McGinn’s Country Store
7320 Hwy. 54/70
Alamogordo, NM

(575) 437-0602

McGinn’s Country Store and Pistachio Tree Ranch

For years I have been buying pistachios at Tularosa, New Mexico, but it is only recently that I have ventured to the actual farms between Tularosa and Alamogordo to buy directly from the source. In fact, the clerk in Tularosa specifically directed me to McGinn’s, saying that she liked the different flavors of pistachios they offered.

At the entrance

The McGinn’s store is located on their large pistachio farm, and is a large repository for all kinds of New Mexico products (particularly food products). They sell their own pistachios in bags that range from 5 to 20 pounds, but also offer them in flavors which can be sampled at the store (I decided to buy the plain ones). I also had a sample of McGinn’s own salsa brand called Pistachio Tree Ranch (the sample was Black Bean & Corn which was not spicy but had a good flavor).

The McGinn operation also includes a winery and tours of the farm (presumably with wine tasting). I thought the prices in the store were a little high, but I was so impressed with having so many items in one place that I still managed to get quite a collection of eats (particularly the salsas).

Salsa for sale

The only place I have seen this big of a variety of New Mexico salsas was in a grocery store in Las Cruces a few years back, and McGinn’s had ones I had not seen before. Because of my previous experience I knew a few I wanted to try and some I did not want to try. By trying the sample at the counter the cashier had an idea about my tastes and what I would like. Through this process I started with picking out six salsas from the shelves, out of which the cashier recommended these three (shown below).

Some of the salsas available

So far I have tried the Chimayo Tradition Hot Salsa, and so far I think this is my favorite of the New Mexico salsas I have tried. The salsa is fairly simple with chunks of green chile and jalapenos, but the green chiles are the predominant flavor. The base is tomato with lime juice, garlic, and some other ingredients that I think has a very smooth flavor (also notice that out of the three jars this is the one that has the least number of seeds).

As I try the other salsas I will update this article.

The giant pistachio marks the location of McGinn’s Pistachio Tree Ranch

Of course I also think the pistachios grown here are some of the best. Apparently they are available other places in Alamogordo at cheaper prices, but I have not located the other places so I could price them. I could no longer find them at the store in Tularosa that used to sell them (but this is how I ended up at McGinn’s store and was able to find their great selection of salsas).

RATING: *

Cost: *

Most Recent Visit: Dec. 1, 2017

Number of Visits: *

Best Items: Pistachios, Chimayo Salsa

Special Ratings

Chimayo Tradition Salsa (Hot)

Cook’s Restaurant

4700 Mabry Dr.
Clovis, NM
(575) 762-9423

Cook’s Restaurant

Probably the biggest factor that makes Cook’s Restaurant popular is the fact that it is open from 6:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. daily (and open 24 hours Thursday night through Saturday night-Sunday morning). This is a diner and truck stop located about halfway between Clovis and Texico, New Mexico, but is close enough to Clovis to be considered one of the city’s local hangouts.

When I entered the restaurant somewhat close to 10:00 P.M. (on a day they were open 24 hours) one side of the restaurant was filled almost to capacity (the other side is presumably open when they are even more busy such as at breakfast time). I did not make note of whether breakfast is only served during certain hours, but it seemed to be a large part of the food served here. In talking to the employees they indicated that some of the breakfast dishes were quite popular.

I also noted that over half of the late night crowd appeared to be eating Mexican food, so I naturally assumed this was one of the most popular items on the menu. They do have a large menu of American diner-style items, so I think there is something for everybody here.

Chips and Salsa

Chips and salsa

Having decided to order one of the Mexican dinners, I was given some chips and salsa which turned out to be excellent. The salsa was not on the spicy side but had a robust flavor that I would call New Mexican style (the chiles were fresh and seemed to be sourced from somewhere nearby).

Red Enchiladas

Red enchiladas

I do not remember the entire Mexican food menu, but the best options seemed to be a choice between red enchiladas or green. I chose the Red Enchiladas which were served with beans and rice (they said the green was not spicy). I noted on the menu that the dish came with “Red Chili” (the Americanized spelling of “chile”) so this was somewhat of a red flag, but is really the standard spelling I have seen in eastern New Mexico.

I really have mixed feelings about this dish because it was certainly not the best example of New Mexican food I have had, but it was New Mexican food nonetheless. The waitress said it was New Mexican red chile, and this was borne out when I tasted it. While New Mexican style enchiladas have either a red or green chile sauce, though, this was more of a gravy that was thick as if they put a filler in it. I have seen this style of New Mexican food before, most notably in Tucumcari, but it is a style of food I do not find very satisfying. There was enough chile “bite” in the dish, but I did not find the flavor to be very good.

The beans were good, but the rice was burned along the edge (about half of it was edible).

There was really nothing else open at that hour and I was glad to get a meal. Enough of it was good that I enjoyed the food (particularly the chips and salsa). For New Mexican food, though, I had a better experience at Leal’s (located a couple of miles west on the same highway but not open as late in the evening).

RATING: 17

Cuisine: American and Mexican New Mexican
Cost: $$
Hours: Open Daily (open 24 hrs. Thu.-Sat.)
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking

Most Recent Visit: Nov. 30, 2017
Number of Visits: 1
Best Items: Chips, Salsa

Mexican Food Details

Chile Index:

Special Ratings

	Red Enchiladas
	Chips
	Salsa

Casa de Sueños Restaurant in Tularosa

The city of Tularosa, a few miles north of Alamogordo, is not only one of the most beautiful towns in New Mexico, but it is one of the best examples of the unique culture and architecture generally associated with the Land of Enchantment. After being in Tularosa by chance on a Christmas eve and seeing the church lit up with luminarias and the celebrations of the parishoners, I now make it a point whenever possible to relive the experience if I can be in the area during the holidays.

