Help--traveling along the I-40 through AZ and NM

[coffeebrownies]

Driving from Missouri to Los Angeles along the I-40--we are looking for places worth eating at along the way--as well as amazing food worth detouring for. Any thoughts from Chowhounders?

[wrathika]

phew! So many things have already been mentioned...
1. La Posada in Winslow is indeed a beautiful hotel and a great place to visit or stay if you're hoping to get a feel for the old southwest. It is also my understanding that the chef/management recently changed to great reviews.
2. As a native of Gallup, NM, I feel I must recommend at least one or two places. If you happen to come through town on a Saturday, I would definitely hit up the Flea Market for some Navajo Tacos and some regional sabor. If not, Earls has been mentioned, but personally I don't care for the food. I would recommend one of these three either for breakfast or late lunch: Glenn's Bakery (best breakfast burrito and green chile burger), Jerry's Cafe (great New Mexican food, but small) and lastly El Matate for the best Mexican food in Gallup.

I am sure others will have varying opinions, but that's what I've got. Also, if you've got the time for a few sightseeing jaunts: Painted Desert and Petrified Forest are an all in one stop. And a lesser known gem is Canyon De Chelly. The latter being much lesser known than the Grand Canyon, but far more accessible in it's beauty.

[TinasArk]

Next time you pass through, exit the Turquoise Trail in Tijeras, NM (NM Hwy 14 North) and head up to http://www.ChinaBestRestaurant.com as well as to http://www.SandiaCrust.com for excellent Chinese food or italian. Also, before you leave Albuquerque...just a half mile south of the I-40 off the Coors Blvd exit, is http://www.ChinaBuffetNM.com. Their food is very fresh, and priced for Families!

[Country_Mama]

Don't go to La Posada expecting a high quality meal - we ate there a couple of times and the quality was very uneven (some things undercooked - others not well made) and the service was so bad it was funny. I think they are only good at items that can be prepared ahead of time (the bean + corn soup and the cornbread were delicious) - everything else was just terrible. The hotel is gorgeous so if you are just going to enjoy the building, then I would recommend sticking to the soup. FYI: a Hopi archaelogist told me that much of the art they sell at La Posada are fakes (e.g. 'Indian' rugs are made in India - not by Native Americans!).

[coffeebrownies]

Thanks all for your suggestions! We will definitely hit Allen's and spend our last night on the road at La Posada (which will probably be a step up from the Nite's Inns etc that we'll be stopping at the previous two nights....) And any more suggestions will be appreciated as well.....

[climberdoc]

I would personally skip staying at La Posada and drive another hour to Flagstaff. There are two restaurants in Flagstaff which La Posada does not stand up to. I think La Posada is a beautiful hotel, but I could not get over the train noise which is unrelenting throughout the night since the tracks are right next to the hotel. For me, earplugs did not help because the entire building would vibrate as the trains passed. La Posada is worth a stop, but I won't ever stay there again. I like the Turquoise Room but suspect the novelty of a good restaurant in a dismal place like Winslow makes one more tolerant of its deficiencies.

Flagstaff has multiple hotels which are worthy. None are as unique as La Posada but nice nonetheless. The Cottage Place could be the best restaurant in Northern Arizona. Menu is traditional and not incredibly inventive, but the ingredients used are top-notch and the execution is close to flawless. Brix is another worthy choice in Flagstaff. It's more contemporary than The Cottage but falls behind on the execution and service. Both are great restaurants that would be even greater "roadtrip finds".

[coffeebrownies]

climberdoc--what are the price ranges for Brix and The Cottage? The good news is that the gas for the 3000 mile trip is going to be less than anticipated, but still want to be prudent....

[AlFerris]

The Cottage Place has a lovely tasting menu right now for a little over $50 per person. Otherwise, entrees are usually in the $30 range.

Brix, likewise, is in the $25-30 range. I'd personally select Cottage Place over Brix if you only have one meal in Flagstaff.

