I tried the new Double AA Grill, that has now been open about 2 weeks, last night; fully expecting to dislike it because of the atmosphere. But I, in fact, liked the restaurant a lot; it is a worthy addition to the Santa Fe dining scene. The food is absolutely first rate. Located on Montezuma and Sandoval streets, it is an old warehouse into which a big bundle of $$$ was dropped to decorate it in a very flashy Western motif. Or Cowboy Chic. The atmosphere is very much like Coyote Cafe; a place to see and be seen, a place for the movers & shakers to go; a place where the Hollywood stars & celebrities, doing their Santa Fe thing, will have to go. And the staff seems to reflect that attitude; very little warmth and "real people" character. Sort of indifferent & uncaring:"This is Double AA and not everybody can eat here". The service is correct, efficient, and perfunctory. They just don't act like they're glad that you chose to eat there. The prices are very much on the high end, probably they and Coyote are the most expensive in Santa Fe. Surprisingly, the wines (a very nicely done selection) are not a rip-off as they tend to be in these kinds of places, appearing to be about twice retail. But the food is absolute knock-out. It can best be described as Western Grill/Upscale Cowboy food. I had Coffee-Rubbed quail (2 of those little suckers)on a bed of Toasted Grits (sure tasted like polenta to me) with wild mushrooms. Cost was $19. My friends has Spaghtenni w/ olives, capers, fresh tomatoes ($14) and penne with buffalo sausage ($15). The bread was homemade & delicious. I had a roasted garlic & pinto bean soup ($5), about a cup's worth served in a huge flat bowl. The desserts were killer. We shared an Iron Skillet Apple Dumpling and a Sweet Potatoe Shortcake, both with different home made ice creams. The entree portions were a bit on the small side, the desserts huge. So, I would give the Double AA an unqualified strong endorsement for the food, when you're looking for a splurge outing in Santa Fe. I'll probably treat it like the Coyote Cafe: I'll go there once or twice a year, just to see what they're doing, but I'll go to one of the many other restaurants in Santa Fe where they are genuinely glad that you chose to dine with them. Tom Hill From [email removed] Sun Aug 6 19:18:45 EDT 1995 Article: 18198 of rec.food.restaurants
Santa Fe, NM