Fresh: Coffee and Smoothies Taco from Tucson Taco Festival

The Rillito Downs Race Park is a huge place to have a festival. It was a little spread out, but it wasn’t too much of a bother. The stage at the east end of the park featured two different bands while closer to the entry point at the west end was a zip line, huge blown up balls for people to hop inside and act like a hamster, and the crowning gem of the non-food portion of the festival – live Lucha Libre wrestling.

As for the tacos, there were too many for any one person to try all of. Of course, if you had purchased Tequila Expo tickets which included ten pull-off tabs for tequila or margarita samples, and stayed longer than two hours, sampling a larger variety of tacos would have been highly plausible.

Kbork Dirty Taco

The first taco sampled was a chipotle chicken taco with garlic aioli and smoked avocado & tomatillo crema from newcomers Fresh: Coffee and Smoothies. From what they told me, you can only get this taco from their restaurant on Taco Tuesdays until they run out, so mark your calendar. (It was my favorite taco). Also sampled were Sonoran Hot dog stand Kbork‘s Dirty Taco which featured chorizo, pork, and beef, Food truck Mexico City Kitchen‘s pork taco, Maynard’s Market‘s chimichurri carne asada with cucumber and radish salsa fresca, roasted pepper, and cilantro aioli, and Lodge on the Desert‘s red chile braised local beef taco with beef tongue, local radish, and cilantro salad. That’s all I had folks.

Mexico City Kitchen Taco

That’s all I had for food, that is.

I just happened to gain possession of a Tequila Expo bracelet. At approximately 11:45am, I entered the VIP tent and sampled a smooth shot of El Tesoro tequila. Quickly noticing that 9 more tastes would put an end to the rest of my day (post festival), I opted instead for the margarita samples such as this one from Contigo.

Here are 7 things I learned from this year’s taco festival:

1. Go early. If you don’t want to wait in long lines, get the majority of your taco eating done before the crowds arrive.
2. Go with a group. Have different people get in different lines and come back to a meeting spot with a boatload of tacos.
3. Get Tequila Expo tickets. Seriously, if you’re not living it up at this festival, it’s your loss.
4. Prepare accordingly for excess sun. Whatever that means to you – sunscreen, big hat, umbrella…
5. To get good lucha libre wrestling pictures, you need to get real close. Like, REAL close.
6. Plan on spending roughly $40
7. If you’re going to do the zip line or get inside the hamster ball, do it before you visit the tequila tent.

Cruz Tequila on display in the VIP/Tequila Expo tent

Acacia Real Food and Cocktails
3001 E. Skyline Dr.
Tucson, AZ 85718
(520) 232-0101

www.acaciatucson.com

Acacia will be serving a Champagne brunch buffet featuring a variety of salads, seafood, and other delicious offerings. Priced at $48 for adults and $24 for children ages 5-12, children under 4 are complimentary (not including tax and gratuity). Brunch will be served from 10am-3pm. The regular dinner menu will be offered for dinner service. Reservations are recommended.

Agustin Brasserie
100 S. Avenida del Convento
Tucson, AZ 85745
(520) 398-5382

www.agustinbrasserie.com

Agustin Brasserie located in Mercado San Agustin will be serving a champagne brunch from 9am-3pm. A Prix Fixe menu with choices is available for $55/person. Select a la carte items will also be available. Reservations are recommended.

Chad’s Steakhouse & Saloon
3001 N. Swan
Tucson AZ, 85712
(520) 881-1802

www.chadssteakhouse.com

Chad’s will be offering a Mother’s Day Brunch from 11am – 8pm. Cost is $22.95 for adults and $12.95 for kids (not including tax and gratuity).  The regular menu will also be available.

Dakota Café & Catering
6541 E. Tanque Verde Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85715
(520) 298-7188

http://dakotacafeandcatering.com

Dakota Café will be serving a traditional brunch with specials from10am-3pm. Prices range from $9 – $24. The regular menu will be available from 3pm-8pm. Reservations are recommended.

El Parador
2744 East Broadway Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85716
(520) 881-2744

www.elparadortucson.com

El Parador will be serving a Mother’s Day brunch including a variety of Mexican and American favorites including: omelets, pasta, salad, fruit, an array of meat and seafood selections and an assortment of desserts. Cost is $21.95 per adult, $11.95 per kid 5-10, and under 5 eat free (not including tax and gratuity). Brunch is served from 9:30am-2pm. Reservations are recommended.

