Fred's Place, Taos

Location

332 Paseo del Pueblo Sur (the main drag in Taos)

Review by Duncan Rawls

Fred' Place is a true dining expereince for four reasons: the original Northern Mexican cuisine unmatched almost anywhere I have been, the lively atmosphere (the only one we found during a week of dining in Taos), the unique art collection steeped in the Mexican culture (even the tablclothes are done by a local artist) and the inexpensive price.

We had Fred's Place recommended to us three times by locals we meet when we asked "where to go", and had noticed the lines which started at around 5:30, so we gave it a try. We started the meal with guacamole & salsa, which was prepared fresh daily and I have to say it was the BEST gucamole I have ever eaten (if you love garlic) as was the salsa. Served also was a sopaipilla, a Mexican fried bread that was light and fresh (you place honey on the sopaipilla so I am told as a coolant for the hot fare).

Fred's offered two specials that evening, a grilled trout stuffed with a spinach mixture (which was nicely spiced!) and a steak dish which we did not order. We also split a Carne Adovada (pork slow simmered & marinated in red chiles and slow baked) as well as a side dish of Calabacitas (squash, chiles, corn, onions & garlic in a wonderful mixture). Wow is all we could say for a total of around $28 including drinks.

After that meal, we also purchased Fred's book, "La Comida" by Frederik Muller, for the Gucamole & sopaipilla recipes alone to try our own take on Mexican cooking when we got home. It really turned out to be a truely memorable dining experience that I would recommend highly to anyone looking for both good food and a fun atmosphere.

reviewer:  Duncan Rawls
           Hoboken, N.J.
           rawls@bear.com

Review by Marc Lieber

We ate here based on the previous review and were very disappointed. The interior was dark, hot, and smoky from the kitchen smoke spreading out to the dining area. Service very friendly, but not very accommodating, for example, when we askede to get a quesadilla for our smaller children we were told that No, Fred decided not to make them anymore. Food was OK, not especially great. Very trendy, artsy crowd, which may b be the main attraction of this place. We found the art on the walls and tables to detract from our dining experience as much of it was religious iconry that was a bit disturbing. But, the place was crowded and customers kept streaming in, so they must be doing something right!

Review by: Marc Lieber
           Rockville MD
           proficent@erols.com