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NEW MEXICO CHOW: RESTAURANTS FOR THE REST OF US

I think the most surprising aspect -- to me personally, anyway -- about Scott Sharot's New Mexico Chow: Restaurants for the Rest of Us is that I didn't recognize a single establishment that he profiles in the book. I have always been a seeker of darn good cuisine and fairly willing to hazard some sketchy-looking establishments while engaged in the pursuit of finding and tasting "the best ribs in America." I never thought that the appellation "chow hound" was a good thing, but after reading this really, really cool book, I would be proud to be considered a chow hound.

The first great -- and immediately apparent -- thing about this book is the size and format. At a slim 9"x"4", it will fit in just about every glove box and center console out there. All of the reviews are written in a down-home country prose with a brevity of ratings -- mostly based upon how much a meal will cost. The author's comments are often humorous and provide vividly useful descriptions of the type of dining experience one can expect to find in each of the establishments.

I consider this book to be my new "secret weapon." Since I am often accompanied by another road food adventurer who has perfected the "eye-roll commentary" when viewing an aesthetically-challenged eating establishment, I can now, with authority, whip out this book and point out the author's recommendation for ignoring the décor and savoring the offerings at places like the Coyote Moon Café in Lemitar or Robb's Ribbs in Albuquerque...[Read more]