Kade Mislinski Takes Over Saguaro Corners with Promises of a Donut Program

If the words “donut program” don’t get you excited on first mention, let me explain. Kade Mislinski, formerly of Playground, is planning a Willy Wonka-like world of glazes, fillings, shapes, and more when he takes over the historic Saguaro Corners restaurant. Most importantly, he says his crème brulée donut, which will be filled with vanilla cream and bruléed to order, will be the real showstopper of the program.

Beginning Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 11 a.m., Mislinski and chef Gabriel Greenberg are completely overhauling Saguaro Corners’ menu, though he expects that donut program won’t be ready until the end of January. He says the new menu is about simplifying a concept that he “didn’t think was broken.” Just because it’s going to be simple, though, doesn’t mean it’s not also going to be ambitious.

He says diners can expect reasonably priced fast casual counter service during the day until 4 p.m. and a full service menu for dinner six days per week. While he wasn’t ready to spill all of the beans yet, comfort food staples like grilled cheese, burgers, biscuits, and mac and cheese will be on the menu. However, his real plan is to make Saguaro Corners, which has been open since 1956, a buzzworthy spot in the vein of California’s Gott’s Roadside, Donut Bar, and Fremont Diner, as well as Portland’s Pine State Biscuits.

“I want it to be a neighborhood restaurant and I want it to be a family restaurant,” Mislinski says. “It’s going to be a destination.”

You hear that, Alton Brown? Looks like you have a new spot to check out when you visit Old Pueblo.

The new Saguaro Corners will also feature a revamped cocktail program with freshness at the forefront. In fact, that’s the plan with the whole menu. Mislinski says he’s taking the microwaves and freezers out of the kitchen and sourcing everything from the veggies, meat, and dairy as locally as possible.

With all of the changes, Mislinski assures that he’s going to keep the aspects of Saguaro Corners that have worked for the spot in the past, such as live music, craft beer, and the serene mountainside patio.

Mislinski says he’s excited to make his first move to the dining scene on the eastside at the restaurant located at 3750 South Old Spanish Trail, but customers shouldn’t expect a copy of Hub or Playground—this is something completely different.

This article appears in Dec 11-17, 2014.