Ghinis French Caffe
1803 E. Prince Rd.
Tucson AZ 85719
(520) 326-9095

www.ghiniscafe.com

Ghini’s will be open serving their regular menu and offering buy one get one mimosas all day. Prices range from $5.25 – $10.25. Hours are 8am-2pm.

Jonathan’s Cork
6320 E. Tanque Verde Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85715
(520) 296-1631

www.jonathanscork.com

Jonathan’s Cork will be serving dinner specials in addition to their regular dining menu, such as: Mac Nut Halibut with lemon butter sauce for $28 (not including tax and gratuity) and Danish Blue Cheese stuffed 8oz. Filet served with bordelaise sauce for $30 (not including tax and gratuity). Open at 4, reservations are welcome.

La Fuente
1749 N. Oracle Rd.
Tucson AZ, 85705
(520) 623-8659

www.lafuenterestaurant.com

La Fuente will be serving a Mother’s Day Champagne brunch. Cost is $24.95/adults and $11.95/kids (not including tax and gratuity). There are three seating times: 10am, 12pm, 2pm. Reservations are recommended.

Lodge on the Desert
306 N. Alvernon Way
Tucson, AZ 85711
(520) 320-2014

www.lodgeonthedesert.com

Lodge on the Desert will be serving a lavish brunch buffet in the Lodge restaurant and on the patio.  The menu will include assorted baked goods, salads and cheeses, a prime rib carving station and a seafood buffet.  Complimentary Mimosa’s are included and there will be special pricing on Bloody Mary’s. Cost is $49/person, $29/children aged 6-14, children under 5 are complimentary (tax and gratuity not included). Brunch is served from 10am-2pm. Reservations are recommended.

Mama Louisa’s
2041 South Craycroft Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85711
(520) 790-4702

www.mamalouisas.com

Mama Louisa’s Italian Restaurant will be open on Mother’s Day from noon to 9pm. Serving their regular menu as well as early evening specials from noon to 630pm. Reservations are recommended.

Noble Hops Gastropub1335 W. Lambert Lane
Oro Valley, AZ
(520) 797-4677 (HOPS)

www.noblehopspub.com

Noble Hops will be serving the regular menu as well as a Mother’s Day Surf ‘n Turf Dinner Special:

Succulent Crab & Asparagus Oscar, served over Herb Marinated Strip Steak, accompanied by Rustic Potato Mash, Oven Roasted Tomatoes and finished with a Pepper Demi Sauce, followed by Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse. $32 per person. Open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Pastiche Modern Eatery
3025 N. Campbell Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85719
(520) 325-3333

www.pasticheme.com

Pastiche will be open and serving a special Mother’s Day menu. Hours are 11am-8pm. Reservations are recommended.

The Parish
6453 N. Oracle Road
Tucson, AZ 85704
520.797.1233

www.theparishtucson.com

The Parish will be serving a three course Prix Fixe brunch menu from 10am – 6pm. Cost is $30/person, a children’s menu is also available. Reservations are recommended.

Risky Business (all three locations)

www.riskybusinesstucson.com

A special Mother’s Day brunch menu will be offered from 11am-4pm. A Mother’s Day dinner menu will be offered from 4pm – close. Drink specials all day include $3 Mimosas, Bloody Mary’s, Bellini’s.

Tavolino Ristorante Italiano
2890 E. Skyline Dr.
Tucson, AZ 85718
(520) 531-1913

tavolinoristorante.com

Normally closed on Sunday’s, Tavolino will be open on Sunday May 13^th in honor of Mother’s Day. Tavolino will be serving a special three course Prix Fixe menu with choices from 11am-9pm.  Cost is $45/person. Reservations are recommended. 

Vero Amore (Swan & Camp Lowell)
3305 N. Swan Road
Tucson, AZ
520-325-4122

www.veroamorepizza.com

All moms having dinner at Vero Amore on Swan will receive a complimentary dessert. Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Vero Amore Dove Mountain
12130 N. Dove Mountain Blvd.
Marana, AZ
520-579-2292

www.veroamorepizza.com

All moms having dinner at Vero Amore Dove Mountain will receive a complimentary dessert. Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

WILDFLOWER MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH
7037 N. ORACLE RD.
520.795.0344

Wildflower will open early for Brunch at 10am.

