First, Happy New Year! Everyone makes New Year's resolution while trying to leave behind the past year. However, when it comes to food and the eating of it, let's not forget some of the restaurants that continue to serve quality food year after year.
Sante Fe Restaurant in downtown Glen Ellyn (and in Sandwich) is one of the restauants that you can count on for consistent quality - for basically everything on its menu. I have visited Sante Fe on countless number of ocassions with my family, and the place is always bustle with people at the bar enjoying housemade margaritas by the glass, full pitcher or half pitcher and ordering from the appetizer menu (you can order a full meal, too). There are the traditional apps of nachos ($5.15), chile con queso ($5.95) and guacamole dip ($5.65), but don't pass on the shrimp nachos which is what you think it is ... a traditional nacho order but this one has shrimp ($9.45). In addition to the margraritas, the restaurant also offers a full line of Mexican beers (as well as domestic brews), tequilas, wines and soft drinks.
Consistency, consistency, consistency is what I truly enjoy about Sante Fe. They have it down pat each time I visit. The dinner menu offers all of your Mexican favorites - from the a la carte side ... enchilada ($3.05) quesadilla ($3.25), taco salad ($5.75) and more. My favorite is the taco longy style, which is a corn torilla fried in margarine! Forget the diet, take two Liptors and enjoy! The taco is filled with a mixture of ground beef and American cheese (I find this a little strange instead of using a Mexican cheese), lettuce, and tomatoes. It is good.
There are also dinner items, which is everything and more on the a la carte side, but you get rice and beans. The seafood enchiladas are good, which include a combination of sweet shrimp and succulent crawfish ($8.95), and the steak chimichanga will not leave you disappointed - chunks of steak and onion wrapped in a flour torilla, deep fried and served with sour cream and guacamole.
There's also a separate section for chicken, steak and vegetable dishes. All of them are good, ranging in price from $8.15 (chicken) to $15.65 (steak) to $6.95 (vegetable).
If you want to try something special and are up for something spicey, try the chilaquilles ($5.95). It's Mexican sausage, chorizo and chips cooked together and served with refried beans, sour cream and torillas.
Desserts span the traditional fare of flan ($2.95), sopapillas ($4.25, fried dough served with honey and chocolate sauce...yum!), empanadas ($4.25, ranging from strawberry or apple and served with vanilla cream and topped with whipped cream...yum, again!) or canelitas ($3.85, flour tortilla, deep fried, and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon...they're fun to eat, especially if you send another buck for a scoop of ice cream).
As you can tell, the prices on all of the entrees are very reasonable, and the portion sizes are big enough for some people to ask for a doggie bag.
Service is always friendly and attentive, and the kitchen is very quick in getting hot food to your table. One aspect I very much like about Sante Fe is that as soon as you sit down complimentary housemade chips, salsa and bean sauce is brought to your table.
For more information, go to 426 N. Main St. in downtown Glen Ellyn, or call (630) 790-3311.
On a scale of 1 fork to 5 forks (1 is not good), I'd give Sante Fe 4 forks. Happy Eating! Mr. Foodie.
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