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JOSEPH'S TABLE MAKES IT SPECIAL
by Anne Hillerman
The Albuquerque Journal
Albuquerque, NM
December 9, 2005
Venue, Page S6
Ask people who enjoy good food - and don't mind paying top dollar - for their favorite restaurants in northern New Mexico and Joseph's Table in Taos always makes the list of culinary treasures. I had it on my "must eat there" list and, last weekend, I finally found a chance to try it. Yes indeed, it was wonderful.
Three things make Joseph's Table special: the offbeat look and feel of the dining room and bar area, the friendly, sophisticated service and, best of all, the interesting and diverse menu with beautiful presentations and creative combinations of luscious ingredients.
Joseph's Table sits inside La Fonda Hotel on the Taos Plaza. Although charming from the outside, the hotel lobby has seen better days. Never mind. Keep on walking to Joseph's. To the right, up a few steps, is the dining room. To the left sits the Butterfly Bar with brighter lights and a more casual menu (you can also order the bar menu from the dining room.) Both areas were busy last Saturday night, the clients mostly locals. We spotted one of Taos' celebrities in the bar, an understated and relaxed-looking Julia Roberts.
In addition to traditional tables, Joseph's has what our waiter, Carlos, called "love shacks": alcoves with cushions on the floor and curtains diners can close at their discretion. The walls dance with New Mexico flowers painted larger than life. Flickering candles and soft lighting add to the charm, and contrast to the brighter lights of the bar area, the second half of the large room.
The dinner menu changes nightly and the night of our visit offered a vegetarian squash and almond tart, wild salmon, quail, buffalo, beef tenderloin and elk as entrees. Add four salads (three of them warm) and five appetizers and you have the basic outline. (The bar menu remains constant until the chef's next inspiration.) The food is pricey = entrees cost between $18 and $35 - but most of the items my dinner guests and I sampled were well worth the cost.
DISH TO REMEMBER
Of everything we ordered, my personal favorite was the marlin sashimi ($14), one of the most memorable dishes I've ever eaten anywhere. What a surprise to discover a magnificent fish dish so far from saltwater. The kitchen cut the mild, buttery, fresh marlin into a wide white ribbon, so thin it was translucent, then draped it over kale leaves fried as crisp at potato chips. Then came a drizzle of orange/soy dressing and wedges of blood orange, tangerine and grapefruit. Elegant, different and beautiful, the sashimi had my taste buds standing at attention.
The other highlight of the evening was the elk ($35). The tenderloin, a lean and flavorful portion that seemed larger than the eight ounces advertised, arrived lightly coated in crushed peppercorns. The menu matched it with a striking Madeira sauce laced with several varieties of mushrooms and a generous serving of creamy, rich mashed potatoes. The tender meat, served rare and pink as the chef recommended, went perfectly with the deep red sauce. On cold nights calling for ample meals, this dish stands as close to flawless, especially for someone craving hearty fare.
We started with steak tartar served with a shirred (baked) quail egg and graceful little dabs of fennel and mustard to mix in for extra zest. The meat arrived inside a crisp pastry spiral that reminded me of a slightly sweet cracker, and came with micro beet greens on top and some petite pickles on the side. Like the marlin, it looked as lovely as it tasted ($14).
The three of us shared the Tuscan fried shrimp, a more conventional dish of five sautˇed shrimp with fresh herbs presented on a large piece of grilled bread. The bread soaked up the olive oil and the tender shrimp had a classic, simple flavor ($14). The tossed salad here ($7) is anything but ordinary. Mixed greens, tart crisp green apple slices, and an assortment of nuts laid on with a gentle hand are tossed with light tarragon vinaigrette and then partly hidden beneath a small cloud of grated manchego cheese.
We also tried the green chile lamb stew ($8) from the bar menu. It was tasty with an ample percentage of lamb among the carrots and potatoes and enough green chile to let you know you're not in Detroit.
TO FINISH IT OFF
Of the two desserts we ordered, the warm chocolate Ranchos bistro cake with vanilla ice cream got the biggest thumbs up. The justsweet-enough homemade ice cream melted from the cake's warmth to add its rich mellowness to the chocolate base. The cake itself was moist, packed with chocolate goodness, but light at the same time. Yumm ($12).
Our dinner for three was $120.41 without drinks, before tip.
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Phone 575-751-4512, or e-mail info@josephstable.com for more information.
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