Medley

We arrive to medley when they open at 4 p.m. Our timing feels especially lucky because they have nothing available the rest of the night. Two outdoor patios boast mountain views, and a beautiful bar connects to a small dining room with a fireplace. This is where we sit, in hard-backed wooden chairs, to enjoy the tastiest, farm-fresh dishes.

What’s in a name?

The restaurant is named after chefs and owners Colleen and Wilks Medley, but the lower-case name also drives the philosophy of the kitchen and property. With multiple places to enjoy the delicious offerings, medley offers something for everyone. There are incredible dishes, well-balanced cocktails and splurge-worthy desserts. Together, Colleen and Wilks worked under some of the great chefs on both coasts. In 2015, they moved to Taos to join and contribute to a community they both loved.

Greens for days

It’s hard to narrow down what to get from the well-priced, thoughtful items on the menu. We start with the Super Greens, which arrive in a huge white bowl tossed with kale, arugula, chard, a handful of cooked quinoa, sliced grapes and shaved asiago cheese. Pepitas add a crunch, and a jalapeño-lime vinaigrette kicks it up to slightly spicy. It’s fresh and flavorful but not too filling.

Next is the Grilled Broccolini with garlic chips and crumbled goat cheese. On top: A creamy saffron-tinged yogurt and chili-infused olive oil. The slightly charred greens mix beautifully with the garlic and saffron flavors, and make me want to eat broccolini every day. 

Land and sea, too

We also get a small plate of New Zealand lamb chops, which arrive perfectly cooked and arranged in a neat row of four. The crispy leeks complement cumin and a golden raisin gastrique that adds a hint of sweetness.

Next is pan-seared salmon, a slightly bigger dish that is priced well, especially for fish. A bed of wilted greens sit alongside ruby beets and chewy pearl barley. When dipped in a bit of the caraway-horseradish crème fraîche, it’s another symphony of flavors and textures.

When life gives you lemons (and limes)…

We enjoy some of the freshest margaritas we’ve had, which are at a happy hour special of $6 each, and barely have enough room for dessert. But, of course: research. So we get the Lemon Cream Cake, which is like a pound cake and a coffee cake in one. It arrives with fresh strawberries and whipped cream with specks of fresh vanilla. 

I wish the meal would never end, and that they were open more days of the week. For now, I will relish in that post-feast glow as we walk past other happy diners outside, and the many greenhouses that grow the fresh ingredients we just consumed.