Alex De Vore
Everybody loves chef David Sellers, and you know what? They should. With a pedigree including Santacafé, the sadly long-closed Amavi and the Street Food Institute—which, as it happens, won the Reigning Chomp award at Edible New Mexico’s 2021 Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown—it makes sense, and with his new spot, Horno Restaurant (95 W Marcy St., (505) 310-1065), he continues his mission of bringing good food to Santa Fe, albeit with a few stumbles during a recent Friday night meal.
If you somehow hadn’t heard, Horno took over the space once occupied by chef Matt Yohalem’s Il Piatto last summer. That place was legendary, indeed, but a new atmosphere and aesthetic from Sellers and crew highlights some of its more dated aspects. For starters, Horno embraces minimalism with blonde hardwood floors and simple white walls. Il Piatto could feel a bit dark, whereas renovations to the space make stepping inside feel immeasurably lighter, both in style and vibe.
And that auspicious start was not where the good feeling ended by a long shot. Service at Horno is among the best in Santa Fe right now, including pre-pandemic, and not only was our server warm and accommodating, she never hovered or lingered. Rather, she gracefully answered a barrage of questions about starters and entrees: Is there a way to get both the pork and shrimp and veggie dumplings in one order? There is, and she kindly had the kitchen split them for a sneaky mid-course dish. Is the focaccia any good? It is. And fresh. Is Horno serving the same burger as the one with which Sellers won the Smackdown? Yes, that’s the same one, as a matter of fact, it even has the word “Smackdown” right in the dish title.
With such courteous service dwindling among restaurants (which doesn’t bother me, frankly, because no one is worse than people who go out to eat, and that we ever receive the slightest kindness from servers is both miraculous and a testament to some people’s patience), this was a nice touch, particularly since the bulk of the menu, a combination of pan-Asian, Mediterranean and American offerings including smoked chicken wings ($15), meatballs ($9) and salads ($8-$12), is slightly more affordable than the fine -dining-like service we received.
Alex De Vore
We began with the tuna tartare ($16), a sushi grade raw yellow fin served atop a fried black pepper risotto cake that was so full of taste and structural integrity that we almost thought it was some kind of massive tater tot. Far more flavorful than that admittedly excellent freezer-bound snack, the crispy and hot elements of the risotto worked in superb counterbalance to the refreshingly cold fish. Eaten in tandem with fresh focaccia ($4) and olive oil, it was stunning, and would have made an excellent light summer meal before a night of bacchanalian insanity; eaten to savor during a nice meal with a bud worked just as well, too, and one can only hope this remains a mainstay on Sellers’ menu.
We followed ths dish with the aforementioned dumplings ($19) served in a sweet lemongrass and coconut kaffir broth with bok choy and chile oil. Slurping away was a true pleasure, as was finding shiitake mushrooms in the broth. Again, this could have been a meal unto itself, and it was easily the highpoint of the experience.
We rounded out the savory dish portion of the night with the Smackdown burger featuring bacon and onion in the patty, plus cheddar, green chile and a so-called secret sauce and served on a brioche bun that, according to our server, hails from the Chocolate Maven. We also ordered the Icelandic cod sandwich with jalapeño tartar sauce, served on the same bun. As a cold sandwich conveyance, this would be exactly the bun you want, but in regards to its handling hot beef and lightly fried fish, it didn’t hold up. The burger, while heavy on flavor according to my companion, was also wet and structurally loose, which ultimately led to it falling apart, bun included. The cod sandwich felt wet as well, and not nearly crispy enough where it needed to be. Think of its concept like a high-quality Fillet O’ Fish from McDonald’s (the comparison ends only at concept, mind you) and you might know what to expect, though the jalapeño tartar was anything but spicy. A misstep, yes, but do note that the quality and spice content of peppers is, as always, in flux—Sellers can’t be expected to account for a moving spice target any time he sets out to make a sauce, and it still had a nice flavor despite the lack of kick; if only the fish had been cooked even 45 seconds longer.
We closed out the night with the vegan chocolate tahini torte served under merengue cookies with a strawberry coulis and almond caramel, and a tres leches parfait, also with the strawberry coulis and fresh strawberry slices, served charmingly in a Mason jar ($10 each). Both were prime examples of a well-considered dessert menu, particularly the torte and its cookies, which, again according to our phenom server, were made with avocado and garbanzo flour rather than egg whites. Excuse me, but that is brilliant, and the mouthfeel of vegan merengue fizzling away next to a thick and velvety chocolate torte is unforgettable.
As is much of what went down at Horno. As it nears the one-year mark and all your friends prattle on endlessly about its prowess, one can tell it has staying power and even better things are likely in store once it settles in. Some items—like the $36 filet mignon or the $22 squid ink cappellini—will likely fall under the splurge category for many diners these days, though the world absolutely needs restaurants like this...kind of like how you absolutely need to try those dumplings and that tuna tartare.
