Eric Tyler, pictured here with his wife Amanda, is the new Food & Beverage Manager at Pajarito Mountain. Courtesy photo
BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com
Pajarito Mountain Café reopens May 5 with a familiar face in the community as food and beverage manager. Eric Tyler moved to Los Alamos in 2012 from Las Cruces where he worked in corporate restaurants. Locals may remember him from the former Dixie Girl and Hill Diner and his time at Pajarito Brew Pub & Restaurant. Most recently he was the head caterer for Aramark, the Los Alamos National Laboratory’s food provider, until the pandemic caused him to be furloughed.
The café will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays with dining available at some 20 tables with sunshades and umbrellas on the spacious deck with close up views of the ski hill that change with the time of day.
Food at the Pajarito Mountain Café must be ordered online.
“This means that by the time guests show up on the deck, their food is ready for them to enjoy on-site or take with them. This means someone can order from their home or office, or even while they are out enjoying the mountain, and then there will be no wait when they arrive. In fact the system will let them know when their food is ready,” Tyler told the Los Alamos Reporter.
He said the café has always been popular with groups of co-workers seeing a nice place for lunch for a special occasion. The online ordering system at www.pajarito.ski/eat means things move along a little faster.
Tyler is excited about the grand opening happening on Cinco de Mayo. The café will feature 50 percent off select menu items, giving patrons new and old the opportunity to try the new items available.
As well as old favorites like the Pajarito Burrito and the Frito Pie, the new menu includes eight burgers ranging from New Mexico style to steakhouse style as well as the Bacon Bleu and California Burger. Needless to say the Big Mother Green Chile Cheeseburger will still be available for old fans.
Tyler is also introducing a Green Chile Philly Cheesesteak which he knows will be popular at Pajarito. He is adding new salads to the menu and has developed a great kids menu with veggies and fruit offered as sides. There will also be several tasty appetizers, he said.
Eric Tyler and his wife, Amanda, have two children – Preston aged 5 and Brady, aged 2.
Beginning in June, Pajarito Mountain will offer lift-served access to the extensive mountain biking trail system in the area. The ski area provides cool relief during hotter summer months and hiking is popular year-round. Several festivals and events are held there throughout the summer. Pajarito visitors can enjoy spectacular views of the Sangre de Cristos and the Valles Caldera National Preserve from the top of the mountain. For more information go to www.Pajarito.ski.