Cuchillo Cafe in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
Locals say that many residents ended up moving to T or C when their cars broke down and they remained trapped in the town's vortex. My opinion is that one meal at the Cuchillo Cafe will be enough to convince you that there is no need for a vortex to drag you back, again and again. Orlando and Myra Romero, the owners, have been slow cooking authentic New Mexican food with local ingredients since Alice Waters was being bottle fed. The family has been passing the recipes down for generations and the result is a complex, earthy and utterly authentic experience. The red chile sauce made from local Hatch chiles raises the bar for other red chile sauce in balance, complexity and warmth. The carne adovado, made in cool weather, was enough to end my vegan career for good, with no regret. For dessert, have the green chile cheese spice cake or the Cuchillo Rojo swirl, made with red chile. Say hey to Orlando, have a soak in one of T or C's great natural hot springs and check your tires and battery, because you never know when the vortex may pull you in for good.
Cuchillo Cafe
426 Broadway
Truth or Consequences, NM
575.894.0072
