{"id":65754,"date":"2024-01-31T00:02:32","date_gmt":"2024-01-31T06:02:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=65754"},"modified":"2026-04-05T21:10:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T03:10:11","slug":"dolina-santa-fe-new-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=65754","title":{"rendered":"Dolina – Santa Fe, New Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dolina Cafe & Bakery in Santa Fe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For my dad, a professional educator for thirty years, it wasn’t enough that his children learned how to spell cat, dog and all the other traditional first words kids learn to spell in school.\u00a0 He taught us how to spell Czechoslovakia, rhinoceros, aesthetic and other multisyllabic words.\u00a0 He also taught us what those words meant.\u00a0 Being kids, we giggled when he taught us about Lake Titicaca in the Andes of Bolivia, but marveled at its size and altitude.\u00a0 Because of his teaching, one of my sisters could (at age seven) recite the alphabet backwards as quickly as most people can recite it forward.\u00a0 Two of my sisters were double-promoted and both finished high school as valedictorians.<\/p>\n

My dad didn’t teach his precocious brood so we could show off in school, but to inculcate a love of learning.\u00a0 It’s served the six of us very well.\u00a0 Every one of my brothers and sisters has been highly successful in their chosen professions and in life (I’m the family dunce).\u00a0 \u00a0You might think learning about Czechoslovakia didn’t have any value, but it gave me a lifetime of curiosity about other nations and cultures.\u00a0 It’s a curiosity that extends to the cuisine of exotic nations.\u00a0 I’ve never been afraid to try anything and have generally found most foods far more than palatable.\u00a0 In every way, my dad sired the NM Gastronome.<\/p>\n

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Dolina’s Small and Cozy Dining Room<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sadly, my dad’s travels weren’t relaxing sojourns.\u00a0 Nor did he see all the sights in their resplendent glory despite nearly four years in Europe\u00a0 He didn’t share much about his travels, but we were to learn some of his destinations included France, Luxembourg and Germany.\u00a0 Instead of dining on fine cuisine and enjoying great wines, during his travels he was eating cold “K-Rations.<\/strong><\/a>”\u00a0 \u00a0Instead of enjoying castles along the Rhine, he was helping liberate Buchenwald<\/strong><\/a> where unimaginable acts of man’s brutality to man were perpetrated.\u00a0 \u00a0He never did visit Czechoslovakia, the nation he taught his children to spell.<\/p>\n

Though my Kim and I lived in England, we didn’t get to Czechoslovakia–now split into two states: \u00a0Czechia and Slovakia.\u00a0 \u00a0Nor did we partake of Slovak delicacies.\u00a0 England, at the time, didn’t offer much culinary diversity save for kebabs, chicken tika masala and Chinese take-out.\u00a0 Frankly, save for a few large metropolitan areas (such as my Kim’s birthplace of Chicago), you won’t find many Slovak restaurants across the fruited plain either.\u00a0 In the summer of 2017, Santa Fe became one of relatively few cities which could boast of a Slovak restaurant…and what a restaurant it is!<\/p>\n

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Baked Goods and Pastries<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Within two years after its launch, Dolina earned “Best Cafe, Santa Fe” recognition from Edible Santa Fe<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 That recognition was a precursor to national acknowledgement it would earn just five years later.\u00a0 Dolina (Slovak for “Valley”) is a fabulous Lilliputian eatery creating huge flavors with a menu unlike that of any other Santa Fe restaurant.\u00a0 \u00a0Also unlike much of its brethren in the City Different, Dolina won’t empty your wallet.\u00a0 Any sticker shock you’ll experience is because you might expect to pay much more for cuisine of this caliber.\u00a0 Santa Fe has embraced Eastern European cuisine with the same gusto and enthusiasm with which it celebrates Zozobra<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

In 2024, a panel of esteemed judges selected Annamaria Brezna O’Brien as a semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard “Best Chef – Southwest” award<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 Often equated to the “Academy Awards for Food,” James Beard awards are the highest American honor a chef and restaurant can receive.\u00a0 This exclusive honor is awarded solely to those \u00a0“who are creating exceptional food, food media content and better food systems, while demonstrating a commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability and a culture in which all can thrive<\/em>.”\u00a0 Santa Fe’s fine dining restaurants have long and often been acknowledged by the James Beard Foundation,\u00a0 but in recent years more affordable options such as Dolina and El Chile Toreado<\/strong><\/a> have also made the semifinals.<\/p>\n

