Reason #3: The Food

There’s an art to dining in Las Cruces; one that tends to escape most transplants to the area. I’m talking, of course, about those who can’t quite wrap their heads around the most often used phrase: red or green? It refers, of course, to red or green chile, a staple of the area and a reason many of us choose to live in the Southwest. After all, when in Rome, one doesn’t lament the absence of good Moo Goo Gai Pan, especially when there are so many fabulous regional dishes to choose from. The same can be said for the great Southwest, where the best chile in the world can be found.

 

It begins and ends here…

 

Here too can be found wonderful steaks, because of the proximity to Texas cattle country, and delightful pecans, another export of the area.  It isn’t unusual to find pecan crusted steaks being offered on a menu, alongside the ubiquitous red or green chile choices. As with any culturally steeped regions where the cuisine is a reflection of the area’s history, there are the good, the bad and the outstanding by way of restaurant choices. One has only to ask around to find a virtual smorgasbord of choices and opinions to go along with them.

Having reviewed several such restaurants for the local newspaper, I am perhaps better acquainted than most with the local cuisine. Rather than present a list of my favorites, however, I offer a bit of advice: pay no attention to the naysayers who fill local message boards with vitriol and diatribes about the lack of diversity to be found in the area, where cuisine is concerned. Instead, read what others have to say about the positive experiences they have had, because is it is here that you’re most likely to discover a connection that very well could change how you view what can only be termed New Mexico Cuisine.

Remember, Google is your friend and if you’re visiting from the Midwest, you’re more likely to believe the words of a fellow Midwesterner when it comes to flavor and spice.  Oh, and if it’s exceptional Moo Goo Gai Pan that you’re craving, you might want to consider booking a flight to San Francisco’s Chinatown. It’s amazing. I’ve had it. Nuff said.

You haven’t lived until you taste it…

 

Articles & Resources:

 

A nice comprehensive overview, with a few recipies thrown in:

http://www.blogher.com/discover-call-new-mexico-cuisine-recipes

 

Historical overview by the Food Museum:

http://www.foodmuseum.com/foodheritagecommunityLas%20Cruces.html