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LONGBEACHMAGAZINE.COM but tantalizing and the pork is perfectly tender. The Adovada sauce experience can go home with you in a jar from the restaurant's gift shop to share with family back home. "Wherever you eat in New Mexico choose a local restaurant for the best glimpse of local foods and top it all off with Frito Pie," said Cheryl Alters Jamison, Culinary Liaison for the state's tourism office. The snack, made with red chile sauce, a little meat and pinto beans over Frito chips is typically topped with cheese, onions and other garnishes. "I think of all southwestern foods as truly representative of their locales, really of the earth," Alters said. n Photos courtesy of Mark Kane The Shed in Santa Fe is a well-known restaurant tucked away just off the historic Plaza and just a block from the early 17th century Palace of the Governors. The Palace was Spain's seat of government long before New Mexico became part of the United States. After a tour through the Palace, continue the historic walk just a block to The Shed, located in a hacienda that dates back to 1692. The Shed was opened in 1953 by Tornton and Polly Carswell and is now run by their son Courtney Carswell. The menu is rife with delicious dishes from a fantastic green chile cheeseburger, where the chile is diced with jalapeños, tomatoes and onions, to chicken enchiladas in either red or green sauce. The most unique item on the menu at The Shed is the red chile enchilada that is composed of blue corn tortillas stacked flat and enclosing diced onions and cheddar cheese covered with a rich red chile sauce. "Often, it is topped with an easy fried egg," owner Courtney Carswell said. "The red chile enchilada explodes with a spicy texture that can be savored long after the first bite." The Shed also offers an array of locally-made beverages from its Santa Fe Brewery Pinon Nut Brown beer to its Way2Cool Root Beer, made in Carrizzozo, New Mexico. At Tomasita's, also in Santa Fe, nearly all the dishes are buried in Hatch green chile. One of the specialty items at Tomasita's is a must-have stuffed sopaipilla. It is served with your choice of meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato and red or green chile. I recommend the well-seasoned ground beef and refries with green chile but whatever filling you choose, the taste is exquisite and the helping plentiful. Finish your meal with the caramel pinon cheesecake, a rich and thick cheesecake covered in a delectable and sweet sauce that reminds you why so many flock to the state during the pine nut season. Tomasita's is within walking distance of several of Santa Fe's tourist destinations including the Farmer's Market and the Old Railroad Depot. The restaurant sits in a building that was part of the old railroad complex that was built in 1904. For guests touring New Mexico and planning to visit the Sangre de Cristo Mountains it's worth stopping just 45 minutes north of Santa Fe in the town of Chimayo for a meal at Rancho de Chimayo and a visit to the ancient El Santuario de Chimayo. The church was built between 1814 and 1816. Rancho de Chimayo, which is a short drive from the historic church, offers a wide range of New Mexican items but stands out for its Carne Adovada. The marinated pork is cooked in a spicy red chile caribe sauce and is served with a side of white pozole. The sauce is spicy Where to eat The Shed, 113 East Palace Avenue in Santa Fe. Enjoy the historical ambiance along with the amazing cuisine. Try the red chile enchilada, a blue corn tortilla stacked delight. Tomasita's, 500 S. Guadalupe Street in Santa Fe. Known for its stuffed sopaipillas. Try the beef with green chile, your taste buds will come alive. Gil's Thrilling (and Filling) blog recommends: Mary & Tito's, Albuquerque, which won the "American Classic" award from the James Beard Foundation. The red chile is "sublime- earthy, rich and addictively delicious." 33