Launching the Ticket to Taste again this year brings so many foodies together to showcase the flavors of Las Cruces. What a great way to take in all the culinary delights and creativity the LC culinary community has to offer!
Where do I even start??? There are 69 (yeah, 69!!) participants this year….full service restaurants, neighborhood eateries, wineries, donut shops, fine dining establishments, pubs, grills, cafes, deli’s, pizzeria’s, bistros, and bakeries all offering a variety of flavors this year.
They are locally or regionally owned, imparting everything from Asian, Italian, Mexican, Thai, BBQ, Tex-Mex, American, International and Continental cuisine. Unique dining experiences include bites and tastes of sushi, fresh co-op market items, and homemade frozen custard. Additionally, you can enjoy New Mexico wines and micro brews.
Ticket to Taste gets you out of your dining rut (if you’re in one), offering new experiences. Pick up a Dining Passport at any of the these establishments, the Las Cruces Convention and Visitors Bureau at 211 N. Water Street in downtown Las Cruces or you can download from the CVB website - https://www.lascrucescvb.org/t2t/.
Just having a list of places to dine in one little booklet is a reminder of the choices I have, motivating me to try something new! Here is how it works, dine at any of the participating places and have your Dining Passport validated by a staff member. Each validation gets you one step closer to winning a Ticket to Taste prize.(see link for details on prizes).
A glossary of terms we use around here to describe our cuisine is also included in the back of these booklets; perfect for a traveler or anyone new to the area. For example:
Caldo – Soup when served as an entrée rather than an appetizer or starter, with numerous variations – Caldo de Pollo – Chicken Soup Caldo de Queso – Cheese soup Caldo de Mariscos – Seafood Soup Caldo De Res – Beef soup Caldo de Camerones – Shrimp soup
I love having additional information to add to our dining experience along the border!
I asked Chris Faivre, Director of Marketing & Communications of the Las Cruces Convention and Visitors Bureau why this culinary promotion has become so popular.
“T2T was a huge success in its first year! The response was so high because it is a very unique program that highlights something people really enjoy; experiencing new restaurants and trying new foods.” Additionally, he noted, “Several participants said it was a good reminder of restaurants they wanted to try and places they had not been to in a long time. It was also a point of discovery for places they never knew existed. This year is even better because we have 69 participating restaurants, 25 more than last year!”
Sponsored by the Las Cruces Sun-New and BravoMic, you can count on lots of variety and strong community involvement. Now get going…. This promotion only lasts from now until March 31st! I know I have a lot of new places to discover and old favorites to enjoy!!