Here’s a look back at what the Tucson Foodie team enjoyed during August!
Not only are these reminders of the dishes we ate, but they can also be a guide for your own decisions on what to eat here in Tucson.
Pastries from Cafe Francais are always a good idea. My favorite is the Chocolate Croissant because it’s laminated to perfection and there is a perfect balance of chocolate inside. The savory pastries are a sleeper hit too, definitely worth checking out.
Read our article Cafe Francais to open Broadway location.
The ahi tuna ceviche at Charro Steak North was one of my favorite things I had there. The steak was obviously done to perfection, but the tuna was a surprise when I went in for my first bite of ceviche and then I ended up trying to eat this whole bowl.
Read our article Charro Steak Expands with Second Location at Casas Adobes.
I’m trying to incorporate more vegan foods into my diet thanks to Death Free Foodie so I had the salt and pepper tofu at Go Dim Sum. It maintained its crispy texture throughout my meal and it was seasoned simply, but well. I ended up sharing with my entire table because everyone wanted to try. Oh and the milk teas and bobas at Go Dim Sum are a must. We ended up buying more to take home!
For more information, visit godimsum.com.
Chef Christian Padilla is a master of his craft, and his craft being putting delicious morsels in your mouth. I enjoyed all of the sushi, but my favorite had to be the shrimp with Sonoran chili crisp he added on top with Japanese peanuts. This and a glass of wine from AZ Wine Collective? What more do you need?
I had never been to Espresso Art Cafe but took advantage that the students weren’t back quite yet a few weeks ago and wow, what a delight. Half coffee shop, half cool speakeasy – I was seriously impressed with their bar lineup. This hand shaken espresso martini exceeded all my expectations. Can’t wait to go back!
View our Reel.
While I love many of the pizzerias in Tucson, no one quite has my heart the way Pronghorn in Sonoita does. The Brava and a glass of their Principrana are what I consider part of a balanced diet.
For more information, visit pronghorn.pizza.
Finally tried the beloved Daisy Mae’s Steakhouse. The steak was obviously recommended to me and it was perfectly cooked and seasoned, as I expected. What I didn’t expect was to fall in love with their wings. No sauce or condiments needed. Crispy throughout and charred where you wanted. And the bartender made a mean martini, I’ll absolutely be back.
Read our October 2018 article Daisy Mae’s: Home to Succulent Steaks & Iconic Dollar Bills.
The vegan breakfast burrito at Cafe Passé is stuffed with soyrizo, tofu scramble, and crispy potatoes, and it was seasoned so well. The space is beautiful too, with a gorgeous outdoor patio perfect for working, a date, or just relaxing. In love with this place.
For more information, visit cafepassetucson.com.
I’m not normally keen to a plate of tomatoes. But when you dress up some heirloom tomatoes with okra, yogurt emulsion, lactofermented beet greens, basil, smoked beef tallow, and some fancy salt. The richness and zingy elements complimented the tomatoes alongside layers of umami. Perhaps my favorite bite of the month. Get these while they can still source quality tomatoes.
Read our article Inside Sunshine Wine: Tucson’s Newest Wine Bar & Outdoor Patio Hangout.
Always worth it to swing by CERES for a weekly special. During this visit, I enjoyed the lemon artichoke ravioli with parm, parsley, breadcrumbs, and a tangy Calabrian chili add-on. Use the bread to sop up all the lemon butter sauce.
For more information, visit cerestucson.square.site.
Kin Dee Thai is currently soft open (grand opening article coming once they are ready), so I swung by a couple times to try multiple dishes. As a loyal fan of Hainanese chicken rice, I also love the similar-yet-distinct Thai version, khao mun gai. The fragrant garlic, ginger, and pandan-infused rice comes topped with poached chicken breast and cilantro, alongside sliced cucumber, chicken consommé, and a funky house-fermented chili sauce. A dish I could happily eat every day without getting tired of it.
The khao kai palo also brought me to literal tears out of nostalgia, eerily similar to my mom’s braised pork belly and eggs.
Keep up with Kin Dee Thai on Instagram.
I normally just get Brian’s fried chicken, but this visit, he hooked me up with an order of the salmon. These crunchy squares are fried slow and remained immaculately juicy; it dripped down my hands and I needed napkins immediately.
Read our article Chef Brian’s Comfort Kitchen now open at 5 Points area.
Harvest seasons yields bountiful grapes. At Dos Cabezas, they casually brought over a platter of some wine grapes for us to try. It’s already been decades since I’ve bitten into a grape with seeds, so I forgot how actually pleasant their seeds crunch. And the Malvasia especially delighted me with its sweet-acid ratio and crisp, complex floral notes.
For more information, visit doscabezas.com.
So much love in the sandwich. They take their time making their own pastrami from scratch and get custom Jewish-style rye from Barrio Bread. Everything has structure, yet melds together. I scarfed down this sandwich, finishing before I even realized what happened. I also adore their garlicky pickles. Easily my favorite pickles in town.
For more information, visit knellersdelicatessen.com.
Evenly-cooked rich duck with crispy skin, a light, acidic salad with olives, and a glass of A d’Aussières Rouge. I added on a side of the lush bone marrow mashed potatoes with pepper demi-glace as a cherry on top.
