New: Jasper Neighborhood Restaurant and Bar
The former Jasper Food and Mixology, at 6370 N. Campbell Ave., is under new ownership and is now Jasper Neighborhood Restaurant and Bar. The interior has been redone, and the lunch menu has been expanded, but the Peruvian-style tapas plates are still on the menu. Live music is featured on Friday and Saturday; kids eat free every Tuesday; and wine is half off every Wednesday. Happy hour happens from 2 to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, with $3 to $6 snacks and a handful of drink specials; www.jaspertucson.com.
Southern Cooking
The new Onyx Room, at 106 W. Drachman St., opens Friday, April 1. The restaurant will offer old-fashioned Southern favorites such as "ribs, barbecued chicken, fried chicken, catfish, shrimp, smothered pork chops, beef brisket, mashed potatoes, gravy, rice and gravy, collard greens, fried okra and black-eyed peas," according to head cook John Bryant Jr. The building has been redecorated with chandeliers and murals to give it a supper-club feel; live jazz and R&B music will be featured regularly; and there's a full bar; www.theonyxroom.net.
New: Choice Greens Express
The new Choice Greens Express at the Tucson Mall (4500 N. Oracle Road.) is the healthiest thing to hit the food court in some time. The new eatery offers more than 40 ingredients from which to build custom salads, and serves soup and macaroni-and-cheese, too; 887-9941; www.choicegreens.com.
A Shout-Out to Janos
Janos Wilder and the staff from Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails recently helped plant a garden at the Children's Museum Tucson. When the vegetables ripen, Wilder will use them to create special dishes at his downtown restaurant, and will donate a portion of the proceeds from those dishes to the museum. This project is green and good for local kids, and Wilder and his staff deserve a shout-out for being part of it.
Noshing Notes
Jamaican food truck D Island Grill JA has relocated to the corner of Sixth Avenue and Grant Road. ... Prince Pizza and Family Restaurant (1763 E. Prince Road) has closed. ... Hacienda del Sol (5601 N. Hacienda del Sol Road; 529-3500) hosts its Blues, Zin and BBQ event from 4 to 7 p.m., Sunday, April 3. Tickets are $55. ... Kampai Sushi (4689 E. Speedway Blvd.) is now Bushi Traditional Japanese and Asian Cuisine; more on that next week.
