[ClippyClippy]

Hi all, I live up in the NW and am looking for a good New Mexican restaurant. Which is not to say a Mexican restaurant that is new; rather, a restaurant serving New Mexican style food. Anything like that around here? (Other than Gardunos -- we've been there already.) Green chile, posole, adovada, anyone speaking my language?

[dr.gomonas]

There is one that just opened down on Pecos and.... sunset? Carlito's burritos i think. I'm sure that guinnessjim, who is a native new mexican will chime in on it and give you all the details. He posted a whole thread awhile back about the place. Sounds like the food is really good there and they serve all the things you mentioned.

[Buzz123]

Lived in Albuquerque, worked in Santa Fe for about 2½ years, and go back now and then in search of the best food on the planet. Garduños is just about it in the NW, but as dr. gomonas said, there is that new place that Big Jim has told us about. I haven't tried it yet, but maybe this weekend. Garduños was pretty authentic when they first opened, but they seem to have toned it down now for the gringos. Even the servers don't seem to understand what good New Mexico cuisine is all about. Also there was a Coyote Cafe in the MGM at one time, and I think there may have been one in Caesars Forum. Same owner as the one in Santa Fe.

An Albertson's in Henderson was roasting green chilis by the bushel in about August. Now that store is closed, but other Albertson's have done it too, so we're hoping we don't have to drive all the way to Albuq. to get our next batch.

When the Fiesta opened several years ago, I spoke to the then owner, George Maloof, who is from Albuquerque, and thanked him for bringing in Garduños. I suggested that he bring a few truck loads of green chilis up in the fall and roast them in the parking lot. He thought it was a good idea, and then that fall they started having fiestas in the parking lot where they not only sold green chili by the bag, they served lots of New Mexico dishes, and had live entertainment. They did that for three or four years.

You won't find many people around here that know the difference between Mexican food and New Mexican food though. I'd have you over for some of my famous green chili rellenos, or my wife's wonderful carne adovada, but we just met.

[guinnessjim]

yup....pecos and patrick = carlito's burritos. only NM food i have had in Vegas. good stuff, but a little less heat than i would like...still, they use bueno green and chimayo red...and the know the true meaning of "christmas". not in the NW, but the only real help i can offer.

David (the owner) has been talking w/ some people in NM...plans right now are to get a bunch of chile shipped up and roasted in the parking lot for customers...my guess would be that if people stopped in and mentioned they heard that, the better chance of it happening. as much as i like roasting my own, i think i will take advantage of it to help support the effort (or i will just see if i can buy a bushel unroasted from them)

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by guinnessjim

yup....pecos and patrick = carlito's burritos. only NM food i have had in Vegas. good stuff, but a little less heat than i would like...still, they use bueno green and chimayo red...and the know the true meaning of "christmas". not in the NW, but the only real help i can offer.

David (the owner) has been talking w/ some people in NM...plans right now are to get a bunch of chile shipped up and roasted in the parking lot for customers...my guess would be that if people stopped in and mentioned they heard that, the better chance of it happening. as much as i like roasting my own, i think i will take advantage of it to help support the effort (or i will just see if i can buy a bushel unroasted from them)

Hey guinnessjim, do you have a roaster? I tried it in the oven once and had to wear a gas mask in the house for about a month.

Also, I know this isn't NEW Mexico food, but there are a couple of Mexican restaurants in the NW and SW that I can recommend for gourmet Mexican food that will remind you of the good restaurants in New Mexico. It's not the usual bland stuff they sell to gringos around here.

Frank and Finas at the beltway and Flamingo.Mexican Restaurant, Mexican Food, Catering - Las Vegas, Nevada. - Home

and there are three Lindo Michoacan locations. Here are the two on this side of town:

Lindo Michoacan Mexican Restaurant Centennial - Las Vegas

and

Lindo Michoacan Mexican Restaurant - West - Las Vegas

[Buzz123]

My XYL and I went to Carlito's Burritos tonight for dinner. We had the carne adovada stuffed sopaipillas with Christmas sauce, rice, and pozole. They don't have beer yet, and I'm doubting they will as they are too close to a high school, but it would have been good with the NEW Mexico cuisine. We enjoyed it very much, but Rancho de Chimayo they aren't. The pozole was thicker than I'm used to with lots of goodies in it, but my wife had to add salt. I would have too if I wasn't on a sodium restricted diet. But it was good. The carne was very good, as were the two sauces, and the Spanish rice. The sopaipillas that were stuffed were a little heavy, and the soaps that came on the side were flat even though they tasted OK. We've never been able to get them to puff up either, and thought it was just that we didn't do it right. Maybe it's the lower altitude here or something. Jim is right about their food not being hot, but that's OK since I'm no longer used to hot after being back in bland food country for so long. It was cheap though. $17.00 for two meals, and I brought home nearly half of mine for lunch next week. I'd go back. Wish they were on the NW side of town though.

While we were over there in our old stomping grounds we drove around and checked out what we consider old Vegas. I still think it's the best part of town near Pecos Road, especially between Patrick Lane and Flamingo. The 2 million dollar home on Rochelle that we have lusted after for years looks even better now, but we wondered if it would sell for 1 million today (as if I had any money).

