D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
May 2008
Table Talk
Jake Politte's deal to sell his restaurant, Spaghetti Western, has fallen through. Politte says he plans to re-open at the Texas St. location with "an incognito, low-key cafe. Maybe by the end of May after I recharge my batteries," Politte says. "I just got so burnt out after five years of Spaghetti Western. But it's in my blood, I can't get away from it," he says of the restaurant biz. Politte says he's been dreaming up new approaches, and may name the new place 1zero6 N. Texas, because he hates it when people call the middle digit of his address an "o," serving Pacific Rim and Italian fusion cuisine. He also may offer cooking classes.
Shevek & Mi in Silver City is no longer serving lunch, just dinners and weekend brunch. Chef-owner Shevek Barnhart says lunch just wasn't ringing the cash register. "In this economy, everyone's brown-bagging it for lunch. Now we're closer to what I want to be anyway, and that's a dinner place," Barnhart says, adding, "Of course, we're still serving brunch. You have to serve brunch in this town!" 602 N. Bullard St. 534-9168.
Greg Bond and Maryann Marlar, proprietors of Vicki's Eatery, would have to agree. Their restaurant at 107 W. Yankie St. in Silver City began serving Sunday brunch with a soft opening at the end of March. The "basic breakfast" menu includes bacon, eggs and pancakes. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 388-5430.
Sadly, the final curtain has come down on the Bel Canto Theatre Cafe in Deming. The building at 300 S. Diamond St. is for sale.
The opening of Brigid's Cross, an Irish-style pub coming to 1338 Picacho Hills Dr. in Las Cruces, has been delayed. The owners, PJH Properties, confirm they are waiting on a second container of their authentic furnishings — the bar, in fact — to arrive from the Emerald Isle. Latest projection is that the suds may begin a-flowin' by the end of May, else early June. Brigid's will feature 12 classic beers on draft, an extensive bottled beer list and fine wines. Meantime, the company is accepting employment applications. info@LasCrucesPub.com
Las Crucens soon will have a new place to get a pizza. Red Brick Pizza, offering fire-roasted pizzas and sandwiches, salads and gelato, will be coming soon to the plaza on Telshor across from Sam's Club, in the spot next to Starbuck's. The company operates two stores in Albuquerque. www.redbrickpizza.com
Following a fire at their South Valley Drive location, Dick's Cafe, a popular Las Cruces Mexican food and burger joint, has taken up residence at 2265 S. Main St., the site of the now-defunct L&L Steak Co. The burgers are flipping just fine at the company's new digs, and a spokeswoman says work on the scorched location has not even begun and that they're fine staying put on Main Street for now. 524-1360.
— Donna Clayton Lawder