With time, the cuisine offered in Santa Fe has expanded and become more sophisticated. Those of us who are frequent visitors of the skyscrapers zone can visit high-end restaurants, such as Au Pied de Cochon, The Palm, and Shu, or enjoy dishes from renowned chefs, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten at Market Kitchen, and Richard Sandoval at Toro. Bruno Oteiza has now joined the list of famous chefs located in Santa Fe, with the opening of Wine & Roses.
Chef Oteiza, known as a partner of Biko restaurant on Masaryk, has ventured into this new project. It would be wrong of me to call Wine & Roses a restaurant, as this area offers much more. From a gourmet store and signature kitchen, to a wine lounge and tobacco shop. These are some of the things you will find upon entering this enormous space that measures 1,195 square yards!
My jaw dropped as a stepped inside, for the magnitude and sophistication of this site; double-height ceilings, gray and red lounges where to enjoy a good glass of wine, a vast outdoor terrace with wooden tables and a great bar, and other more private areas with sofas and small fire pits to be enjoyed even in cold weather. Wine & Roses is perfect for wine lovers and sybarites alike who seek a modern and sophisticated location that provides a five-star experience.
Let’s start with the wine, one of the things I enjoyed the most from Wine & Roses was its huge selection of wines by the glass. Its lounge holds 12 dispensers holding four bottles each. These dispense three distinct measures, taste for a two-sip wine tasting, half a glass, and full glass. Waiters can help you access these machines or, if you are a wine lover, purchase a card with a pre-established amount of money and visit frequently to taste its more than 50 per glass labels with varieties from Mexico, France, Spain, Italy, and more. It is worth noting that gift cards are also available, you’ll no longer have to drive yourself mad to choose what to buy for your sybarite friend!
If someone in your party is not such a huge wine lover, don’t worry! The bar offers world-class cocktails with the signature supreme care for details and distinctive balance of Mica Rousseau, bartender of Four Seasons Mexico City. Each of his creations merge his French roots with his love for Mexican trends, thus creating unique blends, such as Tea Time with Ketel One, white vermouth, St. Germain, hibiscus coulis and jasmine tea.
Let’s focus on the menu. Chef Oteiza achieves the perfect fusion of Spanish and Mexican cuisine, combining new cuisine trends with a wink of the classics to create unique flavors. Don’t forget to ask about the daily specials; on my visit I tried raw tuna with mango and soy caviar, spectacular! Standing out in the menu are the mango ravioli with foie mousse, caramel, and tomato vinaigrette; the habanero cream served with peasant bread, lemon butter, and potato chips; the vegetable and northern red snapper salad with mango, mint, cilantro, and kimchi vinaigrette; and the short ribs with coffee and almonds served on a bed of creamy potatoes, carrots, and asparagus. For dessert, I suggest the apple pie with candied pecans and mescal syrup.
In the wine options, you’ll find an entire array of prices for all kinds of budgets and preferences, they all complement the cuisine’s choices, which also offer reasonably-priced dishes.
Before you leave, don’t forget to stroll by the store, where you’ll find gourmet items and exclusive gifts, such as recipe books, wines, kitchen accessories, coffee, macarons, and much more.
