Has life on the rez suddenly become mainstream? Increased exposure certainly seems to indicate that may be the case. In 2023, the novel Rez Ball received prestigious literary recognition, including the American Indian Youth Literature Award. PowWows.com described the novel as “rooted in the reservations, Rez Ball is a fast-paced and fiercely competitive form of basketball that showcases the spirit of Indigenous identity. Its aggressive defense and quick transitions reflect the strength and pride of Native American players, making it a powerful expression of culture.” In 2024, the subsequent movie, also titled Rez Ball, also earned accolades. Centered in New Mexico, the movie follow the Chuska Warriors, a Navajo high school basketball team, as they overcome personal challenges in pursuit of a state championship.
“Without Reservations,” a popular daily comic strip by Santo Domingo artist Ricardo Caté has been featured in the Santa Fe New Mexican and Taos News since 2006. It’s the only Native American cartoon in a mainstream newspaper, using humor and satire to highlight Indigenous life, culture, and issues. Caté has been creating six cartoons a week, teaching, revealing and explaining the Native American experience to people one panel at a time. Caté’s impact goes beyond the realm of cartoons. His work has become a catalyst for change, reminding us of the power of humor and its ability to address important societal issues. In 2023, Caté was honored with the Inkpot Award at Comic-Con International. He joins Tim Burton (2009) George Lucas (1977) and Steven Spielberg (2011) as recipients
Give it time and maybe That’s My Rez Sandwich will earn accolades in the culinary arena. If you haven’t heard of That’s My Rez, that may be because it’s only been around since October, 2025 and it’s located in a pod (made from a repurposed shipping container) within Rio Rancho’s The Block. Launching a restaurant in the advent of winter is always a risky proposition, but favorable weather has given Visionaries (residents of the City of Vision) an opportunity to get to know and love the sandwich shop we’ve needed for a long time. It helps that The Block has become a vibrant hub of activities, entertainment and (especially) good food.
That’s My Rez Sandwich is the brainchild of Richard DeVore and Isaiah Martinez, brothers-in-law who are defying any stereotypes you may have about sandwiches within the reservation. Isaiah is the executive chef and creative genius behind unique sandwiches inspired by New Mexico ingredients (including such sumptuous condiments as green chile mayo, red chile dijon and spicy honey). He’s an industry veteran now living his dream of being creative and pleasing palates. Richard grew up in Jemez, one of the Land of Enchantment’s nineteen Pueblos. Though he now lives in Rio Rancho, he visits “the rez” frequently and participates in all Pueblo ceremonies and festivals.
The menu at That’s My Rez Sandwich is an eye-opening melange of sandwich fare you might not associate with reservation life. While sandwiches are the featured fare, take a gander at the menu and you’ll espy such “oddities” as Kool-Aid gummy bears, Kool-Aid (tropical fruit punch or grape) and whole pickles. Having grown up in a village adjacent to Picuris Pueblo, I recalled my Pueblo friends being fond of Kool-Aid, but most of the sandwiches I enjoyed with them were of the fried baloney and fried SPAM variety, all crafted on horno-baked bread. We typically feasted on prune pie for dessert.
There are only seven sandwiches on the menu, all available a la carte (with chips and a beverage). New to the menu is the Rio Grande Cheesesteak which explodes with flavors the Philadelphia Cheesesteak can only dream of. All sandwiches can be toasted should you wish. Every sandwich is made-to-order so it takes time (they’re well worth the wait). Each sandwich is about seven-inches long and is generously endowed with ingredients. Sandwiches can be constructed on your choice of wheat or white bread. You might not find both Isaiah and Richard on the same shift which means the one on duty will be creating your sandwich while taking orders. For diners who don’t do bread, That’s My Rez offers a chef salad replete with fresh and delicious ingredients.
7 February 2026: My Kim largely eschews bread. She may order a sandwich, but quickly discards the bread. It makes better sense for her to have something like That’s My Rez’s chef salad (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, Cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, turkey, ham and ranch dressing). Despite being in a Styrofoam container, the salad gained my Kim’s affection with every bite. Not only is the salad brimming with ingredients, it’s brimming with ingredients that work well together. Bacon wasn’t listed, but several slices of bacon were included. The ranch dressing was creamy, tangy and delicious. Surprisingly, there was enough of it (I typically order “as much salad dressing as our server can carry”).
