RANCHO DE CHIMAYO IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO

                                                          Sopapillas at Rancho de Chimayo  in Chimayo, NM

New Mexico is full of small out-of-the-way interesting places. Chimayo and Truchas in Northern New Mexico  doesn’t really qualify as travel since Truchas is only about 130 miles from my home; however, it is worth discovering since it about 50 miles North of Santa Fe, a popular tourist destination.

Truchas is home to about 1200 people and dates to around 1750. Chimayo has about  3000 people and the Catholic Church, El Santuario de Chimayó, is the goal of Good Friday pilgrimages. It is known for its weavers, the Chuch, which is a National Historic Landmark, artists and Rancho de Chimayo, a great restaurant.

A friend’s art exhibition took us to Truchas one Sunday; and since we were in the neighborhood, we couldn’t pass up the restaurant in  Chimayo, always crowded and always good. The food is traditional Northern New Mexico.

Courtyard and entrance of Rancho de Chimayo

Statue at the entrance of Rancho de Chimayo

Courtyard dining room at Rancho de Chimayo

Rancho de Chimayo has been around for more than fifty years; is a James Beard Award Winner; and, Florence Jaramillo, the owner, recently received the New Mexico Woman Restaurateur of the Year Award.

For me, you can’t beat the Huevos Rancheros. (Two eggs on a corn tortilla topped with cheese and your choice of red or green vegetarian chile. Served with refried beans and rice.) I usually have the green chile; however, the Christmas is good. (Red and green chile mixed.) And, of course, I think the Chile comes from Hatch, New Mexico, the chile capital of the world.

The rest of the menu is equally  good and is topped  off with the sopapillas with New Mexico honey.

Never miss a chance to stray from the beaten path.

THINK OLD!