The brunch menu is served until 2pm,  in addition to our regular dinner menu ALL day

Reservations are highly recommended!

Wildflower will also feature $7 mimosas and Bellinis for brunch!

Mother’s Day at NoRTH
2995 E. SKYLINE DR
520.299.1600

Sunday, May 13th, 2012 Sunday, May 13th, 2012

NoRTHwill be open at 10:00 a.m.

Reservations requested.

Dinner menu is available all day, plus this special Mother’s Day menu

The annual Tucson culinary festival will be bringing an unprecedented amount of food filled events to the area in late October. The festival will be highlighted by four separate Tucson food events taking place October 27-30 and presented by the Tucson Originals, a group of independently operated restaurants in southern Arizona.

On October 27, the 6^th Annual World Margarita Championship will take place at Maynards Market and Kitchen, located on 400 N. Toole Avenue in Tucson. The patio of the restaurant will be home to this unforgettable event which will offer a mix of cocktails, food and music. Multiple drink makers will take the stage to prepare homemade margarita creations. Attendees will be able to try out over 14 different margaritas and a number of different tequilas. There will also be a wide variety of food up for grabs, including sonorant dogs and tacos.

Starting on the opening day of the culinary festival, all Tucson Originals restaurants will be offering up discounted and special menu pricing for all meals. Over 20 restaurants will be offering up discounts from some of the great independently operated dining spots in the city.

The festival will carry on with the Reserve and Grand Tasting on Saturday, October 29. The reserve tasting will serve as an exclusive opportunity to meet some of the special guests of the festival, including a host of top chefs and drink makers. Attendees will get the chance to take advantage of some specialty cocktails and appetizers before the Grand Tasting.

Beginning at 6pm at the Grand Ballroom, Lounge and Foyer, the Grand Tasting will offer up a three hour opportunity to enjoy wine and dishes from all over the world. Over 35 different chefs from Tucson Originals locations will be on hand to whip up some delicious food. Also, the winners of the Margarita Championship and special drink makers will be there to share drinks and tips throughout the night.

The culinary festival will wrap up on Sunday, October 30 with the Copper Chef Challenge and BBQ. Taking place at the Loews Ventana Canyon, the Kiva Patio and Ballroom will be home to an outstanding mix of barbeque from different Tucson Originals locations. For children, there will also be pumpkin carving and cooking demonstrations. The challenge will be highlighted by a matchup of two groups of great chefs in an effort to come up with some original BBQ creations.

The 2011 Tucson Culinary Festival will also serve to benefit three great causes this year. Proceeds to the New Beginnings will help homeless women and children find stability in Tucson apartments and homes. Some of the proceeds will also go to the Diamond Children’s Center at University Medical Center, helping to provide specialized care for children. The third cause will be Arizona’s Children Association, which offers foster care, adoption, health and prevention programs for children in the state of Arizona.

Overall, the 2011 Tucson Culinary Festival will be a great opportunity to experience some outstanding events this fall. Most importantly, the proceeds from the events will serve to support some great causes in the Tucson area.

Course One

Heirloom tomato a la plancha, fresh mozzarella, basil, roasted tomato vinaigrette. Paired with 2009 Torre di Luna Pinot Grigio

Bacon wrapped Guaymas prawn, served on lobster and mascarpone polenta with vanilla essence. Paired with La Folette Sangiacomo Vineyard Chardonnay.

Classic Steak Tartare over baby arugula tossed with hazelnut oil on grilled garlic crostini with Wine Guerilla Zinfandel

Course Two

Hamachi, carmelized cauliflower beurre noisette, red beet foam with Wachau Federspiel Terrasen Gruner Veltliner

Braised Pork Belly, maple glazed white bean ragout, grilled apple chutney with A to Z Pinot Noir

Marinated Loin of Lamb, roasted garlic rostie potato, bearnaise foam, pea tendrils with Creta Roble Tempranillo

Course Three

Melon Panna Cotta, blackberry puree, candied lemon rind with Paolo Saracco Moscato d’ Asti

White chocolate PB&J petit four

Butterscotch and milk chocolate bread pudding, toasted coconut with Porto Pocas 10 year tawny.

