Ruidoso Restaurant Reviews

A week full of gorgeous mountain views and relaxation in Ruidoso, NM does a body good.  So does the food!  We tried a few local restaurants and are eager to share our reviews.

1.  Casa Blanca (Mexican Food)- This place was recommended by a friend and we couldn't wait to pay a visit.  Really good Mexican food is hard to find where I live, especially after living in El Paso and various towns in New Mexico.  There are different types of Mexican food:  Tex/Mex, New Mexican or Southwestern Mexican food, and REAL Mexican food.  New Mexican food comes pretty close to real Mexican food.  This restaurant does not disappoint the taste buds.

Green chile is a staple in our household.  It's a must have vegetable with just about any Mexican dish.  Hatch, New Mexico is a small town known for growing the BEST green chiles ever!!!  Anywhere you go in New Mexico, and even El Paso, uses only Hatch green chiles.  So, when I heard this restaurant makes the best Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas, I couldn't wait to dig in!!!

The servings were generous and so tasty.  Even the kids meals were big portions.  Of course, we can't forget dessert...sopapillas!!!  Sopapillas are considered a fried pastry that is best when eaten with honey.  Where I live, sopapillas are small and cost about $3.  Casa Blanca's sopapillas were big, with a nice covering of cinnamon and sugar, and only $1!!!  Oh, we were in heaven because it's been so long since we've had Mexican food like that!

The atmosphere were rustic with a view of the mountainside.

The layout of the restaurant was not a perfect rectangle, but rather seating on different levels.  It's a family friendly restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere.  The prices are reasonable, especially considering the portion size.  Tip:  Don't indulge too much on the chips and homemade salsa (although easy to do), so you have plenty of room for dessert.


2.  Hall of Flame Burgers (American Food)-I did some research on family restaurants in Ruidoso and this popped up.  Best known for their Green Chile Cheeseburgers, this little hole-in-the-wall type joint stayed busy.  Located off the main street, it's a great resting place while doing your shopping and browsing.

My husband and I did not hesitate to order the Green Chile Cheeseburgers (see above note about green chiles), and once again, our taste buds were happy.  The green chile is layered in slices, rather than diced.  Full of lettuce, purple onion, and tomatoes (we did not get these), with your choice of mustard or mayo, each bite was full of happiness.  The kids meals were also big portions and just as tasty.

We saw lots of families, friends, couples, and even businessmen stop in for a quick, tasty lunch.  The restaurant was reminiscent of any local burger shop.  The decorations were old and sparse but fit the atmosphere.

Prices are reasonable and burgers are even big enough to share.  Tip:  Don't forget to get a side of ranch for the yummy fries!


3.  Cornerstone Bakery & Cafe (Breakfast and Lunch)-This restaurant also came up in my research of family restaurants in Ruidoso.  Open only until 2 pm, this restaurant is best known for it's breakfast and  pastries, especially the cinnamon rolls.

My son took one look at the cinnamon rolls in the bakery case and knew exactly what he wanted!  The kids menu only had 3 choices, and with it being vacation, we agreed to let him have the cinnamon roll for lunch.  It was huge!!!  The server offered to warm up the cinnamon roll and served it with a side of butter.  My son LOVED it!!!  In fact, it was so big, he couldn't finish the whole thing.

My husband and I split the Mescalero burger, full of green chile slices on a green chile bun.  We also had a small cup of green chile potato soup (green chile is our favorite vegetable!).  I'm so glad we split the burger because it was so filling.

The ambience is fun and light with lots of families and friends enjoying the yummy dishes.  They even provide bread dough and a rolling pin for the kids (and adults) to play with while waiting for their food. I wish all restaurants did this.

Wednesday is Free Pie Wednesdays (free pie with any entree) and there are lots of options to choose from:  peach, apple, cherry, blueberry...).  Tip:  Get their early for the best selection of cookies, muffins, and other goodies.

These are tummy pleasing restaurants that are a must when visiting Ruidoso.  You can't go wrong with any of these choices.

Easter Banner

Easter is early this year!!!  I decided to completely skip decorating for St. Patrick's Day and go straight for Easter.  My friend, Janelle, showed me how to make a cute Valentine's banner for my mantle, so I followed the same basic steps to make an Easter banner that I found on Pinterest.

Here are the supplies needed:  an old book that you can use to tear out pages, twine or tulle, distress ink, colored cardstock, and an egg template.

I tore out 5 pages from the book I found at a second hand store and trimmed the edges to make them even.

Gently fold the pages in half and trim one side at an angle.

Punch two holes at the top of the paper.  I put a piece of clear tape towards the top of the pages on the back side before punching the holes.  This helps prevent the paper from tearing when hanging from the tulle or twine.

Now, is the fun part.  If you've ever used any Tim Holtz products, you know how much fun it can be and all the different projects you can make.  I've used the alcohol ink and this project calls for Distress Ink.  You can use any color of your choosing.  I chose the Stormy Sky.

Gently rub the edges of the paper with the Distress Ink.  Be sure to have paper or a craft mat underneath your project.

I traced the egg template onto 5 different colors of card stock and used double-sided tape to attach them to the pages.  I decided to use twine to thread through the holes.  I placed the banner on my mantle and am now ready for Easter.