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| - I am a native Arizonan who was raised suckling red chiles and gumming machaca beef. I dated a native New Mexican for four years who thought green chile was the be-all-end-all of seasonings, and considered it blasphemy that sopapillas were served as dessert instead of with the entree. Now I'm seeing Mr. Man, a real Mexican that just giggles at our silly bastardized food in comparison to his mother's authentic flavor. That said, I consider myself pretty well versed in the differences between these distinct styles of cuisine, and Frank and Lupe's was a straight up New Mexican diner.
Mr. Man and I met his mother at Frank & Lupe's for a Labor Day lunch after driving around and finding that all our other dining choices were either closed or packed. And it turned out to be some pretty respectable eats for a a cute little hole in the wall.
The service was kind of slow despite the fact that it wasn't very crowded, but the staff was friendly and very quick to recommend their personal favorites off the menu. With that combination met, I didn't really mind the wait. A meal out on the town is something to be savored and enjoyed in the company of others, and that's just what we did with the extra time. Well, that and nurse Patron margaritas that whooped the shit out of any and all in recent memory.
When it comes to the entrees, I second what Ken H. has to say. With New Mexican food you can never, ever go wrong with the green and red chile. Don't go there and get something Americanized, like a chimichanga or a steak. And if your eyes start to cross once you see just how many possibilities there are, go for the carne adovada. I was obliged to order it just so I could compare it to other establishments' offerings and measure it against my own version of succulent, melt-in-your-mouth, garlicky red chile pork. Not as good as my own (naturally I like mine best), but it was pretty tasty when wrapped in a pillow of sopapilla and brought a smile to my face.
Mr. Man got Lupe's Enchilada plate with shredded beef and it was probably the best thing ordered at our table. Three corn tortillas layered with cheese and beef and topped with an egg over medium may sound a bit weird, but the flavor will make you groan with delight. Try it. It'll rock your wildest expectations.
I only have one gripe and that has to do with the filler served at all Mexican food restaurants, chips and salsa. They were made from thick, substantial tortillas instead of those flimsy lil offerings at other joints, but all they managed to do was be a flavorless receptacle for an equally bland salsa. It was heavy on black pepper and completely blended, so aside from a couple of scallions floating around, it was texture free, runny blech. No me gusta nada.
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