Tucson Weekly: Into The Fire (May 21

Escape The Kitchen With A Slew Of Summer Samplers.
By Rebecca Cook
ALTHOUGH THE SPRING may have its share of mild, cool days, we know with a rock-sure certainty that the countdown has begun. The seasonal increase in cooler pad and sunscreen sales can indicate only one thing: Summer's around the bend, and guess what? It's bound to be a hot one.
While those with more flexible work schedules and discretionary income may simply bolt this sizzling city for more benevolent climes, those who remain need not despair. As those fickle denizens flee the city, the rest of us can reap a few benefits of the season: less traffic, shorter lines at the grocery store, Sidewinder baseball, and of course, fabulous food.
Chow Many local restaurants are planning new or revised menus featuring lighter fare and less expensive dining options. We may melt, but we certainly won't waste away. What follows is a partial list of some of the meal deals you'll find about town this summer. Several restaurants knew they would eventually devise a plan to do something, but precise details were still pending as of press time. Don't hesitate to quiz your favorite restaurants about summer schemes they have in mind to keep the crowds coming through the steamy months.
Janos (in the Stevens House). 150 N. Main Ave. 884-9426. This will be your last chance to dine as Janos Wilder's guest in his world-class restaurant downtown. Beginning in September, Janos will reopen in the former venue of Habaneros Tropical Cantina, on the grounds of the exclusive La Paloma Country Club. Doors close at the historic Stevens House on June 27, but until then, hold onto your hats as Wilder and crew celebrate the last 15 years with menus consisting of all their fans' favorite dishes. Ballots are going out this week to customers on Janos' mailing list, asking for their all-time favorites. The restaurant's final month will be a revolving cornucopia culled from these results. The culinary revue comes to fruition with the themed "Big Night" on Saturday, June 27, featuring a five-course feast complete with wine, at $100 per person. Call today to make a reservation or request a ballot.
Kingfisher Bar & Grill. 2564 E. Grant Road. 323-7739. Beginning May 29, Kingfisher will once again hit the open highway with its summer series of "Road Trip" menus, featuring regional cuisine from around the country. First stop will be Back East (one of the most popular destinations in years past), to be followed by gastronomic stops in the Great Plains and the Midwest, the Southwest, California and Hawaii, Down South and the Pacific Northwest. For those wishing to stay closer to home, Kingfisher will continue serving its regular and late-night menus.
The Ocotillo Café (at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum). 2021 N. Kinney Road. 883-5705. Mark your calendars for the first Saturday night in June, when the Ocotillo Café will once again be serving dinner amidst the dramatic desert backdrop of Tucson's favorite place to "wow" out-of-town visitors. Featuring innovative Southwest regional fare, the Ocotillo Café is a novel way to enjoy an evening of upscale cuisine. Make reservations and plan either to come early or stay a little later to take advantage of the museum's extended Summer Saturday Night hours, which feature lighted pathways and various docent-led demonstrations. What a wonderful way to celebrate our desert abode.
Café Terra Cotta. 4310 N. Campbell Ave. 577-8100. Featuring a special "Summer Sensations" menu, Café Terra Cotta plans to acknowledge the change in seasons by focusing on lighter fare and more vegetarian offerings than in years past. Keenly aware that the heat can bog a body down, Terra Cotta plans an Epicurean uplift with their special menu, which will no doubt undergo some revision throughout the summer as regional ingredients come into season. For a choice of one appetizer and an entrée, cost will be $14.95 per person.
Oven's Restaurant. 4280 N. Campbell Ave. 577-9001. Last year Oven's treated its visitors to a culinary world tour. Global though it was, co-owner Candace Grogan says the theme was too limiting at times. So this year, the sky's the limit with the restaurant's featured summer menu, in which lightness and carefully selected food and wine pairings will be featured. This is particularly welcome news if you're a lover of white wine or the lighter reds, which will be the primary focus. Menus will change monthly, so call for details to find out what best suits your tastes.
Le Bistro. 2574 N. Campbell Ave. 327-3086. A romantic dinner for two will be featured at Le Bistro throughout the summer: Menu includes an appetizer, main course, dessert and red or white wine. The exact price of this dinner has yet to be determined, but should run between $45 and $50 per couple.
The Tack Room. 2800 N. Sabino Canyon Road. 722-2800. If you've long pondered supper at one of Tucson's most elite dining venues, but were intimidated by the triple-digit price tag potential, summer may be the time to indulge your whim without incurring exorbitant debt. A special "Sweetheart Dinner" will be served Tuesday through Sunday beginning around Memorial Day and continuing through October 1. The meal will include a choice of appetizer, main course and baked Alaska. At a cost of $68 per person, the evening still isn't cheap, but should be a comparative bargain of dollars to pleasure.
Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. 7000 N. Resort Drive. 299-2020. Summertime may be down time for many resorts and hotels in Tucson, but Loews is planning several special culinary events to lure the locals into the foothills. The Ventana Room will be offering four-course tasting menus featuring a global spectrum, including a gastronomic tour de France (June 29 to July 12), Italy (July 13 to 26), Spain (July 27 to August 9) and the Pacific Northwest (August 10 to 23). Cost is $60 per person with wine, $40 if you decline the pleasure of the grape. The Canyon Café will be featuring a Summer Roadrunner two-for-one dinner special nightly beginning July 1 and continuing through September 1. In addition, the summer Taste on Tour special will be focusing on the food of Argentina. The special will run from June 12 to 27, at a cost of $25 per person, $2 of which will be donated to the Arizona Theatre Company.
Nonie. 2526 E. Grant Road. 319-1965. Plans are still in the works, but owner Chris Leonard is scheming to bring another bayou tradition to the Old Pueblo this summer by featuring a weekly crawfish boil, complete with traditional accompaniments of potatoes, corn and zydeco music. Stay tuned for details.
Fuego Restaurant Bar & Grill. 6958 E. Tanque Verde Road. 886-1745. The menu at Fuego undergoes some revision with the advent of summer, with several new items utilizing seasonal ingredients. Luckily for the consumer, many of these dishes happen to be less expensive as well as appropriate for this time of year. Chef Alan Zeman will also host a "Seafood of Summer" option, featuring the freshest salt-water indulgences. Exact details are forthcoming, but rumor has it soft-shell crabs will be making an appearance sometime in the next few months. Don't forget Sinatra Sundays at Fuego, either, which continue throughout the warmer months and feature the talents of Paul Elia.
Both Barrio Food & Drink. (135 S. Sixth Ave.) and Penelope's (3071 N. Swan Road) will be celebrating the season with menu changes and additions, but the particulars of their menus were not worked out as we went to press. Call 629-0191 (Barrio) or 325-5080 (Penelope's) for more information.
So rev up the swamp cooler and bring on summer! If you need to get away from it all, even if only for an evening, there are plenty of restaurants offering repast and refuge.

Home | Currents | City Week | Music | Review | Books | Cinema | Back Page | Archives