Taos, New Mexico – When we are looking for places to lay our heads for the night, we have a few trusted resources where we begin our search.
Casa de las Chimeneas Bed and Breakfast Inn showed up on two of our lists: the Conde’ Naste Gold List, and the AAA Four Diamond list.
We pulled into Casa de las Chimeneas after a very long day of exploration between Santa Fe, and Taos, New Mexico.
The Inn is tucked away in a grove of very large cottonwoods only two blocks off the main thoroughfare, and as we pulled in the drive our first impression was a very good one. As you can see, by the photograph above, the architecture is stunning.
Rosie, a 19 year member of the Inn’s team, greeted us with a huge smile, spent a few minutes with us explaining the layout of the Inn, beamed with pride as she explained that the Inn was also a part of Select Registry, and then guided us to our Rio Grande Suite where we would be spending the next two nights.
The suite was spacious, thoughtfully appointed with all the niceties that you would expect from an Inn of this caliber, and also featured a wonderful fireplace in the suite. Casa de las Chimeneas means The House of Chimneys, and every single suite features a warm, romantic fireplace.
In the morning we met met Diana, another 15 year member of this team, who prepared a wonderful breakfast for us. I especially enjoyed their signature fruit frappe drink, and the blue corn pancakes were out of this world.
After breakfast, I walked around the grounds, and although we were here prior to spring’s full bloom, I could tell that in a few months their gardens would be producing a visual feast certainly to add to the Inn’s regal charm.
If you find yourself in Taos, New Mexico we can highly recommend Casa de las Chimeneas. Your experience will be top notch, you will feel very much at home, the breakfast is splendid, and their location, just blocks away from the Taos Plaza, which will lend itself nicely to an evening stroll through the town of Taos.
Disclosure: this delightful lodging experience was provided by Casa de las Chimeneas.
Taos, New Mexico – You know that you are in for a gastronomic delight when a restaurateur has the unmitigated chutzpah to put their dessert list as page one of their six page menu.
I mean, come on, we had decided that we weren’t going to have dessert. But then, Graham’s Grille paraded their hot New Orleans Apricot, Golden Raisin & Southern Comfort Bread Pudding served warm with home-made whipped cream right in front of my face.
While I was still hungry! With all my defenses down! Not fair!
Carol with Maître d' George Looms (left), and our waiter Thomas Kusher
It’s a beautiful Thursday, the temperature is around 70º, we just finished meandering around the central plaza in Kit Carson’s hometown of Taos, New Mexico, where we now find ourselves seated for lunch at Graham’s Grille by Leslie B. Fay.
We were referred to Graham’s Grille by our Innkeepers at Casa de las Chimeneas, and were delighted to see that they were just awarded a Diners’ Choice Award by opentable.com, and were also winners of Best of Taos, three years running.
The restaurant was abuzz with locals, and because I dragged us off the straight and narrow path having pre-ordered the bread pudding, we decided to split our lunch.
We started off with Tortilla Soup of Kit Carson’s Wife. This was turkey, garbanzo & black beans, posole, green chile, and carrots served with blue corn tortilla strips, jack cheese & avocado. It was piping hot, and out of this world.
For our main entree we shared Taos Tamale Pie. This featured two home-made green chile & jack cheese tamales, black beans, salad garnish, and avocado. I love authentic tamales, and this delightful dish was pure New Mexican cuisine at its best.
Then all of a sudden, there seemed to be a reverent hush in the room.
As we looked about to see why the sudden sense of quiet, out walked Thomas the waiter with our mammoth serving of hot New Orleans Apricot, Golden Raisin & Southern Comfort Bread Pudding served warm with home-made whipped cream.
What can I say, it was absolutely fabulous. My dear mother was pretty good at serving up bread pudding, but mom’s bread pudding was nothing like this. Sorry mom!
Our lunch was so delicious, I requested a dinner menu to see what temptations might be found. There I found Oysters Florentine, Red Trout, Chipotle Cherry Grilled Salmon, something called Cajun Big Ass Shrimp, Steaks, Prickly Pear Glazed Pork Chops, Braised Lamb Shank, Tenderloin Medallions wrapped in Applewood Bacon, as well as delightful sounding poultry and pasta dishes.
No wonder this place is garnering such attention.
