Sugar Nymphs

There are two ways to get to Taos from Santa Fe: The Low Road and The High Road. Both are 60 mile scenic drives. The Low Road follows the Rio Grande river through deep gorges and narrow mountain passes, with the river rippling along next to the road.

The High Road to Taos goes further east, up into piney national forest, winding over 9,000 foot high switchbacks on mountain roads. It runs through small farm communities in high valleys and through Pueblo lands.

Penasco, NM viewed from the High Road to Taos

Halfway to Taos, The High Road goes through Penasco, a small mountain town of farmers, artists and escapists from bigger towns. And on a dusty side of the main road is a rundown old building with a sign that says Sugar Nymphs Bistro.

Sugar Nymphs Bistro by the side of the road

We stopped in. There is a fine line between rustic chic and ramshackle, and the building was definitely on the far end of ramshackle. I'm fine with funky decor, and a photo of the tiny 12-table room makes it look . . . um, cute. But it was pretty shabby actually.

The single dining room, cute . . . but shabby

There was a second room off this one, which apparently had no heat and no tables, but did have some broken armchairs losing their stuffing, and a community meeting going on discussing plans for the local theater building. The ladies room had no heat and was, well, rustic.

Jim and I exchanged wary glances, but we sat down and ordered.

And then the food came. Oh my.

It was delicious. A big fluffy quiche with flaky, flaky crust and a red chile relish perfectly balanced between tangy and hot. Crispy roasted potato chunks, and a pillowy biscuit. A zillion calories, all of them so good. Dessert too.

Kai Harper, chef

The cafe is run by Ki and Kai, two Bhuddists and renowned chefs who made their reputations cooking vegetarian meals at a Zen retreat in San Francisco. Ki is the bakery chef and Kai is the main chef.

At Sugar Nymphs they've added beef burgers to their Zen inspired fresh-sourced menu, largely because some of their patrons come from the nearby Pueblo and the Pueblo customers demanded burgers. So green chile cheeseburgers were added. Delicious.

In San Francisco Ki and Kai developed a reputation that drew Julia Child and Yoko Ono and many other luminaries to the Zen center. And here they are now, in a rundown old building at the side of the road on the way to Taos, serving the likes of us.

Knowing the Bhuddist background of the two women changed my impression of Sugar Nymphs. Instead of poorly maintained shabbiness, the establishment had more the look of material world-renouncing. A deliberate choice.

And tasting the meals overcame my impressions of the place. This is really, really good food and it doesn't matter if stuffing is coming out of the chairs and rust stains run down the ladies room wall.

Take the High Road. I recommend it.