El Farol is a sort of Spanish Tapas, meets Southwest Cuisine, bar food, restaurant.
We had been to Santa Fe so many times, and somehow, we always missed eating the more casual fare on Canyon Road. Sure, we enjoy the finer foods and glamorous eateries snuggled in between galleries and antique stores, but for some reason we end up on the plaza when we are ready to relax for a mid day meal. That is all changed for us now that we found El Farol.
El Farol is a sort of Spanish Tapas, meets Southwest Cuisine, bar food, restaurant. We were walking by and said, hmm, this place looks cool, let’s try to get a table. On a warm day we snuck into a table on the patio and immediately began to realize we reached nirvana. The menu sends your tastebuds to Spain. And if you have never been to Spain, then imagine you are sitting on the old-world streets, sipping Sangria and watching the Europeans around eat to enjoyment. We started with Sangria…. you’re going to need more than one glass! If you have ever had Padron Peppers, El Farol has something similar. Small peppers, lightly fried and covered in sea salt. They are not hot, so don’t be scared, and they make the perfect starter. Artichokes at El Farol are served lightly grilled and young, so they are soft and easy to eat. Dipped in butter, they make a great appetizer and She Dines loves them! They are a must order item!
She Dines had the candied bacon grilled cheese, and to see the cheese melting and running out of the bread onto the plate is almost spiritual. He Dines enjoyed the pork sandwich, that is not just a pork sandwich. This sandwich is loaded! Avocado, bacon, cheese, onions, lettuce, tomato and of course PORK! Lots of PORK! It’s a monster sandwich. When we saw Chocolate and Churros, a Spanish tradition, we couldn’t resist. We have had a lot of fakes, and Americanized churros with chocolate that could be from Starbucks, but this was genuine. Chocolate so thick, it coated the churro when dipped and so rich that you can taste the fresh chocolate they melted to make the liquid.
This place is golden. Go, sit on the patio, order a drink and come hungry. you are going to love this place!
