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The dining room of Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi has soft desert colors, inviting lighting and lovely table settings. (Journal File)
Two recent trips to Anasazi were as different as could be. Based on the second try, I recommend the Anasazi brunch for a special occasion.
First, friends and I went to the downtown, upscale restaurant at the Inn of the Anasazi for dinner during Santa Fe’s recent Restaurant Week, a promotion in which restaurants offer a select menu at a reduced price to entice new customers or reward frequent diners. Anasazi offered several choices for three courses at a bargain price of $30.
The dining room was as gorgeous as ever, with soft desert colors, inviting lighting and beautifully set tables. But the food (with the exception of desserts and the Beef Duo) and service were disappointingly underwhelming, especially from a restaurant that promotes itself as “one of New Mexico’s most highly acclaimed culinary destinations.” In general, the staff and kitchen were disorganized and the food overcooked and underseasoned.
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Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi LOCATION: 113 Washington Ave., Santa Fe, 505-988-3030 HOURS: Breakfast 7-10:30 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and dinner 5:30-10 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; Sunday brunch 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. FULL BAR |
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Different friends and I returned a couple weeks later, this time for brunch. Despite some minor missteps, we enjoyed the meal from first bite to last. Live guitar music in the background courtesy of Spanish guitarist Jose “Chusco” Valle complemented the experience.
What made the difference? Same chef, same kitchen, but different servers and a different menu. At dinner, our server told us that the night of our visit the restaurant normally had 15 reservations; Restaurant Week brought in 60. As a customer, I expect a restaurant to be consistent, rising or sinking on the most recent meal. As a reviewer, I give places that disappoint me a second chance. I’m glad I went back to Anasazi.
We started our brunch with a complimentary basket of fresh, house-made pastries and a dish of soft butter. My favorite, the cinnamon roll, had a layer of finely chopped nuts and the perfect level of sweetness. The croissant and blueberry muffin were good, too. Instead of coffee, I ordered a small strawberry banana smoothie ($6). Deliciously creamy, it had enough strawberries to cut the sugar of the banana, and arrived with a little strawberry wedge as garnish.
The brunch menu, available only on Sundays, offers interesting choices, more than the option of eggs or burgers. (Many of the dishes featured also are served at either breakfast on lunch.) My favorite? The Ahi Tuna Tartine ($14). Instead of the open-faced sandwich on toast that usually defines “tartine,” the Anasazi version grows from a crisp blue corn tortilla. The thin slice of seared tuna lay beneath fresh, crunchy jicama slaw and a gentle sprinkling of black beans. Between the tortilla and the plate was a layer of mild guacamole. What a great idea – original, beautiful and tasty.
The Huevos Rancheros also got a thumbs up. The green chile sauce had a great flavor and more heat than I would have expected at a hotel restaurant. The black beans were slightly smoky flavored and the mild white cheese worked well with the dish ($15).
We tried the Spanish Benedict ($14), a version of the classic Benedict with thin, chewy slices of spicy Spanish chorizo, sautéed spinach and a touch of chipotle in the hollandaise.
Our fourth entrée, the chicken enchilada, suffered more severely from lack of sauce. Some of the corn tortillas were positively naked. The rest of the dish was good – plenty of fresh cubed chicken breast and mild cheese and sides of guacamole, beans and hash browns. But what’s an enchilada without enough sauce to at least moisten the tortillas? When we complained the waiter apologized and, we discovered later, took it off our bill. That’s a classy surprise.
We shared two great desserts. The Cajeta ($10) featured a warm brownie, caramel ice cream served at the perfect temperature, a crisp chocolate wafer, and a dark chocolate gauche the size of a walnut. It was beautifully presented as well as delicious. The Coulant ($11), included a base of tender almond cake made with olive oil and topped with a meringuelike mousse of mild white chocolate with a bit of raspberry inside.
