A little smoke, a family and an encore

Together with the Las Cruces Bulletin I am excited to introduce Restaurant Spotlight with Chef Armando, a new series discovering the people, stories and flavors behind our local restaurants and food trucks.

As I drove through Las Cruces I was still wondering where our first spotlight would take me. Then a food truck caught my eye. Its unusual design made me look twice but I could not quite read the name.

Curiosity pulled me closer. What did that lettering say? Then it came into focus: Distortion Barbecue.

Well now I had even more questions and a feeling I had found our first stop. That curiosity led me to Frank and his wife Kryshan.

As our conversation unfolded, I discovered a family affair. Their sons Frankie and Joseph are the owners. Michael is the pitmaster and Kryshan handles sales. Their daughter Yxthel manages social media and lends a hand in the kitchen.

Their journey brought them from California to Las Cruces, but the passion Frank had for smoking meats came along with them.

What began as an opportunity for his son to earn money gradually drew in the whole family. They bought a food truck and went all in, each contributing time and talent building the menu testing recipes and finding their place, a little like the Three Musketeers — one for all and all for one.

And that intriguing name?
Frank and his sons are musicians. The inspiration came from the distortion they use on their guitar amplifiers. Suddenly the lettering and amplifier artwork on the truck made perfect sense.

Their menu includes smoked brisket wings and pulled pork but the surprise for me was a smoked hamburger. Frank offered me a sample. They blend ground beef with pork rib trimmings to create their own patty, then serve it on a bun with cheese and a dab of barbecue sauce. It’s moist, delicious and distinctly their own, a clever creation that made me glad I had stopped.

You will find Distortion Barbecue at the corner of Sonoma and Thurston by Allsups convenience store. Look for the unusual lettering and amplifier artwork.

The name might make you look twice. The barbecue might bring you back for an encore. And another. And another

Creating Moments Through the Senses