We had out of town guests coming into Santa Fe for the evening. We wanted to go to Terra Cotta Wine Bistro because they had a heated patio in the rear of the restaurant. Terra Cotta Wine Bistro was kind enough to call and let us know that this area was being closed off. Santa Fe was colder than we all expected so we would have to eat inside.
We had an early dinner reservation so we thought that that would be ok. We are still aware that COVID is lurking around Santa Fe.
The wine list is extensive and we were all impressed with the selections on the wine list.
Since it was a really cold night, I decided on having the French Onion Soup(14). Sorry, I was so cold and hungry that I ate this absolutely fabulous soup without snapping a photo. I promise that next time I go, I will indeed include a photo of the large French Onion Soup topped with house made croutons and filled with cheese. It was just what I needed on a cold Thursday night in late October. We are indeed going back soon because that soup was one of the best French Onion Soups I have ever eaten. Really
Not only was the topping of the soup incredible but the onions were so fresh and the soup itself was very balanced. It didn’t rely on salt. Sometimes French Onion Soup tastes great because of the copious amount of salt poured into the soup.
This was a splurge wine. It was a very delicious rose. The wine paired with both the fish and meat entrees on the table. I ordered the small version of the crawfish cakes(26). I’m always hesitate in an inland place, even Santa Fe to order fish. Plus, I wanted to make sure I had room for some dessert. (They have some of the best) Next time, I’m getting the larger order of 2 crawfish cakes(34).
This crawfish cake was delicious. It was all crab not filling. The crawfish cake fell apart as soon as your fork touched it. You could actually taste the crab not the filling. It, too was a special splurge for me. But as with the soup, it was definitely worth it. I could taste a little of the Old Bay seasoning. Very authentic! The waffle fries were a huge hit as well. I liked the cole slaw as well. It was a wonderful entree. I am very sure that the tartar sauce and the other sauce (made a salsa like ketchup) were house-made.
I was going to try the Sicilian Caonata but I am not a huge fan of eggplant. Just me
We had a discussion about desserts. Ice cream and the sobet of the day were not options on such a cold night. So we all picked the Key Lime Pie(9) and the traditional creme brulee cheesecake(9). I had never had a traditional cheesecake before. It is not my style of dessert. It reminded me of a fancy pound cake. I am used to a Eli’s cheesecake from Chicago.
Here is the rest of the Terra Cotta Wine Bistro’s Menu. There are a nice variety of entrees and shared plates. The bruschetta was also an interesting option to pursue. Maybe next time with the large French Onion Soup…
Terra Cotta Wine Bistro is located at 304 Johnson Street. Their phone number is 505.989.1166
There are a few parking spaces that you can access after 5:30 on Chapelle Street which is on a diagonal from Terra Cotta Wine Bistro. (I know the Terra Cotta Wine Bistro’s website says 5pm but the parking sign stated 5:30pm.
Hours are: Monday5pm-8pm, Tuesday and Wednesday CLOSED, Thursday 5pm-8pm, Friday, Saturday 5pm-8:30 and Sunday 5pm-8pm.
Just a personal note: If you go early like we did there are not that many people so inside dining may be ok for all the people who are still leery about COVID. It may also be a little cooler due to less people. There was a wonderful musician playing the guitar while we ate. That was cool!
Happy Halloween.
Santa Fe City Different Foodie 