa Fe: Tomasita’s is the only place I know well enough to recommend.

Sorry I’m not much help south or north.

If you really want authentic, drive through an indian pueblo on sat or sun. Eat an indian taco at a roadside stand. Get some of the bread too.

Jemez mountains are beautiful, and you can also eat at Los Ojos in Jemez Springs. If you’re looking for a scenic way to get to Los Alamos, go through there.

8

In Santa Fe Coyote Cafe has good lunch choices and excellent dinner.

I’ve eaten at Pasquale’s once. I say go if you can get in and can afford it.

My favorite meal in Santa Fe continues to be room service huevos rancheros at La Fonda.

There’s also The Plaza Restaurant on the plaza that serves regular diner type food (burgers, spaghetti, etc.). It’s a blessed relief if you need to give your flaming innards a break.

Up the road from Santa Fe is Rancho De Chimayo, which is a pretty classic restaurant. There’s a bed and breakfast across the street where you can sleep it off.

Guadalajara Grill in Taos serves up good basic Mexican food in a camp mess hall type setting with a circulating mariachi band.

Orlando’s was good, too.

A patio table at Ogelvie’s on the plaza is a fun place to eat and hang out.

9

I do believe you are talking about the Owl. Its a few miles south of Socorro. I’ve never been there but the green chile cheese burgers have many a fan down here in Cruces.

10

Ahh Land of Enchantment, Land of my birth. I can’t help you with any thing other than Santa Fe. We always called Socorro the city that Always sleeps.

Anyhow, I highly approve of Greck’s Albuquerque recommendations. For Santa Fe, the best possible truly New Mexican cuisine is at the Shed, downtown near the Plaza. Make a reservation. Tomasita’s is fun, but the quality is lower, and sometimes the food is just hot, without any flavor. I like it for drinks. Speaking of drinks, if you have the time, I highly suggest having a margarita on the Ore House balcony overlooking the plaza. Don’t have dinner there, but definitely try to get a drink on the balcony on a nice afternoon.

There are a few good places to go when you’re tired of New Mexican food. The Zia Diner offers standard diner american fare, like meatloaf blue plate specials. Pranzo grill has good Italian food and is a better value than The Palace.

Geronimo is the current “hot” place to go on Canyon road. Expensive, romantic, I have no idea if it’s worth it or not. The previous “hot” spots are Santacafe and Coyote Cafe. Of the two, I think Santacafe is better. None of these places are cheap.

Rancho de Chimayo goes through phases of being good and being terrible. If you go up to Bandelier, it’s kind of on your way home. Kind of.

Good breakfast places are Tecolote Cafe (if it’s still around, on Cerrillos Rd), Pasqual’s and Guadalupe Cafe. Also Harry’s Roadhouse is good, but it’s yuppified and way out of town on your way to El Dorado.

Places to Avoid: Pink Adobe, purely resting on faded laurels. Rancho de Chimayo if it’s in a downturn phase. it’s too far to drive for disappointing grub.

Buen aprovecho.

11

If you’re going to be in Santa Fe, you’ll be close to Los Alamos, which has a nuke museum. And on the way there you’ll pass Anasazi (“the old ones”) ruins which are an interesting visit.

And also not far is Espanola, the Low-Rider Capital of the World.

12

The ruins near Los Alamos is Bandelier National Monument and the rangers there will point out to you (as well as the signs) that the Anasazi didn’t live there.

Anasazi is a Navajo word and the people who lived in Bandelier were Pueblo Indians. Apparently, it’s a sore point with the Pueblos so “Ancestral Pueblos” is the preferred term.

Bandelier is at 6600’ and to get to the most interesting part of the monument, you will need to climb a series of ladders that go up 140’. You will be huffing and puffing a lot at the end, but it’s worth it.

Los Alamos is definitely a company town. It’s only about 17,000 people, but most work for the lab and the town seems to have some pretty nice facilities.

13

Ah, New Mexico! There is so much to see…the state is so huge! Really, you have to plan-it is impossible to drive around the whole state in 11 days. I’d concentrate on one area-for me, that would be northern NM-Albuquerque and north. Stay in Taos, lovely oplace. Eat the green chile burger at Michael’s…and visit Taos pueblo. The local native americans are friendly, and will talk to you. Go for a white water rafting trip on the Rioi Grande…and by all means, visit the UNiv. of NM museums. Graet food!

14

Another vote for the Guadalajara Grill in Taos. I spent two weeks there (near Taos, not at the restaurant) and tried nearly everything Taos has to offer and the Guadalajara Grill was by far the best. IIRC, there are two locations in Taos–I ate at the one near the south of town.

Taos also has a brewpub near the square (just to the east; the name escapes me right now) where the food is so-so, but the beer is great. Try the Green Chile Beer.

And if you’re looking for something other than New Mexican food, there’s a fantastic pizza place near the north/northwest end of town that’s a little hard to find, but well worth it. For some reason (early morning… little coffee…) I can’t quite remember its name either. Some help I am, eh?

And its not restaurant advice, but if you’re going to be up around Taos and are looking to do something different, try to visit the Harding Pegmatite Mine near Dixon. You have to get permission from UNM Geology (but they will readily give you permission if you ask), but it’s a very easy to access surface mine where you can find some great minerals like optical calcite and beryl.

15

Oh–are you going to make it as far south as Carlsbad?

16

Why try to remember when you can Google?

Eske’s:
http://www.eskesbrewpub.com/
http://www.realbeer.com/nmvbp/rev_eske.htm

Taos Pizza Out Back:
http://marketplace.taosnews.com/Sites/TaosPizzaOutBack/

17

As for Socorro, yeah, the Owl bar is the “famous” one, it’s in San Antonio, which is, I don’t know, 7 mies or so south of Socorro. Practically across the street from the Owl is Manny’s Buckhorn, and they server similar food (mmmm… green chile cheese fries…)

Also, just north of Socorro, in Lemitar, there’s a place with excellent chile (the guy who runs it is also a chile farmer) called Coyote Moon. It’s not always open, though and it can be hard to get to - it’s not exactly conspicuous. It’s definitely worth it if you’ve got the time though.

18

Earl - You did not post the dates you are goin to be there but if you are there between 10/4 and 10/12 You MUST go see the Balloon Fiesta.

http://www.aibf.org/

You will not regret it.

19

And if you’re in the neighborhood…

The Trinity Site is open the first Saturday in October.
Oh, and Ditto to Blake’s LottaBurger and La Pinto. Dang it, now I’m hungry!

20

Not to nitpick or anything (ok, actualy, specifically to nitpick): It’s not “real mexican food” It’s “new mexican” which really means native american specific to the region, with spanish and mexican influence.

That being said, go eat at The Range in Bernalillo.