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2 Years Ago I love a Drive-In Adventure! So why didn't I write this one up, 2 years ago?  I don't know, but I'll see what I remember about this little place from the summer of 2019. Now and Then This is how the building looked, when I spotted it at the intersection.
I found this second photo on the internet. Different, but still sort of a cluttered collection. Building, parking cover, signs, cars... The Name I spotted the name "Foxy" while doing an internet search for quick lunches in Clovis. I read the title aloud to Don (who drove every mile of our 3,000 mile road trip.  We both laughed and agreed, that we needed to experience the Foxy Drive In! Drive Up or Walk In? The drive-in seemed like a fun option. Besides, Sonic, there are so few options for drive-in ordering these days.
But, we needed to get out of the car. We headed for the entrance and that's when I spotted the rounded exterior. I love a round restaurant. Counter Dining We had to decide again. Counter dining or table?  I love a good swivel stool at the counter, but we headed into the side room. Foxy Foxes I had a fun time spotting all the foxes. There was a pretty fun retro menu with cartoon foxes and exciting prices! Foxy Steak Fingers for 75 cents!
There were some foxy figures on display, too. Back Room There was only one table left in the back room.  We took the little table for two and checked out our food options. Looking Around Don studied the menu, while I studied the diners. There was a group with Lion's Club t-shirts. There was a dad with tattoos and ear gages, helping his kids order.  A middle aged couple at one table, reached for each others' hands and bowed heads for grace. It was an interesting bunch. Call in Order? I was pretty excited about the phone above our table.
There were instructions for calling in our order, but our server arrived before we had a chance. Taquitos and Chili Dog I asked about the taquitos. I was told that was a good choice, so I ordered 2, for 2 dollars.  I also ordered the chili dog and was warned, "That comes on a round bun. Is that okay?" I was fine with that, but it was sort of an odd looking thing. The chili, cheese and dog, were layered in an odd order. But it was yummy. Burger for Hon Our server called Don "Hon", which amused me. She seemed concerned that he wasn't ordering the "Ranch Size Burger" or fries.  I've given up trying to explain that we don't eat a huge amount when on the road. This lunch was actually pretty huge for us. Using That Phone! We were done dining, but I was dying to try out that phone.  I picked it up and asked if they sold t-shirts. Our sweet server answered and she was sad to say, they were out. "But, Mr. Chris should be in soon. He might know where some are." No Waiting We didn't linger for Mr. Chris. We headed to the counter to check out. I learned that Mr. Chris was the son of A.C. Bryant, who opened Foxy's over 60 years ago. He died in 2014 at age 99.
Chris has been running the biz for many years and now with the help of his own son Freddie. I regret that we didn't stick around to meet Mr. Chris. History I love family businesses with lots of history. There were lots of old photos near a curious looking door.  The history of Foxy's was a little confusing. Alfred ( A.C.) Bryant opened Foxy's in 1956, then moved to the current location in 1959. The Name Foxy? This photo of "Al's Drive In" made me think that Foxy's was once named for A.C. But this photo was taken during the 1940's before the Bryant family owned it.  It turns out, there's a pretty cute reason for the name Foxy's. In 1938, A.C was working at Fox Drug when he spotted his future wife Eva. They were married in less than a year. Winking Fox We left happy. The food was decent and the people were friendly.  And oh how I love this winking fox! I caught sight of him on our way to the car!
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Lunch Stop in San Antonio, New Mexico  Don and I don't usually stop at bars during the day, especially when we're on the road. Curious Story But Don had read a little something about this place that had us both scratching our heads.  The curious trivia had to do with what lead to their well-known Green Chile & Cheese Owl Burger. We knew we had to make a stop on our way to Albuquerque! Odd Building Our road trip route took us right to the small town, in the center of New Mexico. We pulled off the highway and found the little bar we'd heard about. There were quite a few vehicles parked outside the brown and tan, stucco building. But even in bright light, the place looked a bit intimidating. There were no windows to peek through, before entering.
The flapping flag and serious looking owl, made me worry that we might be walking into a local men's club. The door just past the sign, looked like the kind you'd enter from the alley. But the story behind the Owl Cheeseburger just drew us in. Entrance Just though the door we found a small waiting area that made up for the mysteriously blank exterior.
