Four days in Santa Fe and I return broke, sated and relaxed.
Stayed at Inn of the Anasazi and it has gotten better over the years if that is possible. Staff is incredible and the facility is simply beautiful.
Dinner Night 1: At the Anasazi. Service was attentive and working hard but seemed fragmented and disjointed. Dinner, however, was excellent. Wine was a winner for me because I'm fanatical about saturated fruit bombs and Australian Shiraz. Torbreck "The Struie" 2006. Absolutely rolls your socks down.
Breakfast at Cafe Pasqual. Good, but not as great as last time I was there.
Dinner Night 2: Chef Eric Destefano is still hitting home runs at the rejuvenated Coyote Cafe. This may be the premium stop in town these days and that is a hard title to gain. Wine was Sutcliffe Vineyards Syrah from Cortez Colorado. Slow to open up, but after about an hour near the end of the meal it was showing fully. This is one that seems to have been offered in the restaurant more for its local linkage than its readiness to drink. It probably will be really good in a year or two.
Brunch at La Boca, authentic Spanish tapas with a fruity Spanish white that I had never heard of before and unfortunately can't recall at the moment. Curses!
Dinner Night 3: Ristra. A remodeled old house on Agua Fria about four blocks of Paseo de Peralta. Beautiful whether you dine inside or out. We chose al fresco and didn't regret it. Service was wonderful and appetizer was absolutely to die for. Foie Gras on a bed of raspberry couli with blackberry sauce garnish. Main course failed, however. A pan-roasted halibut with almond crust and black olive polenta. Dry and distinctly over-cooked. Wine was a 2008 Sancerre and even that couldn't cover the entree. Still, the service and remainder makes this worth a return visit.
Lunch at The Shed. Simply a great reminder of why New Mexican traditional Mexican food is vastly superior to Tex-Mex.
Dinner Night 4: Galisteo Bistro per recommendation right here in AFW. Definitely a winner. Small, so reservations are a must. Dedicated staff and a creative menu that breaks the Santa Fe molds with heavy influences of Italian, Spanish and Greek cooking. Once again I went with a local wine since a range of varietals from the producer were featured on the menu. Milagro Vineyards of Corrales NM. A very nice Cabernet Franc, full bodied with loads of black currant flavor, a hint of spice and a long finish. I watched another table go through several bottles of the Milagro Cabernet Sauvignon with gusto. All the red wines served at Galisteo were decanted in Reidel "handle" decanters which was very nice touch.
Now back to the diet...
Oh, but next month there is an excursion to Dallas where I'll get to experience Dean Fearing (formerly from the Mansion at Turtle Creek), Stephen Pyle and Nabu at the Hilton Anatole. That should leave me bankrupt for the remainder of the year.