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Brix Restaurant & Wine Bar
413 N. San Francisco St., Flagstaff, AZ 86001

Cottage Place
126 W Cottage Ave, Flagstaff, AZ 86001

[ciaogal]

I was recently in Galup and ate at Earl's Restaurant. It was really a treat!
NO, it wasn't fine dining...it is still family owned and run...the menu is varied from Native, to Mexican to American specialties. I had a combo plate w/ green chili's and substituted steak for chicken in my enchilada...it was fantastic!
The Navajo taco looked great as well!
The chips and salsa were great...warm fresly made chips and a hose salsa w/ a kick to it...
I also enjoyed the various native artists who visited my table w/ a selection of beautiful, jewelry, pots...it's hard not to buy something!!!!

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Earl's Family Restaurant
1400 E Highway 66, Gallup, NM

[climberdoc]

I don't think you'll go wrong with Cottage or Brix. I agree with AlFerris that Cottage is the "one-meal" in Flagstaff place to dine. Brix is very good though. If you dine at the Cottage, tell Frank (chef/owner/really cool guy wearing bizarre pants) that climberdoc sent you. It may take him a minute, but he'll know who you are referring to.

Josephines is also a nice place and is a bit less expensive. IMHO is is a step down from the aforementioned places in both service and food quality. It's probably on par with Turquoise Room.

There are numerous less expensive places to eat in downtown Flagstaff. You could just walk around the cool downtown area and find something that suits your mood and tastes. Winslow does not offer that option. La Posada/Turquoise is all you've got.

[paul balbin]

Sweetwater Texas, The exit for Hw. 70, North 3 blocks, on right, Allen's Home style restaurant.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/allen-family-...
oui la la, only three blocks from I 40

[Bazel]

While not of a NY/LA standard (or so they say) - Kingman has an Italian place called Mattina's that generally gets good reviews. While it's likely not worth a special trip - it's good to know it's there depending on the time of day you pass through and your food mood cause otherwise I think In-and-Out is your next best choice.

Bz

[climberdoc]

I've wanted to try Mattina's, but I always seem to be driving through Kingman on the way to Vegas where I typically have much greater conquests in mind. Maybe someday. I guess the snob in me comes out when I marvel about how a greasepit like In and Out can even be considered a choice. Sorry Groovin.

[ThaGroovinGourmet]

In And Out in Kingman AZ. Hit that one before SoCal and you'll know whether you want to make it a regular part of your repertoire. I know I would. One of only 2 things I miss not living in SoCal anymore.

[BevK]

Please plan your trip so that you can stay overnight in Winslow, Arizona. The La Posada Hotel is a gem - a renovated railroad hotel. Every guest room is different and there are many interesting public rooms too. But the restaurant alone is a good reason to stop in Winslow. The Turquoise Room specializes is native Arizona dishes and they are top notch. We stayed here for two nights in September and had four meals there and they were all delicious. The polenta is the best I've ever had. And of course, you must do the short walk to "Standing on the Corner" in Winslow, Arizona (by the Eagles).

[mselectra]

I was just browsing hot posts and when i saw this one I thought of La Posada first thing! (and it's been years since I've been in that area, but I used to spend a lot of time back and forth on I-40). May I suggest a detour up to Tuba City for a Navajo Taco, assuming the truck stop that's famous for them is still there? Or/and the cafe at that hotel in Window Rock (mentioned in Tony Hillerman novels, if that means anything to you) by Navajo Tribal Hq. I'm sure others will have better (and more recent) suggestions than me, so I'll stop there before I start getting too nostalgic -- especially since I don't know the SW board at all. Just thinking about your trip makes me hungry!

[JK Grence the Cosmic Jester]

The truck stop in Tuba City is sadly gone. The people who made the frybread apparently moved down the road to Cameron, where the scene is a lot more touristy.

There is the Hopi Cultural Center in Second Mesa, about 40 minutes off the I-40. There's an inn and restaurant, and the restaurant is one of the only places where you can get really authentic Native American food. The most surprising thing about it may be how mildly flavored everything is. Still, very much worth a try.

[mselectra]

Thanks for correcting my nostalgic post, and, yes, Cameron wouldn't be the same. I spent a lot of time along that route in the 90s, but it's been a while. I also have fond memories of Hopi Cultural Center, but there's nothing like a Navajo taco. Where would you go for one now?

Back in Albuquerque, I suspect the Frontier is still worth a visit, so if nobody else has mentioned it and it's up the OP's alley -- good for a road food stop, no?