Situated about 15 miles south of Mesilla on State Highway 28 is Chope’s where one would probably find the best ‘chile relleno’. They operate from a small comfortable home like-restaurant which gets crowded as soon as it opens every day. The ‘chilies rellenos’ are lightly breaded and served with three fried pods or can also be ordered along any of the combination plates. Milder than the rellenos are Chope’s red enchiladas or the green enchiladas but the one recommended is a stack, with a fried egg on top. They serve meat stuffed tamales which can be ordered three for a plate or as part of combination plate that includes an enchilada, a soft taco, rice, and beans. The menu over is a typical local one, featuring bowls of chili with or without beans or con queso (with cheese), as well as air weight sopaipillas.

Open only for lunch and breakfast Nellie’s Café serves traditional Mexican fare from Tuesday to Friday starting at 8 in the morning. The family run restaurant is in Las Cruces, the center of the chile country. Danny Ray Hernandez, the chef and Nellie’s son, makes vivid salsas using five to seven different types of chile. His specialty is the breakfast menu which includes ‘Huevos Rancheros’ (scrambled with jalapenos) and eggs with chile and meat served with either red or green chile or combination of both known as ‘Christmas’. According to Nellie, the chiles have become hotter in the recent years due to the dry growing conditions.

Croquettes are one of the top tapas in Spain. And this restaurant is all about them. Crunchy outside but creamy inside. We love that they don't just repeat the same old toppings you'll find in other bars, but they get creative transforming traditional non-croquette recipes into a delicious croquette. Vegetarian options are also available (not vegan, though). They also have a variety of non-croquette tapas as well. So instead of just some croquettes and a drink, you can have a full tapas meal there.

The Oklahoma onion burger, a regional favorite, is a hamburger patty with paper-thin slices of Spanish white onion smashed into the meat. According to legend, the onion burger was invented by Ross Davis in the 1920s at the Hamburger Inn in Ardmore, Oklahoma. During the Depression, onions were cheap and hamburger meat was expensive. Ross came up with the thrifty idea of adding onions to the burgers and smashing them into the meat with the back of his spatula. Called Depression burgers, Ross would pound a half onion's worth of shreds into a 5-cent burger. The ground meat and onions cooked together, infusing the patty with the onion until the burger seared around the edges and the onions caramelized and crisped. Some of the most famous and popular onion burgers today come from Sid’s Diner in El Reno, Oklahoma. Known for its burgers and shakes whipped up in a homey, old-timey space with counter seats, cooks place a slice of American cheese and a bun on a 6-oz. patty and let the cheese melt while the onions and meat brown and the bun soaks up the juices. A history junkie’s dream, the diner’s décor boasts more than 450 photographs of the Oklahoma land lotteries, cowboys on horseback, and the early days of car culture when El Reno was a major stop along Route 66.

Jambe De Bois, opened in 2000 and is one of my favourite restaurants in St. Lucia. The decoration is soothing, full of colours and has a rustic design to it. The best days to go are Saturday’s and Sunday’s as apart from the delicious food and ambient, there is live Jazz music full of soul which makes this experience complete and worth the visit. Getting to the restaurant is an experience in itself, as you have to walk for a bit inside Pigeon Island National Park until you get to this secluded yet magical spot. The cocktails are exquisite, and some of my favourites are the “Jambe De Bois” a cocktail made with rum, cream, coconut cream and coffee liquer but in reality all of them are perfect. As I tried each one, I wanted to keep on ordering to make it down the list and try the full sleeve. There is also a special menu that changes everyday. My favourite choices from my first visit was the crunchy deep fried calamari, the cheese and mushroom pie which had a soft consistency and appealing to the taste buds. The freshly fish cakes exploded with flavor in each bite. The whole menu and experience was enjoyable, I am sure there will be many more visits to come.

Flavours of the Grill is one of those local restaurants that you have to check out as it is colorful, small, and cute. One of my recommendations is to have the lunch buffet, as it is a more local experience than the dinner, and you don’t have to practice your patience too much by waiting for a long time for your food to be served- remember you are in the Caribbean, and it is indeed very laid back. The seafood is locally caught, and along with the succulent boneless chicken paired with cinnamon plantain, mashed sweet potato, and steamed vegetables, is the “rockets trio” appetizer which provides an excellent option of a platter of breadfruit, dasheen (local “ground provision”), salt fish, conch fritters and is accompanied by a sweet chili dip – just delicious.

Duke’s Place is open only on Friday and Saturday and waiting all week to go try the fish barbecue at this shack in the village of Gros Islet is totally worth it. It is smart to arrive early at 6:30pm to avoid the large queues of people from all over the world lining up to try some local flavours. The secret of these dishes is the amount of onion, butter, and garlic they put in their rice, and fish – it really tastes magical. Some of the types of fishes you can find are dorado, snapper, barracuda, conch and lobster when in season. Prices are very affordable and the amount of food is substantial. Another tip is to try the “seamoss” drink that is constantly sold by people around Duke’s Place, and don’t forget to ask the vendor for an explanation of the preparation of this drink, purchase some extra rum to put an extra kick to it!

Chateau Mygo is a lovely restaurant located in the Marigot Bay area which offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and live music. For all seafood lovers they offer all kind of fish in their menu from dorado, red snapper, yellow tuna, conch, octopus, calamari, shrimp and lobster in all its forms, even in a pizza. Local cuisine is also available at Chateau Mygo – roti and curried chicken are some of the favorites, the house chutney, and local pepper sauce are a great addition to all dishes giving them that extra zing. After a delicious meal at this restaurant, it is nice to relax on the beach and grab a drink at Hurricane Hole Bar, which is located on Chateau Mygo Dock. The great food is complemented by the live French Creole music and reggae, soca, and calypso. The lobster pizza is a must as you can taste the freshness of the lobster and the perfect seasoning that makes this pizza far from ordinary.

Marigot Bay is spectacular in every way from its restaurants and stunning views of the sunsets that can be witnessed in this particular place in St. Lucia. The Bayside Café is a great spot to have breakfast either if you are visiting the area as a tourist, or you are in one of the sailing vessels or yachts in the marina. One of the best smoothies is the guava smoothie with yogurt and chia seeds. There is also a vast selection of smoothies from a green mix, of tropical fruits, carrot and mango, and many more refreshing healthy options. There is also a good selection of pastries, teas, and ice creams if you feel like indulging.

Régis et Jacques Marcon, located on the hill in Saint Bonnet Le Froid is considered as one of the 'Three Michelin Stars' that is a must visit. They try and make the guests feel like home where Régis and his wife greet and accompany the guests to their table while their son Jacques and his team are involved in cooking and serving. With a panoramic view of the mountains from the 50 seat dining room and a family-like atmosphere, it is just more than a dining experience here. He pays tribute to Mother Nature and the cuisine here focuses a lot on local products especially mushrooms. The menu involves most of the items cooked with mushroom even the desserts. Puy lentil stew, poached egg, and truffle sauce, Crispy brochette (breaded and fried) sweetbreads, cured ham, mustard and morels, Lamb en croûte, and Quail stuffed pie with crayfish are some of the must have from the menu. The overall experience makes it one of the must visit places.