Audio By Carbonatix
Andy Carter and his wife are taking their first shot at a restaurant — and yes, it’s a fast-casual place. Fast-casual New Mexican, actually. Both Carters are natives of New Mexico, and they thought Westminster would be the perfect spot for Ristras Santa Fe Grill, which opened a few weeks ago at 11961 Bradburn Boulevard.
Ristras is like a New Mexican-style Chipotle, Carter explains, where you walk along a counter and pick out what you want. And what you can pick from is very different from what you’d find at Chipotle or any other Mexican knock-off. For example, Ristras offers potatoes on its burritos, and even has something called a ‘Mound’ — a bowl of potatoes with your choice of meat and toppings. It also has blue corn tacos, sopapillas — savory rather than sweet, with a variety of options — and quesadillas.
Another big difference is the sauce: Green chile is a primary component of New Mexican cooking, compared to the thinner salsa of Mexican cuisine. The chile is made with a roux, a mixture of butter and flour, that creates a fuller, thicker sauce.
Ristras is open for breakfast on the weekend — and a mound of hash browns topped with chorizo, eggs and green chile sounds like the most perfect hangover meal ever. To reach Ristras, call 303-465-0541.
When news happens, Westword is there —
Your support strengthens our coverage.
We’re aiming to raise $50,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to this community. If Westword matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
