Of course it ultimately involves food, but first a little
background. In the long ago distant
past, MFO and I visited my best friend and his (then) wife in Santa Fe. Her mother had opened a “dude” ranch and
resort property named Rancho Encantado. That visit generated several memories
which have persisted to this day. Can’t
find my car keys this morning, but let me tell you about lunch 40 years
ago. Anyway, one of the memories was
that after my friend and I walked in the desert for a while (young and hearty
as we were) we stopped in the bar and asked the barkeep what he would
recommend. He produced what I believe
was my first ever Gin and Tonic. What a
perfect drink.
Secondly, at the time of our visit, somebody was making a
movie in the desert, and the cast was staying in the Rancho. Johnny Cash and (2nd) wife June
Carter were there as was a daughter, Rosanne.
I wish I could report that Johnny and I sat around and chatted, but I don’t
think we ever saw him. We did however,
meet Rosanne. As part of the visit we
went to the set one day off in the middle of nowhere.
Since our visit decades ago the property has changed hands
and owners a few times, but the place still holds memories for us. Currently it is an Auberge property, with
name shortened to Encantado Resort. Auberge
properties are luxury resorts, catering to world class clientele. This particular one also houses Terra, a
highly rated restaurant. They were
featured in a Food & Wine article lately..
So we decided we would return to the place and hey! While we’re there
why not have dinner!! So it was our Big Deal Meal number 2, and by the schedule
it had to be Tuesday night. Now, serious
diners will slightly recoil at Tuesday night, which is sometimes avoided because
the chef might not be in the house, and various other reasons, but we had
little choice. I had made the
reservation by phone instead of Open Table again because we were too far out
and I feared (unnecessarily as it turned out) the Film Festival thing.
They followed up a few days before assuring us that the
reservation was in place. So after we
DFD’s we drove out the few miles north of Santa Fe and after driving to the
golf cart shed we redirected and found our way to the front entrance.. Two young men appeared and opened both doors
for us (MFO at the wheel). Good evening
folks how are you? We’re here for
dinner. Are you Mr. and Mrs. Moody? Yes we are..
Well we’ll park the car for you.
The second young man ushered us in the door, and directly to the hostess
stand. Again, “welcome Mr. Moody your
table is ready, please follow me. Well,
our table was ready all right, there were no other guests at that time. You may sit at any table that appeals to
you. We chose a little two top by the
window where the dregs of the sunset was visible over the darkening desert. The room is in muted tones that reflect the
color of the desert, has high ceilings, and one side is all glass, while the
opposite wall is all banquettes. Tables were set with linens, sparkling
glassware and silver. MFO approved the
chairs. The hostess set down the menus
and wine list and left.
People sometimes ask the Feeder why he loves these high end
(and yes, expensive) evenings. What followed
was a perfect example of why he does.
All the components were there.
They knew our names. They let us
choose our own table. Our server’s only
question upon approaching the table was whether we preferred tap or bottled
water. After pouring he asked if we
would care for a drink. Why, yes, we
would. I of course levied the drink
test, and MFO decided on wine (remembering we had to drive home). She chose a Grgich Hills Sauvignon Blanc from
a rather extensive wine list.
Without dwelling on it, the Feeder always sort of holds his
breath when doing the drink test in a high end restaurant, but he needn’t have
worried. A perfectly made, nicely proportioned
drink with a lovely curl of lemon was presented. As for MFO, the service wine glass was
replaced with a larger crystal one, and the bottle of Grgich was
displayed. A small taste was offered,
and upon a head nod, a generous pour was done. Not just plop a glass of wine on the table and hope it's what you ordered. Shortly a basket of a variety of breads was
brought to the table. Lavash, some light biscuits.
While enjoying the drinks, we finally turned to the
menus. If you have time you should go
look at their menu. It is divided into “Sense
of” balance, comfort and place. "Comfort"
includes a burger option, chicken (as a Palliarde), and fish (crab cake
encrusted halibut), "Place" means there is
local lamb, etc. It is a nice concept. And, it is one of those menus where you look
at one dish and say “wow! I’d like to try that”, and then “whoops, that looks
good also”. A great menu. After a good deal of angst, I finally settled
on the “seafood trio”, and the Date Basted Local (Galisteo) lamb. MFO wanted to try the warm chicory salad,
mostly seduced by the Broiled Humbolt Fog (which alert readers will know as a
lovely cheese). She selected the Kobe
Hanger Steak as her entrée..
While I was thrashing around the wine list (reds of course)
a gentleman approached the table and welcomed us and said he was the manager of
the restaurant. Then, he said something
like “I really liked your picture!” and went on to explain that he had found me
as King Oyster!!! Can you believe
that? He actually tries to find out
things about his guests and was pleased to find my alter ego as the King! I was flabbergasted! That led to some great conversations
throughout the evening (there was only one other table at this point). Since he caught me in the midst of looking up
Robert Parker’s vintage chart, I told him what we ordered and asked for a
suggestion. He said he had enjoyed the ’07
Trilogy Proprietary Red from Flora Springs.
Go for it.
First courses arrived, mine in a triparted dish with two
lovely thumb size prawns, a lovely ceviche of scallops with cilantro, and a
small medallion of tuna in a little vinaigrette. MFO’s
salad was fresh crisp and the cheese was to die for. Somewhere in here, the
server interjected that the Kobe Hanger Steak was not available. Okay, marks off for that, he should have
known unless the only other table took the last one. He offered instead a filet which she
accepted.
Okay reading fatigue is probably setting in here. Entrees were wonderful. My lamb was some of the most flavorful I can
remember in a long time, and unlike Restaurant Martin there was nothing running
to the side of the plate, it was beautifully presented, and the plate was warm
but not “watch that plate it’s very hot”
translated to “it’s been under a heat lamp for a while”. Both meat dishes were cooked exactly right as
ordered, richly flavored. And, as you
would hope and expect, the sides stood tall on their own, not merely something
to cover up blank places on the plate. My little goat cheese timbale was a
little wrap of flavorful goat cheese and I think there may have been a little
bacon in there.. wonderful. Somehow the wine disappeared.
We decided on dessert, and I had a little cheesecake with an
ingredient which I cannot for the life of me remember (thank you Trilogy), but
there was a little meringue disc next to it with a hand piped “Happy Birthday”. Coffee was strong and hot.
So it’s all those little things (names, by the glass, silver
replaced as appropriate) that mount up to a great experience, and I will never
forget the fact that King Oyster was brought to the table.. The place remains enchanted!!
And that, my dear readers, is why I do not mind paying large
sums for that experience.. life is short.
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