Marfa, TX

Marfa, TX was the last stop on our trip through the Southwest this summer. We experienced crazy weather, crazy art and a frustrating food scene. There aren't very many restaurants in Marfa to begin with and it seemed like every other one we tried to eat at was closed for renovation, for the summer, or because they just felt like being closed.

Dinner our first evening was at Maiya's, located on the busiest strip downtown, meaning there was a post office, book store and a couple art galleries. We started with a really wonderful corn salad. The juicy niblets of roasted corn were marinated in a juice of lime kicked up with some chili flakes. There was Mexican cheese sprinkled on top, creating salty, tangy, spicy bites. It was basically elote but off the cob and in a bowl. So yummy.

I can't remember what Dan got (maybe the sausage dish?) but I got the steak paillard over radicchio. I also can't remember if we got dessert or not. I think there was a pistachio ice cream that sounded good, but I might have been too stuffed.

Before heading over to the Chinati Foundation for a tour, we tried the Brown Recluse for breakfast, which turned out to be a huge disappointment. The coffee wasn't very good. Our food took a while to arrive and when it did, was barely lukewarm. Dan and I both got the migas and have had much much better. The tortilla was good, though and they had Wi-Fi, which was needed since our hotel failed to live up to expectations and provide services it claimed to provide.

Our favorite meal in Marfa came courtesy of the Food Shark food truck. It's located in covered lot right by the book store and train tracks. There's communal bench seating constructed in the modular style of Donald Judd. I think we spotted everyone we had seen around town here. We put in our orders and waited with our beverages - a Coke for Dan, a Topo Chico for me.

The standard menu is Middle Eastern vegetarian heavy but we opted for two of the day's specials. I went with the adobo chicken breast tacos with tomatillo salsa and avocado, served with a side salad of greens, pickled onions, cucumbers, olives and feta cheese.

Dan ordered the salpicon - marinated shredded brisket served over a salad of greens, pickled jalapenos, red peppers, avocado, queso fresco, peperoncini and tortilla strips. Both the tacos and salpicon were super yummy and I'd have trouble picking a favorite.

We ate our final meal at Cochineal, located a few doors down from the Brown Recluse, but tucked in towards the back of the street. There was some miscommunication with our reservation time, but since it was still early in the evening, there was no problem getting seated. We shared the gnocchi appetizer, which they split into two portions. I really like when restaurants do this. At this point, my camera begins to inform me that it is dying. So I'm able to get off one more shot...

My chilaquiles! I've never had them served like this before, but it was a really nice blend of chicken, cheese, chilies, cream and tortillas baked in a clay pot. It wasn't too rich, which was what I initially feared. Dan ordered the steak which came with yummy greens and even yummier onion rings. For dessert we shared a ginger pot du creme that was so outrageously delicious. Spicy, smooth, cool and creamy.