I’m sure that this will become apparent over time, but I love Mexican food. It was the first cuisine that I latched on to when I started my vegetarian quest and I have never let it go. Sante Fe Wilmington is an upscale Mexican restaurant – I have been there three times in the year that it has been open and am very pleased with it. The owners also have a location in Newark (downtown, in college central), but I in my opinion, the Wilmington restaurant has a better atmosphere and better food (though it’s understandable because they are catering to a different crowd in Newark). Each time that I have visited, the waitstaff and bartenders have been very nice and attentive. The food has been good and the wait is not long. I have noticed on the times that I have been there that there were not a lot of people, but hopefully it’s just the times that I have gone.
My first visit to the Wilmington location was for their soft opening. The portions were small, but good. I had the Chile Relleno because it was the only vegetarian option at that time. It was good, though, and I think that I’ll get it again the future. The only complaint that my group had was about the drinks, but they have gotten much better since then! I’m not a regular margarita fan, but I do like their Mango Margarita. I also had the Sangrita, but would stick with a flavored Margarita in the future.
The other two times I went to the restaurant provided a better judgment into the quality and quantity of food. They serve the standard chips and salsa to start, but also have the options to add cheese or guacamole (homemade). The vegetarian portion of the menu has expanded drastically and everything looks so good. I have had the Veggie Quesadilla and the Vegetable Fajita Burrito. The Quesadilla was pretty tasty with lots of cheese. There were not a ton of vegetables, but I guess that’s a good thing because it held together well. The Burrito is a huge portion (probably 3-4 times a normal sized burrito) with lots of rice in the filling. There are not too many black beans, but there is a tastay fajita seasoning on vegetables. The sauce on top has some spice, but I would in no way consider this a spicy menu option. I may get it again, but would probably opt for the Quesadilla or Chile Relleno (or try one of the THREE other options that I have). Last week when I went, my fiancé and I got dessert. We tried the Empanadas de Manzana – Mexican apple turnovers, vanilla bean ice cream, tequila caramel sauce. I am not a fan of cinnamon or caramel, but I took one for the team since my fiancé loves that stuff (plus I gave up chocolate for Lent) – the pastry was good, and he liked it a lot, so no complaints.
I definitely recommend trying out Santa Fe!
**Update June 2012**
I think I finally
found my food of choice at Santa Fe Wilmington, the vegetarian fajitas. I
have had them twice in the past few months and find them fairly
delicious. I order them without the tortillas – I would rather focus on
the good stuff! The pepper strips, zucchini, and onions are perfectly
seasoned. They are served with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and
guacamole. I definitely recommend trying the guac (also for an appetizer,
if you have enough people to help out). Now, I am not someone who likes
avocados (in fact, I pretty much detest them), but this guacamole is
amazing! When ordered as an appetizer, they bring around a little cart
and make it right in front of you. It’s delicious! I love the creaminess
of the dip, and the mix it with tomatoes and some other veggies – I think that
helps alleviate some of the avocado flavor for me. I also tried their
queso dip – not as spicy as their salsa, but still a bit of a kick. One
of the best queso dips that I have had a Mexican restaurant – very
cheesy. Yummy!
