Departments

Great Guacamole
Originating in Aztec culture, where it was mashed in a molcajete, or mortar and pestle made from volcanic rock, guacamole in its purest form is simply avocados and salt. At Gabriel’s restaurant, our region’s best-known dip-serving spot, servers bring a cart tableside and custom create this classic, ultra-fresh version to suit your taste (see recipe at right). Deciding how jalapeno-hot, lime juice-tart, cilantro-herbal, or garlic-fragrant you want it is half the fun. Then you can dive in with crispy corn chips or slather it on any of the restaurant’s New Mexican and Mexican specialties. ot’s like Santa Fe summer in a bowl. Gabriel’s, 4 Banana Lane, north on Highway 285/84, 505-455-7000, restauranteur.com/gabriels—John Vollertsen

Gabriel’s recipe revealed:
To make this renowned dip Gabriel’s way, dice 2 medium avocados (peeled and pitted) in a 16 ounce molcajete bowl. Add 1⁄4 teaspoon crushed garlic and 1⁄4 teaspoon chopped jalapeño, mashing the mix together with a fork and spoon. Add 1⁄4 cup chopped tomatoes,
1 teaspoon chopped onion, and salt to taste. Mix together. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice, then add
2 teaspoons chopped cilantro and stir. Serve with tortilla chips.


Review
Railyard Restaurant and Saloonwith the long, dusty road of Guadalupe redevelopment coming to an end, Louis Moskow’s reinvented
steakhouse and saloon couldn’t be a more in-the-right-place-at-the-right-time restaurant. Yet this hot Railyard spot has actually spent more than two years in its South Guadalupe locale, as if Moskow possesses clairvoyance in addition to his creative culinary talent, moving into the district before the buzz began. He’s also proving adept at other unusual pairings, with his restaurant and bar combining American classics with contemporary flair, high-end with down home, and coziness with an open and airy sophistication. The crowd, too, is an eclectic blend of locals and visitors, dressed up and dressed down (Is that Ali MacGraw in the corner booth? Why, yes.), with prices going easy on the wallet but meals big on flavor and portion.
Moskow’s concept mixes a traditional chophouse format with comfort food, replete with such classics as macaroni and cheese and green bean casserole. Think of it as home-cooked food—if your mom just happens to be Julia Child. Being a huge crustacean buff, Moskow serves up chubby Maryland Blue Crab cakes with green-chile tartar sauce that satisfies any seafood yen, yet it’s the meat dishes that really shine. He regularly offers a choice of four cuts—rib eye, New York strip, filet, and top sirloin—dotted with one of a quartet of seasoned compound butters. If you’re not in a carnivorous mood, the lean, rare tuna with a wasabi, soy, and honey glaze will do the trick. Voluminous salads, a portobello-mushroom ravioli, and a fat chile relleno will keep vegetarians sated. And for dessert, the seasonal fruit crisp is served piping hot in a mini cast-iron skillet, while the rich molten-chocolate cake bears a crown of caramelized banana. Try a crisp Bollini pinot grigio with the seafood and anything from the terrific selection of mostly U.S. reds, such as the Qupe Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard, for the beef.
The saloon side of the space provides a long, well-stocked bar and a fine spot to linger: The Train Wreck, a fiery chipotle-chile Bloody Mary is perfect with the bar menu of nachos, wings, and gourmet burgers. All of it offers a rail-side respite from the district’s long-awaited rejuvenation, this sophisticated dining car already having made a place for itself at the station.—JV
The Railyard Restaurant & Saloon, 530 S Guadalupe, 505-989-3300, railyardrestaurantandsaloon.com

Libations
Wet Your Whistle
the effects of global warming and an unsteady economy should never impede one’s ability to enjoy a cold one. In fact, current conditions necessitate it. We should all slow down and savor the flavors of the season, with several Santa Fe bartenders serving up the perfect antidote: luscious libations that move beyond the standard—but always appropriate—margarita (See our Santa Fean twist on the classic below). Cast your vote for any of these invigorating beverages, each sip a party winner anytime.

The Compound’s La Dolce Vita The gorgeous garden that surrounds this stunning Canyon Road favorite just begs to be lingered in on a warm summer’s eve. For this clever take on sweet and sour, red ripe strawberries are muddled with turbinado sugar and a splash of white balsamic vinegar, then given a good shot of Mt. Gay rum, and topped with rhubarb soda. Chef Mark Kiffin recommends nibbling on the crispy, fried Pacific Northwest oysters as you imbibe this little taste of the good life. Make it at home with the recipe, at right.
653 Canyon, 505-982-4353, compoundrestaurant.com

Coyote Cantina’s Q-cumber Cooler The absolute hottest hot spot for downtown people-watching and nighttime stargazing is the recently revamped Coyote Cantina, the casual sister to the hopping indoor café. Partner and beverage director Quinn Stephenson intends to keep his customers chilled this season with a sprightly cucumber-infused vodka shaken with fresh lime juice and sugar and served with a salted rim. Überchef Eric Distefano’s pasilla chile–marinated beef flautas with fiery pico de gallo may require a second or third cooler to tame the heat. 132 Water, 505-983-1615, coyotecafe.com