Keep up with Forbes Meat Company on Instagram.
Yamato will always be a top choice for a splurge meal. The hotate (scallops) this trip was particularly sweet.
Read our September 2018 article I spent the last decade going to Yamato Japanese Restaurant for sushi.
Their take on the Seafood Newberg featured a medley of lobster, tail-on shrimp, scallops, cod, chives, parsnips, carrots, peas, and cognac cream sauce. With a puff pastry crisp on top, it felt like an elevated pot pie.
While their East Coast menu period has concluded, they recently launched their Jamaica menu.
For more information, read our August article Kingfisher’s Summer Road Trip Goes East Coast + Wine Dinner.
Most of my experience with Filipino food comes from family potlucks of Filipino friends; I never would have expected to have such peppery, assertively seasoned lumpia right next to a golf course. While the Filipino menu has since concluded, I’m now confident in their ability to execute on their upcoming special events themed from around the world.
Read our article Filipino Food stars at Forty Niner August.
At Desert Magic, I saw chef Ryan Clark’s team sautéing figs with brown butter in shiny Made In pans; I was immediately intrigued. With one scoop of the dessert into my mouth, the nutty aroma of the brown butter permeated straight to my nose. The sweetness of the fig and complexity of fig leaf and local honey followed afterwards. A leading contender for the tastiest dessert I’ll have all year. Ryan: PLEASE put this on the menu at Flying V, or have a dedicated station for it at the weekly Blues, Brews & BBQ Brunch.
Read our article Tucson’s Flying V Honors Ranch Heritage with Summer Menu.
With so many wonderful dishes to choose from on the Ghini’s French Caffe menu, it can be tough to decide. But the Eggs Provençal is at the top of the list. It is, after all, Chef Ghini’s signature dish, one she cooked with her family in Provence. I believe this is the only place in Tucson where this dish is served. Eggs can be prepared to your liking. They are then served with sauteed farm fresh tomatoes, seasoned just so with fresh garlic and French thyme. The flavors and textures blend in perfect harmony. Tres jolie!
The choice of breads from Baguette Bakery “next door” is again mind-boggling. I went with the petit boule. Hash browns are an extra $2. Well worth the price – golden, crispy, and tender. Exactly how hash browns should be.
Get there early, there’s always a crowd. The shaded patio is an ideal spot to enjoy a relaxing breakfast.
For more information, visit ghiniscafe.com.
The fish and chips at Kingfisher have to be some of the best in town. Hot, and I mean hot, out of the fryer the cod is at one both crispy and tender. Great fries and house slaw is all you need for a fine dinner.
For more information, visit kingfishertucson.com.
Sonoran House at Sam Hughes is now one of my fave places to work and eat. I got the grilled cheese with truffle fries. The milk bread made the sandwich extra dreamy. I always love a good truffle fry, and the shoestring ones here did not disappoint!
Read our article Sonoran House Sam Hughes Grand Opening July 28.
Having recently returned from a trip to Italy, I was craving the comfort of Italian dining: just a fresh few ingredients that blend perfectly together. I headed to Locale and ordered the Penne all’arrabbiata (I swapped house made casarecce pasta for the penne) and added some meatballs. I was transported back to Rome! Well not really, but close enough. The bread with Gorgonzola and walnuts dip is also divine.
For more information, visit localetucson.com.
The gelato I had at the Desert Magic event was….magical. Chef Ryan Clark combined honey gelato, brown butter figs with agave, and the best mesquite crumble.
Read our article Tucson’s Flying V Honors Ranch Heritage with Summer Menu.
The “Corazon Artesano” at La Frida. Salmon served on a bed of homemade mole sauce. Their mole is one of the top 2 or 3 moles in Tucson.
Read our article Q&A with Claudia Vindiola, owner of La Frida Mexican Grill & Seafood.
The “Chiles al Fuego” at Charro Steak. The best shishito peppers I’ve ever had — even better than the ones I make at home. They’re blistered perfectly, but what makes them stand out is the sauce.
Read our article Charro Steak North at Casas Adobes now soft open [PHOTOS].
The Fried Chicken Sandwich at Time Market. I asked Jackie for his favorite friend chicken sandwich in Tucson and he sent me here. Definitely now in my top 5. They serve it on a brioche bun with tomato, slaw, and a house-made pickle. Get it “Tucson HOT” for just 50 cents more. Next time I’m gonna ask to make it triple hot cause I wanted more heat, but it’s a great sandwich.
Read our article Time Market: Your local one-stop shop for flavors & purveyors.
The “Basque Cheese Cake & Fresh Fruit” at Los Milics. The best cheesecake is a Basque cheesecake and Los Milics did it right. Burnt just right and super creamy.
Read our article Arizona vineyard Los Milics praised as “world class” by Food & Wine.
I hadn’t tried eel until recently, but now I’m hooked. If you want to start with the best in town, go to Yamato and order the unagi nigiri (grilled eel over rice brushed with tare and topped with sesame seeds).
Keep up with Yamato Japanese Restaurant on Facebook.
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