Jo Ann's Ranch O Casados is the kind of New Mexico restaurant that locals use as a benchmark. The menu is built around the traditional northern New Mexico cooking that separates this region from every other Mexican-influenced cuisine in the Southwest: carne adovada (pork marinated in red chile and slow-cooked until it falls apart), posole, huevos rancheros, and blue corn tortillas made on-site.
The key decision at any proper New Mexico restaurant is which chile: red, green, or both (the "Christmas" option). At Jo Ann's, the green chile is roasted locally and has the fruity heat that is characteristic of the Española Valley and the nearby Hatch-style growing areas in the south. The red is an earthy, dried version that coats rather than bites. The restaurant is simple, the portions are generous, and the prices are low. This is the authentic version of a cuisine that Santa Fe serves in more expensive form to tourists.