Amazing, right? And, I know it sounds like a lot of food. But, it’s not really. Each course comes on one plate with all three items and they’re much smaller portions. Naturally, I was excited for this. As we sat down and looked over the tasting menu, the maitre’d commented that the tasting menu was amazing, especially the pork belly. And I’m a sucker for pork belly.

I have high expectations for something like this. For one, it’s Acacia. Albert Hall, owner and chef, is highly regarded and the winner of Tucson’s Iron Chef competition numerous times. Two, the menu sounds amazing, does it not?

The heirloom tomato lacked any sort of rounded flavor. It was a little over-drizzled with olive oil and the only real flavor I sensed was the mozzarella. The bacon wrapped prawn was overcooked and also lacked flavor. This is to be expected when you overcook bacon. Shrimp, like scallops, have a small window for doneness. The tartare, besides being poorly assembled, seriously lacked flavor. As in salt. If I’m going to eat something that looks like (and basically is) raw hamburger meat, there better be a good reason for it. I’ve had plenty of tartare. In Tucson, Maynard’s is the place to go for tartare.

The hamachi was my favorite. Unfortunately for my guest, who is allergic to certain fish – hamachi not being one of them (or so she thought) – her mouth started to swell up. But, it was a perfect combination of flavors. the delicate sweetness of the airy beet foam with perfectly carmelized cauliflower beurre noisette and hamachi had me raving about it. The hamachi was a little overcooked, as was almost everything, but flavor-wise, it was spot on. The pork belly was definitely overcooked. I kept checking in with my guest, “is this overcooked? Am I crazy?” She replied, “yes, it’s overcooked and you are crazy,” but at least I wasn’t imagining things. It was almost burnt on the top. The problem with overcooking pork belly is that a lot of the flavor is rendered out, so in addition to being overcooked, it lacks flavor. If you can manage to pull flavor OUT of pork belly, you might as well not serve it. The lamb was full flavored. It was cooled by this point, but the flavor was there. It seemed poorly paired with the wine, however. Every sip made me feel as if I were drinking blood.

The panna cotta with the Moscato was my second favorite. If only my dinner was the hamachi followed by the panna cotta. I did not see any lemon rind. I suppose it is possible it was pureed into the blackberry puree, although that seemed odd. The PB&J, while clever, was forgettable. The bread pudding was deliciously rich and dense.

For the price, I felt let down. I’ve had my fair share of tasting menus and I understand that not everything will be amazing. It was clearly a matter of execution here, not creativity. To Acacia’s credit, I think they’re a great restaurant. The food is usually excellent and inventive. The service is perfect, and their new location is great with amazing views of Tucson. They missed the mark on this one, though.

When I heard that a new coffee shop was a) opening up in downtown Tucson and b) serving Blue Bottle coffee, I almost got on top of the nearest building with a bullhorn to proclaim Tucson’s victorious rise into the upper echelons of third wave coffee, scattering the ash residue of Folgers cans all over the place. But, I contained myself. I even contained myself through Sparkroot’s soft opening the Friday before their grand opening on Monday a few weeks ago. That containment had more to do with lack of knowledge than desire, but who’s taking notes? On their grand opening, however, I was the first one in the door. Mind you, it was 7 am. But I proudly walked in, tattered four one dollar bills in hand, and ordered the most marvelous Blue Bottle Coffee Co. cappuccino I had experienced in three years. And I went back every day that week.

Being a new regular, I met Ari Shapiro, the passionate Sparkroot owner also responsible for the Xoom Juice stores scattered about town (as well as a few doors down from Sparkroot). We spoke at length about his original vision for Sparkroot, the revitalization of downtown Tucson, and what his distant (but not too distant) future business move might be.

Tell me a little bit about how Sparkroot came to be.

The concept for Sparkroot had been mulching in the recesses of my mind for several years. I’ve alway been intrigued by the third wave of coffee that’s happening now and the specialty roasters such as Stumptown, Intelligentsia, and Blue Bottle. I love the idea of a coffee shop as – to quote the great Howard Schultz – a “third place.” And, I was intrigued by the idea of having a really great space, really great coffee, and integrating aspects of a restaurant and bar into that without being any of the above in pure form but rather an amalgamation. I’ve had this idea for years and this space became available to me, being that Xoom juice is just two doors down. I thought that the bones of this space architecturally fit this concept well. It just sort of steamrolled from there.

