December 27, 2012 Lunch – Orlando’s Dinner – Picnic in Tony’s Room

December 27, 2012 Lunch – Orlando’s   Dinner – Picnic in Tony’s Room

We arrived in Taos at around 12:30 and were hungry for lunch.  Billy said they were going to Orlando’s in El Prado for lunch and since we had never been that sounded fine to us.  When we arrived we said hello to Billy, Elaine and Rebecca and waited to be called with a group of other diligent diners in the waiting area which was a fire pit in front of the restaurant.  When we were finally seated we saw that the menu was standard New Mexican dishes.  There was a lunch special of clabacita and shrimp stuffed enchiladas that all girls ordered.  I ordered shredded beef blue corn stacked enchiladas and Billy ordered three rolled enchiladas, one with beef, one chicken and one cheese.  All the dishes came with posole and beans.  I noticed that the posole was out of a can and not cooked very much, so rather flavorless and hard.  The pinto beans were better.  The shredded beef enchiladas were great with lots of beef and not too much cheese. 
We stopped at a new Auction house and gallery on the way back to downtown, where Suzette bought four African carved wooden frogs for $5.00 each.  We then stopped at Mission Gallery to say hello to Reva Rozenquist and then went to Mabel Dodge Lujan House and were shown to our room, which was Tony’s room upstairs down the hall from Mabel’s room.  The most interesting thing about Tony’s room was a large outdoor covered patio with a view of the morada.  Unfortunately it was below freezing so we could not enjoy it to its fullest, although I sat and watched the sun set on the morada for about thirty minutes. 
We had eaten so much that we did not want to go out and eat a large dinner, so we suggested to Billy and Elaine that we eat in our room.  We made a fire in the fireplace and put our cooler outside to chill the champagne and beer.  When Billy, Elaine and Rebecca arrived we got out our Lebanon Bologna, French bread and opened the champagne.  Billy and Elaine went to the kitchen to fetch plates and spoons.  They also brought mustard, a loaf of Sage farmhouse bread, brisket, a container of grape tomatoes and a wedge of Danish Tilset dill flavored cheese.  So we had a great picnic in Tony’s room by the warm fire in the fireplace.  We ate Lindt chocolate with cognac for dessert.

A lovely light picnic dinner in a very historic room in a very historic house in a very historic town.    

Bon Appètit