My ex-favorite restaurant in Santa Fe and other Santa Fe, NM Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: La Casa Sena

This large and popular Santa Fe restaurant used to be my favorite restaurant years ago when La Casa Sena served traditional New Mexican cuisine. Their menu has changed significantly and now I would characterize their food as continental with a Southwestern flair.

The ambiance is wonderful here. The restaurant is located in the original adobe house built in 1867 by a Civil War hero, Major Jose Sena. You have your choice of eating in the large, beautiful courtyard, or in one of several dining rooms inside.

Favorite Dish: I had a delicious combination vegetarian dish that had had a roasted corn and quinoa tamale, pear-walnut-manchego quesadilla, asadero enchilada, tropical red chile. My husband ordered trout baked in adobe (pictured here) served with corn and wild mushroom tamale, divorciado cream sauces. The server cracked open the adobe tableside, which we found quite fascinating. It sure seemed like a lot of work just to cook a fish. Someday, when I have nothing better to do and have a hankering for making mudpies, maybe I'll attempt fish baked in adobe at home.

My son ordered grilled wild king salmon with smoked cheddar polenta, sauteed asparagus, black bean mole. My daughter had the roasted honey-brined chicken breast with garlic and peppercorn wild rice, sauteed spinach, Moroccan Harissa sauce.

The food is very, very good, but to tell you the truth, I missed the standard New Mexican cuisine the restaurant served 16 years ago..

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Theme: Mexican
Comparison: most expensive
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Phone: (505)988-9232
Address: 125 E. Palace, Santa Fe
Directions: Northeast of the central plaze, one block east of the Palace of the Governors
Website: http://www.visitsantafe.com/businesspage.cfm?BusinessID=1281

Restaurant Name: The Shed

The Shed is an institution in Santa Fe. It is located in a historic adobe building dating back to 1692 and is one of the places that hasn't succumbed to the general trend toward trendy and ulta-creative food. The food is just plain delicious and is among the best New Mexican food in the city.

The only negative about this meal was the 30 minute wait for my second margarita. I had ordered it when we were eating appetizers, but since it didn't arrive by the time we completely finished our main course, I wrote it off. Magically, it appeared just as we were given the bill. I told the server I didn't have time for the drink, and could she please take it off the bill? She said, "Sorry, we had to get the drink from next door." Next door to what? Chiapas, Mexico? Anyway, she did take it off the bill, but not before she whisked the drink away from me.

Favorite Dish: My favorite dish is not a dish, but a drink -- the margaritas are the best in Santa Fe and only Coyote's can compete. Too damn bad I could only get one drink. The Shed serves outstanding enchiladas, tacos, and other dishes, all New Mexican style.

New Mexican cuisine is not the same as Mexican food. There is a difference. For instance, blue corn torillas are common. Instead of refried beans, you'll likely eat whole pinto beans, soaked and simmered for hours with smoked pork and onions. Instead of tortillas on the side, you'll have sopapillas. Instead of Spanish rice, dishes commonly come with posoles, hominy cooked with pork broth, chiles and lime. True New Mexican food is spicy - it hasn't been dumbed down yet to suit wimpy American tastebuds. Sadly, however, there is a trend toward this in some of the Santa Fe restaurants as they sacrifice authenticity for creation of a following by mobs of American tourists with hypersensitive palates. There is no question about it -- Santa Fe food was spicier 16 years ago.

The Shed is popular for both breakfast and lunch. If you arrive at the restaurant after noon, you will have to wait for a table. There are many tables, both inside and outside, so the line at lunch is a testament to its extreme popularity.

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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter

Restaurant Name: Plaza Bakery

We stopped by here every day we were in Santa Fe. Where do I start? This bakery had an unbelievable selection of cakes, breakfast pastries, cookies, pies, eclairs, muffins, croissants, ice cream. Plaza Bakery also serves salads, sandwiches, quiche, spanokopita, wraps, quesadillas, green chile stew, soups, pizza, all in this teeny, tiny location.,

Favorite Dish: I liked the selection of Mexican music played in the bakery - it gave it a festive air.

