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Shaun Guggino, left, digs into a piece of four-layer chocolate cake with ganache while dining at the Green House Bistro and Bakery. (Marla Brose/Journal)
Folks who contemplate the marathon distance often make the comment, “I don’t like to drive 26 miles!” Here in New Mexico, the distance is barely worth a mention, especially when navigating to the Los Lunas area – 26 miles indeed but barely over a half-hour’s drive, much of it lovely in the afternoon light.
There you’ll find all of the hallmarks of a rural lifestyle: farm implement dealers, family stores, rambling homes along the river – and the Green House Bistro and Bakery.
The patio-style restaurant is part of the Center for Ageless Living, including a spa and a (minimally) assisted-living facility for those with little need for the care of a nursing home. Think of it as a campus where residents are able to garden on site, then enjoy meals from their own soil. This seems to be the founder’s whole plan – living, gardening, eating – all in one place, with your friends.
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Green House Bistro and Bakery LOCATION: 5 Thomas Road, off N.M. 47 in Los Lunas, 866-1936 HOURS: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesdays-Wednesdays (lunch menu); 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays (lunch and dinner menus) BEER AND WINE |
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The public won’t come to eat unless the pieces come together in the kitchen; under the direction of chef Ann Sesler, they do. Harvests are brought in to build each menu item, highlighting local plants against a backdrop of international cuisine. Every few months a new theme is selected with featured dishes and wines to match. Late this summer the Spaniards dominated, but now they have transitioned to the luxury of France.
We start, as we must, with French Onion Soup ($4.95 cup), showcasing a nice beef broth under gooey cheese. For a lighter introduction I enjoyed the Grilled Vegetables ($5.95) with a chunky red pepper romesco sauce, while an Olive & Feta Tapenade ($4.95) met my companion’s need to nibble.
Fall colors and nippy temperatures render the classic Beef Bourguignon ($14.95) irresistible. A white bowl holds the crimson swath of stew, beef tenderized in its wine sauce underneath a raft of mashed potatoes. The setup led us to whisper, “French shepherd’s pie,” an assessment not entirely out of line – but this braised beef is like no ground-beef-and-vegetable stew you’ve ever experienced. Paired with a deep red wine (French, of course) from the hand-picked list, it will warm you down to your toes.
I appreciate salads that straddle the fence between light and indulgent. Duck has a richness that chicken can never match, the perfect meat for the Duck and Pear Salad ($15.95). Studded with toasted almonds, gorgonzola and bacon, it veered toward the heavy side – lose one of those three and the flavors would be less likely to compete with each other – though this is still a very fine entrée salad.
My only quibble with the dessert menu is a lack of local flair – no roasted apple tart or honey-infused cheesecake despite the abundance in the area. What was on offer satisfied our tongues anyway, like an eggy Crème Brûlée ($5.95) with layers of texture from a nearly grainy surface down to the bottom’s brie-like softness. Lemon mascarpone cake ($5.95) came away with top honors – neither dry nor overpowering from tart lemon or excess of sugar. It was truly the dessert to cap off a relaxing meal before heading north under the darkening twilight sky.
