Epazote

I had one of the most delicious lunches of my life yesterday. The meal started with a delicious and flavorful cup of black bean soup with pieces of bacon and a white cheese on top. A bigger bowl could have served as a satisfying lunch all by itself. Then we were presented with samples of four different moles, unique sauces that included a slightly sweet mole the chef was commissioned to create for the 400^th anniversary of Santa Fe. Each of us in my party of four ordered a different mole with salmon, shrimp, or pork loin. Having visited Oaxaca in November, we had fresh memories of good moles we had eaten there. The ones created by chef Olea were as good or better than the ones we had in Mexico! We were amazed that the dessert was also a showstopper! The raspberry flan that we shared was wonderful but the chef’s chocolate flan was amazingly delicious! Be sure to include this restaurant in your future plans but call ahead for directions or use your GPS. It’s not easy to find but well worth the effort! Those of you who live in Santa Fe are so lucky to have this gem of a restaurant in your city!

This is not «Mexican» the way other Mexican restaurants in the US are Mexican. Chef Olea is from Mexico City, and combines the tastes and dishes of Mexico with other New World flavors. As another reviewer pointed out, you won’t find burritos here.
We went for lunch yesterday (Nov. 15), and found the place sunny, warm, and beautiful. You go through a couple of rooms of a gift shop (gorgeous jewelry!), and then enter a dining area that is on two levels, covered in plants, with tables tucked among the plants on the top level. There is a pleasant waterfall. On the wall is a bright large mural displaying the ingredients of the Santa Fe mole sauce that the Chef invented in honor of Santa Fe.
When we first sat down we were given little appetizers and a tasting selection of the mole sauces available that day, along with very good little tortillas. We had soup, salad, and a dish that involves cooking meat or shrimp over very hot stones at the table. I was skeptical about the stones, but they stayed very hot. The soup was mushroom (really really good) or pumpkin squash – also excellent but I have a weakness for mushroom soup. The salads were fresh, crisp, and coated lightly with excellent vinaigrettes. The grilled meat selection was served with more of the delicious tortillas and some sauces. We also had mint lemonade, which was amazingly good and was replenished for free.
The restaurant is a work in progress. Right now they only serve lunch, but they hope to serve dinners when their liquor licence comes through.
Our server was attentive and informative. One thing we appreciated was that we had time between our courses to digest and chat – too many restaurants rush you (and too many patrons rush the restaurants). We ended up quite full, but not bloated.

Great and interesting Mexican food, but no burritos or enchiladas here and that’s just fine because what they do have is amazing! They have these steaming hot rocks that you cook your own slices of meat or fish accompanied by some great dipping sauces. Chef Fernando’s moles are amazing and for those that are feeling adventurous, try the grasshoppers, they’re great. Be warned though, don’t go if you are in a hurry as the food does not come out fast but it is definitely worth the wait. Can’t want for them to get their liquor license so we can come for dinner as they are only open for lunch at the moment.

