Santa Fe: Where the line cooks eat?
Just pulled into town and I want to know where the best real tacos are to be found. I'm talking lengua, cabeza, tripa, chicharon, the whole nine yards. Since I haven't been into a kitchen here yet, I can't ask anyone where to go eat. Anyone have any joints they like?
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biondanonima
Aug 24, 2010 10:51 AM
The Horseman's Haven is another really good spot if you want to eat with the locals - awesome red and green chile and the greasiest, best crispy home fries ever. In the parking lot of a gas station south of the mall on Cerrillos. Not sure if tacos are on the menu but as finlero said, tripa (etc.) tacos aren't exactly native New Mexican cuisine anyway.
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Horseman's Haven Cafe
4354 Cerrillos Rd, Santa Fe, NM 87507 -
finlero
Aug 20, 2010 08:03 AM
My favorite taco stand is called La Chabelita, with the tacos al pastor being the best thing I've tried there. It moves around a little, but I last saw it a few blocks west of Airport Road and Cerrillos.
A new, very good pupuseria opened in a corner of the Days Inn on Cerrillos. Try the green chile pupusa, a really interesting blend of El Salvador and Santa Fe.
El Parasol is more established, and quite popular, but still no-frills; I haven't found my go-to here, but I haven't had anything bad either.
Bear in mind that a lot of the places that do lengua, cabeza, etc, tend to be more Mexican than New Mexican, so you're actually going to get more of a "foreign" experience than local; Northern New Mexican cooking is a legitimate cuisine in its own right, back from when this part of the country used to be part of Mexico. My favorite lower-frills version of this would be Posa's, which makes terrific tamales, chiles rellenos, carne adovada, etc; I prefer the location on Rodeo Rd, but both are good. Los Amigos is a table service, but not fussy purveyor of same, and absolutely excellent. El Campanario is another great choice.
