Category Archives: New Mexico

Wandering Wednesday: Del Prado Cafe in Cuba, NM

by Sarah

My favorite restaurant in Cuba, NM was Del Prado’s Cafe.  Many of the people from the area also mentioned that Del Prado’s was their favorite restaurant. They had a great variety of good food and used local produce.  Everything is cooked to order.  I was told that around Christmas the fire place is decorated and it is very homey.

After 3 days of eating spicy New Mexican cuisine, I was ready for a change.  The cheeseburger was meaty, moist and not greasy.  I was very excited that the condiments included romaine lettuce and a ripe tomato slice. The curly fries were hot, crispy and well seasoned.

The second time we went to Del Prado, I ordered the variety platter that included a rolled enchilada, a tamale and a taco.  The taco shell was crisp and again I was delighted by the romaine lettuce and fresh tomatoes.  The taco meat was well seasoned and not overpowering (maybe I was getting used to the spice!).  The enchilada was very simple and really let the green chili sauce shine.  The tamale was more pork than cornmeal and very delicious.

Like all meals in New Mexico, my experience at Del Prado ended with a sopapilla and honey.

Del Prado
6378 State Hwy 44
Cuba, NM 87013

Del Prado Cafe on Urbanspoon

Wandering Wednesday: C C’s Paisano Pizzeria

by Sarah

After eating Tex-Mex and Mexican for four days, I was ready for a change.  Lucky for us, there is a pizzeria in Cuba.  The only challenging thing about eating at the pizzeria is that there are no posted hours.  From what I gathered by observing the restaurant, it is only open a few days a week.  We happened to drive by, saw that it was open, and pulled in immediately.  If you happen to drive by, I suggest you do the same.  To start the meal, we ordered breadsticks.  They were fresh, hot and chewy with a hint of garlic seasoning.

The supreme pizza had pepperoni, ham, black olives, green peppers, sausage and mushrooms.  After discussing the variety of crust options, we went with the hand tossed version.  The crust was chewy and the sauce was slightly sweet.  Overall, it was a great pie.

CC’s Paisana Pizzeria
6410 Main St
Cuba, NM 87013

C C' S Paisano Pizzeria on Urbanspoon

Wandering Wednesday: El Bruno’s Restaurante

by Sarah

While in Cuba, NM we had dinner one evening at El Bruno’s.  El Bruno’s is very nicely decorated with both outdoor and indoor seating.

As compared to Casa de Fiesta, the salsa was more like what I’m used to seeing in Tennessee.  It was tomato based with just enough heat to result in a pleasantly spicy blend of peppers.  Like all the salsas I tasted in New Mexico, there was a distinct hint of chili pepper.  The chips that accompanied the salsa were thicker than your average chip and had a crispy, flaky texture.

The Enchiladas de Pollo had two stacked tortilla shells stuffed with shredded chicken and melted cheese, similar to a quesadilla.  The enchiladas came with a choice of red or green chili sauce.  Again, I went with the milder of the two, but got it on the side.  The green sauce was spicy and added a nice flavor to the chicken.  The rice was average with chunks of vegetables and cheese.

Now, the pinto beans that accompanied the meal were excellent.  I have a confession to make.  I don’t like beans.  I’ve tried lots of them.  Baked beans are ok, if I’m really hungry, but that is it.  I actually asked for no beans, but they came anyway, and I’m sure glad they did.  Since they were there hanging out on the plate, I decided to give them a try.  I don’t know what made these particular beans so good.  They had a thin skin and the sauce was very flavorful.

The meal concluded with a sopapilla.  This sopapilla was a little crispier on the outside than the one I experienced at Casa de Fiesta.  Personally, I liked the crispy exterior better.  It was a nice crunchy contrast to the softness of the honey in the interior.

El Bruno’s Restaurante
6448 Main St
Cuba, NM 87013

El Bruno's Restaurante on Urbanspoon

Wandering Wednesday: Cuban Cafe

by Sarah

After visiting Albuquerque, we traveled to Cuba, NM, where we stayed for a week.  For breakfast, we visited the Cuban Cafe.  The Cuban is named for the town, not a type of cuisine.  They offer a variety of foods including Tex-Mex and meat and three options.  For breakfast, the entrees range from omelets to oatmeal. (On an unrelated note, notice the beautiful blue sky in the photo.  The sky the whole week was a beautiful deep blue.  It made me realize that the Nashville air is a little polluted.)

I ordered the three egg Chorizo omelet.  The Chorizo sausage had a distinct chili flavor that really added spice to the omelet. The hash browns were hot, crispy and nicely seasoned with salt and pepper.

You got an option of biscuits and gravy or toast with each entree.  I opted for the biscuits, which were crispy on top with a soft interior.  The gravy was thick with sausage and added texture to each bite.

The Cuban was a great way to start our morning.

Cuban Cafe
6333 US Hwy 550
Cuba, NM 87013

Cuban Cafe Incorporated on Urbanspoon