Let me begin this article by apologizing for it's lack of links. I pride myself in filling my articles with links to interesting places on the web. But the Southwestern United States simply aren't web savvy. The links just aren't' out there. So sit back and relax. Enjoy the simple pleasure of reading straight text. Look for links next month!
The Ore House
50 Lincoln Ave.
505-983-8687
This long standing restaurant is considered a tourist trap by locals. It's located right on the plaza with the only patio in town overlooking all the plaza action. We were pleasantly surprised by the very friendly and attentive service. They made a point of assuring us of their baby friendliness. One of the chefs even specially prepared some mashed potato for our son! This is also a bar - so the margarita selection is huge. We settled on Cadillac margaritas made with Patron and were not disappointed. We each wanted soup to start with. I had the chicken lime soup and my husband had their black bean soup. Both were quite good. Rich stock, fresh ingredients. I could have eaten another bowl and considered myself done. But we were starving, having just arrived in town, so on to the main course.I ordered the grilled goat-cheese and sundried tomato stuffed lamb chops. They were heavenly. The lamb was tender and pink, the stuffing was savory and addicting. My husband had one of the many steaks offered on the menu. It was perfectly prepared and he wasn't disappointed by the heat of the sauce. It was fiery! Our first real Southwestern meal since we arrived in New Mexico. The verdict - great! Although it's filled with tourists, the staff at the Ore House do a good job at keeping the patrons happy and turning out great food.
Coyote Café - Upstairs Patio
132 W. Water St.
505-983-1615
Being kid-bound we decided to lunch at the Coyote Café rather than chance a scene during the dinner rush at this upscale landmark restaurant. The patio dining area is set up surrounding the large bar. Everything is brightly colored and most of it is covered from the bright Southwestern sun. The service was attentive and friendly. We ordered the appetizer sampler and were quite pleased with the barbqued ribs which fell off of the bone. The smoky black beans were creamy and satisfying. The red chile salsa with hunks of roasted chile had me hoping to find the recipe in the Great Salsa Book by Mark Miller. We also tried the duck quesadilla - which was excellent. The duck was tender and tasty and the sauce served with it brightened and balanced the whole dish. The Coyote Café is trendy, granted. But the truth is, it deserves all the attention. It's beautiful, the service was great and the food was the best we found in the entire state of New Mexico. We loved it and will definitely return!