If you are in Taos, New Mexico, I highly recommend that you enjoy a meal at Graham’s Grille. It’s only half a block from the central plaza, and is certain to please your inner foodie.
Oh, and don’t forget to leave room for the bread pudding.
Disclosure: this scrumptious dining experience was provided by Graham’s Grille.
Like this view? I took this photograph a few years ago, and during our upcoming trip to Sedona, I will share with you where this awesome vantage point is! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or RSS Feed and stay tuned!
Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs’ is one of the oldest natural health resorts in the country, and the only hot springs in the world with a remarkable combination of four different types of mineral waters.
Their sulfur-free (no rotten egg smell), geothermal mineral waters have flowed from a subterranean volcanic aquifer for thousands of years. Over 100,000 gallons per day come to the surface, revitalizing those who soak in the long-believed, healing waters.
These springs were found back in 1807, and in 1868 Antonio Joseph opened this historic health spa.
The Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort and Spa has recently undergone some fairly significant renovations, and has forever removed itself from being “a slightly rundown place with awesome mineral waters”.
In fact, we were kind of expecting not-so-great facilities, and were blown away when we entered the grounds. Furthermore, we were major leagued bummed that we weren’t spending a night or two here.
Besides being a great place to spend a few nights, Ojo Caliente is also a day spa. Remarkably you can spend the whole day enjoying these waters for only $16/person!
The spa also has a full range of spa treatments, historic steam baths built in 1868, a historic hotel built in 1916, as well as over thirty scrumptiously modern suites and cottages all designed to pamper your socks off.
After spending a delightful afternoon soaking in these springs, we both looked at each other and nearly simultaneously proclaimed, “we’ll be back!“.
If you are any where’s near Santa Fe, or Taos, New Mexico, you simply must come visit Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa.
Disclosure: this experience was provided by Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa.
I seem to have a set of senses that are very perceptive to the world around me.
I cry when I hear Luciano Pavarotti sing Nessun Dorma. I find myself reverently mute at the sight a beautiful sunset. I find great joy breathing in the beautiful scents that inhabit our world. I melt at the gentle touch of a scalp massage from my wife.
And… I wanted to dance atop my table at Encantado’s Terra Restaurant when I had the privilege to sample Chef Charles Dale’s regionally influenced American Cuisine.
Chef Dale was named Best New Chef in America by Food + Wine Magazine in 1995 and twice nominated for Best American Chef in the Southwest by the James Beard Foundation. And now the AAA Five Diamond Encantado Resort and Spa has landed Chef Dale to entertain the palates of foodies from all over the world.
As we entered Terra we were seated in front of a wall of glass with a glorious sunset about to unfold before eyes. I ordered a nice Bordeaux, and ran to the restaurant’s patio to capture the photograph above (click the photo for a large version).
The knowledgeable and indulging staff made us feel comfortable, and began to explain the abundant gastronomic opportunities that lie before us.
Carol w/ Chef Charles Dale
To start our journey, Carol opted for Acorn Squash Soup with caramelized apple and toasted hazelnuts, while I fixed my mind on Arugula and Hydro-Cress Salad with beats, prickly-pear dressing, Spanish Cabrales cheese, and piñon-nut clusters.
Then for the pièce de résistance, Carol settled on Agave-Glazed Tasmanian Salmon with achiote-grilled corn, mushroom-stuffed squash blossom, and a black bean “caviar” vinaigrette, while I nominated Tamale and Herb-Stuffed Saddle of Rabbit with carrot emulsion and plum sauce.
I can’t begin to explain how wonderful it is to have your palate exposed to such wonderful, and unexpected combination’s of taste, texture, and temperature. To find rabbit in my tamale, and agave-glaze on Carol’s salmon was not only unexpected, but exquisite.
If you are one who enjoys fine cuisine, and you find yourself in the Santa Fe, New Mexico area, then I simply must insist that you make the short ten-minute drive to Terra at Encantado.
Furthermore, please come back here and leave a comment about your experience.
We would love to hear about your new love affair with Terra at Encantado.
Disclosure: this experience was provided by Terra at Encantado.
The Roaming Boomers
Taos, New Mexico – When we are looking for places to lay our heads for the night, we have a few trusted resources where we begin our search.
After breakfast, I walked around the grounds, and although we were here prior to spring’s full bloom, I could tell that in a few months their gardens would be producing a visual feast certainly to add to the Inn’s regal charm.
