D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
September 2009
Fond of La Fonda
Fajitas are just the beginning at this Deming favorite.
Fond of La FondaFajitas are just the beginning at this Deming favorite.This time of year, when the aroma of roasting chiles perfumes the air, it's easy to forget that folks in chile-deprived areas look on with longing at what New Mexicans take for granted. We just assume that places like La Fonda, the popular Mexican-American cafe on Deming's main drag, can always be found on the next street corner. But transplant La Fonda to, say, Des Moines, and it'd be the spicy talk of the town.
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Roomy, bright and airy, La Fonda is no mere taco joint. Service is fast and friendly and, on our most recent visit, downright fun. The extensive menu — plastic-coated against the inevitable red-or-green sauce spills — features all the Mexican favorites, starting with the Mexican Plate Deluxe (tamale, taco, enchilada and chile relleno) at the incredible bargain price of $7.95. Besides the standards like burritos, tacos and enchiladas — all at $7.45, plus 99 cents if you want an egg (of course!) on your enchiladas — you can branch out to flautas ($7.45, beef or chicken), tampiquea steak topped with chile con queso ($9.90), or carne adovada ($8.45). Everything comes with rice and creamy beans, naturally.Our table tried the chile relleno plate ($7.45), a pair of cheesy chiles smothered in green sauce (our choice), and the gordita plate ($7.45), which comes in your choice of beef, shredded beef or chicken. Slathered with red sauce (also our choice), the gordita and its accompaniments were plenty for a hearty appetite.
La Fonda is especially famous for its fajitas. Choose chicken, beef or both for $10.50, fajitas for two at $21, or try the unusual stuffed fajita potato ($7.65) or seemingly contradictory fajita burrito. (It's a fajita! No, it's a burrito! It's $5.75 for chicken or beef.)Can't decide or pressed for time? There's a daily buffet ($7.25 except $7.95 Sunday).Palates spoiled by our easy accessibility to fine Mexican fare can also order from La Fonda's extensive menu of Anglo options, ranging from a T-bone steak ($15.25) to burgers ($6.75-$7.75) and all the traditional sandwich varieties ($6.75-$8.25). Plus La Fonda serves breakfast, the choices occupying a full, oversized page of the menu: huevos rancheros ($5.99), of course, and breakfast burritos ($3.25), along with the usual eggs and such, omelets and pancakes. Just reading the breakfast menu makes us want to get up early tomorrow and drive to Deming.
As a large banner out front advertises, La Fonda serves beer and wine — perfect for raising a toast to our good fortune in having places like La Fonda.
— David A. Fryxell
La Fonda, 601 E. Pine St., Deming, 546-0465.
Open
for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Major credit cards.