Finding a Mexican restaurant in New Mexico is as easy as finding the haystack that contains the needle, but other authentic fare can prove quite the challenge. Good quality Mediterranean food is one of the secrets that has kept Yanni's popular in Albuquerque for more than 20 years. So popular in fact that the owners also opened Nick and Jimmy's restaurant later on after the success of Yanni's, which provides Greek food, American food, Mexican food, etc,. Nick and Jimmy's, however has failed to reach the popularity of Yanni's--maybe good dishes are like good friends, the older, the better?

 

The Mediterranean color of blue and white fit Yanni's menu pretty well.

Yanni's does not offer free chips and salsa like New Mexican restaurants, but its fresh baked bread, crunchy and chewy, is also good to comfort a groaning stomach while awaiting the feature dish.

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Lamb Shanks on top of spring vegetables is a refreshing summer dish, $15.The well-done lamb stays tender, accompanied with watermelon, tomato and cucumber salad.

     Greek vegetarian plate and Spanikopita，$12.50. Potatoes baked with olive oil and lemon juice, earthy tabouli, and a vegetarian moussaka. Mmmm the yummy Spanikopita is spinach and feta cheese filling wrapped in the filo dough, solid but soft.

    If you're looking for a tasty Greek restaurant, Yanni's is your place. If you're just looking for a tasty restaurant, Yanni's is also your place.

      

     Sadie's is one of the most popular New Mexican restaurants in Albuquerque: big portions, very reasonable prices, and tasty food. Since it is New Mexican food, you can expect a heaping plate full of Southwestern fare, sometimes smothered with chili and cheese. If a bang for your buck is what you're looking for, Sadie's is definitely the place to go.

       Almost all the New Mexican restaurants in New Mexico offer free chips and salsa, and Sadie's is no exception. Sadie's salsa is famous for being fiery hot. You can see the jalapeños and green chili melding in their salsa. Chili lovers can get a warm-up round just from this free appetizer.

Red chili ristras can be spotted often in New Mexico. I wonder if it represents New Mexican's attitude towards life: Sometimes hot and spicy, and sometimes just hangin' around.

  This is the weekend special  Breakfast Burrito: A tortilla wrapped with fried potato dices (or papitas), bacon, eggs and chili (red, green, or "Christmas"), sprinkled with pinto beans, tomatoes and lettuce, finished with an utter-full of cheese. The price is $7.35, big enough for 2 adults to share.  

     Summer hours for reference. Note the historical sign on the right.

As the capital of the state of New Mexico, Santa Fe is not such a city kind of city. It's quite hippie actually (and that's a positive label in Santa Fe). The combination of art galleries, stores, cafes and restaurants make walking in Santa Fe always pleasing like whistling a song. 




The Road Runner commuter railway system goes all the way from Belen to Santa Fe's farmer's market. It costs $8 for one way and $12 for return if you depart from Albuquerque, the biggest city in New Mexico. The one way trip takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes. 

 
The state bird of New Mexico, Road Runner is also the fast track between Belen, Albuquerque and Santa Fe 

Tomatoes

Red Chili Ristra 

Santa Fe's indoor/outdoor Farmer's Market runs every Saturday morning till the early afternoon. Mostly local Santa Feans sell all kinds of organic vegetables and meats. The price may vary, but the high quality will never let you down. Amidst the various booths you're sure to satisfy your tongue's curiosity with samples after samples. Sometimes without having to buy anything, your organic lunch is already in your stomach, not to mention the visual satisfaction. 

 New Mexicans love chili so much, they don't just eat "chile", you'll find houses decorated inside and out with it. Red chili strings (or ristras) can be spotted easily as you're walking or driving around New Mexico. As the seasons change, the color of these chili fountains turn from a fresh rosy red to a rich crimson, all the while swinging in the wind like a silent wind-chime. I wonder if the heat from red chili can keep bugs away? Or perhaps it's a symbol of happiness, as the color red in Chinese culture? Let's not forget red's un-ripened counterpart: 

Fresh roasted green chili is not in supply all year round as dried red chili. Early Fall is its season. If you happen to be in New Mexico from August to October, then you'll experience the inviting aroma of green chili all over, as fire roasters (specifically designed for green chili) are constantly turning bags and bags of the stuff . Many local people buy green chili by jumbo sack, so that when it's out of season, they can freeze them and consume year-round. 

Fresh or Roasted? Come and Get It! 

Chili separates New Mexicans from the rest of America. There are red chili people and green chili people. And if you have a hard time deciding on your favorite, then go ahead and ask for Christmas at the restaurant: half red, half green. Red chili is normally kept as a powder and turned into a sauce while green chili needs to be roasted first, then chopped into small pieces and mixed with garlic, salt and pepper. 

Fresh green chili and fresh tortillas，YUM! 

New Mexico is not a big desert, and it has a culture very different from it's "old" Mexico neighbor. 

Since Santa Fe is in northern New Mexico, the temperature in Santa Fe is usually at least 5 degrees cooler than Albuquerque, and 10 degrees cooler than Belen. 

Overall Santa Fe is a uniquely relaxing, artistic city. People here are quite laid back. They wear colorful comfortable linen and soft-cotton clothes and produce a variety of art, with a very friendly heart and smile. 

Walking in Santa Fe, you will encounter chirpy fun art any time. 

Angry Red Bull？ 

Since New Mexico is a high desert, houses here tend to be earth-toned. They are not exactly Adobes (made of mud brick as in the past), but sand castle to me, with soft curves and contrasted colors. 

The oldest hotel in Santa Fe, awaiting the afternoon