La Plazuela, Santa Fe

While on our day trip to Santa Fe my boyfriend and I wanted to go out for lunch somewhere that had a nice atmosphere, and we found just that at La Plazuela at La Fonda on the Plaza.

‘La Plazuela’ is Spanish for ‘the square’ – which makes sense given the restaurant’s location. ‘La Fonda’ is Spanish for a space that is used as an inn, tavern or restaurant. It all makes sense!The hotel is located at the historic Santa Fe Plaza, and it’s here where Old World charm and modern life converge. When you walk through the doors into the hotel lobby, you feel transported back in time. Everywhere you look there is authentic New Mexican architecture and history – from the wooden beams, to the furniture and decor, La Fonda’s got the look.When you step into the restaurant, it’s like you are transported into a dream – if you thought the atmosphere of the hotel compelling, that of the restaurant is a whole other story.

Built in the 1920s, the restaurant is a lofty space with high beams, lush foliage and an expansive skylight that bathes the entire dining room in natural light. At its centre is a fountain and a wrought iron chandelier with yellow glass shades. I can only imagine how romantic La Plazuela looks at night.The dining room itself is surrounded by large wooden pillars with sconces that match the chandelier, and a series of hand-painted windows.In addition to its looks, we chose La Plazuela as our destination for a special lunch in celebration of our anniversary that was at the end of April. Since our trip to Santa Fe was so close, we thought it would be best to go out for lunch, or dinner, there instead.In true Santa Fe fashion, our waiter brought us complimentary tortilla chips and house-made salsa while we read through the menu – delicious!At this time we also ordered drinks. We both chose the Nut Brown Ale from Santa Fe Brewing Company – also delicious!When it was time to order, we chose to share the ‘Local Heirloom Tomato Salad’, which consisted of brightly coloured tomatoes, sliced and served with extra virgin olive oil, a drizzle of balsamic glaze, roasted garlic cloves, local feta cheese and fresh basil, with a side of crunchy croustades. It was so fresh and flavourful! I just love a good balsamic reduction, especially on tomatoes.For our main, we chose to split the ‘Torta de Borrego’ sandwich, which had the most tender braised lamb shoulder I’ve ever had, served on toasted telera bread and topped with sliced seasonal tomatoes, sliced avocado, caramelized onion, arugula, local feta cheese, and lemon-cilantro aioli. We also got a side of seasoned French fries.The service was perfect; our meal was filling, flavourful and delicious. We couldn’t have asked for a better dining experience.

The only thing I would have done differently was saving some room for dessert! (And maybe going for dinner, just to take in the romantic atmosphere at night *wistful sigh*)

More information about La Fonda and La Plazuela, as well as historic photos, can be viewed in the La Fonda history book From Every Window a Glimpse of the Past. If you’re in Santa Fe, I highly recommend La Plazuela if you’re looking for a relaxing and romantic dining destination.  Reservations for dinner are highly recommended, as La Plazuela is very popular at this time.

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The City Different – Santa Fe

Established in 1610 by Governor Don Pedro de Peralta, Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in the U.S. at 407 years old. Downtown Santa Fe has numerous unique shopping opportunities, and boasts more than 250 galleries making it the third largest art market in the country.

The Palace of the Governors is the oldest continuously used building in the U.S. Built in 1610, it is both a National Historic Landmark and an American treasure. The Palace of the Governors completes one side of the Santa Fe Plaza, built in 1609, which has been the heart of the downtown area for more than 400 years.My boyfriend and I visited the downtown on three occasions: the first time was a short trip with his Oma when we first arrived in New Mexico. The second was also with his Oma to see the Canyon Road galleries.

The third was a day trip for just the two of us, where we explored the downtown, checked out the galleries and shops, took in the scenery and hunted for souvenirs.Here we are at the visitor centre in front of a vintage Ford Falcon in light blue. I had to share this photo because 1) the vintage car, and 2) we were well coordinated!
Just off of the Plaza is the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. It contrasts dramatically with the surrounding adobe structures – its stone façade, bell towers and stained glass windows it looks like it has been transported from the Old World in Europe.(Boyfriend for scale!)

Designed in 1886 by Archbishop Lamy, the cathedral was built on the site of two former churches, the first of which had been destroyed during the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. A statue of the Virgin Mary, now called La Conquistadora, was removed from the church during the revolt and returned to her place of honour in 1693. Today, she presides over a side chapel.One of my goals while in Santa Fe was to find some turquoise jewelry that really caught my eye. I was very successful at Wind River Trading Company, the largest Native American jewelry store in Santa Fe. It is famous for its selection and size – the store is one block long, and is located between the Plaza and the Cathedral.

I was also successful on finding other souvenirs. I visited many shops, but found success at The Original Trading Post and Sunwest on the Plaza. We were also fortunate enough to take in an art show put on by the Santa Fe Society of Artists where I found an art print for my Mom by Sondra Wampler.If you’re looking for art shows and galleries, Santa Fe is the place. The show I mentioned above is held on weekends from the end of April until mid-October.

Down the street from the Cathedral is the Loretto Chapel, the one with the famed staircase that was built without nails!
We wanted to see it for ourselves, but unfortunately the church was closed to the public for a special event. I think someone was getting married, because a couple of hours later, we could hear a bell tower chiming for a long period of time.

We loved the beauty and simplicity of walking around downtown Santa Fe. It was a very enjoyable day, especially when you have your best friend by your side ♡
If I could have spent more time here, I would have. There is so much to see and do!Another plus to Santa Fe is that you can see nature in pretty much all directions.
For example, if you look out to the east, you can see the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.If you travel just outside of the city, you will find 1.5 million acres of national forest, several national parks and monuments, as well as northern Native American pueblos and historic sites.We can see why Santa Fe’s motto is “The City Different” – it is a place unlike any other.

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