In a region famous for their green chiles and pecan trees, authentic Mexican food has gone to the dogs in historic Old Mesilla, New Mexico. Andelé’s Dog House serves up Mexican hot dogs, chile con queso burgers, ice cold beer and even allows Fido inside the covered back patio.
Location: Andelé’s Dog House is located in historic Old Mesilla, 1983 Calle del Norte, Mesilla, New Mexico, next door to Las Cruces.
Menu: An authentic Mexican-style Shrimp Cocktail heads up the appetizer menu. Also on the list are Nachos and Nachos Especial. Ask for jalapeños to go with them if you want them hotter. You can order a cheese dip (Chile Con Queso), a Guacamole, or a cup of Posole. Simple burritos and soups, salads, and sides make any combination you desire.
Combination Plates include an enchilada (green or red), a chile relleno, a tamale, or flauta, potatoes, with beans, and rice. You can also build your own combination plate if you can’t decide between Number 1 (verde) and Number 2 (rojo).
Platos Mexicanos are traditional Mexican dishes from a pork roast, beef, chicken, eggs, shrimp, and fish. All combinations in tacos, tortillas, or bañado (smothered in red or green chile) and are served with guacamole, rice, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, or coleslaw.
Allow more time for the ribeye steaks, shish-ka-bobs, and rotisserie chicken dishes to be prepared and delivered to your table.
You can also get a hamburger and fries or tortas with meat or fish served on a sandwich roll.
The Little Ones menu includes dishes that appeal to a child’s simple taste.
Vegetarian and gluten-free items are available.
Thoughts: How is a Mexican Dog (no, it’s not a Chihuahua standing in the sun!) different from a Chile Con Queso Dog? It starts with a specially baked bun, then adds a grilled-bacon wrapped all-beef frank topped with pinto beans, grilled onions, diced onions, and tomatoes plus jalapeño mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, and jalapeño salsa.
The Chile Con Queso dog is simply the bacon-wrapped all-beef frank, topped with pinto beans, onions, cheddar cheese, and Andelé’s famous chile con queso.
You can get Just a Dog which is an all-beef frank, topped with your choice of traditional hot dog condiments.
Dog House treats are well worth a try for authentic Mexican food. You can order these bite-sized snacks on a platter served with homemade chipotle ranch dressing or something a little hotter like jalapeños torreados ranch dressing. Fried mushrooms, chicken fritters mozzarella sticks, mini fried burritos and fried zucchini spears all are options on this platter.
The reasonably priced Sopes are small, fried masa (corn) bowls filled with green or red chile meat, chicken and salsa ranchera, chorizo & potato, or refried beans and cheese. It’s topped with lettuce, tomato, and cheese.
Andelé’s award-winning spicy Salsa Bar with warm chips is a help-yourself service. They won a State Fair competition for their authentic Mexican Salsa Bar. Read all about it at the bar.
Several cold beers are available to order and a wine margarita if you simply must have a margarita. I’d stick with the beer.
The portions are plentiful. The House Specialty – Tacos Al Carbon was our choice. There were generous portions of beef, pork and chicken cut into little bite-sized squares. Also on the platter grilled onions, wedges of lime, cilantro, and salsas shared the colorful presentation. We could experiment with the green salsa, then with the red salsa. On the side, we had frijoles charros (a spicy bean soup) and could garnish it all with lettuce and tomato.
Chile con queso is a delicate creamy blend of cheese and fresh green chile with a nice bite. As a result, it is the perfect finishing touch to the Tacos al Carbon.
Accommodations for large groups with long tables are ideal for celebrations. There is plenty of room and, therefore, doesn’t feel crowded.
Looking for a dining experience that includes your pets? At Andelé’s Dog House you can watch a large-screen TV, enjoy water spritzers, and sit around a fire pit in colder months. Your four-legged family member can enter with you from the rear entrance to the outdoor covered patio.
A nice touch is a mister at the front entrance. Being comfortable while waiting to be seated is a welcome consideration in this desert community.
Andelé’s Dog House is handicapped accessible and so it is easy to navigate.
In conclusion, we liked the excellent service and fresh food. It made the experience at Andelé’s memorable for us and worth a second visit…or more.
Price Range: Appetizers are $5 to $10. The House Specialty – Tacos Al Carbon plate is $11, and the platter is $23.75. Red (rojo) or green (verde) enchilada plates with no substitutions are $10.90 or build your own for $12.80. Burritos, Soups, and Salads run from $6 to $12.45. Mexican Plates (Platos Mexicanos) and sandwiches are about $9 to $13.00. Steaks and chicken dishes are about $9 to $17.
Disclosure: Andelé’s Dog House treated us to the House Specialty and beverages on our visit.
Julie is a member of TravMedia, PPA and ITWPA and can also be found at www.jdptravels.com.
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