Anyway, we see that DeStefano's is still in business.

De Stefano's Italian Restaurant - Las Vegas

It might have new owners, but they still advertise themselves as being Old Vegas with entertainment and all. Even if they have new owners, if they have the same recipes, it's one of the best Italian restaurants in town, and definitely the best atmosphere. Next door is Fuji Japanese restaurant, one of the best in town with an intimate and cozy atmosphere, especially around the teppan grill.

On the way home we stopped at Luv It Frozen Custard for a sundae,

Home Page

and we promised ourselves we would get out of our restaurant rut of same ole same ole, and make the drive to the other side of town more often.

[guinnessjim]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

Hey guinnessjim, do you have a roaster? I tried it in the oven once and had to wear a gas mask in the house for about a month.

no roaster other than my grill....that is the only way i have ever done it. takes longer, but still works well.

[lvkewlkid]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

My XYL and I went to Carlito's Burritos tonight for dinner. We had the carne adovada stuffed sopaipillas with Christmas sauce, rice, and pozole. They don't have beer yet, and I'm doubting they will as they are too close to a high school, but it would have been good with the NEW Mexico cuisine. We enjoyed it very much, but Rancho de Chimayo they aren't. The pozole was thicker than I'm used to with lots of goodies in it, but my wife had to add salt. I would have too if I wasn't on a sodium restricted diet. But it was good. The carne was very good, as were the two sauces, and the Spanish rice. The sopaipillas that were stuffed were a little heavy, and the soaps that came on the side were flat even though they tasted OK. We've never been able to get them to puff up either, and thought it was just that we didn't do it right. Maybe it's the lower altitude here or something. Jim is right about their food not being hot, but that's OK since I'm no longer used to hot after being back in bland food country for so long. It was cheap though. $17.00 for two meals, and I brought home nearly half of mine for lunch next week. I'd go back. Wish they were on the NW side of town though.

While we were over there in our old stomping grounds we drove around and checked out what we consider old Vegas. I still think it's the best part of town near Pecos Road, especially between Patrick Lane and Flamingo. The 2 million dollar home on Rochelle that we have lusted after for years looks even better now, but we wondered if it would sell for 1 million today (as if I had any money).

Anyway, we see that DeStefano's is still in business.

De Stefano's Italian Restaurant - Las Vegas

It might have new owners, but they still advertise themselves as being Old Vegas with entertainment and all. Even if they have new owners, if they have the same recipes, it's one of the best Italian restaurants in town, and definitely the best atmosphere. Next door is Fuji Japanese restaurant, one of the best in town with an intimate and cozy atmosphere, especially around the teppan grill.

On the way home we stopped at Luv It Frozen Custard for a sundae,

Home Page

and we promised ourselves we would get out of our restaurant rut of same ole same ole, and make the drive to the other side of town more often.

it is the nicest part of town! and we went to DeStephano's recently, very nice inside and had entertainment too!

and so many beautiful homes too!

and Luv-It is so great!

[marknvegas]

I was excited to hear of this place. However, eating there, I was less than happy about their food. Their masa and stuffing for their tamales lacked any salt or other flavors. I am from Colorado and understand the type of food they are going for. They sorrily missed the mark. Apparently these home cooks that opened up a restaurant did not adjust their recipes for mass production and they must not taste their food as they cook. If they did, they would taste, or not taste what should be there, Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Onion, Chili Powders, and fresh Green Chilies, all the items that make good New Mexican cuisine. The food was so bland that it was barely edible. I have been cooking for years at home and professionally as a chef. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. The best part of the meal was the chips. They were served hot and well seasoned. The salsa was oddly prepared and reminiscent of Kim-Chee. Yes, weird and so not what I was looking for in a salsa. The Guacamole was ok, but was served on a bed of lettuce in the cup to make it look like there was more there than what you paid for. My friend had the Pork Adovada and it was probably the only thing we all tasted that any of us liked. And the Posole (hominy stew) was so greasy (oily) that it appeared that they took the oil from the cooked pork, threw in some hominy, onions, and cilantro then presented it with a lemon wedge. Again, inedibly greasy, no salt and there was no liquid such as a broth, or any meat in the Posole at all.
My meal came with a Sopapilla (fried dough) and instead I received a piece of very heavy fried dough such as used in Indian Tacos. Again flavorless, and so not what I am used to from New Mexican cuisine.
If you are looking for Pork Adovada and good chips, come here, but don't go looking for much beyond that until they learn how to cook in a restaurant kitchen and not a home kitchen.

[nicdime]

I tried Carlito's Burritos for the first time last saturday 5/16/09. I ordered a steak burrito and pork tamales for take out. I am no chef, but I have been eating mex. food since 1950 and I must say it was the worst mex. food I have ever had. In fact the steak was so tough I couldn't chew it and the beans and rice tasted like they came out of a can and had no flavor. My Dalmation however was very pleased with it. I will not be a returning customer and reccommend you all save your time and money. It is the worst!