And how did the relationship with Blue Bottle come to fruition?

They were kind of a bottom of the ninth move on my part. Originally I was in talks with someone local – Cartel. I love Cartel. I visited their shop a lot up in Tempe, I developed a relationship with their owner Jason, who’s a great guy and their completely doing it right. For the record, I’m a businessman but I believe in friendly, healthy competition and that a vibrant marketplace is one in which everyone’s raising the bar and challenging other companies to raise the bar, as well. I think Cartel is right there. However, when I realized they were going to have a pretty significant presence in Tucson themselves, I thought it would be better to separate Sparkroot from Cartel.

They’re about the only other one in town doing this at a similar level…

You could say that Luce is, but Luce has a little bit of a different angle as far as the third wave of doing the pour overs, concentrating on execution and service, relationships with the farms, and so forth.

I was very close to bringing in Intelligentsia. It was going to be Intelligentsia, basically, but Intelligentsia had been in Tucson before with Avenue.

And Jason Calhoon?

Exactly – Jason Calhoon with the cart (Cafe VanGo) and then at Avenue, which was pre-Cartel before Avenue got into a relationship with Cartel.

I have to tell you, I’m a little partial to Blue Bottle.

I was always partial to Blue Bottle, myself, but I never thought it was an option. It’s funny because I usually think all things are on the table, but they’re a lot smaller than Intelligentsia who has national wholesale accounts. Blue Bottle had wholesale accounts in California – primarily Northern California – and the one little shop in Brooklyn. I just didn’t think that it would make sense. I didn’t think they had the reach for it. Then at the last minute I sent them an email, got in touch with their wholesale director, Luisa Alberto, and the rest is history. We were very simpatico, and it worked out. I adore Blue Bottle. Not just their coffee, but their company, as well. There’s something intangible about it.

They have a deep passion for what they do.

They do. Maybe it’s because they’re a little bit younger as a company than the other roasters such as Stumptown and Intelligentsia. I originally talked to Stumptown way back, who are really cool, and huge. They were really the first to put the whole third wave thing on the map. The point is you can look at making a coffee decision like this as strictly a binary decision. What kind of roast do I want? What kind of flavor profile? But I think that there’s more to it than that. I think that there are these intangible elements. There was just something about Blue Bottle, their people, and their ethos that really struck a chord with me. It’s been an absolutely phenomenal partnership so far.

You received some top-tier training, I imagine?

Awesome training.

I remember the location in the center of downtown SF has a light-siphon. Any plans to do something like that?

Not really. That’s a little too ahead of the curve right now. My big challenge is introducing the Tucson marketplace and Southern Arizona to Blue Bottle. Already we’re finding there’s an education in terms of the single cup pour overs and the double shots that we pull, so I think that bringing in the siphon right now would be a little over the top.

Clearly you’ve been supportive of downtown and revitalizing it. Xoom was one of the first in this building when it opened up. Where do you see things going with this whole area and where would you like to see things go?

I have always had my eye on downtown. I’m an urban guy at heart. I think that every great city – and Tucson’s a great city – needs a good downtown. A few years back I had the opportunity to move one of my Xoom locations downtown and I went for it. I was an early adopter on this east block of Congress and that gave me a vantage point of what was happening down here. I think that the biggest change I perceived is that the change we all wanted has moved a little from the civic to the private arena. Developers such as Scott Stiteler who owns this building, Fletcher who’s opening Providence, once they started investing in downtown it paved the way for small businesses such as myself, Kade Mislinski from Hub, Travis from 47 Scott, and Janos Wilder. I think the pivot point has occurred. And, I think for the last couple of years it’s starting this feed-off-each-other process where the civic is coming back into it. There’s the modern streetcar. You could even wrap the U of A into it, making investments downtown, and building student housing. I think we’re at an amazing juncture.

So, this is probably the last thing on your mind. You have Sparkroot, you have Xoom, Is there anything else that you want to do in the next five years?

