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Ristra

<p>You could easily mistake this gable-roofed adobe cottage—set just behind the Sanbusco Market Center on the fringes of the Guadalupe District—for someone's house. And even once you're inside among the dark-wood chairs and twinkling postmodern chandeliers, a low-key, homey vibe prevails. Friendly, easygoing staffers banter with regulars as they serve up chef Xavier Grenet's artful Southwest-meets-Mediterranean dishes—like crisp-skinned salmon served over leek risotto and lacquered with an onion-confit-and-sundried-tomato sauce. On a brittle winter night, warm up with a bowl of black mussels simmering in a slightly spicy chipotle-mint broth. </p> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> Ristra's towering napoleon, layered with sliced banana and topped with white-chocolate mousse and hot-fudge sauce, is one of the splashiest desserts in <a href="/cityguides/santa-fe-new-mexico">Santa Fe</a>.</p>

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From Travel + Leisure , NOV 2006

The intimate bar at Ristra is a jewel box of contemporary design, with an exacting menu to match....MORE>>

– Mitchell Owens The (Mini) Vacation

Last updated November 2006