The Hog Pit
The Hog Pit Smokehouse Bar and Grill has opened in the old Taco Bron
location at 6910 E. Tanque Verde Road. We stopped in and found friendly
employees and a mouth-watering smokiness permeating the building. Big
portions and a menu of smokehouse favorites had people smiling; a biker
theme seems to pull in the two-wheeled crowd at night. The place
features live music on weekends, bikini bike washes, flat-screen
televisions and a full NFL package. Hours are 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., daily.
Call 722-4302 for more info.
Sir Veza’s
El Charro president Ray Flores tells Noshing he’s opening Sir Veza’s
Taco Garage in the former El Charro location at 4699 E. Speedway Blvd.
Johnny Vegas of Hi-Speed Rods and Customs is handling the majority of
the décor, and pictures of cars and motorcycles sent in by
Tucsonans will adorn the menus. Garage doors opening the place up to
Speedway Boulevard (weather and traffic permitting) are being
installed, and Flores plans on holding auto-themed events when the
place is up and running. The menu: Mexican and American standards, with
all items priced below $10. Flores hopes to have it open by the end of
the month.
Azul
Azul is a swanky Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and cocktail
lounge opening this month at the Westin La Paloma (3800 E. Sunrise
Drive). Think deep-blue lighting, signature cocktails and a menu
inspired by the coastal regions of Spain, France, Italy and Greece.
Call 742-6000 for more info.
Beer Awards
Thunder Canyon Brewery won two awards at this year’s Great American
Beer Festival in Denver. The Countdown Honey Brown won a gold medal,
and Roadrunner Red Lager took home a silver medal. Congratulations!
Noshing Notes
A new Xoom Juice has opened in the One North Fifth building
at 245 E. Congress St. Chefs Albert Hall and Lila Yamashiro opened the
new Marketplace at Acacia at 4340 N. Campbell Ave., Suite 107.
Hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily. I Love Sushi at 6486 N.
Oracle Road has closed; a sign says a new sushi joint will open there.
A peek inside El Coqui, the Puerto Rican restaurant under
construction at 5443 E. 22nd St., makes us believe the opening is still
some time off, although fliers with the place’s interesting menu are
already circulating.
This article appears in Nov 5-11, 2009.