Shipman's favorite New Mexico restaurants

• Santa Fe
  • The Palace, since its reopening in 2012, is now simply the best restaurant in NM, among those that I've actually tried. Start on the Plaza, facing north: you see the Palace of the Governors, which is several hundred years old. Palace Street runs in front of it. Go about three blocks west and look on the south side of the street. Chef Joseph Wrede has been making culinary waves from Taos for many years, so when I heard he was reopening this famous location after a two-year hiatus, I couldn't wait to try it. Amazing food, with influences from world cuisine, Santa Fe style, and continental technique, but more creative than any four other fine dining places in town.
• Española/Chimayó area
  • `Rancho de Chimayó, Chimayó, NM' (New Mexican)
  • `El Paragua, Española, NM' (New Mexican)
• Belen
  • Canyon Smokehouse at 925 South Main St., near the south end of town, phone 505-861-1400. Opened in November 2009. Good meats, wide selection, nice big bright clean room, nice people.
  • Fat Sat's is a fairly new (2009) bar and grill, and I've been quite happy with the three meals I've had there. It's on the I-25 bypass road, between the North Belen exit (milepost 195) and Wal-Mart. This is kind of a Guy Place: a dozen big TV screens, a real bar, and saucy, underdressed (but attentive) waitresses. Forget that: the food is great, and there are healthy options (unless of course you really need most of a pound of fries). Their sandwiches are huge, with good-quality meats and cheeses. Prime rib is a specialty, along with a full range of cow products. The chef salad was surprisingly good: a high grade of mixed salad greens, tender chicken with a good sear and nice flavor.
• Truth or Consequences
  • `Pacific Grill, Truth or Consequences, NM'
• Alamogordo
  • Tia Lupe's, 1200 N. White Sands Boulevard #109, (575) 437-0820, directly across the street from the zoo and the Chamber of Commerce. Lupe Acosta is the daughter of Maria Acosta, who for many years made (in my opinion) the best Mexican food in Socorro County, in the virtual shadow of the legendary Owl in San Antonio, NM. Big menu, great flavor, nice people, and cost-effective.
• Roswell
  • For Chinese food, try Hunan, on the north-south main drag just behind the Peter Piper Pizza, well north of NMMI. Consistent quality, big menu, nice folks.
  • I normally avoid chains if there are better choices, but in this town I like the Red Lobster.
• Artesia
  • Piccolino's, one block north of the main intersection. Southern Italian, huge menu, lots of standards and some dishes you don't often see. A lot better than what you'd expect in a small town like this.
  • I have not personally tried the Chaos Cafe, on the east side of the north-south main drag and south of the east-west main drag, but multiple informants tell me it's wholesome and tasty. Breakfast and lunch only.
• Carlsbad
  • The Red Chimney Pit Barbecue is one of the two best barbecue outlets in the state of New Mexico, for my taste (the other being The Cube in Albuquerque). Scrumptious, slow-smoked meats, an excellent middle-of-the-road sauce, and a good value. The locals know about this place, so get there early—since it takes a day to smoke the meats, once they run out of something, it's gone until the next day. Lunch and dinner, Monday-Friday only (unfortunately). On the main drag (Canal Street) a mile or so north of downtown. Since 1952.
  • For quite traditional Mexican food at a reasonable price, try Leo's on Bronson just around the corner from the Golden China.
• Clovis
  • As with Roswell, I'm not aware of any good local places here, but the Red Lobster does good work.

Gone but not forgotten

• `Blue Springs Mountain Cafe, near Mountainair'

Last updated: 2012/04/22 19:55:33
URL: http://www.nmt.edu/~shipman/food/nm.html