For dinner on Saturday night, we opted to hit up Cafe Pasqual's. This restaurant features a menu inspired by flavors of the Southwest, Mexico, and Asia. And of course, yet again I was excited to find that Pasqual's emphasizes the use of ingredients that are seasonal, fresh, organic, and naturally-raised.
Given the small size of the dining room and the cafe's popularity, reservations are recommended for dinner. Though we could have opted to take an earlier reservation by sitting at a shared table, we opted to dine a little later (at 9p) to ensure a private booth. (Though the folks seated together at the shared table seemed to have created quite a camaraderie together!)
[Secreto cocktail --- and note all the great fresh produce lining the bar!]
D and I began our evening by enjoying a cocktail at the Secreto Lounge located in the Hotel St. Francis. I enjoyed a Secreto cocktail, which featured muddled grapes, strawberry, organic rosemary, and red wine along with a few choice liquors. Long story short, it was delish!
Following our stop for cocktails, we continued down the block to Cafe Pasqual's. We were seated immediately and quickly dove into the menu after taking in the great decor. (Note the brightly-colored papel picado hanging across the ceiling in the above photo.) Everything on the menu looked so good! We started out by sharing a vegetarian tamale -- so spicy and good. For my main entree, I chose the enchiladas with sauteed chard, grilled zucchini, and jack cheese. The enchiladas were served with a grilled banana, fresh corn torte, and cilantro rice. I opted to have my enchiladas "Christmas-style" meaning it was served with both the red chili and green chili sauce. Oof! So much food. And SO good. I was definitely gulping down some water, though -- quite a bit of spice for me. But not distressingly spicy, just a nice kick. (A bite or two of the cilantro rice also helped calm the burn, too.) D ordered the organic chicken mole enchiladas which also came with cilantro rice, a fresh corn torte, and an orange-jicama salad. Long story short, after eating we were absolutely stuffed to the gills . . . and depressingly unable to even consider dessert. (Well, okay, we did look at the menu but nothing was able to overcome our extreme satiation!) Some folks at nearby tables did order dessert and everything looked quite tasty.
Cafe Pasqual's is open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Saturday from 8a to 3p, and for Sunday brunch from 8a to 3p. Dinner is served daily from 5:30p. Though not exactly budget-friendly, Cafe Pasqual's is perfect for a special night out. Dinner entrees range from $23 to $38. Breakfast and lunch entree prices are a bit kinder to the wallet.
Cafe Pasqual's
121 Don Gaspar
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 983-9340
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