My days of taking classes were several years ago, though, and since that time the quality of My Brother's Place seems to have slipped. On a recent visit the enchiladas were not heated properly, and the red chile was not good no matter how spicy or authentic it was.

The other big problem I have with My Brother's Place is that they use lard for cooking. This is the traditional, old-style cooking method, and I enjoyed it years ago when I was not as concerned about health issues. Since that time, though, I have found better New Mexican food in Las Cruces, especially at Las Trancas where the enchiladas are cooked with canola oil.

My Brother's Place also has a bar and pool hall, and it may be that operating these other endeavors is causing them to neglect quality control in the kitchen. I just know that it used to be better than it is now.

The Sopaipilla Compuesta has always been my favorite dish at My Brother's Place, and it has been good on recent visits as well. It has the same generous portion of chile as the enchiladas, but the giant sopaipilla, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, and pinto beans provide a good blend of flavors. The sopaipilla itself is probably the best feature--light and fluffy, it compares favorably with the ones in northern New Mexico.

Of course My Brother's Place serves green chile as well--it is spicy but I do not like the fact that it is puréed (and, of course, made with lard).