7 February 2026: When That’s My Rez’s introduced the Rio Grande Cheesesteak on its Instagram page, it was a foregone conclusion at least one would be destined for my table. Instagram invited diners to “Say hello to the Rio Grande Cheesesteak. She’s new, she’s spicy and yeah…she’s dangerously delicious.” What an apt, inviting description. Further, the Rio Grande Cheesesteak is loaded with “juicy steak, melted Provolone, tangy banana peppers and your choice of red chile mayo, green chile mayo or go full XMAS.” Full XMAS is exactly as this sandwich should be enjoyed. The combination of tangy banana peppers and red and green chile mayo imbues the sandwich with pure dynamite, a pleasant piquancy New Mexicans will love. The steak is finely chopped and unctuous with the melted Provolone blending in with each meaty morsel. Enjoy the sliced pickle with the sandwich or separately; it’s quite good.
7 February 2026: Based solely on its name, the “505” Fire Stack” (salami, prosciutto, ham, Swiss, banana peppers, tomato, lettuce, olives, red onion, green chile mayo) should appeal to New Mexicans who love fiery foods. Couple the sandwich’s piquancy with three salty, cured deli meats and an assortment of condiments and you’ve got a sandwich sure to please. You’ll marvel at how generously the sandwich is packed with meats. It’s refreshing to find a sandwich that isn’t all lettuce and onion. That’s My Rez should bottle and sell that green chile mayo. It imparts all the right notes, playing two-part-harmony with the tangy banana peppers (why isn’t this an ingredient on more sandwiches?).
9 February 2026: If you grew up in the Land of Enchantment “back in the day” balogna sandwiches were a staple. At St. Anthony’s in Peñasco, many of us enjoyed balogna on tortilla sandwiches. At home, mom would thick slices of balogna, a special treat. I still have an affinity for balogna. That’s probably why I was drawn to the Pueblo Deli (black forest ham, smoked turkey, balogna, green chile, lettuce, tomato, mild Cheddar and your choice of mayo or mustard) sandwich on wheat bread. The combination works well for balogna lovers because balogna is more assertive than smoked turkey. It’s definitely the more pronounced profile among the two proteins. Kudos to Isaiah for recognizing that sandwiches not made for vegans and vegetarians should center around meats. There’s just enough lettuce and tomato to provide moistness. The more prominent vegetable is the green chile which has a nice bite. This is a balogna sandwich unlike any I had as a kid growing up.
9 February 2026: For the life of me, I can’t understand why so many sandwich menus at New Mexico restaurants offer an “Albuquerque turkey.” That may have been clever the first time I saw it, but not so the other 999,000 times. Can’t anyone come up with a more fitting name. Maybe something like Mesa Turkey Club (smoked turkey, bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, green chile mayo or red chile Dijon). Because my Kim can’t handle chile in any form, Isaiah created the sandwich sans my favorite vegetable. As with other sandwiches on the menu, this one offers complementary contrasts. Although the smoking process imbues the turkey with a light smoke, it’s still a delicate protein. Contrast that with the salty, crispy bacon. Cucumbers are a surprisingly refreshing touch.
Isaiah indicated That’s My Rez Sandwich would like to expand after about a year at The Block. He’s practically aching for a kitchen with a range hood that will allow expansion of an already stellar menu. He would also like to construct sandwiches on fry bread and horno baked bread (incomparably done well in Jemez). That’s My Rez is already one of my favorite sandwich places in New Mexico. Visit once and it may be your favorite, too.
That’s My Rez Sandwich
7805 Enchanted Hills Blvd., N.E.
Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Instagram Page
LATEST VISIT: 9 February 2026
1st VISIT: 7 February 2026
# OF VISITS: 2
RATING: 23
COST: $$
BEST BET: Rio Grande Cheesesteak, Chef Salad, The “505” Fire Stack, The Mesa, The Pueblo Deli
REVIEW #1517