By: Ernest Gurulé
It may not be as famous as ‘Mel’s Diner,’ from the old television show ‘Happy Days,’ but Questa, New Mexico’s Wildcat’s Den serves the same purpose. It’s a landmark diner and, some say, a place where you’re sure to walk away from knowing you’ll be back. But this northern New Mexico diner very nearly drifted into gastronomical history but for the desire of one family to keep the place alive.
“I was working in Albuquerque and had a nice office job,” said Miguel Rael, “when my sister called.” Almost as soon as the conversation began, he said, she broke the news. The 42-year-old restaurant and landmark closed shop. “They just shut it down,” she said. “Didn’t announce it. That was it.” The news was stunning.
The restaurant was a place the 23-year-old Rael had known all his life. Same thing for a lot of folks who live in and near the village. The Wildcat’s Den ‘just was.’ And then, suddenly, it wasn’t. Its absence, he said, would be a tear in the fabric of this tiny and close knit community. Rael’s family was just not going to let it happen.
“Immediately, my sister brought it up to my father and mother,” Rael said. “We should be talking to the LaFore family and see what their plans are.” While his family, both immediate and extended, have other businesses in Questa, no one had a day of working in or running a restaurant on their resume. But that didn’t stop them.
The family talked it over and in almost no time at all they all bought in. “My parents said, ‘Hey, let’s go into this as a family. We’ll help as much as we can,” he recalled. They made a deal with the previous owners and now, under new management, the place is up and running. Same name, same hours, same menu but with a few tweaks.
Buying the restaurant was a family affair. Rael’s father and mother, Malaquias and Danette, along with his sister and brother-in-law, Daniella and Jose Lobato, are the new owners. Each has their own responsibilities but, he said, his mother is the main cook. “We’re using some of her recipes,” he said.
Rael, who says his job is a bit of everything from host to cashier to cook, said the whole plan is to keep the Wildcat’s Den tradition alive. “If you want a good burger for a good price, this is the place to come.” It’s really that simple, he said. “Let’s keep good prices but good quality.”
So, what’s on the menu? “A lot of people go for the bean burritos and tostadas,” he said. But you can also get a nice garden salad. There’s also a kids menu with grilled cheese sandwiches, quesadillas and a veggie platter. But unlike the ‘Den’s’ previous incarnation, said Rael, the family’s also thinking about adding a few 21st century items. “We’ve discussed meat alternatives,” plant-based burgers. The restaurant, he said, is also looking at adding glutton-free buns for its burgers as an alternative for some customers.
Still, the joint’s not going to lean too far and risk losing the qualities that made the Wildcat’s Den what it’s been for the last 42 years. It’s still going to have plenty of offerings to ‘keep ‘em coming back,’ including the ice cream sundaes, milk shakes, floats and “anything ice cream related,” Rael promised.
“I want to see this place grow,” said Rael. “We want to keep that legacy but also enhance it.” Going in that direction means “becoming more involved with local schools and community.”
Rael’s family is not only invested in the restaurant but deeply rooted in the town. “In our case, we grew up here. My father grew up in a family business that began in the fifties.” The family, including extended family, also owns a handful of businesses in the town of not quite 2,000 residents.
While locals survived the near demise of The Wildcat’s Den, Rael said they won’t have to worry about where they’ll get their next burger or burrito. The family’s committed not only to keeping it open, but also adding a few new twists that could make it an even bigger draw for everyone. “There’s room for expansion,” he said. “We would like to add a beer garden and patio.”
Rael said that while buying local isn’t always possible, “We’re going to try to do it as much as we can.” There are also seasonal issues that might impact that plan. Still, wherever the food comes from, the philosophy remains making certain that customers get the quality they’ve come to expect.
While summer is the big season for people crossing into New Mexico, Rael said he wants to make the ‘Den,’ a place for all seasons. The drive from Denver to Questa is approximately 250 miles. But, once there, you’re only a stranger once.
Oh . . . and by the way, the Wildcat’s Den is named after the local Questa High School basketball and football team, a beloved and supported high school team. Go Wildcats! (Publisher of La Voz was a former captain of their cheerleading squad).
