Noshing Around

Check Yes for Chimi

A couple of well-known restaurants are leading a push to make the chimichanga Arizona's official state food. The owners of Macayo's Mexican Restaurant and El Charro Café have already collected more than 2,000 signatures for their "Check Yes for Chimi" campaign, and that number inches up with each passing day. Arizona has the bola tie as its official neckwear, and the Colt revolver as its official gun, so naming the chimichanga as the state food seems almost too sane to work—but it's got my vote. You can find the petition at www.checkyesforchimi.com.


New: Cyclopsicle

A new ice-pop stand called Cyclopsicle is open at the corner of Congress Street and Scott Avenue. Owner Gus Coliadis opened last week with an inaugural menu of five ice-pop flavors that he sells from a cargo bike that he had converted for the mobile operation. Flavors on opening day included mango-chipotle-chocolate and coconut-lemongrass-ginger, and Coliadis plans to introduce new deliciousness as time goes by. He expects to be at his current spot for about a year. For more information, find him on Facebook.


New at St. Philip's Plaza

A couple of new food-related businesses have opened at St. Philip's Plaza, at River Road and Campbell Avenue. Union Public House, a gastropub concept that's been a year in the making, is open in the spot formerly held by Acacia. There's no trace of the former tenant: The spot has undergone a complete overhaul inside and out; www.uniontucson.com.

Alfonso's Gourmet Olive Oil and Balsamics has also opened at the shopping center, offering an enormous selection of oils and vinegars, and the chance to taste the goods before you buy. Check it out at alfonsooliveoil.com.


Cup Quequitos

Just when the cupcake fad had nearly faded away, Cup Quequitos had to come along and grab our attention again. The business is run by Shanali Zeballos, the pastry chef at Café Poca Cosa, and its cupcakes are the stuff sweet dreams are made of. If pistachio-almond-rose and spiced-rum-raisin cupcakes sound like the sort of thing you could get into, take a moment to peruse www.cupquequitos.com. You can check out the cupcakes in person from 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 12, on the patio of Café Poca Cosa, 110 E. Pennington St.