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Cream of Mushroom Soup<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you’re wondering what Slovak food is like, think “comfort food.”\u00a0 \u00a0Think about your belly, heart and soul being warmed by absolutely delicious and nourishing foods.\u00a0 There’s a beautiful simplicity in Slovak dishes.\u00a0 \u00a0You’ll be surprised at how familiar its flavors are–even if you’ve never had specific Slavic dishes.\u00a0 Some of that is because, as Dolina’s website explains “We serve modern American brunch with Eastern European influences.<\/em>”\u00a0 \u00a0Every item on the menu is available all day long (or at least until it runs out).\u00a0 It’s the closest you’ll find anywhere to “all brunch all the time”…and who doesn’t love a great brunch.<\/p>\n

You’ll be transfixed at first glance by the pastry case that beckons you at the front door.\u00a0 That pastry case displays familiar baked goods and breads and others which are not quite as familiar or which might remind you of another pastry you’ve had.\u00a0 Freshly baked pies are sold by the slice or whole.\u00a0 Other baked goods–both in and on top of the pastry case–are exemplars of tantalizing temptation.\u00a0 As much as is polite to do so, take a gander at what other diners are enjoying as you’re being escorted to your table.\u00a0 It’s akin to seeing the sights in Santa Fe.<\/p>\n

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Paprikash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Only the parking lot–where cars are packed as tight as sardines in a can–is less than James Beard worthy.\u00a0 There’s not much Dolina can do about that, but it can serve you a comforting bowl of soup to take the stress out of parking.\u00a0 There are five exemplary soups on the menu, everything from borscht and Hungarian goulash to morning soup (organic NM lamb bone broth, wild rice, caramelized sweet onions, poached egg, chives) and cream of mushroom\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>(shitake and crimini mushrooms cooked in vegetable stock with rosemary and sage, touch of butter and cream).\u00a0 It’s infinitely much better than the canned abomination I had to eat during my youth every time my braces were tightened.\u00a0 Decorative emerald pesto and mushroom bits festoon the murky brown soup.\u00a0 Each spoonful is like a warm embrace.<\/p>\n

There’s one scene in the 1989 romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally<\/em> that everyone seems to remember.\u00a0 It involves Sally (Meg Ryan) feigning a foodgasm.\u00a0 Another food-related scene in that movie of note also involves Sally and paprikash:\u00a0 “Waiter, there’s too much pepper in my paprikash<\/em>.”\u00a0 \u00a0As the name implies, this dish centers around paprika, not pepper.\u00a0 Dolina’s chicken paprikash<\/strong><\/em> (organic chicken cooked in browned butter, white onions, Hungarian paprika finished with sour cream and dumplings) is the very best I’ve ever had, so much so that I hope to return soon to enjoy it again.\u00a0 Chicken paprikash is a paragon of comfort food.\u00a0 It’s rich, superbly seasoned, balanced and absolutely delicious.\u00a0 Hungarian paprika imparts a pungent flavor and delicate sweetness.\u00a0 The chicken is tender, moist and juicy.\u00a0 The dumplings, very similar to German spatzle, are terrific with a light texture that’s delightful to eat.<\/p>\n

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Waffles and Organic Fried Chicken<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Not surprisingly, my Kim ordered the waffles and organic fried chicken<\/strong><\/em> (buttermilk fried chicken, light cornmeal waffle with green apple and fennel slaw, maple syrup).\u00a0 What was somewhat of a surprise was that she thought the chicken had a “weird flavor.”\u00a0 I joked that it was organic chicken, not the chemical-laden commercial broiler chickens<\/strong><\/a> she’s used to.\u00a0 I enjoyed all three chicken tenders very much.\u00a0 A lightly spiced organic blend of seasonings balances fragrant ingredients with a tangy buttermilk dredge to give this chicken its uniquely delicious flavor.\u00a0 My Kim did love the light cornmeal waffle and the real maple syrup with which it’s served.\u00a0 She compared them to the waffles at Zacatlan<\/strong><\/a>, another\u00a0 2024 James Beard “Best Chef – Southwest” semifinalist.<\/p>\n

