A Review of Dave's Not Here and the Green Cantina in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Dave's Not Here - "Dave's never changes," my friend said as she started into her burger. "Fifteen years ago, I figured out that they have a really good burger, but I can't figure out why its so good!" That sums it up for me, too. Dave's burger, served with a side salad or trench fries, is squishy and hard to hold together but juicy and satisfying. It comes in two sizes. 4.5 ounces, and for a dollar more, 9 ounces. Toppings include cheese, chile, jalapenos, grilled onions, mushrooms, or guacamole. Grilled onions and guacamole were winners, but I sent the cheese back to be melted a little more.

The fries are so-so - sort of dark and droopy. The side salad is caveman-style - whole baby carrots, thick slices of purple cabbage, a big wheel of cuke, and assorted lettuces.

Desserts at Dave's are good. It's hard to stop eating the fresh chocolate cake, and a special dessert - blueberry tone (a ring-molded cake) with blueberry ice cream - was buttery and good. Dave's decor is pure cafe. Photos of Cuba offer a chance to gaze at the island's people and scenery. Dave's not here is located at 1115 Hickox in Santa Fe, New Mexico; 983-7060

The Green Canteen
A garage-and-concrete setting gives The Green Canteen a low-key but chic ambiance. Mixed furniture sets, including some outdoor furniture, add to the eclectic feeling. Open on two sides, the restaurant is breezy, and with cool jazz playing in the background, it's an intriguing place to hangout.

The Green Canteen is fairly new on the Santa Fe restaurant scene, and early reports of a slow kitchen seem to have been resolved. Their excellent burger is a good calling card. Made with organic beef, served with a terrific green salad and a good house-made dressing, it's the best midprice burger we tried.

The Blue Moon comes with blue cheese melted on top. The Santa Fe Sensation is truly outstanding: crisp bacon; a whole, thick, fresh-roasted, peeled green chile, sautéed fresh mushrooms, jalapeno slices, and melted cheese top the delicious meat.

A side of fries was disappointing. They were almost good - a double-dip in the fryer would have pushed them into excellent. Still, we ate most of them. The desserts we tried - French strawberry cake (a creamy filling on a deathly white pastry crust) and a couple of tired cannoli - were as bad as the burger was good. They are made in-house, but they need work. The Green Canteen is located at 1616-A St. Michael's Drive in Santa Fe, New Mexico ; 424-6464