Visiting JoJo’s at 76 W. Washington St. is always an all-around experience. Great food, a beautiful outdoor patio, live music, a turtle pond, and a wandering cat named Lucky are what you can expect at the corner of Washington Street and Court Avenue.
On Saturday, August 10, JoJo’s is hosting a multi-course Sunset Mushroom Dinner. There will be four seating times to choose from online at 5, 5:30, 7, and 7:30 p.m.
Chef Christian Bidegain has teamed up with the Southern Arizona urban mushroom farm, Sunset Mushrooms, to feature five varieties of mushrooms. Sunset Mushrooms grows multiple batches of fungi out of its Sierra Vista growhouse, including Lion’s Mane, Pearl Oyster, and Piopinno — a hidden gem in the mushroom world.
Seats at the table are $130 per person and include six courses (reservations are required). The option to purchase drink pairings will be available the day of.
To reserve your spot, open this link, select “August 10,” and choose one of the available times (5, 5:30, 7, or 7:30 p.m.).
This dinner is packed with all kinds of goodies so come hungry!
Sunset Mushroom Dinner Menu
First Course: Snack
- Blue Oyster Mushroom “Chips” – Crispy blue oyster mushroom chips dusted with seaweed and vinegar powder and served with a side of miso-cashew dip.
Second Course: Starter
- Pearl Oyster Mushroom and “Cheese” – Lightly pickled pearl oyster mushrooms served with almond milk “cheese,” black garlic paste, and charcoal semolina crackers. Topped with microgreens and edible flowers.
Third Course: Intermediate
- Lion’s Mane Mushroom “Carpaccio” – Sauteed Lion’s Mane mushroom mixed with fried capers, shallots, and mustard. Vegan “egg yolk”. Served with baguette.
Fourth Course: Main
- King Trumpet Mushroom “Scallops” – Sous-vide & seared king trumpet mushroom scallops with a mushroom reduction, paired with potato pearls, dehydrated kale chips, and a roasted red pepper espuma. Garnished with micro cilantro and micro leeks.
Fifth Course: Palate Cleanser
- Pioppino Mushroom Sorbet – Pioppino mushroom and citrus sorbet, cava granita, and garnished with basil caviar.
Sixth Course: Dessert
- Hazelnut & Pioppino Tart – Pioppino mushroom and dark chocolate tart with a hazelnut shortbread crust, served with coconut vanilla mousse and apricot coulis.
Quick History of JoJo’s
In 2010, Jo Schneider took over La Cocina in downtown Tucson. Just a couple of years ago, the name changed to LaCo. Fast forward to this very moment and Jo has retired, leaving the business to her family. Now, the restaurant is named after Jo, a loving tribute to their mother: JoJo’s Restaurant.
Reminder: To reserve your spot, open this link, select “August 10,” and choose one of the available times (5, 5:30, 7, or 7:30 p.m.).
JoJo’s Restaurant is located at 76 W. Washington St. For more information, visit jojostucson.com and follow JoJo’s on Instagram. For more information about Sunset Mushrooms and to bring their mushrooms home, visit sunsetmushrooms.com.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
