Las Cruces Tex-Mex, 2935 Airline Dr., one of the newest additions to the Metairie restaurant scene, feels like a bit of a party as soon as you walk in. With a bar that seats fifty, a gorgeous outdoor space, and a vast menu that includes frozen cocktails and tequila, you’d be hard-pressed not to have a good time in this much-needed addition to this part of Metairie. Las Cruces Tex-Mex opened in September from owners Marc Bonifacic and chef Aaron Burgau, founders of Crescent City BBQ in Mid-City.
When it comes to Las Cruces Tex-Mex, Bonifacic had planned on opening a second restaurant when he came across a building on Ailrine Dr. that had been sitting empty. Because he already had a barbecue spot on his roster, he chose to go in another direction with the new spot.
“I knew the area needed a family friendly, indoor-outdoor, covered patio, type of restaurant,” he said. “As far as cuisine, I didn’t want to do another barbecue restaurant, so I decided to do Mexican with the same quality of meat that we use at Central City.”
Chef Chris Lusk, former executive chef of Kimpton Hotel Fontenot and The Steakhouse at Harrah’s New Orleans casino, runs the kitchen here with a diverse menu and unique tastes you will only find at Las Cruces Tex-Mex.
About the menu, Bonifacic said, “It’s true Tex-Mex; it’s Texas cuisine and Mexican cuisine. There’s a lot of ambiguity about what ‘Tex-Mex’ means, for us it means beef, cumin, pinto beans, and incorporating that into Mexican flavors. Beef is the key ingredient; it’s what Texas is known for. Chris Lusk grew up in Texas, so he knows what true Tex-Mex is.”
Menu highlights include Soft Tacos with lettuce, pico de gallo, aged cheddar with green chili rice, and pinto beans; Enchiladas served with red chili sauce, aged cheddar with green chili rice and pinto beans; Taco Salad Bowl made with romaine, crispy tortillas strips, pico de gallo, guacamole, aged cheddar, green chili rice, and pinto beans; and Fajitas made with grilled onions and peppers, pico de gallo, guacamole, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and flour tortillas with green chili rice and pinto beans. You can add your choice of meat to entrees, including smoked chicken, smoked pork, shrimp, and more.
“Our fajitas are made with eight-ounce hangar steak that’s marinated and grilled to order,” Bonifacic said. “It was important to us that our meat is grilled to order, sliced, and prepared fresh. Our queso has key ingredients from my tour of Houston and Dallas and our salsa is made fresh. We don’t cut any corners.”
Dishes can also be prepared vegetarian or vegan, and the menu includes a kid’s menu and desserts. Bonifacic especially recommends the Tres Leches Bread Pudding which he calls one of Chef Lusk’s specialties.
The restaurant’s bar program from Christy Bradley is extensive with a selection of cocktails including five types of margarita, frozen drinks, other cocktails, and a variety of tequila.
Las Cruces Tex-Mex offers lunch specials on Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and Happy Hour food and drink specials on Monday through Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the bar.
The restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
