Steve L.
Yelp
I tried Cottonwood on the Greens for the first time this weekend, first for brunch, and again for dinner. After many ho-hum experiences at the Pajarito Brewpub, Cottonwood's sister establishment run by the same people, I was prepared to be underwhelmed. But I have to admit, this was really very good.
For Sunday brunch, I had a garden salad followed by Eggs Benedict, which they make using smoked duck rather than the more typical ham or Canadian bacon. The salad was quite good, and rather large, prepared with better than average ingredients. The eggs Benedict was also quite good, though I'm not sure the duck is worth the expense (the flavor is pretty much lost under the Hollandaise and the rest of the Benedict preparation). The home fried potatoes on the side were good and not too greasy. My only complaint is that the salad and the entrée arrived simultaneously (a pet peeve of mine), forcing me to choose between setting the salad aside for later or eating my main dish cold, not to mention creating considerable awkwardness with two oversized plates on an undersized table. Overall, I'd rate this as a good meal, if a bit overpriced ($24, not including tip, for the salad, the eggs, and a simple cup of coffee).
Dinner was much more impressive. I started with the Caprese salad, which was good, though not great, and would have been better had I discovered, before nearly finishing the tomatoes and mozzarella, that one of the key ingredients that seemed to be missing, fresh basil, was hidden under a large pile of other greens. A bit overpriced at $15 for a small helping of cheese and tomatoes (good tomatoes, though), combined with said large pile of mixed greens, but overall pretty good.
On the other hand, my entrée, the Goat Cheese Ravioli with Duck Confit, was simply superb. One of the least expensive items on the menu at $25, it was probably the best ravioli dish I've had anywhere in years. The ravioli itself, the nicely seasoned duck, and the delicious tomatoes made a wonderful combination. The portion size was quite generous, large enough to satisfy a big appetite. I topped the meal off with the vanilla bean crème brulee, which was also excellent. My only complaints are with the service, which was slow and inattentive, despite there being only two or three other occupied tables and at least as many waiters on duty, and with the prices, which verge on the ridiculous (I wonder how many takers they've had so far on that $55 New York steak).
Overall, though, if I had been served this meal at one of the better restaurants in Santa Fe, at a similar price ($50 for everything, no drinks except for iced tea, and not including tip -- but this, as I mentioned, was for one of the cheaper entrees), I'd have been fairly satisfied. For Los Alamos, the quality of the entree was pretty amazing. I just hope they can hold onto this chef, who, based on the ravioli dish and dessert, clearly knows his stuff (unlike the creator of the questionable concoctions at the Brewpub). I'll add that it's very nice to have a dining option that's open late Sunday night (truly rare in Los Alamos). Hope they can keep it up and not let the quality slip. I'll be back to try again, and will update based on other dishes (I hope the ravioli is the rule rather than the exception!).