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Theme: Bakery
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: 505-988-3858
Address: 56 E. San Francisco
Directions: Just southwest of the central plaza
Other Contact: Open daily

Restaurant Name: Coyote Cafe, Rooftop Cantina, The Shed

The best margaritas in the world, bar none, are made in Santa Fe. What better place to search for the perfect margarita than Santa Fe? I found it, but it was quite an educational experience. I learned you are expected to know your tequila and ask for a certain kind by name. At the more respectable establishments, you can't just say "I want a margarita." They will say "What kind of tequila and what kind of orange liqueur?" And I had thought I was an expert because I knew enough to ask for a margarita on the rocks with salt. I had so much to learn!

I also learned NOT to ask for Jose Cuervo Gold if you want to have any credibility in Santa Fe. In addition to gold and silver tequila, there is also is platinum tequila. Real tequila can come from only a certain kind of agave plant primarily grown in Jalisco. There are other tequila-like liquors that come from agave but aren't "tequila". They are called mezcal and they can be a lot more expensive. I tried a margarita made with one of those tequila-like non-tequila platinum mezcals, and it was very good, but I preferred the real tequila. After I downed this margarita, I learned that mezcal is the stuff that has the worm. Oooh, yuck!. I drank a margarita made with that worm stuff. Bleggghhh!

Favorite Dish: The best margaritas in town are at Coyote Cafe, the Cantina (Coyote's sister cafe) and The Shed. At Coyote, order "La Ultima".

In my quest, I managed to come across a combination that rivals the Santa Fe margaritas, is not too outrageously expensive and possible to try at home.

1oz. fresh squeezed lime juice (Do NOT use margarita mix - that would be an atrocity)
2 oz. Silver Patron tequila (you can get this at Trader Joe's)
1 oz. Cointreau or Patron Orange Liqueur (Patron Orange is also found at Trader Joe's)

Shake with ice, and pour over the rocks into a salt-rimmed glass. Add a lime wedge for garnish.

Cheers!

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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter

Restaurant Name: Guadalupe Cafe

If you want down home authentic un-bastardized Southwestern cuisine, Guadalupe Cafe is the place for you. The cafe is extremely popular - be prepared for a significant wait at lunch, but it is worth it. You can order enchiladas, burritos, tacos, rellenos, all cooked traditional Southwestern style.

The menu warns you that the green and red chile sauces are hot. For you wimps out there - don't you dare ask for the sauce on the side. The chef refuses to do that - he says the dish is ruined if the enchiladas or burritos are not smothered by the sauce. (I like a chef who takes a firm stand!)

After all this fanfare, I expected sauces that would bring tears to my eyes. Not so. Now, admittedly, I have a high tolerance for heat. After all, I was raised by an El Paso mother who threw jalapenos into everything. Despite all the warnings, I considerd the sauces to be medium and completely tolerable, definitely not too hot.

Favorite Dish: The servers will tell you that the red sauce is hotter than the green sauce. Maybe so, but neither sauce was outrageously hot. Nor were they bland. They were very, very good, and very traditional New Mexican. My favorite dish was the cheese enchiladas, with both red and green sauces (called "Christmas enchiladas").

Meals are served with sopapillas, a type of bread that is unique to the Southwest. Sopapillas are made from flour, shortening, salt, baking soda and water and are deep fried, until they become puffy and light. Guadalupe's are terrific. Open then up and pour some honey into them. That is how they are meant to be enjoyed.

Guadalupe's does not serve margaritas, but they did serve the best damn sangria I've ever had.

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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 505-982-9762
Address: 422 Old Santa Fe Trail

Restaurant Name: Coyote Cafe

For creative and delicious Southwestern cuisine with a hip crowd, go to Coyote Cafe in downtown Santa Fe. It is probably the top restaurant in Santa Fe. The chef, Mark Miller, has taken traditional Southwestern dishes and added creative touches.

You'll dine in a large room with an open kitchen. The decor is contemporary Southwestern/California. This is a good restaurant for both an intimate dinner and a gathering with friends and family.

