Rattlesnake Ranch Cafe, Denville

Rattlesnake Ranch Cafe first alerts the senses with the sight of sunset-pink walls. Around the room, a Southwestern-themed mural and bison head express the restaurant’s touch of the eclectic. Traditional Latin meals and wild game highlight the plates. Chef Miguel Garrido has exemplified this unique flavor since 1997 with cooking techniques that he brought with him from Guatemala. His blackened catfish and chicken habanero evoke recipes from the Gulf with Cajun spices and spicy peppers, and the country-fried alligator serves up a tamer version of the snapping specimen, with battered strips of alligator tenderloin and country gravy.