La Boca

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La Boca Review

This little restaurant, a clean, bright room within an old adobe building, earns rave reviews and has become a local favorite for its intriguingly prepared Spanish food and excellent wine list. Chef James Campbell Caruso has created a menu just right for Santa Fe's eating style; a wide, changing array of delectable tapas and an edited selection of classic entrées, like the paella. The friendly, efficient staff is happy to advise on wine and food selections. The chef's tasting menu for $55 per person (additional $25 for wine or sherry pairings) is a fun way to experience Caruso's well-honed approach to his food. Desserts, like the rich chocolate pot-au-feu, are sumptuous. The room tends to be loud and can get stuffy during winter when the Dutch door and windows are closed, but crowds are friendly and you never know who you'll end up next to in this town of low-key luminaries and celebrities. Half-price tapas, during Tapas en la Tarde, from 3 to 5 during the week, make a perfect and economical late lunch.