New Mexico, CO, WY, and Big Sky, MT??

We're heading to Big Sky next week (June 12, 2003) and will be there 7 days. Great places to eat? We're driving from Memphis, TN through New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. We LOVE a great experience, funky places, good food, experiencing the people and the culture. Any great places we shouldn't miss along the way (and while there)??? Help, quick!......Susan Q

In Denver try Daddy Bruce's BBQ...After a few days on the road it will be a chance to renew your memory of SouthWestern BBQ. See the Stern's Review for details.
If you are driving out I-40 I put a couple of places in Amarillo,TX on the thread for stops between OK City and Albuquerque. We stopped there last week so they are current. Also check the note on Gas prices..where you stop can be a 15 cent a gallon saving if you choose the better stops. Good Luck and have fun.

About 20 miles east of Big Sky is Chico Hot Springs. If you're driving through Yellowstone on the way to Big Sky, you can reach it in less than an hour from the park's archway entrance. Great place to kick back and soak in the warm waters for a few hours. Rustic, western setting. Visits should be timed to have dinner at night in the on-site restaurant, which is a special place. Expertly grilled meats, trout, and other foods that just seem so right at a place like this.

The M & J Sanitary Tortilla Factory in Downtown Albuquerque is a must! Their Carne Adovada Burritos, Sopapillas and their chips and salsa cannot be beat! Your tongues will be scorched!

In Santa Fe look for Bobcat Bite for one of the best burgers on the planet, the 9oz green chile cheeseburger. For an excellent inexpensive breakfast in Santa Fe, Tia Sophia's downtown near the plaza. In Albuquerque, try the Duran Central Pharmacy - authentic New Mexican food counter in the back of a pharmacy. Awesome.

There's a Mexican restaurant on the old route 66 entering Albuquerque called Garcia's that was exceptionally good. Everything had green chile in it. They have a beautiful sign. There's also a neon sign that reads "MENUDO" on a side window. That was my favorite picture from my last trip.

Without question, THE stop in Albuquerque is the Frontier, at the corner of Central Avenue and Cornell, right across from the main entrance of UNM. A 24-hour diner that covers half a city block, the Frontier serves breakfast anytime -- get the huevos rancheros with green chile stew, with a side of western-style hash browns (cheese and green chile added) and an extra order of tortillas, plus a Frontier Roll -- and a full menu of diner fare. The enchiladas are magnificent, the burgers are tasty, and they've got great fries. It's a great spot to people-watch, too.

My god, I miss the Frontier...

I'll second on Tia Sophia in Santa Fe, a true local.

Bobcat Bite in Santa Fe (open Wed-Sat only)should not be missed, for the green chile cheeseburgers but also steaks. It's about the size of your computer monitor so be prepared for a wait. Building used to be a gun shop/trading post in the 50's, and staff is incredibly friendly. The Shed in downtown Santa Fe has fine red chile and not too many tourists. In Albuquerque -- Powdrell's barbeque on Central Ave. in a sea of car dealerships.

I'll second the Shed but it does get very crowded. It's worth the trip just to see the building, the original front enterance which is probably 300 years old and you have to duck a little to enter that door. Blue corn enchiladas are my favorite there, made Santa Fe style, flat stacked tortillas.

Try Little Anita's on 1550 So. Colorado Blvd in Denver. Good SW/"New Mexican" enchilada's and a steak that go well with their signature red chili (the green chili isn't supposed to be as good). It's a small place, but you could eat outside this time of year.

If you don't have Sonic in TN, they've made a good presence now in Denver Metro. A local chain is Good Times (there's one a few blocks from Little Anita's - I think it's north - also on Colorado Blvd.) I dig their burgers and frozen custard.

RT

I just returned from a few days in New Mexico and have the following suggestions!