I’m really satisfied right now. Xoom has made a nice impact in Tucson, it’s going to be 10 years on October 23rd, and it’s been a wonderful decade. Sparkroot is my pride and joy right now. It’s really come off wonderfully. If I was expecting it to be a 10, it goes to 11. Thanks to Nigel from Spinal Tap for that reference. But since you asked the question, I’ll force myself to answer it. I only have one dream left in terms of business and that’s to one day go to Italy for about a half a year, train on how to make authentic Napoletano pizza, and open up a small, semi-hole-in-the-wall. Four different pies only. I’m really inspired by places like Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix.

I think that what’s happening right now in the food establishment sector is brilliant. We’re still dominated by your chain restaurants, but I think that there’s a great micro-market happening where people that have a passion for something, whether it’s great coffee, great pizza -whatever it is – they’re opening these incredibly artisan, small scale places that are doing well. And the market is supporting them.

* * *

Speaking of support, if you haven’t made it to Sparkroot, give it a try. They have a great menu in addition to the coffee, with creative salads including ingredients such as quinoa, roasted beets, baby arugula, and kale. Their imaginative Pressed Cheese Sandwiches on Ciabatta feature cheeses such as gruyere, fontina, double creme brie and chevre thanks to their head chef and baker, Julie Asis. And of course, they feature some of the best coffee in town. I highly recommend.

(Raspados from Oasis)

This was a fun, food-filled weekend.

I started off Friday evening with happy hour at Fleming’s. I don’t usually mention chain restaurants, but Fleming’s sets the bar high. Appetizers for $6. I’m not talking about old french fries and bar nachos. Try Tenderloin Carpaccio, Seared Ahi Tuna and their Prime Burger with cheese and bacon. It’s high end quality at Jack In The Box prices. They feature great deals on drinks, too, and the service is excellent. If they don’t know your name after 3 visits, I’d be surprised.

Saturday morning, a friend and I met at Le Buzz before a trip up to the top of Mt. Lemmon. Le Buzz is one of my favorite bakeries in town. Along with Frog’s Organic Bakery and Beyond Bread, they feature baked goods you can’t find anywhere else. We both had the breakfast sandwich and split a Vanilla Bean Scone after the hike. I think I skipped lunch. But for dinner I went to La Botana at Ft. Lowell and First Avenue. This place is great. Their Adobada, Green Chile, and Red Chile tacos were delicious. The bean dip starter and tri-salsa is a unique twist on the standard chips and salsa. And, their patio is awesome. I’m reluctant to sit underneath the oleander bush, though.

Menu from La Botana

Sunday was my go-to breakfast – KG’s Westside Cafe. (RepreSENT!). They have the best pancakes. Perfectly balanced and fluffy. The servers always go above and beyond. They even brew me a stronger pot of coffee . Although I gotta admit… get coffee elsewhere. Even stronger, it’s just… um… get coffee elsewhere.

Later that day we went to Oasis for Raspados. Big mistake. I might have to go there WAY more often now. I ordered the Strawberry Raspados Con Nieve (with ice cream). It’s a good place to start if you’ve never had one (which I’m shamed to admit, I hadn’t. But, I grew up here and only made it to the rodeo for the first time a couple years ago, too).

Next, as if that wasn’t enough, a friend, who takes the term “locavore” into obsessive-compulsive disorder territory had slaughtered, butchered and was spit roasting a lamb from the east side of town where it was raised.

Spit roasting a Tucson raised lamb

There were other minor events that involved peanut butter cups, but I don’t consider that newsworthy.

Until next time…

Regan Jasper, at the age of 24, became one of the youngest Sommeliers in Arizona. Racking up Wine Spectator Awards at Fuego restaurant and Hacienda del Sol resort, Jasper’s accomplishments caught Sam Fox’s attention. In 1999, Fox wooed him to FRC with the promise of creative freedom in developing and managing the beverage and hospitality programs for every restaurant.

Jasper quickly demonstrated his exceptional expertise beyond the wine and beverage realm and today is responsible for wine and beverage programs for all Fox restaurants.

With the success of Fox Restaurants and Zinburger, I had the chance recently to ask Regan some questions regarding wine, burgers, and the restaurant industry. Below is what Regan had to say.

1) What do you look for in a wine and food pairing?