Inn of the Anasazi’s Midnight Sun This fruity concoction packs a punch as blackberry puree, Grey Goose Poire (pear) vodka, Midori liqueur, and raspberry cider are shaken over ice and swirled into a wide martini glass. A tart and foamy Kriek Lambic beer from Belgium tops the mix and is certain to give you a frothy mustache at first sip. Enjoy it with tapas served on the trendy hotel’s stylish outside terrace.
113 Washington, 505-988-3030, innoftheanasazi.com

Mu Du Noodles’ Sake Mojito An Asian update of the Cuban classic makes this a light and refreshing alternative. The combination of fresh mint and lime juice is the perfect match for many of the Thai and Vietnamese dishes that contain those same ingredients. Start with a fresh spring roll wrapped in tender rice paper and follow with a big bowl of pad Thai or spicy beef Jantaboon. The sake kick and soda splash is a tall coolant to even the spiciest dishes Mu Du has to offer. 1474 Cerrillos, 505-983-1411, mudunoodles.com

The Santa Fean Margarita
Last but not least, this concoction was crafted in honor of the magazine. After living in Sydney, Australia, for many years, I’ve become a fan of the fabulous tart flavor of passion fruit, which is used as the basis for this zippy update to a local favorite. To make it, rub the rim of a cocktail glass with lime, then dip in salt to frost. In a mixing glass, combine 2 ounces silver tequila, 1/2 ounce Cointreau or triple sec, 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, 2 teaspoons passion-fruit pureé (available frozen at gourmet food stores), and a few ice cubes. Stir well. Strain into the prepared cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wheel. It’s the best of Santa Fe enjoyed with a little twist from Down Under.—JV

Q + A
Viva Mexico
For anyone who loves the regional flavors of Mexico, the latest release by chef Daniel Hoyer, Mayan Cuisine: Recipes from the Yucatán Region (Gibbs Smith, $35), serves up a tasty trifecta of dishes, especially when sampled with options from his first two tomes, Fiesta on the Grill and Culinary Mexico: Authentic Recipes and Traditions. John Vollertsen recently caught up with this versatile Pilar-based foodie, who also serves as a cooking-school instructor and food-tour guide extraordinaire, to find out a few secrets of international inspiration.
What makes Yucatán’s cuisine so unique?
It’s a blend of traditional pre-Colombian and contemporary Mayan recipes, with a fusion of Spanish colonial and Afro-Caribbean influences and a few unusual European connections thrown in. Historically, Yucatán has been isolated from the main portion of Mexico—by poor roads through an almost impassable jungle—so a shipping trade with Europe and the Caribbean dominated, and many of the ingredients from those places crept into the local fare.
Is it at all similar to our New Mexico cooking?
Like Southwestern cooking, it’s based on the three sisters: corn, beans, and squash, with chiles and herbs used for extra flavor. The Yucatán is tropical with extensive seacoasts, so there’s much more variety than what we get in New Mexico.
What’s your favorite recipe in your new book?
That probably changes daily, but Cochinita Pibil is great for entertaining, especially outdoors, and the Yucatán barbecue shrimp easily impresses guests.
What cities would you recommend for an off-the-beaten-path culinary adventure?
Merida and Campeche for the urban, colonial take on cooking, as well as Valladolid for a more traditional version. Celestun and Progresso are great seafood locations, and any of the little Mayan towns around the central Yucatán, like Tixkokob and Santa Elena, near the Uxmal ruins, for interesting local variations.
What’s the new food hot spot south of the border?
Mexico City is becoming an internationally renowned center for both traditional and cutting-edge, creative, contemporary Mexican cooking. I plan to explore it in depth for an upcoming book.
Where can we find the exotic ingredients needed to cook from your book?
Most are widely available in local supermarkets. The few specialty items can be found at Paisanos, at the Tiendita next to the Red Enchilada, and, curiously, at Ta Lin in Albuquerque.
If you had to eat one Mexican dish every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Unfair, but if forced to choose, I suppose Tacos al Pastor. I seem to seek them out every time I’m in Mexico.
For more info on Hoyer’s culinary tours, see welleatenpath.com.
Last Bite
Summer in Santa Fe has my mouth watering and our restaurants teeming, especially given the shake up in our local food landscape during this long and blustery winter. The Railyard Park construction zone will soon be a distant memory, and two new cozy and casual cafés—Clafoutis French Restaurant & Pastry, at 402 N Guadalupe Street (replacing last year’s LaMoyne’s Landing), and Tune-Up Café (in the stead of Dave’s Not Here), at 1115 Hickox—are joining the ranks of our city’s quality, budget-minded dining options. Yet the biggest bit of restaurant gossip that has fans of both Geronimo and former Inn of the Anasazi Chef Martin Rios thrilled is Rios’s newly formed partnership with this Canyon Road icon’s longtime managing director Chris Harvey and manager Mary Hasted. I predict this will be a (food) marriage made in heaven. I’ll be adding the new Geronimo to my must-visit list this summer, along with alfresco hot spots like the Cowgirl, and, of course, the sure-to-be-packed Coyote Cantina. I’ll also be sampling the new offerings of Strasbourg-born chef Laurent Rea, of O’Keeffe Café, along with our city’s seasonal classics like guacamole at Gabriel’s, fat burgers at Counter Culture, and a perfectly decadent side of ribs from Josh’s BBQ. Add to that dinners in the romantic gardens at The Compound and Opera tailgating (get fresh food to go from Torinos at Home, torinosfoods.com). Ahhh. Summer (not my waistline) is shaping up nicely.—John Vollertsen