Santa Fe: Mariscos La Playa, with two locations--537 Cordova Road and 2875 Cerrillos Road. I have no idea which one I ate at; I was with a friend who lives in Santa Fe and this was his pick on where to take me. It's a small place filled with what appeared to be locals. I had the fish tacos, which were wonderful. They were served with french fries, which was a bit odd, but the fries were good anyway! My friend at the seafood ceviche, of which I had a taste. I had lunch envy! It was delicious and loaded with all sorts of stuff--shrimp, scallops, oysters, calamari and heavy with fragrant lime. His wife had shrimp sauteed with garlic, which smelled wonderful. A nice little lunch!

I didn't get to eat in Albuquerque, unfortunately, as I needed to make my way down to Silver City to meet another friend. One night, we ate at El Paisano, a local family Mexican restaurant. So local, in fact, we had to stop at the Taco Bell to ask for directions! HA. The kid at the drive thru window asked, "You must want authenticated mexican food!" Anyway, the stuffed sopapillas were great and we both agreed that the stuffed chiles rellenos were fabulous. We got one of each--stuffed with chicken and beef--and agreed that the chicken won out. We also ordered some tamales, which were good and finished up with sopapillas with honey (which we were too full to eat, so had for breakfast the next morning). With each of us having a margarita, the bill came to about $20!

The next night, we made reservations at the Buckhorn Saloon in Pinos Altos. It's on Route 15 on the way to the amazing and not to be missed Gila Cliff Dwellings. The saloon part of the restaurant is straight out of the old west, complete with a stuffed drunken indian at the end of the bar. Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera to any of our meals, so I have no photos of our food. But, I did snap a shot of the exterior:

I had surf and turf--petite filet and shrimp scampi, with a baked potato. Very good. My friend had the house speciality which is a NY strip steak covered in green chile and cheese sauce, which was yummy.

After dinner, we caught the "melodrama" theatre at the Opera House next door:

Well worth it! Cheesy and fun. It's the old, "I can't pay the rent." "You must pay the rent." "I can't pay the rent." "You must pay the rent." "I'll pay the rent." "My hero!" kind of show where you are handed a bucket of popcorn with your ticket. The popcorn isn't to eat, but rather to throw at the villian during the show! A hoot and a half!

Oh, and on the way to Silver City, we pulled off the highway in Truth or Consequences ("T or C" to the locals!) and had a surprisingly good meal at La Cocina Restaurant:

The green chile sauce there was quite tasty and the red chile sauce had a bit of a smokey flavor to it. We liked 'em both!

In downtown Silver City, we also had lunch at a little cafe called Vicki's. We ate out on a very cozy patio and we both had the Mediterranean salad plates, which were filled with fresh greens, feta cheese, olives, artichokes, marinated mushrooms and rice-stuffed dolmas. It came with some homemade hummus on the side and fresh pitas. A perfect lunch after our art gallery hopping in Silver City!

So, there you have it. There are so many other places I wanted to visit and I never got the chicken fried steak I was craving, but all the more reason to go back!
Lisa

The 66 Diner and The Frontier on Central Avenue (Rt. 66) in Albuquerque are both great. See the Sterns' reviews of both places. If you get a taste for barbeque in Albuquerque, I recommend Rudy's Country Store and Barbeque at 2321 Carlisle Blvd. Give them a call at 505-884-4000 for directions. The pork ribs are big and meaty, with a good smoked flavor and your choice of hot or mild sauce, the sides are very good, and the apple and cherry cobblers are great. I think this place is better than Mr. Powdrell's (see the Sterns' review), which is saying something.

I concur about Rudy's, which is a regional chain based in San Antonio (there's another Rudy's in NW Albuquerque, near Cottonwood Mall) but is absolutely authentic Texas-style barbecue.

Mr. Powdrell is a charming and soft-spoken man who believes strongly in giving back to the community of Albuquerque. His charitable contributions are humbling. Honestly, however, I'm not that all that crazy about his barbecue.

I've mentioned this somewhere else, I'm sure, but if you are going though Southfork, Colorado on your way to Durango, stop by The Hungry Logger. Their chilisize is really good, and I understand that they have outstanding old fashioned breakfasts.
If you like a good calzone, check out Mario's in Gunnison, CO. My son loved their pizza, too.