I’ve been on a short retreat to Santa Fe, after burying my father last week. The hostess of the house we are staying at left the current weekly arts and entertainment papers for us to peruse. We found an advertisement for an establishment that only opened last winter.
Momo & Co is nestled in Downtown Santa Fe, up the street from some of the more popular eateries. We were excited because they promised 100% gluten free and mostly vegan food. We trekked down there in the late morning to see what would inspire us. Immediately I loved the feel of the place. Painted in bright colors, with local art on the wall, and a play space for kids that included a “kitchen.”
The woman behind the counter was ready to take our order and answer the inevitable pesky questions. “What kind of chocolate do you use?” “Everything is gluten free?” “What about Daiya cheese as an alternative on the sandwiches.” Gaia patiently answered these questions and more, even the ones about the artwork.
The space had a remarkable feel. Calm and peaceful. Not what you would expect in a pastry shop that just survived a weekend morning rush.
We ordered The Brass Monkey, a concoction of gluten free and vegan waffle with bananas, chocolate sauce, almond butter and walnuts.When it was delivered to the table I was instantly in love. Eye-to-stomach sorta thing.
Eating this waffle was even better than I imagined. If you ever thought a GF vegan waffle must be dense and unflavorful, think again. It was fluffy and soft, with a delicate balance between the almond and chocolate sauce. It was not overly sugary (I mean the kind that makes your teeth ache), nor was it too salty. It was waffley goodness that compared to the best conventional waffle. We split the one waffle, and half way through I was wishing I had my own.
I look forward to my next trip to Santa Fe, and eating another Brass Monkey.