I just had one of the greatest meals I can recall today at Epazote. It was flawless from start to finish. I’ve been to Chef Fernando Olea’s Restaurants in the past (great taco joint on St. Michaels years ago). Didn’t know about this one nor the newer location but read a review last week so I had to try it, knowing the talents of this amazing chef. We arrived at 11am when they open, only one other couple there. We were greated and seated by Chef Fernando who is simply charming. A small two bite appetizers arrived immediately, squash blossoms on some small tortillas which setup the meal right away; delicious! My wife and I split the de la casa (spinach salad) which was fantastic to look at and eat. Chef Fernando has a flair with infused oil’s like the one that lined the plate along with a perfect vinaigrette. The quality of the produce was about as good as you could expect anywhere. The special was duck taco’s served with three of Chef Fernando’s homemade sauces: Asian, honey mustard and the best, a jalapeño infused beauty with perfect heat. The duck was slightly smoky, prefectly cooked again served with what has to be homemade tortillas. Just amazing! We love Mole and Chef Fernando is known for being one of the great masters of this sauce. On the menu it just says Mole (Chef Olea’s signature dish). Whatever you do, order this! Chef Fernando began by sending over 5 small tasting dishes with each of his mole’s for us to sample so we could pick one. The classic mole I know and love with Chocolate was spectacular but the «New Mexico» mole he invented was a knock out! There’s a third made with peanuts which kind of reminded me of a prefect mix between a Thai peanut sauce and a classic mole. There was a Verde which was quite acidic and Chef suggested we try that last as not to pollute the palette for the others. This man has an amazing sense of understanding of the palette utilizing very complext flavors and spice that provide a tremendous ‘finish’ whereby various parts of your mouth savor different tastes and spices that move from front to back. He describes what he’s attempting to achieve with his sauces, let’s you sample and indeed, he has a huge talent for this as well as being a great educator in the foods he serves. We told him we loved the classic and NM mole and told him to pick what meat to serve us based on those two choices. We received perfectly cooked lamb chops which were probably the best I’ve ever eaten in my life. There was also an amazing raspberry like sauce, I’m not doing it justice by calling it that but it’s another brilliant example of a chef who’s master sauces like few others. The lamb was served on a bed of sweet potatoes, some crispy noodles (?) and most amazing to me, some sweet, pickled shaved beets. I HATE BEETS. At least I used to hate them. In Chef Fernando’s hands, they are absolutely amazing. We were comped a desert of home made Avocado ice cream with a topping of what appeared to be beet «fluff» served in crisply super thin flaky shell Hints of ginger and jalapeño from what I believe was a sauce at the bottom produced another amazingly complex flavor experience.
There are great restaurants in Santa Fe, I’ve lived here 20 years. If you come here to visit, you must not miss this experience. Currently Epazote is only open for lunch 11 – 2:30. Doesn’t matter. Don’t eat breakfast. Consider Lunch your dinner. Do whatever you have to do to get to this amazing restaurant and enjoy the work of a true culinary artist. Take more people so you can share more dishes, I know I’ll go back with friends to try as many of the Botanas (differing meats or seafood you cook yourself on hot rocks with infused oil’s). There’s also the option of a chef tasting menu which I’m going to try next. If you live in Santa Fe, like myself, consider yourself so fortunate to have such an amazing restaurant and go there. Plus the prices are very affordable especially for the quality of the food. Further, the restaurant, housed in a huge gallery is lovely but small so make reservations or arrive early. But do not miss this astounding and talented chef!

We had an extraordinary lunch at Epazote when we were visiting Santa Fe last week. A friend had recommended it with wild enthusiasm, and we weren’t disappointed… it was one of the most remarkable lunches I’ve ever had. The botanas-​small pieces of meat, fish and vegetables cooked on hot stones at the table-​were wonderful, and the infused oils and aiolis that accompanied the botanas and the small corn tortillas to wrap them in were just delicious. Even the house salad was great, with a perfect cilantro vinaigrette. But the mole was just astounding! I had lamb and my husband had duck, and we wiped the plates clean. It was fun to choose our mole from the tasting selection brought to the table in little dishes, and the server just couldn’t have been more helpful. She was very knowledgeable about the food, and her suggestions were right on the button. The presentation of the dishes was absolutely lovely, too… a visual delight without being gimmicky. The gallery which surrounds the restaurant is a lot of fun, with an interesting selection of pieces from local artists. I was sorry that we didn’t try Epazote earlier in our week’s visit, since I’d have definitely returned several times. Really a great place.

Some local friends suggested that I give this place a try, and I thought it would be fun to take a little drive and see a bit more of Santa Fe. It was a short drive (through some picturesque neighborhoods) and well worth it.
The space is delightful. It is attached to Hillsides, which is a gallery of local artists and artisans. The restaurant is in a very large and light filled room. Apparently it used to be a greenhouse. It is charmingly decorated. Although it was reasonably busy, the high ceilings gave it a peaceful feeling.
The food was delicious and beautiful. It started with a complimentary tastings of three different kinds of Mole. I only knew of one type, so it was fun to try the other more adventurous types.
My friend and I ordered a meat dish (beef for her, salmon for me), that comes with a well seasoned hot rock, and you cook it quickly at the table. It smelled delicious. Then I had a delicious salad with a chocolate vinaigrette. Dessert was a sampling of three flans.
The Chef clearly loves his restaurant and wants everyone to leave happy and well fed. He is definitely a presence, as the kitchen is open.
By Los Angeles standards the prices were quite reasonable for the quality of food and the lovely presentation.
I look forward to coming back here on future trips and seeing how the spaces evolves.

Having lived in Oaxaca for twenty years I guess I have a different expectation of the different varieties of mole. I concede that chefs are allowed to take some creative license. Menu was imaginative but classical technique was lacking.
The entrée was served on a cold plate and had cooled by the time I received it. I will be back to try it again once it has worked out some of its newness.

Chef Fernando Olea is a nationally renowned chef best known for his mastery of mole sauce. Epazote is on the outskirts of Santa Fe adjoining The Hillside gallery. It isn’t easy to find, but it is well worth the effort.
To describe Epazote as a Mexican restaurant is not totally accurate. Southwestern fine dining in a funky setting would be more accurate. I will dream about the mole sauce, which cannot be found of this quality in Atlanta, until I return to Santa Fe.