Photographs and articles covered the plywood walls. A stuffed owl looked like he was ready to land on my head. A rack of bubble gum machines made me feel less intimidated. Where to Sit? The bar was a bit more crowded, (than photo) when we first entered.  About 3 older women rushed back and forth behind the bar, serving more food than drink. Dollar Booths The booths looked pretty iconic and it was tempting to choose one for a cozy lunch.  There were dollar bills and personal notes, tacked to the paneling inside each booth. I learned later that the business gathers them up periodically and donates to charity. Bar With a History The 25 foot mahogany bar was purchased shortly after the Owl Bar opened in 1945. Frank and Dee Chavez started the business in Dee's father's grocery store. They bought the 1880's Brunswick-Balk Bar from a famous San Antonio family.  It turns out that tiny town is the birthplace of Conrad Hilton... as in Hilton Hotels. The lovely bar that I failed to photograph well, was first in a rooming House/saloon, owned by C. Hilton's father. Frank and Dee bought the undamaged front bar, after a fire destroyed much of the rooming house. It took 2 days to carefully moved the bar 2 miles, to their roadhouse bar. Owls Behind the Bar Don and I sat on our stools staring at the crazy collection of owls behind the bar. I asked "Leo" our server if she had any favorite owls in the place. "Oh there are so many of them.
I don't really have a favorite, but there are some real cute ones." I had many more questions, but the women were far too busy. I held my breath while one woman rushed behind me, carrying 6 plates of burgers. The Owl Burger Leo served us up a couple of famous burgers while we pondered their history.
The cheeseburgers made with roasted Hatch green chiles go back to around 1945. In my distorted photos, one burger looks huge and the other tiny. Actually they were a perfect medium size with gigantic flavor. "Prospectors" at the Bar Our cheeseburgers were as spicy and fresh tasting as we'd read about. But the real fun was imagining the people who first ate these famous burgers. In 1945 some special customers talked Frank Chavez into buying a grill and serving food.  The so called "prospectors" were a group of temporary "regulars" who were working in the area. The men who yearned for food, weren't ranchers or cowboys, they were physicists, who were involved in activating the famous Trinity Site explosion. It was odd and eerie to imagine these men sitting at the bar, where we ate our burgers. How out of place they must have seemed at first. I wonder if the bar drinks ever caused a secret or two to slip. Wandering My trip to the restroom was entertaining. I found a back dining room that had more booths and more owl decor. The little hallway to the restrooms, had a rather dramatic arched entrance... and
more framed owl art. The Ladies Room extra quite bright, with colorful, owl murals. I was a bit thrown by the lack of privacy between toilets. I found that downright amusing! Owls I returned to my stool and studied a little more owl art before we headed off.  I wish I could have talked to the older man beside me. Maybe he knew people who had stories about the nuclear bomb, that was detonated just 28 miles away in 1945. "Here It Is" As we headed to the car, I looked at the building and tried to imagine how this rambling building could have been a grocery store plus bar.  If only Rowena Baca had been there. She inherited The Owl from her parents, Frank and Dee. She was a child back when the Owl Burger was born, so I imagine she has some stories.
It was a yummy and interesting road trip stop, for sure! We had lots to think about, as we got back on the road. Dinner in Vegas! I've seen a lot of vintage postcards showing Las Vegas, with neon signs, glittery casinos and glam pools.  This is a postcard from the cute place where we ate dinner in Las Vegas, New Mexico! No neon or glam decor shown in these photos. But, the postcard looks vintage and the restaurant itself looked pretty vintage, when we visited in 2017. The Plaza In 2017, Don and I stayed at The Plaza Hotel. No, we weren't at the ritzy Plaza in NYC... we were in Las Vegas.  We weren't in the gambling Vegas, we were in New Mexico! The Nevada and New York locations would have been very entertaining, but this overnight was all about easy. We walked out of our sweet historic hotel and strolled across the plaza to dinner. El Rialto The Garcia Family has been running El Rialto since 1975.  They've had some time to accumulate some curious things for their windows. I have no idea about the age of the building, but once inside, the high, pressed tin ceilings, hinted at old. Busy on July 3 It was the day before the holiday, so there was a weekend energy to the restaurant.  Most of the tables were taken up with large groups of locals, many with children. Big Outfits Big Meals Don and I did some dressing for dinner. I don't think our shirts or jewelry fooled anyone into thinking we were locals. However, our server said she loved my squash blossom necklace.
She said her grandmother had lots of turquoise and she hoped to get turquoise, one day. Don's bolo tie got noticed on our walk to dinner. A very polite panhandler asked for a quarter. Don gave him a dollar and then received a thank you, along with positive words! "Nice bolo tie!" We hoped there was no sarcasm in his voice. Eating and Watching Each of our piping hot meals was served on 2 thick plates. I ate my taco, tamale and relleno while keeping an eye on the busy kitchen. It was quite entertaining.
