Joy Godfrey
Langos, Slovakian street food fried bread with garlic butter, arugula, tomato confit and warm burrata
>> READ MORE: 2019-2020 Restaurant Guide >>
Dolina is chef/owner Annamaria O'Brien's ode to the culinary riches of her homeland, Slovakia, where the food was fresh and plentiful, vegetables plucked from her grandmother's garden, and animals raised by hand. Organic ingredients dominate, with the bulk of Dolina's produce grown specifically for the restaurant on a friend's farm. This straightforward approach of simplifying ingredients to focus on freshness and flavor is evident in every dish on the menu. Lighter fare ranges from airy ricotta pancakes ($11) with berries and, of course, real maple syrup, to a spirit-pleasing bone broth morning soup ($10.50). More substantial dishes on the menu include fried chicken and waffles ($12.50), and a breakfast burrito ($8.50), the gluten-free version creatively offered in a jar. Some of Dolina's most delightful dishes boast Eastern European influences. There's savory, satisfying, paprikash ($15) topped with freshly baked dumplings, and langos ($13), a traditional Slovakian street food and the kin of fry bread. Borscht ($11.50) even makes an appearance, made even earthier with the addition of potatoes, sauerkraut, hard-boiled egg and herbed yogurt. Since you're likely to have a trek to wherever you parked your car (the location's parking issues are legendary), be sure to stop at the fresh case on your way out and partake of the beautiful baked goods to keep you company. I satisfied myself with Mexican wedding cookies ($1.50 each), a slice of summer Bavarian cake ($6) and banana cream pie ($6). Obviously, I had a long walk.
402 N Guadalupe St., 982-9394
Breakfast and lunch daily
dolinasantafe.com
