Table Talk

Baja Grill, the restaurant expansion of Messiah's Health Shoppe, is sort of like, well, the Second Coming. Owner John Fuller is sure it's going to happen, but nobody can say just when. "We've got our (kitchen) hood and other materials, but there's still a lot of details to go through," Fuller says. In the meantime, he installed an Internet cafe in the joint last month, and hopes to start serving fresh-ground, heavenly coffee this month. 303 E. 13th St., Silver City, 538-9006.

Grab a hearty lunch to go! Diane's Bakery & Deli is now open at The Hub, Suite A, on Bullard Street in Silver City, serving up classic deli sandwiches, pasta and potato salads, killer Boar's Head pickles and more. Sliced lunchmeats and cheeses also sold by the pound. 534-9229.

Adobe Springs Cafe, 1617 Hwy. 180 in the Pi¤on Plaza in Silver City, has reopened under the new ownership of Cynthia Shylo, serving breakfast and lunch with a menu consisting of many of the establishment's old faves and some new additions.

The Golden Dragon Chinese restaurant, 914 N. Pope St. in Silver City, is still waiting for its liquor license to come through so it can start serving wine and beer.

Chris Waggoner, the new owner of Boba's Cafe at 1900 S. Espina in Las Cruces, has big plans for his eatery. The cafe already is known for its homemade soups, extensive sandwich menu and salads, and now serves sushi and Chinese cuisine on Friday evenings. Waggoner has applied for a liquor license and plans to expand dinners, adding patio dining and live music soon. 647-5900.

Starbucks Coffee has opened its fourth Las Cruces outlet at 2800 N. Main St., offering all the usual accoutrements: kick-butt Joe and other drinks to sit or go, baked goodies and cool-funk gifty items. Drive-thru, too, of course.

A rose is a rose is. . . no more. El Rancho off University Ave. in Las Cruces, once known as Pete's Hacienda, no longer exists under any name, sweet or not.

Here's lookin' at you, kid. We'll always have Paris, but Casablanca in Las Cruces has closed. The Middle Eastern eatery on El Paseo abruptly shut its doors and the owner skipped town to Houston, leaving at least some creditors in the lurch. Maybe this wasn't the beginning of a beautiful friendship, after all.

— Donna Clayton Lawder

We're always looking for news on the food scene! Email donna@desertexposure.com.