Don had chicken enchiladas and filled me in on the happenings in both rooms. He had a good view of many woven rugs, displayed on the wall. One had a large "R" in the center. Was that for el Rialto? The Garcias I studied a framed photo before we left. I don't know if we met any of the Garcia family that night.  It was too busy to bother anyone with questions. If we'd had some chatting time, I would have asked how the restaurant got its name. Rialto makes me think of the bridge in Venice. Shopping There were some curious lamp creations for sale and a t-shirt or two.  We could have completed our meal with a purchase. But we headed off, with full stomachs and empty hands. Quiet Plaza We headed across the plaza to our hotel. It was fun to imagine the little city, once a booming railroad town in the early 19th century.  After WWII, the town grew quiet. We may have missed out on the excitement of a bigger city, but we made it back to the hotel, just in time for karaoke!
Lunch on the Butterfield Trail! A year ago, Don and I passed through the sleepy town of Mesilla, in New Mexico. We had heard about the restaurant, La Posta.  I was eager to eat a little Mexican food, in a 160+ year old building. The stucco structure also happens to be part of the only station that remains standing, on the old Butterfield Stagecoach Line. The Beginnings The compound was first constructed in the 1840's. Ten years later, Sam and Roy Bean (yes, the judge) operated a freight and passenger service line from the compound.  After the Civil War, La Posta became an important stop on the Butterfield Stagecoach Line. By the late 1800's, Mesilla was a lively wild west town and The Corn Exchange Hotel opened up within the compound. Katy's Corner The hotel business ended over 100 years ago, but La Posta Restaurant opened in 1939. Katy Griggs Camunez started serving food in the NE corner of the compound.
There were only 4 tables, the floors were dirt and there was no running water, but her business grew.Today, there are a lot of corners in all the rooms that make up the 17,000 square foot business. I'm not sure which was the corner where Katy began. But the colorful, cozy rooms all felt festive! Stucco, Tile & Brick Good Timing Luckily we arrived early for lunch and missed the crowds. I imagine they get a tour bus or 2, now and then.
The first thing that I noticed when we entered, was the fountain. I do love a fountain! Then my eyes wandered to the colorful tile work and brick floors. The stucco walls must be a couple feet thick! Trees and Cages There was a lot of wildlife happening in the main entrance of La Posta.  There seemed to be trees growing up towards the ceiling... and cages...  ... the cages were filled with parrots and the tanks held fish, including 1 Red Pirranha. A bold sign warned us to keep hands out! Bird Room I didn't count the rooms, but there were many. Our hostess took us to our table and I glanced longingly at a room filled with tropical bird decor
There were colorful birds in the paintings and parrots hanging from the ceiling. The skylights and plant growth made the room feel like a jungle. The skeleton on the balcony added a different twist. Paper Flowers and a Corner Kiva We passed another room that looked inviting. The entrance showed the thickness of the walls. A corner fireplace made the space look cozy, even in July.
A couple sat beside a window with bright, paper flowers hanging above! Over the doorway I noticed carved figures and a painted mask. It looked exactly like a mask my dad bought in Mexico years ago! So many surprises! Window and Giant Mask One wall, felt like stage set. The giant mask made me of think Greek Theatre.  The window with shutters and flowers made me expect to hear opera, from a singer on the balcony. I would love to know the story about this curious/whimsical decor. Cantinas There were 2 cantinas at La Posta.  I peeked in and felt tempted. But I don't usually drink a Margarita before noon. Beams and Color My eyes tried to take it all in.
The wall colors, the log ceiling beams, the flowers and rustic shutters. Our Table We didn't end up in a cozy corner room or a 2-story space with skylights.  Our room was in the center where I could see all around and watch the guests coming and going. Sisters Enjoy Don and I relaxed at our cute table with its decorated oilcloth.
I couldn't help but smile at the table of nuns nearby. They seemed pretty animated and chatty and they did not have margaritas at their table. We were on the road so no margaritas for us either, but we did order a feast. Chimichanga for Me I for some reason ordered a bean chimichanga.
The rice, beans cheese and sauces were all decent, but my main course was a bit dry. Or maybe I was just too full from pigging out on chips. Enchiladas Don enjoyed his Sour Cream Enchilada Plate with chicken.
He had no complaints. Time to Wash Up After chowing down, I needed a good handwashing... which means a trip to the Ladies Room.  I could see a lamp's glow welcoming me, as I passed the fountain. Pink! No one appreciates a kitschy Ladies Room as much as I do! The door decoration was beyond lovely. I stepped inside and found a sitting area, worthy of the title Powder Room.
