La Casa Sena

125 East Palace Avenue Cuisines: Mexican, American

About

Combining alluring ambience and tasty food, this is one of Santa Fe's favorite restaurants, though the food here isn't as precise and flavorful as at Santacafé or Geronimo. It sits within the Sena compound, a prime example of a Spanish hacienda, in a Territorial-style adobe house built in 1867 by Civil War-hero Major José Sena. The house, which surrounds a garden courtyard, is today a veritable art gallery, with museum-quality landscapes on the walls and Taos-style handcrafted furniture. During the warm months, this restaurant has the best patio in town. The cuisine might be described as northern New Mexican with a continental flair. One of my favorite lunches is the fish tacos with achiote-corn rice. In the evening, diners might start with a salad of garden greens and grilled mushrooms, then move onto a pork loin with roasted sweet potatoes and a peach prickly pear sauce. In the adjacent La Cantina, waiters and waitresses sing Broadway show tunes as they carry platters from the kitchen to the table. The more moderately priced Cantina menu offers the likes of enchiladas with black beans and Mexican rice. Both restaurants have exquisite desserts; try the black-and-white bittersweet chocolate terrine with raspberry sauce. The award-winning wine list features more than 850 selections.

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