How much will Prep & Pastry change now that chef-partner Kyle Nottingham has joined the team?
With the new menu, it seems subtle. Pastry chef Hannah Houlden is still a key part of the team, which has added new items that fit well within the realm of Prep & Pastry.
While Doissants have been a staple, doughnuts were recently introduced, with flavors ranging from fun (blueberry prickly pear brioche, coffee and cream) to sophisticated (lemon meringue brioche, salted dark chocolate). The doughnuts themselves have a bit more chew and stretchiness, while the glazes taste like a lightly-sweetened version of the highlighted topping rather than a candy version. For example, the blueberry glaze tasted of real, ripe blueberries instead of a blueberry hard candy.
On the savory side of things, the menu features a handful of new salads that forgo recently risky romaine in favor of butter lettuce, arugula, and kale.
The All Kale Caesar Salad ($11) features an understated elegance with its combination of roasted garlic Caesar dressing, bread crumbs, parmesan, chili flake, and lemon. It might end up on our list of favorite salads.
Eggs go international with the Harissa Shakshuka ($10), which features poached eggs atop a roasted red pepper sauce with chickpeas and a couple slices of crispy baguette to sop up all the sauce. The dish is generous with the sauce, so don’t be afraid to apply it gratuitously to the baguette.
If the everything bagel is your jam, don’t miss out on the Everything Croissant Sammie ($12) with prosciutto, basil pesto, white cheddar, and scrambled egg. The balance of prosciutto and white cheddar ends up evocative of a tapas sandwich, so it pairs surprisingly well with a glass of wine or sangria.
Prep & Pastry Summer Menu Highlights
- Harissa Shakshuka ($10) – roasted red pepper sauce, poached eggs, legumes and beans, crispy baguettes
- Everything Croissant Sammie ($12) – prosciutto, basil pesto, white cheddar, scrambled egg
- Fried Chicken Sandwich ($12.50) – Noel’s Honey Dijon, tangy slaw, bread and butter pickles
- Seared Salmon ($14) – roasted pepper romesco sauce, fennel and citrus salad, potato hash
- Prep’s Butter Cobb Salad ($11) – butter lettuce, blue cheese dressing, shaved egg, house bacon, charred corn, avocado, cucumber, tomato
- Herbed Arugula Salad ($10.50) – charred shallot, lemon vinaigrette, Parmigiano-Reggiano, crushed almonds, garden herbs
- All Kale Caesar Salad ($11) – roasted garlic Caesar dressing, bread crumbs, parmesan, chili flake, lemon
- Overnight Oats and Whey ($9) – PB & J, brûléed banana, nuts and seeds
- Affogato French Toast ($9.25) – Exo espresso ganache, vanilla crème fraîche, shaved cacao
Prep & Pastry is located at 3073 N. Campbell Ave. and 6450 E. Grant Rd. Unit 160. For more information, visit prepandpastry.com.
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Article written by:
Jackie Tran
More about JackieJackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the now-closed food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.
An adventurous foodie, he enjoys culinary experiences ranging from seasonal omakase to sloppily devouring green chili patty melts in his car afterhours. His favorite foods include aguachile, garlic noodles, and leftover fried chicken illuminated by the fridge light. His favorite drinks include morning micheladas, fireside imperial stouts, candle-lit negroni, and grassy mezcales.
Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments, karaoke, Tetris, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and petting Addie’s dog Spaghetti.
If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.
