By By Anne Hillerman /
For the Journal
Joe’s Diner and Pizza is a great place for food finer than you’d expect from a rather unassuming neighborhood restaurant. Our recent dinner here was a joy.
Joe’s isn’t chic or pretentious. Customers come in jeans and bring their kids; that’s part of its charm. Located on the Santa Fe populous south side in a shopping plaza near the junction of Zia and Rodeo roads, Joe’s offers the expected pizza, burgers and milkshakes, as well as gourmet grub, all at affordable prices.
Having easily parked (for free), you come through the front door to see the sparkling clean, inviting space and smell the tempting aromas wafting from the kitchen. I’ve never been here when the restaurant wasn’t busy, or when the staff didn’t treat me and other customers with courtesy and good nature. Joe’s makes a point of buying local products and offering organic choices.
We started with thin slices of mild, fresh house-cured smoked salmon garnished with pungent capers, lemon wedges and fresh red onion. There was easily enough for the four of us to share ($8.95). We also sampled the fresh mozzarella appetizer special ($6.95). The house-made cheese was wonderful, and didn’t need the slightly dry shredded chicken that came with it. Since Joe’s has won accolades for soup, we tried a cup of the black bean, and the clam chowder. The bean rises above the average, powered by a flourish of spices — not just chile — and that long-simmered taste. The creamy clam chowder was great, too (each $3.95).
In addition to diner food and weekly and daily specials, the menu offers dozens of choices, from spaghetti to roast duck. We couldn’t resist the special ruby trout with piñon nut topping ($17.95), fresh, perfectly grilled and topped with ground piñon nuts that added to the flavor without dominating it. The trout came with mashed parsnips, an unusual and sweetly appropriate side dish. The other special we tried, the grass-fed beef tenderloin with red chile ($18.95), was one of the evening’s few missteps. The red chile, which came as a paste on top of the beef, resembled an ill-fitting toupee and the flavor was overpowering.
As you’d hope from a place with pizza as its last name, Joe’s pizza is fabulous. We ordered the 10-inch deluxe ($13.95), covered with sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, green peppers and black olives. The crust, thin and crispy, sets this pizza above the crowd. You can mix and match a whole library of toppings.
From the mesquite grilled menu, we tried the roast chicken. Chicken tests a restaurant; it’s easy to cook it too much or not quite enough. This was perfect, and seasoned to perfection ($14.95).
For desserts we tried a cream puff, a light-as-air pastry shell with a fresh, barely sweet rich cream filling. This dessert would make anyone’s “A” list, and it was a bargain at $3.75. The coconut cake was dense and satisfying but the tiramisu had too much of an alcohol aftertaste for my liking (both $5.50).
Our dinner for four, without drinks, was $104.35 before tax and tip.
Joe’s is one of Santa Fe’s don’t-miss restaurants, with a fine combination of excellent food, fair prices and friendly service. Good job!
venue 
...go to bookmarks
E-mail Story
Print Friendly
