Tag: Las Cruces

AlbuquerquePizzaRating: Very GoodSaladSandwich

Dion’s Pizza – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno3:35 PM

Toga! Toga! Toga! Ever since the misfit Delta Tau Chi fraternity threw the most debaucherous toga party ever in the 1978 “teensploitation” comedy Animal House, the toga party has been ingrained in the college party culture. The genesis of the toga party goes back much, much further than Animal House. Toga parties, in fact, precede collegiate life in the fruited plain by many hundred years. The first toga party was actually organized in ancient Greece in honor of the Greek god Dionysus, the deity of the grape harvest, wine-making and wine, of ritual madness, fertility, theater and religious ecstasy (that’s quite a job description, even for a god). Dionysus literally had a cult following of men and women who worshiped him. Together this vagabond group became some of history’s first true party animals, holding orgiastic celebrations where they danced to frenzied music and behaved like crazed San Diego State basketball fans. It was during this revelry that Dionysus invented both the toga party and the first drinking games. You might not know it but the Dion’s Pizza franchise that has become ubiquitous in the Duke City area, is actually named for that rapscallion god Dionysus (albeit a shortened version of…

BreakfastBreakfast BurritosBrunchLas CrucesNew MexicoRating: N/R (Not Rated)Waffles

A Bite of Belgium – Las Cruces, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

Jerry: “Don’t you know what it means to become an orgy guy? It changes everything. I’d have to dress different. I’d have to act different. I’d have to grow a mustache and get all kinds of robes and lotions and I’d need a new bedspread and new curtains I’d have to get thick carpeting and weirdo lighting. I’d have to get new friends. I’d have to get orgy friends. … Naw, I’m not ready for it.” ~Seinfeld In the sixth season of Seinfeld, Jerry is dating Sandy, a “non-laugher” who seems unamused by his jokes. When Jerry goes to Sandy’s apartment he meets Laura, her roommate, who laughs at his jokes.  Almost as important to the superficial Jerry, she’s very attractive. Jerry tells George he wants to break up with Sandy and date Laura. Jerry and George brainstorm how to accomplish “the roommate switch“. After hours of mulling that challenge, George suggests Jerry propose a ménage à trois. Sandy will be disgusted, break up with Jerry, and tell Laura, who will feel flattered, paving the way for Jerry to ask her out. However, both Sandy and Laura agree to the ménage à trois.  A  shocked and scared Jerry backs out.…

Dog FriendlyLas CrucesNew MexicanNew MexicoRating: N/R (Not Rated)

La Nueva Casita – Las Cruces, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

Heading east on I-10 from Deming, we espied several billboards touting Las Cruces as “The Real New Mexico.”  Yeah, it’s a branding effort designed to attract more visitors to the City of Crosses, but there’s a lot of truth to the city’s official new slogan.  New Mexico’s second most populous city does have A LOT going for it.  For culture, weather, history, beauty and cuisine, it’s easy to build a case that Las Cruces may well be the real New Mexico.  That may especially be true about New Mexican food.  Every time we dine at a restaurant in the Las Cruces area, I extol the deliciousness, piquancy and authenticity of the food and lament the “dumbing down” of New Mexican cuisine in the Albuquerque area.  Mostly I lament that we don’t visit often enough. My friend Steve Coleman, an El Paso resident who shares his reviews on Steve’s Food Blog visits far more often.  I’ll admit to a bit of jealousy when I read his entertaining and thorough reviews.  That’s especially true when he visits New Mexican restaurants and indulges in red and green chile that actually bites back.  Most of it comes from area purveyors who  seem to send…