346886 Thu Nov 30 03:34:41 -0800 2006 1 6 Southwest 0 2057435 Iron Springs Cafe 1501 W Iron Springs Rd Prescott, AZ 86305 (928) 443-8848 Thanksgiving Weekend 2006 was spent in Prescott with the wife and both our mothers. After a home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner to start the weekend right, we found ourselves wanting to eat out the day after. The Iron Springs Cafe, located appropriately on Iron Springs Road in northwestern Prescott, was the choice for our post-Thanksgiving restaurant dinner. This was actually the second time at Iron Springs for me, but for some reason I had blanked out the first experience. Approaching the restaurant with a fresh perspective, I was eager to see what was in store. Iron Springs is located in what appears to be an old house. It is cramped, somewhat chaotic, and diners are distributed among at least three small dining rooms. Still, the atmosphere is warm and inviting. The food is a mixture of Southwestern and New Orleans influences. It is not rigorously aligned with either cuisine, but is instead a good mix that does reasonably well on its own terms. For starters, three of us chose the soup of the day, which was a vegetable posole. The soup was unusual given that posole is traditionally made with pork, but we all found the meatless version a flavorful and less filling way to start the meal. Hominy floated in a zesty broth flavored with tomato, fresh cilantro, and perhaps a touch of cumin. Our one soup-abstainer had a house salad with a blue cheese vinaigrette, which was described as adequate but not memorable. Our starters, which were included in the cost of our entrees, were accompanied by a small baguette for the table. The bread was certainly well prepared, but somewhat uninteresting compared to the food served. Perhaps jalapeno cornbread, biscuits, or even a sort of flatbread would be more in line with the flavorful entrees featured at Iron Springs. Entrees were pleasing all around. Our choices were the roasted vegetable taco plate, the crab cakes, the nightly enchilada special, and a bowl of green chile pork stew. The taco plate ($11.50) featured roasted zucchini and bell peppers served in soft flour tortillas with sides of black beans and rice. Everything was well prepared with just the right texture; however, the accompanying mini-salad was a little strange. Diced tomatoes suggested pico de gallo, but the bed of whole lettuce leaves underneath was not suitable for insertion into the tacos. A true salsa or pico de gallo, finely diced, would have worked better as a taco condiment. The taco plate is also available with chicken or fish. The crab cakes ($15.50) were less obviously “crabby” than at Durant’s in Phoenix, but had a nice texture and flavor combination. They were a good a “landlubber” version of crabcakes and paired nicely with the accompanying rice. The crab cakes also featured the same faux pico de gallo as the taco plate. The nightly enchilada special ($13) featured chicken enchiladas with a red sauce, perhaps with some chipotle. The member of our party who ordered the enchiladas enjoyed them heartily but found the entrée quite filling. Green chile pork stew ($10.50) also received favorable reviews, although by all accounts it lacked the level of heat one would expect in an authentically New Mexican version. The stew was accompanied by a side of cold slaw, which featured shredded cabbage in vinaigrette, a welcome alternative to mayonnaise-based slaw, which can often be soupy. Beverages ordered included a bottle of Red Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon ($24) and a glass of prickly pear lemonade ($2.50). The Red Diamond was a warm, robust wine that held up well to the flavorful food. The lemonade was particularly good, with a nice balance of sweet and tart flavors. Regrettably, we did not have room to sample the dessert offerings, but several looked worth trying on a future visit. Service was attentive and courteous throughout the meal. Iron Springs Cafe is by no means perfect. There were some issues as noted before with the bread and the unusual approach to pico de gallo. Nevertheless, for a moderately priced dinner option in Prescott, Iron Springs is worth a visit. Reservations are taken and are definitely a good idea on weekends. Thu Nov 30 03:34:41 -0800 2006 26466 silverbear 1 2064270 I just found a Web site for this restaurant: http://www.ironspringscafeinprescott.com/ and discovered that the building was once a train depot rather than a house. Since I can no longer edit my review, I am appending this comment to set the record straight. Sat Dec 02 17:47:20 -0800 2006 2057435 26466 silverbear