Chopes, La Mesa New Mexico

We read reviews about this place that sounded like a religeous pilgrmage.  Whe we arrived the first time we walked into the bar thinking it was the cafe.  We had a beer at the bar with a couple of bikers (Harley) and locals.  Great Chile Rellenos, chips, salsa…everything.

The next time we visited was just after Christmas on the 26th.  We arrived early with our friends Tina and Dennis who are self-professed Chile Rellenos experts.  In fact, they trek about the Southwest looking for the best their is and are very opinionated about what is good.

This time we found the cafe just a few yards south of the bar.  Smaller sign and it looked better than the bar.  When we arrived, the line was already forming and the people that arrived after us squirmed to move up in line.  Sort of like rabid dogs  🙂  The door opened late and Wendy began to joke in line that they had run out of Chile Relleno.  The doors opened and we were seated.

Chips, salsa and the drinks arrived.  Then the wait.  First in last served we thought.  Wendy again joked that maybe they had already run out.  The waiter showed up with menus in hand saying they had run out of Rellenos.  No kidding!  Wendy said, I will never joke like this again and the look on our face terrified the waiter.  Could these people be that crazed was the look on his face.  As we looked at the menu, the owner came by and said not to worry, she would get our Rellenos.

A few minutes later they arrive and again were worth the wait and the moments of terror.

Chopes!  Definitely good eats, worth the wait and on a Chill Travelers scale for ambiance, it was the real-deal for a local canteena.  Clean and circa early 50’s

El Comodore, Mesilla New Mexico

This restaurant is like eating in someones home.  In fact, it looks like a house just as you travel into Mesilla town proper.  The atmosphere is authentic and the food spectacular.  This is the real deal Southwestern New Mexican Restaurant.  We cannot recommend any one dish because everything we have had is perfect.  Not too hot and deep spice tastes keep us going back over and over.  Unlike some of the places we go and have the same thing every time, we always order something different here.

Andele Restaurant, Mesilla New Mexico

Just a few doors from El Comodore, the food is equally good with more of an upscale canteena environment.  As the name suggest, the food generally comes out fast.  In a new location in a shopping center, the old restaurant is now a New Mexican Hot Dog stand.  Not like Pink’s in LA, don’t make the mistake of going in there unless you want the best hot dogs you have tasted.

The New Andele is bigger and faster.  We think the food is even better.  Okay, we took our friend Tina and Dennis there.  you guessed it, they ordered Chile Rellenos.  The verdict, a little different than Chopes and just as good!  I had the fish tacos minus the tortillas and it was wonderful.  Great for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

[mappress]

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