The Bootheel region of Southwest New Mexico has a surprisingly robust food scene that includes a pair of historic steakhouses and a Mexican cafe, all of which are worth a road trip.
DemingMost steakhouses don't highlight paranormal investigations on their website, but Adobe Deli Restaurant, 10 miles outside of Deming on Highway 549, is not like other steakhouses.
Opened in 1978 in an old elementary school house, with rustic wood, taxidermied animals, and aging tin lining walls inside and out, the place looks like it would attract ghost hunters. But it's the food that has kept its loyal following coming back for more than 40 years.
The menu is extensive, with 22 different appetizer options. The onion soup, made with Adobe Deli Dusty Cab and toasted Acosta Asadero cheese, is legendary.
Prices are reasonable, considering the quality of the fare: a 10-ounce bacon-wrapped filet mignon, cooked to perfection with a choice of sides, runs just $37.95 and is the highest price on the menu. Pork chops are $26.95, and huge, overflowing sandwiches run between $16.95 and $19.95.
Bread lovers can't miss the garlic or rosemary homemade loaves, each $11 and baked fresh in house. The bar has plenty of big-name beers on tap and live music occasionally, and diners can finish their meal with a hand-rolled cigar in the funky smoking lounge.
Adobe Deli Restaurant
A funky desert outpost with excellent steaks, a bar, a cigar lounge, and a lot more.
Address: 3970 Lewis Flats Rd SE, east of Deming
Phone: (575) 546-0361
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Prices: $$-$$$
Best Bets: Onion soup, oysters in a half shell, USDA prime steaks.
The most authentic Mexican restaurant in the Bootheel is Ramona's Cafe, a woman-owned institution in Lordsburg that recently relocated to the building once occupied by Kranberry's Restaurant on Main Street. Ramona's is just south of Interstate 10, so it makes a great dining spot for travelers passing through. (It even has parking for semis and RVs.)
Owner Maria Garcia has perfected her family recipes and has been serving the community for more than two decades. Locals love the combination plates, with heaping servings of excellent refried beans and rice, homemade tamales, beef tacos, and some of the best red and green chile sauce in the whole state.
The prices are just as good as the chile. Combination plates are around $16, and piping-hot fajitas are only $18.95. The homemade chips and salsa, a crucial part of the Mexican food experience, are nothing short of exceptional. The hamburgers are also amazing, smothered in cheese and green chile. The best bet, though, is the shredded-beef chimichanga plate, "Christmas style" with both red and green sauce, for just $14. Add a Mexican-style bottled Coca-Cola to complete the meal.
Now open every day, Ramona's serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and features a full-service salad bar. They also cater and host special events, and they welcome to-go orders.
Ramona's Mexican Cafe
Traditional, authentic -- and hot -- New Mexican cuisine at a great price.
Address: 1405 Main St. in Lordsburg
Phone: (575) 542-3030
Web: Find them on Facebook
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
Prices: $$
Best Bets: "Christmas"-style Mexican plates, salad bar, Sunday menudo.
Pinos AltosWalking into the Buckhorn Saloon and Opera House is taking a step back in time. Diners enter the thick-walled adobe building through a dimly lit bar and hear live music from one corner and see a scantily-clad lady mannequin suspended in a cage over another. (It operated as a brothel up until 1970.) Old West art and artifacts adorn the walls.
A 10-minute drive north of Silver City to the small village of Pinos Altos, 7,000 feet above sea level, the Buckhorn is nestled high up in the Gila National Forest. It features a casual bar with a fireplace and live music, as well as separate fine-dining and a historic opera house that hosts live events and entertainment.
The food is worthy of the setting: locals rave about the green chile stew and the occasional spaghetti specials, but it's the steaks that have been bringing people back for decades. They serve top quality USDA prime beef, grilled to order and seasoned perfectly by chef and owner Thomas Bock.
Prices are what you'd expect at a good steakhouse. A 22-ounce "cowboy cut" ribeye is $59. The prime rib, served on Fridays and Saturdays, costs $33 and $44 for 9-ounce and 16-ounce cuts. The shrimp scampi is $24.
Silver City is an artsy mining town with a vibrant social scene, shopping and plenty of good food, but the Buckhorn is special. It's steeped in history, it serves top-quality steaks and seafood, and it's one of the most memorable atmospheres in all of New Mexico. And everyone should eat there at least once in their lives.
Buckhorn Saloon and Opera House
A classic steakhouse and bar in a historic setting, serving prime beef and homemade dishes.
Address: 32 Main St. in Pinos Altos, north of Silver City
Phone: (575) 538-9911
Web: Find them on Facebook
Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 3-8 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 3-9 p.m., closed Sunday
Prices: $$$
Best Bets: Quality steaks, green chile stew.
Reporter shirttail: Jason K. Watkins is a Phoenix-based writer and teacher who grew up in Southwestern New Mexico. He is the former restaurant critic for the Albuquerque Journal. He can be reached at jasonkwatkins.com.
