Some restaurants–especially those with extremely diverse menus–defy categorization. Food writers usually lump them into the category of “American” restaurants in that American cuisine is a veritable hodgepodge of cuisines from throughout the world. We weren’t sure what to expect during our first visit to Anthony’s Grill in Santa Fe. We read that Anthony’s specializes in “Asian fusion” with stir-fry dishes that could be Japanese or Chinese depending on the sauce. We also learned that Anthony’s offers some of the very best fried chicken and fried catfish in the Land of Enchantment. So, is Anthony’s an Asian fusion restaurant or is it a Southern restaurant? Is it both? Does it reallly matter?
What does matter about Anthony’s is that this relatively small restaurant serves some of the most delicious food we’ve enjoyed in the City Different. Specifically (and for me, this is significant) I delighted in the very best catfish and hush puppies I’ve had since leaving Mississippi in 1995. Yes, catfish, that bottom-feeding, mud-dwelling fish that very few (if any) restaurants in New Mexico seem incapable of preparing well. I’ve often analogized that the catfish at New Mexico’s restaurants as “coated in sawdust” and as “desiccated as a mummy’s dandruff.” If you’re of the mind that Mississippi ranks at the bottom of the barrel (where it rates comparably to New Mexico) in most quality of life categories, you don’t know catfish. More later…
Anthony’s is tucked away in a Lilliputian space within the St. Michael’s Village West Shopping Center. Among its neighbors are the Santa Fe Bite (and believe me, it’s a Herculean challenge not to go there when in the neighborhood). Seating is mostly on two-top tables though there is some bench seating for larger crowds. We witnessed a significant amount of take-out activity during our inaugural visit. Placards with pithy aphorisms festoon the walls as do several guitars. Blues music is piped throughout the restaurant. Apparently that music motivates guests to donate guitars.
The restaurant is named for James Anthony Moore, a towering figure with more energy than an F5 tornado. Anthony is a genial guy with a great sense of humor. He even laughed when I asked about his “ugly cap” which sported the San Francisco 49ers logo. He was nice enough to commiserate with me about the Dallas Cowboys recent woes. When I waxed poetic about the catfish, he beamed that he brings it in from Mississippi. Smart man! Anthony is an Oklahoma transplant who relocated to Santa Fe to work as a supervisor for Hayashi Japanese Steakhouse. When Hayashi temporarily closed following public health orders during the Cabrona virus, Anthony launched his eponymous restauran
In a sense, Anthony’s Grill took its inspiration from Hayashi though instead of a sizeable sit-down and more costly operation, it’s designed as a take-out and delivery concept with affordability in mind. That was just what was needed during the dark days of the Cabrona virus. Much of the menu is gluten-free (save for the fried foods) and does not contain MSG. Essentially, this gives customers a chance to build their own “Mongolian-style stir-fry” without deleterious chemicals. Anthony’s menu offers over 100 different possibilities across protein and vegetable choices such as beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, tofu, squash, baby corn and bean sprouts. Choosing from among Anthony’s ten different sauces (temptingly positioned on the counter and available for sale), and you’ll be planning future visits.
Unlike me (who fixated on the catfish), most newcomers will peruse the menu. It’s an ambitious menu replete with something for everyone. Visit Anthony’s website and you’ll find the restaurant’s offerings categorized into three areas: Delicious Meats, Fresh Vegetables and Tasty Sauces. Within each area is a number of options for that build-your-own adventure. “Anthony’s Fried and Platters” would be an outlier (or maybe antithetical to the more healthy food) at any other restaurant, but the fried stuff is outstanding. It wouldn’t be Anthony’s without fried catfish and fried chicken not to mention fried oxtail, orange chicken and fried shrimp.
With all that’s been said and written (mostly bad) about Mississippi and its bottom-dwelling ranking on most quality of life metrics, you might be surprised to learn that Mississippi is the top state for catfish production in the U.S. With more than 33,000 acres of catfish ponds, Mississippi supplies the vast majority (65%) of the nation’s farm-raised catfish. In 2023, 322 million pounds of catfish were processed in the southeast United States. That’s just about how much catfish tonnage I ate myself during our eight years on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Catfish is my favorite fish (to eat, not to look at), not that it’s good enough to make a full-blown pescatorian out of me.
At Anthony’s, the fried catfish and hushpuppies platter with one side is a “Gil’s highest recommended” entree. If you’ve never before had great fried catfish, what you can rest assured Anthony’s catfish has all the attributes of truly exceptional catfish. Contrary to some opinion, its flavor is not muddy or gamey. In fact, it’s mildly sweet and just slightly earthy. Its texture is moist, flaky and firm with a crispy, crunchy cornmeal coating. Anthony’s hot sauce goes extremely well with catfish. Hushpuppies provide a true Southern experience. These are superb. About the size of a “donut hole,” they’re equally sweet and savory. Again, the hot sauce goes very well with hushpuppies. My side of choice was onion rings. The onions are sweet, the crust thin and peppery.
Much as my Kim loves Mongolian barbecue stir-fry meals, her favorite meal in the world is fried chicken. Among Anthony’s fried platters is a two piece chicken (leg and thigh) with one side (French fries, fried okra, steamed brown rice, fried rice, lo mein, rice noodles). The fried chicken is superb. It’s cooked to order, a fifteen-minute process that would test Job’s patience once its aromas waft into the dining room. The thigh is juicy, tender and very meaty with each morsel being absolutely delicious. A discernible crunch accompanies every bite of the crispy coating. My Kim’s chosen side (as is usually the case with Southern food) is fried okra. Anthony’s version is among the best we’ve had outside the Deep South. This platter comes with two slices of thick Texas toast.
Anthony’s has a number of unique desserts including a novelty you won’t find elsewhere. That would be apple egg rolls and cherry egg rolls. Both are sprinkled with cinnamon and both are served two to an order. The apple egg rolls comes with a thin caramel sauce. What could possibly be better than apple egg rolls and caramel? One word of warning–these egg rolls are hot. You might not notice when you pick one up, but be careful when you bite into one. It’s reminiscent of the McDonald’s apple pie of yesteryear which was one degree cooler than the planet Venus. Let it cool a bit and you should enjoy it immensely.
Not surprisingly my Kim’s choice was the cherry egg rolls. She loves cherry pie and cherry strudel. The cherries have a discernible tang to go and contrast with the sweetness of the cinnamon. Interestingly, you can also find these dessert egg rolls on the appetizer menu. As with so many of the items on Anthony’s menu, the egg rolls are prepared to order. They arrive at your table piping hot and just beckoning for you to bite into them (keep my caution in mind).
We look forward to trying much more of Anthony’s menu…if I can pry myself away from that catfish. Seriously, it’s Mississipi good and that means it’s the best!
Anthony’s Grill
1622 St. Michaels Drive
Santa Fe, New Mexico
(505) 365-2932
Website | Facebook Page
LATEST VISIT: 29 August 2025
# OF VISITS: 1
RATING: N/R
COST: $$
BEST BET: Catfish and Hush Puppies, Fried Chicken, Fried Okra, Cherry Egg Rolls, Apple Egg Rolls with Caramel Sauce
REVIEW #1845