D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
May 2010
Table Talk
A new restaurant will soon be opening in the Cienega Spa and Salon, 101 N. Cooper St., taking advantage of the kitchen and lovely setting that formerly served as the spa's Orchid Caf. This time, however, Cienega owners Robin and Pam Hogan are outsourcing the whole operation, instead of having to juggle an eatery along with their busy spa and salon. The restaurant will get its name from the French for "three ducks," inspired by the trio of partners who'll run it and their allegiance to the University of Oregon Ducks sports teams. Food could be flying in a month or so; check back here next issue for the complete scoop.
As we first reported last month, the Buckhorn in Pinos Altos expects to reopen and begin serving with a "higher-end, big-city steakhouse" feel sometime this month. There's now a number for reservations — 538-9911 — and a website, buckhornsaloonandoperahouse.com Well-known local singer-songwriter Melanie Zipin, who'll be coordinating the entertainment schedule for the Buckhorn's saloon, unveiled an opening lineup that features Boris McCutcheon from Santa Fe on May 21-22 plus "rockin' blues" with KNT on May 27 and "one-man blues band" C.W. Ayon on May 28-29 for Blues Festival weekend. Monday nights will be open-mic nights with host Phil Brown, starting at 7 p.m. And look for special "Music Showcases" coming soon on Wednesdays, when the bar will also feature food specials.
Hungry folks in the Mimbres Valley will soon have two more dining options. Already open is Rio Mimbres BBQ, about nine and a half miles from where Hwy. 152 meets Hwy. 35. Owners Bryan and Theresa Smith will be smoking and serving a full line of barbecued meats plus side dishes including her mother's potato salad recipe. He's a meat-smoking veteran, having previously helped run a restaurant in Missouri. Though breakfast may be added at some point, for now the hours are Thursday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. No landline yet, but you can call the Smiths' cell phones for more info: (660) 247-3151 or (660) 247-3160.
Coming in May, with a soft opening at the beginning of the month and a grand opening mid-month, is the Elk X-ing ("crossing") restaurant, also in the Upper Mimbres. Owner Sandy Carls promises "down-to-earth country cooking" featuring breakfast favorites, sandwiches, Mexican food and sundaes for dessert. Hours will be Wednesday-Sunday, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.
Not content to bask in the glow of Curious Kumquat's expansion of its café to dinnertime, Silver City chef Rob Connoley recently spent a weekend cooking at Ted Turner's Ladder Ranch. The 156,439-acre property in south-central New Mexico features a wide diversity of wildlife — and apparently some scrumptious food. The ranch and the cooking event in which Connoley participated will be featured in the September issue of Cond Nast Traveler magazine. 111 E. College, 534-0337.
Shevek & Co. in downtown Silver City invites patrons to "sample the souk" with a special five-course dinner of Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian foods, May 7. Reservations for the event are required. 602 N. Bullard St., 534-9168.
The new Adobe Café at 2521 Avenida de Mesilla, in Mesilla's Caballero Plaza, promises to bring a taste of Santa Fe to town. Owner Denise Sanchez-Montez ran the Rancho Escondido there for a number of years, and hopes to offer the same sort of "northern New Mexico" cuisine: blue-corn enchiladas, frito and tamale pies, and wicked-hot chile. Hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday. 647-3663.
Still more Mexican-food options for Las Crucens: Burritos Victoria has opened in the one-time Jack in the Box at 1295 El Paseo Road. Hours are 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. 541-5534. And El Coyamito is a new mobile kitchen, specializing in gorditas, you can find at the corner of Main Street and Solano Drive, weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Owner-chef Louis Sena was last at Meson de Mesilla, the on-again-off-again restaurant whose building is now reportedly up for sale. Finally, El Patron Café is opening in the site where Eddie's Done Deal Pizza used to be, 1103 S. Solano Dr. — returning that eatery location, which was Casa de Menudo before the pizza moved in, to its Mexican-food roots.
Cruces diners looking for greater variety don't have much longer to wait for the promised La Iguana restaurant on the Downtown Mall. Owner Mike LeBlanc is reportedly hoping to open sometime this month. He promises outdoor seating, live music and breakfast, lunch and dinner.