Nopalitos Ceviche and Shrimp Cocktails and cheese plates, oh my
The Century Room at Hotel Congress has been spreading its melodies downtown for the past few months and is now rearin’ up for a fun spring and summer jam session. It’s been quite a blast so far, which includes top talents from Tucson and across the country — an eclectic mix of jazz genres, comedy shows, jazz harmonica experiences, and more.
However, now there’s a new kind of rhythm hitting the corner of Congress and Fifth Avenue — a small bites menu, to be exact.
Take a gander at the new menu unique-to-Century-Room small bites menu.
SMALL BITES MENU
Nopalitos Ceviche ($8) – grilled nopalitos, pico de gallo, and corn tortilla cups (add Sea of Cortez shrimp for an additional $4)
Century Cheese Plate ($20) – assorted cheese and accouterments, toasted Barrio Bread baguette
Sea of Cortez Shrimp Cocktail ($15) – poached shrimp, chipotle cocktail sauce, and lemon
Candied and Smoked Nuts ($9) – assorted smoked, roasted, and candied nuts
You’ve got to wash all of that down with something, right?
Luckily, there is plenty to order from the cocktail menu and even a collection of non-alcoholic drinks to savor throughout the performances. The intimate jazz venue features a range of showtimes throughout the weekend, including a Friday night concert series, late-night gigs on Thursday and Saturday, and a Sunday night jam session.
At 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.