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Leal's Mexican Restaurant
3100 Mabry Dr.Clovis, NM
(575) 763-4075
It may not be quite accurate to describe Leal's as New Mexico style Mexican food, but it is not Tex-Mex
either. Instead it is somewhat of a fusion of the two styles, taking the best of both. Serving enchiladas with
either red or green chile, and offering a "topped sopaipilla" (a variation of a stuffed sopaipilla), I would say
it falls more in the category of New Mexican food.
Upon seating diners are given the usual complimentary chips and salsa. These were a little different
than I usually encounter, though. The chips are apparently made by Leal's (judging from the fact that Leal's
operates a tortilla factory in Muleshoe, TX, a few miles from Clovis). The chips tasted like they were
freshly made, and are sold in bags at the front of the restaurant giving the impression that other patrons
must think they are as good as I do. One thing I particularly liked was the fact that the chips were not
overly salted.
The red salsa was mild enough to please the High Plains clientele, but this one
had a surprisingly robust flavor. I enjoyed it almost as much as the spicier versions I usually find closer to
the Rio Grande.
The menu is heavy on steaks, fajitas, and just about any style of beef that could be expected to be
served in a Mexican restaurant. The fact that you can order a "bowl of chili" and "Carne Guisada"
reminds me more of Austin Mexican restaurants than ones in New Mexico.
One item that looked interesting to me was the Topped Sopaipilla, much like a stuffed
sopaipilla except that the the beef, cheese, lettuce, and tomato filling is on top of the sopaipilla. This is
a large sopaipilla that covers the plate, and if you do not get full after eating it the toppings will certainly
do the job. This is different from most of the dishes I see at other restaurants in that it also includes
a large topping of guacamole.
I substituted chicken for beef on the topped sopaipilla, not really expecting it to taste as good as the
beef would. The chicken, though, was not only of surprising good quality, but I thought blended well with
the flavors of the other ingredients. The guacamole, lettuce, and tomatoes were all good, and the cheese
was the standard yellow variety served in most Mexican restaurants. In order to make it more the style to
which I am accustomed, though, I asked for some chile to add on top. They brought both the red and
green chile in bowls, and with the high quality sopaipilla served underneath, this made the dish quite
satisfying and enjoyable.
Although I did not try any enchiladas, the sauces that were brought for my dinner give me some idea
of how the enchiladas would be. The green sauce was the spiciest, and even though it was
pureed, had a good enough flavor that I ended up pouring the entire bowl over the sopaipilla. I definitely
think that when ordering enchiladas, the green would be the ones to try.
The red sauce was mild, and unlike the red salsa, did not seem to have much flavor (from the
dark red color it looked as if several typical Tex-Mex spices were added).
Leal's does not seem to totally follow the more traditional New Mexican recipes, but the quality of the
food is good enough to make up for the modifications they have made. The fact that they will alter orders
according to your specifications makes it even better. I definitely enjoyed the experience, and I would
certainly head to Leal's in any of the Texas cities where its branches are located.
Leal's humble beginnings
RESTAURANT DETAILS
RATING: 20
Cuisine: Mexican New Mexican
Cost: $$
Accessible: Yes
Additional Locations:
2115 N. Prince (Clovis), Amarillo TX, Plainview TX, Muleshoe TX, Henrietta, TX
Smoking: Non-Smoking Section
Alcohol: Beer, Wine, Margaritas
Chile Index: |
Most Recent Visit
Mar. 28, 2006
Number of Visits: 1
Best Item
Topped Sopaipilla
Special Ratings
Topped Sopaipilla:
Chips:
Salsa:
Restaurant Web Site
Leal's