Creative Latin touches transform an American comfort food classic.

T​he Duke City is the largest city in New Mexico, a sprawling metro that stretches about thirty miles east to west. It’s a place where people do a lot of driving, and daily errands take folks far from home.

The Skillet, a favorite restaurant for Las Vegas locals and tourists alike, was awarded a Sonny Brown Business of the Year Award this year. The award is given out by Rotary District 5520, which covers all the Rotary chapters in New Mexico and West Texas.

“My buddy was like, ‘You should make the world’s largest skillet,’ ” Sandoval remembers. “… I think he was probably being sarcastic, but I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s a great idea.’ ”

A loud bass beat vibrated through the air in the kitchen of The Skillet, but line cook Kyle Conway worked in silence.

Another local business owner, Isaac Sandoval of The Skillet is also getting involved. Sandoval said, “(There's) a lot of new faces in town, like, where are all these people coming from? ”

Luckily, in the small town of Las Vegas, New Mexico there’s a funky restaurant that offers the most unique menu in a quirky atmosphere.

In a community ravaged by fire, floods and contaminated drinking water, residents wonder, ‘What’s next?’ And who will pick up the bill?

With layoffs and COVID-19 restrictions, the owners of two of Las Vegas’ most well-situated restaurants say they’re hurting, a sign no small business in the town of around 13,000 feels financially stable.