In general,  I like to have the wine compliment the food. The wine should have some acidity to help the protein stand out. If we are talking about Zinburger and pairing wines with burgers, well… that is some of the easiest pairings around! First, I’m going to answer a question with a question… why do so many people like to have wine and cheese parties? Because the fats in cheese make every wine show nicely. Now, back to the question regarding pairing wine with food – if you have a large amount of rich fats, like a hamburger and cheese does, then any wine will go good. Big red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel will not overpower the food.

2) Is there a white wine you like with red meat?

White wine with red meat is not a natural pairing so I would say no. But if you don’t drink red wine I would tell you to choose a rich full bodied Chardonnay rather than a high acid light weight wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. And if the red meat is spicy hot than I would suggest a wine with some sweetness like our Riesling or Caymus Conundrum.

3) With the subtle complexity of some of the burgers featured, does the wine need to be equally complex, or much simpler?

Needs? No. But it can be. And that’s what’s so great about pairing wine with food. The earth tones you get from the mushrooms on the kobe burger pair great with red wines with a little more old world edge to them like the Sangeovese from Santa Christina, and the Newton Claret. The salty flavor that you get from the Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Bacon on the Samburger begs for a riper and richer style of red wine like Gascon Reserve Malbec or Manifesto Zinfandel. The onions reduced in red Zinfandel on the Zinburger are a natural pairing for a soft supple red wine like the Hey Mambo Sultry Red or the Tobin James Zinfandel. The turkey burger on the other hand pairs nicely with Chardonnay and my favorite Truchard Fox Block 7 Pinot Noir.

4) Now that Zinburger is in New Jersey and finding success, what direction would you like to see it go in?

I don’t think that this is a regional concept. I feel like we can open this concept in just about any market and it will do fantastic. So, the future is bright for Zinburger!

5) Any comments on the general industry push towards more and more casual and less and less fine dining?

I hope that our economy recovers and I hope that consumer confidence grows back to where it was just a couple of years ago. I feel fortunate that our company has some diversity in the different dining segments. It helps to have some more casual driving brands mixed in with our full service higher priced point spots.

Thanks, Regan!

Community Food Bank’s El Pueblo Farmers Market
Visit site
Available from the Marana Farm and Nuestra Tierra Garden of the Community Food Bank will be leeks, turnips, carrots, chard, kale, green onions, green garlic and fennel.

The Community Foods Consignment will have red potatoes, sweet potatoes, hydroponic tomatoes, salad and cooking greens, pecans, herbs and fresh eggs for $3.50/dozen.

The Breckenfeld Family will have spinach, carrots and beets.

Spice of the Desert will have garden seedlings, desert plants, herbal remedies, jams, apples, hydroponic tomatoes and eggs.

“La Finca de Mi Abuela” will provide fair trade whole bean coffee, harvested in the San Martin Region of Guatemala.

Music by John White

Saturnalia
http://www.localwineevents.com/events/detail/368923/
Saturnalia is a wine tasting hosted by certified sommelier Kenny Stewart & DJ Carl Hanni. Carl plays a mix of Latin groove jazz, exotica, downtempo R&B, soul,and other sexy sounds from around the planet. Kenny, a magician as well, might occasionally set aside the wine to break out a few magic moves. Onyx room is a brand new restaurant and night club that features classic southern cuisine and sexy atmosphere. Saturnalia is a roaming wine tasting that will change its location every month. Five wines featured for $5 dollars!

Local Wine Events
http://www.localwineevents.com/events/overview/us/95/tucson-wine

In fact, I’m amazed at how clean and light their Chinese food is. I’m not going to go into menu descriptions because it’s pretty standard Chinese food. They offer items such as Broccoli Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Sesame Chicken, Lo Mein, Chow Mein, etc. All entrees are priced between $6.99 and $7.99 with half orders available for between $4.59 and $4.99. Everything I tried tasted fresh, and well prepared. Everything. I wanted to try as many things as I could from the Chinese menu since they are a Chinese restaurant. That’s their name – King’s Chinese Restaurant. It’s not King’s Chinese and Vietnamese Restaurant. If it was, I might have tried it sooner. And had I tried it sooner, I most definitely wouldn’t have held out so long to try their pho ($6.25). It’s the best pho I’ve ever had. I don’t know why. The broth itself is delicious. The plate of basil and bean sprouts is, well – a plate of purple basil, limes, and bean sprouts. But the meats they put into the Pho Tai Nam Gau are not just the rare beef slices you typically get. There’s three kinds of meats in there. Even though the menu decription says “Rice noodle soup with rare, tender beef slices,” trust me, there’s other meat in there. And it’s good. And very filling.

