La Choza - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Every time that I come to Santa Fe, the first place that I want to eat at is La Choza.  La Choza is where the locals go for great New Mexican dishes inspired by the local cooking style.  The food at La Choza is always excellent.  The challenge with La Choza is that you either have to arrive right after they open or know that you will need to wait for a table because it is so popular.

I have tried a variety of the dishes on the menu to ensure I have had a comprehensive sampling of their dishes, but my go-to favorite is the delicious but straightforward stacked enchiladas.  Stacked enchiladas are definitely a local style, unique to New Mexico cuisine.  It is two tortillas with cheese and onion inside and smothered in green chile and more cheese. It is heated until the cheese is fully melted.  It is also quite common to get an over-easy egg on top, which is the icing on the cake.

Choza offers the common sides of rice and beans, but an item that seems to be another New Mexico favorite is posole.  I always ask the waiter for double posole, no beans because I like it so much.  It is cooked with pieces of pork low and slow so that everything is tender and delicious.  Be sure to try the posole if it is your first time.

The meal is served with sopapillas, one for each person, and honey.  You can eat the sopapilla to help tame the heat of the chile or save it for dessert.  We usually reserve ours until we are done eating and eat it as dessert.

The portion sizes at La Choza are generous, and we always leave feeling we are right on the verge of overeating but are always glad that we have enjoyed another excellent meal. 

If you are looking for an appetizer, the chips with guacamole and salsa are always a good starter.  The chips are freshly cooked and fabulous, while the salsa is spicy and the guacamole excellent.  The salsa and guacamole portions will seem a little small when they are set down at the table, but it is just right for the size of the basket of chips.  Remember that you have a tasty meal coming; save some room.

There are also a couple of exciting soups at La Choza.  This last time, I had a cup of mushroom soup, a broth-based soup with lots of delicious mushrooms.  It was served with garlic bread and was a treat before the meal.  La Choza also offers a green chile clam chowder that I have eaten before and enjoyed.

La Choza also offers a nice selection of drinks, including a wide variety of Margaritas.  I always get a Margarita here, while the ladies in my family like to share a carafe of the Sangria.  Be sure to explore the drink menu if you like to enjoy a drink with your meal.

If I had to recommend one place to make sure you eat in Santa Fe, it would be La Choza.