Combining a passion for his abuelita’s cooking with a culinary skill set picked up in the Dallas food scene, Tortugas native Frankie Torres opened Chala’s Wood Fire Grill in Mesilla. What started as a take-out window has blossomed into a full-blown restaurant that’s getting lots of positive hype.
Frankie’s commitment to creating fresh, handmade dishes — “No freezers, no microwaves,” he stresses — comes through in the quality of the food. The meats, including the extremely popular homemade bacon, are all cut and smoked in-house. The breads are baked fresh daily with simple ingredients. They even clarify their own butter and make their own jams.
So far the concept has been a recipe for success that can be credited in no small part to Frankie’s passion for what he does. “Food and hospitality, that all started for me growing up. It’s just how my family was,” he remembers. “When I started in restaurants, I just fell in love with the orchestra that happens when everyone is talking and happy and having fun. When people are laughing and glasses are clinking and food is sizzling, that sounds like music to me.”
Chala’s Wood Fire Grill
2790 Avenida de Mesilla
575-652-4143
Posted by LasCruces.com
