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New
Mexico Tourism Department Launches On-Line Culinary
Treasures Trail 2010
In the restaurant world, “what’s new and hot” may grab
the attention, but it’s the more-established places that
create the character and provide the foundation on which
these newer dining establishments can thrive. To
celebrate these cuisine classics, the New Mexico Tourism
Department has just launched its on-line Culinary
Treasures Trail at
http://www.newmexico.org/culinarytreasures/
The Culinary Treasurers Trail - a follow-up to the
wildly popular Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail which
debuted last year - promotes restaurants that have stood
the test of time; independent spots that are beloved in
their neighborhoods and beyond. Many are operated by the
founding family or by someone handpicked to carry on
their legacy, but in all cases are still family-owned
and operated (and have not expanded beyond a second
restaurant) to help ensure personal hospitality.
“New Mexico is full of venerable independently-owned
spots that most New Mexicans and their visitors know
quite well,” said Michael Cerletti, Secretary of the New
Mexico Tourism Department. “With the help of the New
Mexico Restaurant Association, each Culinary Treasure
chosen must have reached a minimum of 40 years of
continuous service. We put out the word statewide and
received nominations from loyal patrons, cooks, chefs,
wait staff, and owners. We then convened a team of
culinary experts to confirm their qualifications. The
result? Whether you’re ravenous for huevos rancheros,
hungry for hash browns, or craving a plate of stacked
red enchiladas, you’re going to find something on the
Trail that fits the bill.”
The list of 75 Treasures includes cafes, diners,
drive-ins, and one of the state’s most elegant dining
venues, like The Compound in Santa Fe, with its
imaginative James Beard award-winning chef-owner Mark
Kiffin, and the dining room of the Hotel St. Bernard in
Taos Ski Valley, presided over by ski legend Jean Mayer
for more than four decades. Famed outposts for New
Mexican cuisine are featured, like La Posta de Mesilla
and Rancho de Chimayó. There’s the delightful Pappas
Sweet Shop Restaurant in Raton, and Billy Crews Fine
Dining and Cocktails in Santa Teresa. From west to east,
great spots remain from the golden age of Route 66, the
El Rancho Hotel Restaurant in Gallup and the Dog House
in Albuquerque, for instance, and onward to the Silver
Moon Café in Santa Rosa and Del’s in Tucumcari. Historic
Pie Town on State Road 60 was designated an honorary
Culinary Treasure for its long history of cafes
serving—you guessed it—pies.
The interactive map (http://www.newmexico.org/culinarytreasures/treasuremap.php)
is the heart of the Culinary Treasures Trail. The map
makes it easy to check out what’s along your route, try
a tasty detour, or grab some friends and plan a whole
itinerary around these personality-filled spots. The
Trail also provides a snapshot of each restaurant’s
history, style, and food. Many establishments shared
vintage photos, menus from early years, and signature
recipes, like The Shed’s Chile Verde con Papas or Bobcat
Bite’s Coleslaw.
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www.newmexico.org
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