Review of the Piccolo Cafe in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Piccolo now occupies the Gospel Cafe's former home. While I miss the murals of gospel singers and the familiar layout of tables, the remodel is both sparse and refreshing. Colorful carved wooden folk-art animals line high-rise shelves along the white walls, and a specials board outside the door informs patrons of the three daily soups, all made in-house.

The menu ranges from hot and cold sandwiches to salads and New Mexican cuisine, all served by a friendly staff. The hot Piccolo Italian sub is a combination of smoked ham, turkey breast, Genoa salami, provolone cheese, and lettuce on a toasted hoagie bun. The accompanying "sub dressing" is a piquant combination of vinegar, olive oil, chile flakes, and herbs, which raises this sandwich to the highest level. If you're taking this baby to go, order the dressing on the side and dip to your hearts delight. A bonus - a cold, crisp pickle wedge wrapped in foil - accompanies every takeout sandwich. The potato salad here is heavily egg and mustard flavored, with dime-size potato cubes swimming in a creamy ocean of mayonnaise and sour pickle. The spuds still maintain a hearty crunch, so if you like your potato salad soft and mushy, stick with chips or Cole slaw.

I'm particularly fond of the roast beef-and-bean burrito served with Piccolo's house-made red and green Chile. The green Chile has a subtle bite, and the tender beef slices are well-seasoned. The red Chile is a bit thick, more like a Mexican mole, but a concentrated heat and earthy flavor override any textural abnormalities. Use it sparingly; your tummy will thank you, and so will your co-workers. On a chilly day a few weeks ago, I craved a hot dog. Piccolo serves a Vienna beef dog on a toasted bun with your choice of traditional fixings. I took mine with sauerkraut and yellow mustard and had but one complaint: hard buns belong in the gym, not wrapped around my lunch. Hold the bread over steaming water for two minutes, and it'll mimic any stadium dog worth its weight in gold. Wrap the sucker in foil, and it'll survive the two-block walk to my desk. It still outshined the street-meat rendition served on the Plaza last summer, both in value and quality.

The house-made berry cobbler, a triumph of sweet and sour fruit lopped with a crisp crust and whipped cream, sealed Piccolo's fate as my newest favorite place to grab a good meal on the go. Piccolo Café is located at125 Lincoln Avenue, 984-1709 (inside the First Interstate Building.)