Favorite Dish: We had stuffed pasilla chile relleno, pecan grilled New York sirloin and corn tamales with blackened jalapeno tomatillo sauce. It was here that I found the perfect margarita. Coyote Cafe calls it "La Ultima". This was also the place where I tried a margarita with mezcal, the stuff that contains the worm. That mezcal stuff tasted different. Maybe it was because of the worm. I liked wormless La Ultima better.

We had dessert, too - a trio of chocolate dessert - chocolate sorbet, chocolate flan and chocolate torte. Outstanding!

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Theme: Local
Comparison: most expensive
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Phone: 505-983-1615
Address: 132 West Water Street, Santa Fe, NM
Directions: Just southwest of the central plaza
Website: www.coyotecafe.com

Restaurant Name: Cafe Pasqual's

It took us two tries to eat breakfast here. This is the most popular breakfast place in Santa Fe. And this is not a case of an old stand-by resting on its laurels. Cafe Pasqual's deserves its kudos and loyal following.

On the first day, we showed up 15 minutes after the doors opened, and there was a line out the door and a 45 minutes wait. The second day, we made sure we were right there when the cafe opened at 7am. We did get seated immediately on Day No. 2.

The cafe is very small, but Pasqual's serves the best damn breakfast on this side of the Rio Grande. All dishes have a Southwestern flair. The food is plentiful and filling. You can even browse through their cookbook while waiting for your order. That is a fun thing for me to do. I just love reading cookbooks. Seriously!

For those of you social butterfly types, ask to be seated at the communal table in the middle. Other diners will join you, and you can make a party of it.

Favorite Dish: So many items on the menu looked good. I was sorry we were leaving that day, so I couldn't go back for Attempt No. 3 at a table. Get a load of these menu items:

BREAKFAST QUESADILLAS - Two Griddled Whole-Wheat Tortillas Filled with Jack Cheese, Guacamole and Scrambled Eggs with Salsa Fresca With Apple-Smoked Bacon or Housemade Chorizo,

FRESH CHAR-GRILLED TROUT - Dusted in Cornmeal Served with Green Chile or Tomatillo Salsa and A Toss of Toasted Pine Nuts

TAMAL DULCE - Sweet Corn and Raisin Tamal Wrapped in Banana Leaves Served with Black Beans, Fresh Fruit and Mexican Hot Chocolate -- that's what I had and it was delish!

You'll want to come here more than once to try more of their fabulously creative and scrumptious breakfast dishes!

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Theme: Breakfast
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 505-983-9340
Address: 121 Don Gaspar, Santa Fe, NM
Directions: Two blocks southwest of the central plaza.
Website: www.pasquals.com

Restaurant Name: Cantina at Coyote Cafe

On my trip to Santa Fe in 2005, the Cantina at Coyote Cafe replaced La Casa Sena as my favorite eating place in Santa Fe. The Cantina is under the same ownership as Coyote Cafe, but is in a much more casual setting, and the food is less expensive than Coyote's. You enter through the Coyote front entrance and go up the stairs. Then, continue through the patio doors and up some more stairs to the rooftop terrace. The Cantina a very pleasant place to have a meal with a good view of the street below.

Favorite Dish: I had a delicious sizzling dish of queso fundido. I just love that melted cheese stuff, even if it is kind of hard to eat. I haven't eaten queso fundido this good since I moved away from Southern California 8 years ago. My son ordered steak tacos with homemade flour soft taco shells. My daughter ordered nachos, and out came th biggest plate of nachos I've ever seen - it was smothered with beans, seasoned chicken, guacamole, several kinds of cheese, sour cream and salsa.

The food was all delicious and everyone in my family agreed the Cantina was our new favorite Santa Fe restaurant. It is unusual for all four of us to agree upon a favorite restaurant, but we did here, so that's saying something.

You can also order Coyote's fabulous La Ultima margaritas here. And you can do that at all hours. Our waiter informed us that New Mexico finally completely did away with its Blue Laws. That is good news for those of you who might want a beer at 7:04 am on a Sunday morning. Myself? I'll stick to the margarita.

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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 505 983 1615
Address: 132 West Water Street, Santa Fe, NM
Directions: Two blocks southwest of the central plaza
Website: http://www.coyotecafe.com/cantina.htm