Ristra

I've been eating at Ristra for well over a decade and I cannot recall a time I was disappointed. Some might feel the prices are high, but everything is more expensive in Santa Fe.

I enjoyed a nice Prix Fixe menu the other night in celebration of our Restaurant Week here in Santa Fe and had another wonderful lunch there today.

Possibly the best creme brulee outside France.

Not an impressive stop in my Santa Fe dining experience.

The restaurant interior seemed to be at odds with itself. The lounge area looks like it belong in a large metropolitan city, but the restaurant was described by someone at our table as a dump. Its in a old home, so the room layout is not efficient or welcoming.

The service is erratic, but honest (they did not push us to more expensive bottles when the bottle we requested was out). And the food was awful. My elk was chewy as was the duck. The halibut was very buttery and the texture was not enjoyable. The plate presentation was sloppy and the accompaniments did not make sense.

I wish we had tried The Compound instead. Oh well, something for the next trip.

Wow. This was one of the best meals I've ever had in my life.

The lunch entree of crispy duck leg confit, lavendar-infused lentils, and mixed greens with toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and dried cranberries may not sound like much, but there was obviously a master at work in the kitchen. All the tastes came together perfectly and in perfect balance. Seldom have my taste buds been so fulfilled.

The lobster ciabatta sandwich with sliced apples and curry mayonnaise that my spouse ordered was outstanding too. And the calamari appetizer was tender and perfectly fried, with a tangy spicy dipping sauce. Even the coffee was wonderful (we're guessing Sumatra?).

We came here for lunch, and our shared appetizer, two entrees, and two coffees came to only ~$45 (before tax and tip). For the quality of the meal we got, this was a bargain.

When/if we get back to Santa Fe, you can bet we'll be making another reservation here!

We came here for dinner on a Friday night and it was nothing great. I did find the venue comfortable and they have a nice outdoor eating area outside.

We ordered the tuna tartare and it was one of the worst tartares i have eaten. The topping was this mayo avocado mix and it was unappetizing. The tuna also did not seem fresh.

We ordered the lamb chops and salmon. The lamb chops were good but a lot of it was fatty. The salmon was ok but nothing special.

It was an overly priced dinner and definitely not worth the money. I would not recommend this restaurant.

Decided to fulfill the first part of a Christmas present tonight and take my pal Joseph to Ristra for his belated X-Mas dinner. It was very very good and I now wonder why I have missed this place in the past 8 years since I moved back to this city...
I started the evening off with the perfect cosmopolitan drink which was awesome... I could have had another one, but one drink at dinner is enough in this town because there is no valid public transportation.

We ordered three dishes, two of which were from the bar menu, and one off the regular menu and we were both totally stuffed by the end of the meal.

We started with the Quinoa & Fennel Seed Crusted Sea Scallops, and I was loving the taste of them. They come with some paste that I thought might have been cauliflower (potatoes?) and a drizzle that was a really nice addition. I'm fairly adept at cooking scallops myself and this dish was better than mine, and gave me a few ideas on things I can try in my own home kitchen sometime in the future.

We also got the Black Mediterranean Mussels off the regular menu after the bartender recommended we get the non-bar portion if we were sharing. The mussels were smallish since it is off season, but were quite good. I think what made this dish for me was when another of the wait-staff came up to clear our first two dishes and told us to wait until he brought more bread so we could dunk it in the mussel/wine sauce. We did, and it was fantastic. Totally sold me on the dish.

Finally we got the steak and frites, or medium-rare steak and french fries. The steak was cooked perfectly and completely rounded out the meal for me. The fries were fries with no added ingredients, which was cool with me. I was already stuffed by this point.

And now I'm home and need to take a nap. That's the sign of a decent restaurant in this town...

Went here for dinner last night with the in-laws. I got the mussels for my appetizer. It wasn't my favorite and the mussels were a little fishier than I'm used to. That being said, the broth was amazing! Make sure you have some bread for dipping. My boyfriend had the calamari which was REALLY good and came with a sweet dipping sauce. For dinner I got the duck breast. I ordered medium rare and it came overcooked at first. They were very nice and quick to take it back and get me a new one which was cooked perfectly! The flavor of the duck breast was amazing! The broccolini and mushrooms were awesome, but I have to say that the star of the dish were the potato gnocchis! Omg they were so good! The boyfriend had the elk special for his dinner which was also absolutely delicious! His mom had the stuffed poblano, which if I could eat more I probably would have gotten that too because it was so good! And finally my boyfriend's dad had the lamb shank which I didn't try but he seemed to enjoy. Would definitely want to go back next time I'm in Santa Fe!

In a town with lots of lovely restaurants, Ristra is a solid contender. I've been a few times both on busy and fairy empty nights and enjoyed my meal each time. While I don't think the food is spectacular, the food is always perfectly prepared, and the service satisfyingly unfussy. They were very easily able to accommodate food allergies at the table, which gets extra points in my book. I tend to eat only proteins and veggies and my elk tenderloin was absolutely delicious. They also have a cute little bar area where one can enjoy a glass of wine.
Do I think the food/wine is a tad overpriced? Possibly, but is IS Santa Fe. I think one is paying for the consistency in food and service. I'm surprised it doesn't have better ratings as I've been happy each time, and I'm not known for being easy to please.

Delicious French fusion. The menu is varied, featuring a selection of first and main courses. If they have it, order the elk special! Tender as can be with whipped sweet potatoes, baked pears, and snow peas with a little au jus over the top. The halibut on a bed of black olive polenta with walnuts and fennel root was *fantastic.* Right now (spring) they're running a squash blossom small plate that blew my mind.

I've had the creme brulee, caramel flan (a special) and a strawberry-rhubarb crepe as desserts -- they all hit the spot.

Knowledgeable server staff, excellent bar as well -- wine selection is thorough, but there is also a full bar. Truly superb overall.

We absolutely love Ristra. It's a little hard to find, but definitely worth it. If it's a nice day, definitely sit on the patio. It's nice and shady, underneath a beautiful arbor.

We always start with the steamed mussels, which are made with coconut milk and a bit of chipotle----so yummy you'll ask for extra bread for "sopping" up the rest of the sauce.

Never been for dinner, but sitting on the softly lit arbor, I think, would be a very romantic dinner.

Looking forward to trying their new sister restaurant Azul, nearby. It's Mediterranean/tapas.

Service was impeccable. Cocktails great. Food was OK but disappointing. Girlfriend's sea bass was "fishy", my duck breast was tough and gamy tasting.