The walls were the color of bubble gum and the cushioned chairs had heart-shaped backs. I so wished I'd come with a lady friend, so we could powder our noses, then sit a spell and do a little gossiping. Delightful Details I'm not making fun of this bathroom. I would be truly heartbroken if I returned and they had remodeled.
The stall doors looked like a decorated cake! The sink area had some tricky hidden lighting. The tile had some fancy trim that couldn't be missed! Love, love, love it! Old Mesilla Plaza Besides dining rooms, cantinas and outdoor patio, La Posta also had a number of shops. They actually sold some lovely things, but Don and I decided to do our post dining meandering elsewhere. We wandered over to Old Mesilla Plaza.  We spotted our party of Sisters on the steps of San Albino Catholic Church. They took turns taking cell phone photos of each other and I regretted that I didn't think to run over and offer to take a photo of the group. That would have tied up our road trip dining adventure, very nicely!
Lunch Stop on Route 66 Don and I made a u-turn when we spotted this red carport, with neon accents.  It at least looked the part, for our road trip lunch stop, on Route 66. New or Old? It was hard to tell the age of the building. It didn't look as worn as some of the motels and gas stations on the Route, in Santa Rosa.  The brown stucco was smooth and the the retro, painted mural wasn't peeling. But the spirit of the place, felt old. Best Mexican Food in Town Then I spotted this odd little building in back.  I loved the rough stone and painted cinderblock, the weathered door and the accent of live cactus! Could this have been the original building? Feels Like a Diner We headed in and were invited to sit anywhere.  We chose a booth near the counter, where I sat facing a large framed photo of a cowgirl. Main Dining Area Don's seat faced out towards the main dining room.  There was a good crowd of locals seated in the blue vinyl chairs when we first arrived. By the time I snapped this photo, most of the men in cowboy and trucker hats, had already departed. Since 1927 The menu told us the Martinez Family had owned the restaurant since 1927.
I was curious about the restaurant's name and asked our server. She said the original Comet Diner had burned down in the 1990's. That explained the "II". But, Comet still sounded pretty modern for 1927 and the Comet II felt and looked older than the 1990's. Pie for Lunch? Before ordering, I saw an order of pies come out of the kitchen to cool. I popped up to take a photo and that seemed to amuse the old couple sitting nearby. I told the woman we were from Houston, when she asked. She seemed concerned, since she'd heard there'd been a recent tornado... maybe she meant hurricane.
I asked where they were from and the woman waved towards the window. "Oh, I'm from the apartments." Then she gestured towards the elderly man. "He lives in the motel." I asked what was good on the menu and was told I needed to order the Baby Back Ribs. "They are the best!" Northern New Mexico Cuisine We didn't order ribs and Don was craving a burger, but I went for the Mexican Special of the day. What a mix of flavors! I was told the restaurant made 5 different homemade chiles a day!
I loved reading the menu description of all the people who have influenced the local cuisine... "Native American, Mexican, Spanish immigrants, sheep herders, trappers, Jewish merchants, Eastern carpet baggers..." Johnny Martinez I was pretty excited when I saw a man with a white apron and flashy bolo-tie, making the rounds. He was welcoming all the locals and he sat down to chat with a few, at their tables.
He stopped to greet us and we raved about the food and complimented his bolo tie. "Oh, this was my grandfather's badge!" He seemed delighted we had noticed. He said it was from 1916, when his grandfather was a New Mexico Ranger. I wish we could have heard more stories! Old Pics When we checked out at the front desk, I studied some old photo.  I wondered more about this man who must have taken over the business from his parents.  I recognized Johnny, with his dark hair and mustache in this photo.
Don paid up and I looked for more clues about the restaurant's history. If Mr. Martinez had not disappeared into the kitchen, I would have asked a lot more questions. Sheepherder? I noticed this little statue holding a sign as we headed out. "The Best Sheepherding Camp Cook to Ever Come Out of Pintada Canyon!"
What did that mean? I had spotted something in the menu about this. Had Johnny been a sheepherder's cook before he took over his parent's restaurant? I looked Johnny up on the internet and learned little. One write up said restaurant owner was part Native American and part Mexican... nothing about sheepherder cook. I had missed my chance to ask Johnny my own questions. Next Time We headed out of town on Route 66, thinking about our yummy-curious lunch.  I spotted the Sun 'n Sand Motel and decided we might just have to return to Santa Rosa some day. A night at this fine Route 66 motel would give us an addition to the Notable Night List... and we could have another meal at Comet II!
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The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
March 2022
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