Short Line

In May 1867, Mark Twain wrote to the San Francisco Alta California newspaper, "A railroad is like a lie—you have to keep building it to make it stand." The same can be said about any new restaurant or bar—although perhaps in a less abstract way: The fine-tuning and attention to detail is ceaseless, and when some parts aren't working correctly, it can sabotage the whole machine.

Located just south of the main Santa Fe Railyard complex, Derailed at the Sage Inn (725 Cerrillos Road, 982-5952) sports an atmosphere that feels like part cozy lounge and part sleek nightclub. The bar is awash in neon-blue light and hard-lined metal shelves, while the dining area is dimly lit with couches and a cozy fireplace. Sports fans will be glad to know that the dining area boasts three big-screen televisions. The patio, which is open for business during colder months, also has a TV.

Service is amiable and well informed about the menu's various offerings, which are divided into soups/salads, appetizers, entrées and desserts. The menu also highlights a happy hour that runs from 3 to 6 pm every day, offering generous (by downtown Santa Fe standards) discounts on a house margarita, well drinks, a house wine and draft beers. Plus there's a 15 percent discount on all food.

There's an old railroad term known as the "bail off," which means, in short, to coordinate the locomotive brakes and the train brakes to prevent excessive slack and create smoother handling. If I may make an analogy: While the bar engine runs smoothly, the kitchen train needs a bail off—and fast. The good news is, a signature Sage Inn margarita ($6), made with Sauza Blue Silver tequila, triple sec, fresh lemon and lime juices, and a housemade, sage-infused syrup, is one of the best margarita deals in town.

A Stella Artois beer served in a Stella-branded glass ($5.75) comes at a perfect temperature, around 37 degrees Fahrenheit. (Full disclosure: SFR's Natalie Bovis, aka the Liquid Muse, designed the cocktail menu at Derailed.)

The food menu at Derailed is short but eclectic. Reuben sandwiches share real estate with a Cubano sandwich, Caprese salad, burgers, shrimp and guacamole. On every count during my visit, dish presentation is scatterbrained, if not lazy. A shrimp diablo appetizer ($12) with mini blue corn flapjacks and a mango habanero sauce hardly earns its price tag. Three (yes, just three) medium-sized shrimp (origins unknown) are placed on dry, crumbly corn blinis that are literally burnt to black. The sauce is tame, given the chile variety invoked, and it's sweet beyond reason. And why is there a banana leaf garnish on the plate? And why is it served on a large plate that only demonstrates the paucity of the dish? A fried calamari-steak appetizer with red chile-hoisin sauce ($13) arrives looking sexy, but these poor cephalopods are tough as leather.

We send them back, and the replacement is fine—save for a sauce that tastes metallic and institutional.

I consider myself a burger snob, and I'm not ashamed of it. Having prepared them for more than 20 years as a cook, chef and consultant, I consider its preparation a true measure of any bar kitchen's strength…or weakness. The Guadalupe green chile cheeseburger ($9.95) promises Angus beef, Hatch green chile, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions and jalapeño relish, all sandwiched between a brioche bun, with a side of fries (you can get a jicama slaw if fried taters aren't your thing).

The first thing I notice is that my brioche bun (I'm not sure it's actually brioche) is burnt, both on the top and the bottom—literally, the bottom bun was black. Ordered medium rare, the burger arrives medium well, but the beef is still juicy and well seasoned. I'm perplexed by the malformed beef patty occupying only one-half of the burnt bun. I spend a minute or two cutting the meat up to make things more symmetrical. And that jalapeño relish? It tastes like pico de gallo a bit past its prime.

Here's the thing: Derailed is a new venture, and happy hours there really are awesome. The venue itself and some local media outlets tout it as "affordable," but honestly, $12 for three small shrimp and mediocre sauce doesn't compute on the affordability scale, even if it is served at a discount during happy hour.

It's a great place to grab a cocktail or a beer and catch up with friends. Until the kitchen gets back on track, let's just leave it at that.

At a Glance
Open: 3-10 pm daily
Best Bet: A signature cocktail

Santa Fe Reporter