The Haute Enchilada Cafe & Galerias

The Haute Enchilada Cafe & Galerias Restaurant Review:

Set amid antique shops in the tiny coastal community of Moss Landing, just north of Monterey, this casual, funky art gallery and eatery offers anything but routine cuisine. The menu includes Spanish- and Peruvian-inspired treats such as empanadas, braised octopus and ceviche. Sure, you can get some fresh guacamole, but why not try the three-soup sampler, with small portions of chile poblano bisque, chicken tortilla and the soup of the day? For an entrée, we recommend the signature “haute enchiladas al mole,” two chicken, vegetable, cheese or beef enchiladas with hints of cocoa and chiles. We’ll be back for roasted veggie polenta lasagna and the chile relleno served on a bed of roasted cactus. The brunch special "birds' nest” with sunny side up eggs on three kinds of mashed potatoes is intriguing. Ginger sticky pudding, a light cake soaked in warm ginger and caramel sauce with cream and toasted pecans, is an extravagant end to the culinary odyssey.