We took home a six pack of gingerbread and four croissants to be enjoyed later.\u00a0 My Swedish-born bride who’s somewhat of an expert said the gingerbread cookies were the best she’s ever had.\u00a0 That’s quite an endorsement considering all the time she spent in the Andersonville neighborhood<\/strong><\/a> in Chicago.\u00a0 I couldn’t wait until getting home to enjoy my post-prandial sweet.\u00a0 \u00a0My choice was orechovnik<\/strong><\/em>, a Slovak sweet bread laced with crushed walnuts and cinnamon.\u00a0 It’s a favorite in many\u00a0Eastern European countries.\u00a0 The combination of crushed walnuts and cinnamon works very well, imparting sweet-savory-nutty notes to a moist and delicate sweet bread.\u00a0 Dolina’s menu also includes orechovnik French toast (housemade walnut cinnamon swirl bread, warm fruit and maple syrup).\u00a0 It’s a temptress for another visit.<\/p>\n

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Orechovnik<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dolina is an absolutely delightful, deliciously eclectic bit of Eastern Europe meats Santa Fe.\u00a0 Its a high-energy haven for those of us who love brunch.\u00a0 It’s one of Santa Fe’s very best eateries as well as one of its biggest surprises.<\/p>\n

Dolina
\n<\/strong>402 N Guadalupe Street
\nSanta Fe, New Mexico<\/strong>
\n(505 982-9394
\nWebsite<\/strong><\/a> | Facebook Page<\/strong><\/a>
\nLATEST VISIT<\/strong>: 31 January 2024
\n# OF VISITS<\/strong>: 1
\nRATING<\/strong>: N\/R
\nCOST<\/strong>: $$
\nBEST BET<\/strong>:\u00a0 Orechovnik, Paprikash, Waffles and Organic Chicken, Cream of Mushroom Soup, Gingerbread, Croissants
\nREVIEW #1379<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For my dad, a professional educator for thirty years, it wasn’t enough that his children learned how to spell cat, dog and all the other traditional first words kids learn to spell in school.\u00a0 He taught us how to spell Czechoslovakia, rhinoceros, aesthetic and other multisyllabic words.\u00a0 He also taught us what those words meant.\u00a0 Being kids, we giggled when he taught us about Lake Titicaca in the Andes of Bolivia, but marveled at its size and altitude.\u00a0 Because of his teaching, one of my sisters could (at age seven) recite the alphabet backwards as quickly as most people can recite it forward.\u00a0 Two of my sisters were double-promoted and both finished high school as valedictorians. My dad didn’t teach…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":65761,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3622,121,2836,141,5647,142,3657],"tags":[3660,3658,3659,1157,1210,2180,1019,1212,3650,2390,2909,3661,3651,3647,3648,2167,3649],"class_list":["post-65754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-james-beard-foundation-best-chef-southwest-nominee-2024","category-bakery","category-james-beard-award-best-chef-restaurants","category-new-mexico","category-rating-n-r","category-santa-fe","category-slovakian","tag-best-cafe-santa-fe","tag-best-chef-southwest-semifinalist-james-beard-foundation","tag-annamaria-brezna-obrien","tag-bakery","tag-breakfast","tag-brunch","tag-cafe","tag-coffee","tag-cream-of-mushroom-soup","tag-croissants","tag-dumplings","tag-edible-santa-fe","tag-gingerbread","tag-orechovnik","tag-paprikash","tag-santa-fe","tag-waffles-and-organic-chicken"],"yoast_head":"\nDolina - Santa Fe, New Mexico - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=65754\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Dolina - Santa Fe, New Mexico - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For my dad, a professional educator for thirty years, it wasn’t enough that his children learned how to spell cat, dog and all the other traditional first words kids learn to spell in school.\u00a0 He taught us how to spell Czechoslovakia, rhinoceros, aesthetic and other multisyllabic words.\u00a0 He also taught us what those words meant.\u00a0 Being kids, we giggled when he taught us about Lake Titicaca in the Andes of Bolivia, but marveled at its size and altitude.\u00a0 Because of his teaching, one of my sisters could (at age seven) recite the alphabet backwards as quickly as most people can recite it forward.\u00a0 Two of my sisters were double-promoted and both finished high school as valedictorians. 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