We have been to Santa Fe, NM every year for decades, and try to visit in the spring—before the summer crowds. We decided to make this visit a “road trip,” so we drove through Great Sand Dunes National Park outside Alamosa, CO. These sand dunes are 75 stories high, created by Mother Nature. They are both beautiful and mysterious, but well worth the visit.
Great Sand Dunes near Alamosa, CO
Santa Fe boasts many fantastic restaurants, but we always eat well no matter where we are in New Mexico. This time, I tried “corn fungus” so read on for more details.
First Stop, Lunch at Abiquiu Inn in Abiquiu, NM
Famous painter Georgia O’Keeffe lived in the pueblo (village) of Abiquiu, NM. At the Abiquiu Inn I had a wonderful lunch, which would be easy to replicate at home. It was simply 3 fried corn cakes (like polenta), layered with guacamole and topped with Pico de Gallo and a nice, spicy sauce. This would be a perfect dish for vegetarian entertaining and doesn’t even need a recipe.
Vegetarian Corn Cakes
Dinner at La Boca in Santa Fe
One of our favorite restaurants is La Boca. It specializes in Spanish tapas, accompanied by various selections of sherry. We shared Paella, and I loved the gluten-free bread, offered with copious amounts of olive oil. It is a very small restaurant, but we always manage to get a table without reservations.
GF Bread at La Boca 2018
Dinner at Hotel Santa Fe
This hotel is partly owned by the Picuris Indian tribe, and we love its intimate feel and great location within walking distance of the plaza. Dinner was a tasty Stuffed Poblano Pepper filled with beans, corn, and tomatoes and served atop a bed of rice.
The Hotel Santa Fe also features a lovely outdoor dining patio and, if you choose, you can dine inside an authentic tepee by candlelight.
Teepee Hotel Santa Fe
And, the hotel provides a free taxi, which is actually a refurbished London cab and loads of fun to ride in.
London Cab Hotel Santa Fe
Breakfast at Inn of the Anasazi
We always have breakfast at the Inn of the Anasazi because it is so reliably delicious. This time, I chose the Huevos Rancheros, which were perfect. The ambience of this restaurant, which is located inside the hotel, is delightful.
Huevos Rancheros at Inn of the Anasazi
Lunch at La Casa Sena
One of our favorite lunch spots is La Casa Sena, an old adobe house surrounding a lovely dining area with fountains and trees. It is just a block from the plaza. I had a cool, tasty melon gazpacho and then fried calamari, (gluten-free, dredged in rice flour rather than wheat flour).
Fried Calamari at La Casa Sena
La Casa Sena Dessert
My dessert was a scrumptious combination of chocolate mousse, banana semifreddo, garnished with popcorn and caramel sauce. The crunchy texture of the popcorn really complemented the dish. This photo, shaded by the trees, doesn’t portray this dessert very well… but trust me, it was fabulous!!
Dinner at Sazon, the best meal of the trip
We always try at least one new restaurant on each trip. This time, Sazon caught our eye. Highly rated, its chef is Fernando Olea who once headed the now-closed Epazote restaurant years ago. The food is Latin American-inspired and the décor is warm and inviting.
I decided to be adventurous and chose an appetizer made of corn fungus, called huitlacoche in Mexico where it is a delicacy. Served as a paste on small corn tortillas, it has a really strong, pungent taste but wasn’t really that bad. That said, I don’t plan to order it again.
Huitlacocohe at Sazon
Dinner was a Stuffed Poblano Pepper, which many layers of flavors coming from the dried fruit, nuts, and the mixture of ground lamb, pork, and beef. The restaurant specializes in mole sauces, and it was fun to sample them (only one of the 6 wasn’t gluten-free). It was a fabulous dish, with many different flavors that harmonized to make a superb dish.
Stuffed Poblano Pepper at Sazon
Moles at Sazon
As usual, our trip ended way too soon and it was time to drive home to Denver. Without many stops for food or gas, it is about a 6 or 6 ½ hour drive on I-25 and we made it home with fond memories of Santa Fe. The only question is, “when can we go again?”