I’ve also tried the Fresh Spring Rolls. Those are great, too. Really big and made to order.

Ambience? Uh, heh… yeah. None. It’s small and bright inside, lit with fluorescent lighting. A big TV is on for you to watch CNN. One of the owners’ children is usually sitting at one of the tables doing homework or playing video games on a laptop. He’s cute.

Service? They have great pho! Who cares about service?! But seriously, don’t go here expecting much. Just go for the pho. Maybe that could be their new advertising slogan. Just GO for the PHO. Of course, it’s pronounced “phuh” so that wouldn’t work. Unless you said “Just GUH for the PHO. Anyhow…

Next door – which I had never realized was an Asian market – is the Grant Stone Supermarket. They have some amazing things for you to peruse and/or purchase if you dare. It’s a nice little weeknight cultural experience – dinner at King’s then a jaunt through the Grant Stone Supermarket. I always get Pocky – those shortbread sticks dipped in chocolate.

But, check out King’s Chinese Restaurant first and let me know what you think. It’s seriously worth it and they probably seriously need the business.

They’re open everyday until 9 pm, but close early on Sundays, I think.

King’s Chinese Restaurant
10 West Grant Road
Tucson, AZ 85705
(520) 829-7214
Google Map

I’ve been to Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails three times now. And I want to go again because I want SO BAD for it to be SO GOOD but it just isn’t. Is it horrible? No. But I hold Janos to some high standards that I don’t hold many others to.

The ambience/decor of the place has shifted since my first visit. It really isn’t that much different than Barrio Grill was. There’s a different palette and some modern art piece hanging above the kitchen. They took out that cool wine bottle holder with all the holes in it. And, at first they actually had booths crammed up against the bar seating with no way into the bar other than meandering through the guests sitting in those booths. That has since changed. Also, the door that was the main entry for Barrio Grill is no longer an entryway, which is a little irritating since that’s where the parking lot is, but I’m sure they have their reasons.

The service is just okay. On my first lunch visit, the female server was nice and seemed to be knowledgable given the length of time they had been opened. Second visit (evening, sat at bar) I wasn’t greeted, I had to call the bartender over from the other guests she had been overly focused on (eyes up!) and she seemed overwhelmed. Food took a while to come out. It seemed like I had to call her over every time I needed something. Third visit – the server was not rude but definitely not very nice. In her defense, everything was spot-on, however. So, that’s all I’m looking for. A smile does go a long way but… serving’s hard work.

Now, how about the food? For a restaurant of this caliber, with Janos name behind it, here is where I think there should be no exceptions. None. Perfection should encompass every plate that comes out of that kitchen in every way. As should the items on the menu. And the presentation. Let’s start with the menu. It’s okay. Nothing too creative (except for the burger, which I might add you CANNOT order at dinner in the dining room – only at the bar. Make sense? No, it doesn’t.). The burger was good. Almost as good as Zinburger’s. I tried the Dr. Pepper Marinated Pork Shoulder. S’ok. Tried The Game Changer. Not changing any games there. Seasonal melon and roasted beet salad was delicious but the beets were chopped into such large chunks that I couldn’t understand how they could pay such little attention to detail. Ahi ceviche was bland. I added salt. Also both the beets and ceviche are served in dark bottom bowls. This is probably the worst presentation you could dream up. For one – the beet dish, which was tasty, and I’ve had before elsewhere, is a beautiful dish. Show it! And chop those beets down to bite size. And what’s up with the gigantic portion size? No one needs to eat that many beets. Jeez, Janos. I tried the lamb sausage pasta. Not bad. Not great. Had the roast trout. Better than anything that ever came out of Barrio Grill, but still not there, yet. The Crispy Calamari was pretty good, but hasn’t that been on every restaurant’s menu since, oh… 1992?

Other than that, it was a good experience and I applaud Janos for taking over that space. I hope they work their kinks out because I do have faith. Until then, I’ll stick to Maynards or 47 Scott.