La Mancha at the Galisteo Inn, Santa Fe, Food
for Thought
La Mancha has quickly established itself as one
of New Mexico's premiere restaurants. Recently
named by Conde Nast Traveller as one of the nation's
26 "Hot Tables", La Mancha Restaurant
And Bar is set within the elegant and rustic environs
of The Galisteo Inn, the renowned boutique hotel
located in the picturesque Santa Fe County village
of Galisteo. When celebrated chef Enrique Guerrero
arrived at La Mancha, he not only brought with
him a revered reputation and a wealth of experience,
gained in some of the country's finest restaurants,
he brought a distinctive style of cuisine he calls
"Nuevo Hacienda." The name is in part
inspired by La Mancha's location. "This used
to be a hacienda back in the day," explains
Enrique of the building that dates back to 1703,
"and we try to infuse some of the flavors;
a little bit of everything, French and Spanish,
Mexican and New Mexican flavors."
The
blend is clearly working and proving popular with
customers and critics alike, with Bon Appetite
magazine declaring La Mancha amongst the "Ten
of our favorite dining spots in vacation destinations
around the country." It's the kind of accolade
Enrique has worked hard for, but one that he knows
he couldn't achieve on his own. "Without
everyone who's behind me, we wouldn't be getting
that kind of review. It's not just me, it's everybody
else. Of course that makes us very happy."
The menu at La Mancha changes frequently so, in
addition to the regular favorites, it gives Enrique
the opportunity to experiment. "We like to
play with new items. The other week we had white
summer truffles and we were playing with that
and came up with a pretty cool menu."
Another
popular item on the menu is Pepita Encrusted New
Mexican Goat Cheese. "That's one of our main
appetizers. It's becoming one of our signature
dishes. It's served with a Morita, a kind of chile
like chipotle." In addition to such exotic
dishes as The Galisteo Jackolope Pot Pie and Ranchito
Roasted Figs, La Mancha offers a distinctive bocavillos
menu which Conde Naste Traveller declared "has
already proved a hit with the locals - Gucci-clad
or otherwise."
Enrique's illustrious career, which was inspired
by "The memories of the food that I used
to eat in Mexico in my childhood," in particular
his grandmother's cooking, includes four years
as the personal chef to the Mexican president.
It was an experience that taught him to, "Have
a very good discipline in what you like to do."
The
pairing of Enrique's flair with The Galisteo Inn's
historical charm has combined to truly put La
Mancha on the culinary map. The enchanting and
romantic setting is perfect for every occasion
and has fulfilled Enrique's vision for the restaurant.
"La Mancha is located in a very old, unique
building. We are trying to make La Mancha be that
kind of place, a unique restaurant with a classic
environment that makes all our customers feel
like there is some kind of oasis, where the food,
wine and service are the attraction." Not
content to dwell on his success, Enrique is always
looking to the future. When asked what ambitions
he still harbors for La Mancha, he says, "To
try and exceed customers expectations." With
its growing reputation, that might be hard, but
there's only one way to find out.
For more information, contact:
Sarah Robarts
Ballantines PR
London/Los Angeles
LA office:
Tel: 310 454 3080
Cell: 310 570 7355
Fax: 310 388 6027
http://www.ballantinespr.com/Galisteo/index.html