Despite all the historical and cultural attractions of the area, though, there are surprisingly few places in this or any of the nearby towns to enjoy New Mexican cuisine. Casa de Sueños, judging from the cars in the parking lot and the mention it receives on the Internet and in travel publications, is the most popular and well known New Mexican restaurant in Otero County (with Alamogordo and Tularosa being the two major towns). By saying it is “New Mexican,” this really means that most food is served with either red or green New Mexican chiles, and it follows the standard menu found throughout the state.

The sprawling parking lot of Casa de Sueños

Casa de Sueños is open daily, and seems to sponsor a number of banquets, private parties, and meetings of civic groups. Do not worry, though, because the restaurant is large enough to handle customers during the peak periods as well as any special parties that are booked.

Red Enchiladas

Red enchiladas with blue corn tortillas and an egg on top

Casa de Sueños stays true to the tradition of New Mexican cuisine by offering enchiladas served flat, with blue corn tortillas (optional), and a fried egg on top (this is also optional). Red Enchiladas are usually my preference, and that is how I ordered them here. The red chile contained spices and other ingredients that I call “adulterated” red sauce, but it was pretty typical of the type of red enchiladas I have found in southeast New Mexico.

What was not typical for the southern part of the state was the fact that blue corn tortillas were served in the enchiladas (these cost a dollar extra), making them close to the northern New Mexico version. They were served flat by default (usually I have to request them this way in the southern part of the state), so overall they were very good compared to other New Mexican restaurants in the region. Flat enchiladas are my preference because they seem to absorb more of the sauce and thus more of the flavor than ones served with rolled tortillas.

I was hoping for a red sauce that used a more pure red chile, but there was enough red chile to give it a good flavor. Everything else in the enchiladas was good (including the cheese), so I would have to say these were a good example of New Mexico enchiladas.

Stuffed Sopapillas

Stuffed sopapilla with green chile

Stuffed Sopapillas are something I greatly enjoy when they are done well, but I was somewhat disappointed by the one at Casa de Sueños. The sopapilla had a good flavor, as evidenced by the plain sopapilla served as a dessert (although I think most restaurants would not serve a sopapilla for dessert after it had been eaten as a meal). A choice of fillings was available, and I thought the whole beans I ordered were good (whole beans were also served on the side). It comes with red or green chile, and the green chile I ordered was spicier than the red, but just as diluted with additives as the red chile had been. The sopapilla’s texture, though, was too heavy and not fluffy enough.

After trying both the red and green sauce I preferred the red, and I think I would have enjoyed the stuffed sopapilla more with the red sauce.

Rice
The Rice was mixed with corn and other vegetables, and was a little bit unusual for New Mexican restaurants.

Salsa
The Salsa was a high point, with it being spicy but not tongue-numbing. It tasted as if it were made with fresh chiles. The chips were thick and good.

RATING: 22

Cuisine: Mexican New Mexican
Cost: $$
Hours: Open Daily
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking
Special Features: Lunch buffet (Mon.-Fri.), Sunday brunch

Most Recent Visit: Nov. 20, 2009
Number of Visits: 1
Best Items: Enchiladas, Salsa

Mexican Food Details

Chile Index:

Special Ratings

	Red Enchiladas
	Stuffed Sopapilla
	Beans
	Rice
	Chips
	Salsa
	Sopapillas

Related Article:

Christmas in Southern New Mexico–Tularosa, NM

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Penny’s Diner is the restaurant side of the Oak Tree Inn, a mini-chain of hotels that seem to be concentrated in “towns less than 2,000,” as they say on Prairie Home Companion. With a 1950’s diner theme, I observed real milk shakes being made and old fashioned hamburgers being grilled.

Although Penny’s is a chain, the one in the small wind-swept town of Vaughn has all the characteristics of a local restaurant, and has become a local hangout both for dining and take-out orders of coffee and food. One good thing about being a chain is that the home office in Wichita enforces a no-smoking policy in all its restaurants and hotels, a rule that would likely not be in force if local restaurants throughout eastern New Mexico are any indication.

As I have found in many restaurants, the waitress was unwilling to give me a clue about recommended dishes or what items the locals preferred. The Breakfast Burrito seemed like a good bet, though, and by the way is available any time along with all the breakfast items. The flour tortilla was lacking flavor, and did not taste home made, but thankfully was not dry or tough. The scrambled eggs inside were unexceptional. To add local flavor, though, the burrito can be smothered with either red or green chile at no additional cost. I was able to try both, and was impressed with both. The red chile contained ground meat in the style of Texas chili, but the flavor was pure New Mexico red. The green sauce tasted like freshly ground green chiles, and I thought was the better of the two toppings. The menu said the burrito came with hash browns. To my surprise, these were served inside along with the eggs, but I thought it turned out rather well. If Penny’s could serve its red and green chile throughout the chain from California to Buffalo, New York, it would likely have more customers than would fit at the diner style counter or the restaurant’s few tables. Overall this was not a great breakfast burrito by New Mexico standards, but would be more than I could probably ever expect in most of the states the restaurant serves.

The Orange Juice tasted institutional. Cups of coffee seemed to be a much better seller.

RATING: 17

Cuisine: American
Cost: $
Hours: Open 24 Hours Daily

Restaurant Web Site:

Penny’s Diner

Most Recent Visit: Sep. 21, 2006
Number of Visits: 1
Best Item: Breakfast Burrito

Special Ratings

	Breakfast Burrito
	Orange Juice