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Editor's note: Lavender Cocinita will be closing by the end of June, according to a Facebook post from chef/owner Alfred Sandoval.

Who invented the Frito pie?

If you live in New Mexico, you鈥檙e likely to favor the version that taps Teresa Hern谩ndez as the originator. Hern谩ndez, who died in 2019 at the age of 88, is said to have invented the layered treat of ground beef, cheese and chile over corn chips while working at the old Woolworth鈥檚 lunch counter on the Plaza in Santa Fe.

Not so, according to Texans. It was Daisy Dean Doolin, they say, mother of Fritos founder Charles Doolin, who came up with it in 1930s San Antonio, Texas.

Inventor or not, Hern谩ndez deserves credit for helping to popularize a dish that has become a staple at restaurants throughout the area. Debates today rage over who makes the best. While longtime favorites like Bob鈥檚 Burgers, the Dog House and Duran鈥檚 Central Pharmacy often get votes, a new contender has emerged recently in the North Valley. That upstart is Lavender Cocinita, a breakfast-and-lunch spot launched in 2024 by Kay Castillo, Helen Martinez and Alfred Sandoval, who does the cooking.

Having eaten there recently, I can say that Lavender鈥檚 version is, if not the best, then certainly the most generously apportioned. The half-size version is a heaping pile of cheddar cheese, pinto beans, ground beef and Fritos so prodigious it makes it hard to conceive of a larger offering. Does the full-size version come out in a wheelbarrow?

Lavender Cocinita鈥檚 mix of unpretentious fare in large portions has made it a standout among the many restaurants that populate Fourth Street between Menaul Boulevard and Paseo del Norte. The restaurant is located at the end of a strip mall on the west side of a quiet, tree-lined stretch of Fourth a few blocks north of Osuna Road. It sits behind a wide stretch of sidewalk next to its sister store, Busy Bee Frozen Custard. Look for the towering, inflatable replica of an ice cream cone outside. Free parking is available on a side street just north of the entrance. Out front is a patio with seating for a dozen or so that catches shade for at least some of the day.

Indoor seating consists of a few two-top tables and a counter along the window. Ordering is done at a counter that separates the narrow dining space from the large kitchen behind it, and the food is brought to the table when it is ready.

The dining room was quiet when I met a friend there at noon for lunch, but it filled up within a half hour. While waiting to order, I watched four patrons at one table devouring their half-size servings of Frito pie.

Lavender鈥檚 menu kicks off with a selection of all-day breakfast items. Prices for items like Avocado Toast, Huevos Rancheros and Oatmeal range from $8 to $12.

Hearty and hefty, the Breakfast Quesadilla ($12) set the stage for what was to come. The thick mashup of scrambled eggs, hash browns, cheese and bacon was wrapped in a flour tortilla, crisped up on the grill and served as four wedges stacked two over two. The serving was easily enough for two diners. Cups of salsa and guacamole helped cut all the starch. Just the thing to start the day and then slip into a food coma an hour or two later.

The New Mexican section of the menu has four items: Beans, Enchilada Stack, Frito Pie and a Calabacita Burrito. Prices run from $9 to $14. The Frito Pie costs $9 for the half size, $11 for the full. It was a well-balanced dish, and the smoky red chile gave off a sting that lingered long after the bite.

After a couple of salads comes the sandwich portion of the menu. The Turkey, Gyro, Patty Melt and Reuben sandwiches are priced between $16 and $17.

When we arrived, the woman at the counter told us that the fryer and one of the grills were out of service. The consequences of that were felt most keenly with the Patty Melt ($17) served on marble rye. The onions on top of the patty were not sauteed and there were no red chile-dusted potato chips with it. Still, it had its virtues. The Angus beef patty was substantial, the provolone cheese had a good melt and the thick, faintly licorice-flavored bread stood up well to the burger.

The grill/fryer outage had another consequence in the form of a backed-up kitchen. It took a whopping 45 minutes for our food to come out.

I made a solo visit a week later to see how things ran without the grill/fryer problems. I had my eye on the selection of so-called Burly Burgers that heads the back side of the menu. The half-pound Angus burgers come in three options: the Burly, a Green Chile Cheeseburger and a Breakfast Burger topped with an egg and bacon.

I ordered a Green Chile Cheeseburger ($17) served with a choice of Swiss, provolone or cheddar. Just under 20 minutes later, the burger arrived on a plate with the fixings on the side. The cornmeal-dusted brioche bun was fresh, the patty a solid two inches thick and the cheddar cheese completely melted. But there was no green chile to be found, and the patty was cooked well past the requested medium. The generous pile of natural-cut fries redeemed things somewhat. A generous serving, and most of them had a crisp shell around a fluffy, steamy core.

Drinks are listed on a chalkboard behind the counter. The coffee drinks made at an espresso machine next to the register cost in the $5 range. Among the beverages, the Lavender Lemonade ($7), sweet and sour with the merest hint of florality, shined.

Lavender鈥檚 dessert options are limited to a Root Beer Float ($9) and espresso-ice cream combination called Affogato ($7), which means 鈥渄rowned鈥� in Italian. Lavender鈥檚 version uses vanilla custard from next door. The custard melted into the espresso, tempering its heat and bitterness. A satisfying finish to the meal.

The young woman working the counter on both my visits was friendly and informative. Gluten-free tortillas are available for an extra charge.

Lavender Cocinita is a worthy contender for the best Frito pie in town. Its big portions at reasonable prices are something to be appreciated in these inflationary times.