Aside from the sweltering heat we all tend to experience during the summer, the season also brings a so-called breath of fresh air to local businesses. For restaurant owners and everyone involved in the day-to-day process of delighting hungry eaters, the summer provides a little bit of breathing room for new ideas, flavors, and experiences.
Over on the corner of Cushing Street and Meyer Avenue, the creative minds behind the Coronet are eager to present what they’ve been working on during the restaurant’s summer hiatus. On Thursday, August 31, owner Sally Kane, executive chef Tanner Fleming, and the rest of the hardworking team welcome you to experience the brand-new dishes, cocktails, and updated wine list.
“We have been busy busy busy,” said Kane. “We have been, resting, writing, thinking, drawing, traveling, cooking, creating, and tasting.”
Therefore, the very last day of the month kicks off a new culinary adventure at the Coronet — for everyone involved. To break it down, there is a new food menu, new cocktails to sip (at both the Coronet and Nightjar), and the main dining room is reopening.
Scanning over the menu and locking eyes with dishes like the Wild Boar Birria Bucatini, which incorporates pasta from the local noodle shop CERES, will likely make your stomach grumble — practically requesting the order for you.
Then there are meals that are just fun to read and say out loud when ordering like the Snails in the Garden or the Venison on the Forest Floor, which comes with coffee-rubbed fondant potato, black currant-charred onion purée, and greens.
“There is so much love and thought that has gone into this new menu,” said Kane when asked if she could choose a favorite. “It is a true expression of the Coronet and of chef Tanner Fleming’s passion. Each item has been well considered, I do not believe in choosing one of the new children as my favorite — probably never will. They all need to be loved equally or they should be sent to the orphanage and never to darken our doors again.”
Dinner Menu at The Coronet
Smaller Plates
- Pâté de Campagne – pork and liver pâté with pistachio, kale, bacon
- Angus Beef Carpaccio – blackened cauliflower mustard, pickled local mushrooms, Whisky Del Bac aioli (optional: add caviar)
- Late Summer Tomato Pear Terrine – cashew cheese, local honey, green chutney
- Steelhead & Shrimp Mousse Torchon – champagne chive créme fraîche, chilled pea purée
- Green Goddess Salad – wheat berry, grilled farm vegetables, pickled cholla buds, cashew cheese
- Cannellini & Grilled Corn Bisque – confit tomato, charred scallion (optional: add grilled sea bass)
- Charred Asparagus Panna Cotta – lump crab, Madeira-fish sauce, puffed amaranth
- Oyster Mushroom Tempura – pickled melon, green papaya salad
- Snails in the Garden – house spicy pork sausage, roasted root vegetables, hazelnut-brown butter crust
- Aleppo & Honey Grilled Quail – mushroom tomato bread pudding, smoked coconut yogurt
Larger Plates
- Lion’s Mane Mushroom Steak – pan-fried root vegetable Korean pancake, pak choy house kimchi
- Herbs de Provence Crusted Sea Bass – grilled corn panisse, mussels escabeche
- Wild Boar Birria Bucatini – queso Oaxaca frico, green chili sauce, masa, chili threads
- Venison on the Forest Floor – savory soil, coffee-rubbed fondant potato, black currant-charred onion purée, fallen greens
Bittersweetly, the new cocktails are a part of the former bar manager Keila Herrington’s final farewell to the Tucson culinary scene. For nearly 10 years, Herrington has been creating liquid concoctions at the Coronet, making it an exciting cocktail destination in downtown Tucson.
“The genesis of these cocktails is Keila’s swan song,” said Kane. “Our beloved Keila is moving to the Bay Area — she has been with us for nine years! Our hearts ache to see her go. She made each of these new cocktails with some seriously deep love in her heart.”
Some classics still remain on the “Old Friends” portion of the menu — Sazerac, Nightjar, Sidecar, and more — but a handful of new drinks are awaiting your arrival at the Coronet or inside the on-site cocktail bar, Nightjar.
New Cocktails at the Coronet
- Rosebud – Vodka, Orgeat, House Grenadine, Lemon, Rosewater
- Madam Tomi – Nigori Sake, Plum Gin, Vodka, Luxardo Maraschino, Lime
- Occidental – Darjeeling Gin, Cardamom, Fennel, Lazzaroni, Lemon, Shiso, Orange Bitters
- Barrio Negroni – Carreño Naran, Cioco Amaro, Punt e Mes, Fernet Branca
- Gauguin Voyage – Pisco, Passionfruit, Creme de Cacao, Almond Milk, Sumac, House Smoked Salt Rim
- Ol Rait – Whiskey, Nonino, Punt e Mes, St. George ‘Nola’
Cocktail Menu at Nightjar
- Faerie Water – Prosecco, Watercress, Pastis Wash, Lemon, Orange Bitters
- Butter Worker – Brown Butter Washed Mezcal, Lucano Amaro, Aperol
- Bang Bang Sour – Dark Rum, Sarsaparilla, Egg White, Lemon, Bitters
- Butler’s Consort – Earl Gray Clarified Gin Milk, Lemon, Lavender Bitters
- Old Jett – Old Tom Gin, Nux Alpina Walnut Liqueur, Punt e Mes, Orange and Black Walnut Bitters, Cocoa Spiced Candied Walnuts
- Sangria Rojo
“We also have a few new items on the wine list,” said Kane, who continues to maintain one of the finest wine programs in the city. “Also, stay tuned for a private barrel (private label) Sangiovese in partnership with Sand Reckoner.”
Some of the new wines available by the glass:
- Domaine Maurice Schoech f j Pinot Blanc, Muscat Alsace FR ’20
- Meinklang ‘Weisser Mulatschak’ f j
- Welschriesling, Pinot Gris, Traminer Österreich AT ‘22
- Domaine du Pallus ‘Messanges Rouge’ f Cabernet Franc Chinon FR ‘19
If you’re seeking a more intimate counter-service situation where you can grab a bite, sip on coffee, or wake up with a cup of tea, Coronet Cafe has all of the above and more. The cafe has one of the prettiest patios in town and features a menu of its own from the same kitchen.
The Coronet is located at 198 W. Cushing St. For reservations, hours of operation, and more about Nightjar and Coronet Cafe, visit coronettucson.com.
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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.
