Yep, I do indeed remember La Hacienda and La Placita both. Moved to
Albuquerque in 1960, graduated high school in '62 and from UNM in '74.
During high school my buddies and I would go to a place after school, I
think it was called Princess Pat, at Menaul and Eubank and wash dishes for
an hour or so in exchange for a big platter of enchiladas. Spent a couple
of years down in Socorro right after high school and I think the best chili
I ever had was in a little bar out on a back road down near the bosque in
Bernardo, about 25 miles north of Socorro. Little place was an old adobe
building literally with a dirt floor - had a long wooden bar and maybe 6
tables -- can't remember its name now. Owners wife did the cooking in a
little back kitchen.

My favorite Old Town restaurant was El Molino Rojo - was on the second floor
about the middle of the block on the south side of the Plaza. During my
college years would go to Bacas a lot because it was near campus. Was back
in town for a few days a couple of years ago and had a couple of good meals
at Monroe's down on Lomas. And each time I make it back to the state I try
to pass through Chimayo about lunch or dinner time for a stop at Rancho de
Chimayo.

Steve House

"Tuffchett" > wrote in message
...
> On 7 Aug 2004 09:25:13 -0500, "Steve House"
> > wrote:
>
> >Joining discussion late...
> >
> >I grew up in Albuquerque and I find "Tex-Mex" to be closer to what I grew
up
> >with eating in cafes in little New Mexico villages etc than anything else
> >I've found in the rest of the States, including Southern California.
Even
> >down in Mexico itself it's not quite what I think of as "Mexican" as it's
> >nowhere nearly as heavy on the chilis and actually quite different from
New
> >Mexican country and indian reservation cooking. For example, last night
I
> >threw together some enchildas - brown up some beef or pork and onion, add
> >some basic red chili sauce and let it simmer. Melted a bit of lard in a
> >cast iron skillet and when hot enough took corn tortillas and cooked
about
> >30 seconds on a side. Onto a plate, layer on some chili meat, add
another
> >tortilla, more meat, etc stacking them like pancakes on each person's
> >serving plates. Once layered about 3 tortillas high, add some meat on
top
> >and a runny sunny-side up fried egg, ladle over some red sauce, sprinkle
> >with grated cheese, and pop under the broiler for a minute or so to melt
the
> >cheese. Serve with pinto beans on the side. Quite different from what
you
> >usually get when you order "enchiladas" in most places either in the
States
> >or Mexico.
> >
> >Here's a great online cookbook reference from the Public Service Company
of
> >New Mexico
> >http://www.vivanewmexico.com/nm/food...s.cocinas.html
> >
> >Steve
> >
> Are you old enough to remember La Hacienda in Old Town?
> I use to cook there in the 70's I worked the line and was the
> Sopapilla Maker in this booth they had right next to the kitchen.
> Burned my hands alot in that smoking little room. Enchiladas were
> rolled or flat. 1 flat 2 flat 3flat with a little cheese and or meat
> or both, stacked, Whith red or green chilli.
> I still keep red and green chilli in the fridge ALL the time. I put it
> on everything. Never going to give up my chilli. Never.
> David