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On a recent Sunday night, I couldn’t muster any enthusiasm for cooking, so I mustered up a friend instead and we headed off for dinner somewhere, without a reservation but optimistic that luck would be with us.
It was. We went to Galisteo Bistro, which had two – just two – empty tables, and one was reserved. Owner/chef Robert Chickering seated us at the other. For the next hour, we forgot the business of the week we’d just finished. Nurtured by food prepared with care and treated to gracious, unpretentious service, we celebrated the evening and our good luck to live in Santa Fe. We had only one question at the end of the night: Why had we waited so long to eat here again?
Located near the corner of Galisteo and Alameda, the bistro is a smallish restaurant with an open kitchen. The regular menu includes tapas, cheese flights, creative salads either as sides or with protein as a meal, steaks and “Bistro Classics.” They use organic and local ingredients when possible. Specials rotate weekly and include at least one additional dessert. The cooperative attitude of the staff and their meticulous attention to service details adds to the enjoyable experience.
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Galisteo Bistro LOCATION: 227 Galisteo, Santa Fe, 505-982-3700 HOURS: 5-9 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays BEER AND WINE |
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We started with one of the specials, Oysters Romano ($14), a creative dish that used poached fresh oysters from Puget Sound as the base and added a touch of pancetta, finely diced sweet peppers, Romano cheese and a dusting of bread crumbs. They prepared our order of six in attractive metal cups that resemble oyster shells. Other evening specials included Rocky Mountain trout with creole butter and Farmhouse Meatloaf – beef, veal and pork blended and served with a mushroom sauce. I’m getting hungry thinking about it.
We sampled the spinach salad ($9) tossed with bits of bacon, roast piñon nuts and light raspberry vinaigrette, complemented with slices of fresh red onion and gorgonzola. The baby spinach was squeaky fresh.
I loved the seafood pasta ($24), a beautiful bowl of goodness: fresh sweet tiny scallops and pretty pink shrimp cooked perfectly, gently bathed with a wonderful creamy, cheesy sauce over hot, fresh penne pasta. I would be happy to eat this again.
The braised lamb shank ($29), one of Galisteo Bistro’s signature dishes, didn’t disappoint either. I got lots of meat, soft, tender, juicy lamb on the bone matched with a slightly sweet barbecue sauce applied with a light touch. The meat comes with an unusual squash flan, light and savory. I thought it provided the perfect balance for the hearty lamb. The flan is much lighter and more original than the standard potatoes.
We shared desserts, both $8. The Chocolate Decadence, a warm slice of flourless chocolate cake, was soft inside, slightly chewy on the edges and chocolate all the way through. It comes topped with a generous serving of whipped cream and a mint leaf. Next time, just for something different but still chocolate, I’ll try the Mud Puddle – coffee ice cream, mocha mousse, chocolate crumbles, whipped cream and chocolate sauce with nuts on top.
The strawberry semifreddo scored big for creativity as well as flavor. This frozen dessert tasted like fresh strawberries with a whisper of almond, compressed in a rich, creamy base, sort of like an elegant ice cream. The almonds and strawberries sprinkled on top and the strawberry almond syrup added to our enjoyment.
