Santa Fe

Santa Fe Restaurant Review:

Decent Mexican food in upstate New York? Surprisingly, yes! Santa Fe, in the tiny town of Tivoli, is a hot local spot near Bard College. Located in an old house on the main street across from the Lost Sock Launderette, Santa Fe is appropriately Southwestern with pumpkin- and cranberry-colored walls covered with rugs, an enormous colorful painting and, of course, the requisite hand-carved folk-art howling coyote. The high ceilings give it, and you, a sense of space and the lively music provides an upbeat energy; so do the waitstaff. Everything is fresh and handmade. The basic dishes are good; traditional quesadillas stand up well. We go for the enchiladas tipico---nice slices of grilled chicken with cheddar, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and feta, certainly not typical. The true test of any Mexican restaurant is flan, and this homemade version gets an A. However, you may want to try the coconut Almond Joy ice cream or plum sorbet for an unusual ending to a Mexican meal.