Dining at the Inn of The Mountain Gods in Ruidoso, N.M.

As much as I always liked going to the Inn of the Mountain Gods for skiing in the winter and golfing and the race track in the summer, I never saw the Inn as a shining light in the mountains for cuisine. That was until our last visit in July when I had the pleasure to dine at their signature restaurant, Wendell’s.

Let me tell you this. Wendell’s on its own is enough to initiate a visit to the Inn. The food and service are simply superb. Executive chef John Ford has put out quite a spread and we enjoyed it all. The restaurant looks out on one of the many mountain vistas that surround the Inn.

Let me share with you some of the excellent dishes we sampled from the extensive menu.

Let’s start with the Prawn and Crab Martini. This dish was an interesting take on the typical shrimp cocktail. Everything was seriously fresh and the prawns and crab had a wonderful flavor. A splash of lemon added some zest and cocktail sauce was perfect.

Use your imagination here and think of some succulent fried shrimp coated in Panko breadcrumbs. Think of an almost perfect texture yet with that requisite crunch and fresh, engaging flavor. The accompanying asparagus in Hollandaise sauce simply seals the deal. What an enjoyable dish!

This was a tough decision but our informative young waiter pushed me toward the steak. Was I pleased that he did. The Rib Eye was grilled to a most pleasant medium-rare plus, as I like it. The marbling was exquisite as was every bite there after. I chose to have mine “oscarized” with some lump crab atop the steak in a killer hollandaise. I could have gone half a dozen ways with this and I’m sure each one would have been a good choice. This was a serious steak.

I could go on but I think you get the idea. If you have the opportunity, The Inn of the Mountain Gods is a great getaway. Golf, the track, a good size casino, and many other amenities. But you will not be happy with yourself if you go and don’t try Wendell’s.