David C. wrote: >From: [email removed] (David Cook) >Subject: Tuscon and Nogales? >Date: Tue, 19 Nov 96 16:27:56 GMT >Help! Wife, son and I are bound for Tuscon over Christmas, so I'm looking for >recommendations for places to eat. It doesn't have to be "family" since the >son is in his teens, but cheap doesn't hurt. (Fiery hot doesn't hurt either, >as far as I'm concerned.) > Likewise we'll certainly go across the border to Nogales, so if anyone can >suggest a non-tourist place to eat, I'd appreciate it. >David Cook Hello from sunny Tucson! There are a lot of good places to eat here. Try Cafe Terra Cotta in St Phillips Plaza. For upscale, try Janos at the Tucson Museum of Art. To get a feel for the eats (and other things) here, check the Tucson Weekly's web page at http://desert.net/tw/current/contents.htm They do a Best of Tucson list that is accessable from there. As for Nogales-I'm not a recent visitor, nor a frequent visitor, there's only so much I can take of "Theese ees thee place. We have what you are looking for." But I would think that any non-tourist place to eat there would be, er, scary. It is, after all, just a border town. The most popular restaurant I know of is El Cid. There are a lot of nightclubs and bars that cater to young americans. But there is a great bakery within a few blocks of the border that makes wonderful breads. I hope you enjoy your stay. Remember, no matter where in the US you are from, December in Tucson will always be warmer. (well, almost anywhere) Jim Bird
Arizona
Tuscon and Nogales?
Someone wrote: : Help! Wife, son and I are bound for Tuscon over Christmas, so I'm looking for : recommendations for places to eat. It doesn't have to be "family" since the : son is in his teens, but cheap doesn't hurt. (Fiery hot doesn't hurt either, : as far as I'm concerned.) : Likewise we'll certainly go across the border to Nogales, so if anyone can : suggest a non-tourist place to eat, I'd appreciate it. : David Cook IMO, there are 2 places in Tucson not to miss: Cafe Terra Cotta and Cafe Poca Cosa. Terra Cotta is an upscale (for Tucson) Southwestern style place, and Poca Cosa is Mexican (but more unusual in that it is more influenced by the food of Central Mexico). Don't miss the garlic custard appetizer at Terra Cotta. The salsa at Poca Cosa can be a life-changing experience, and their Margaritas are darned good, too. For cheap Mexican, Sanchez Burrito Co. is good (awesome green corn tamales), and Mi Nidito is a popular spot. The bakery near Safeway on Prince and Campbell is very good (french), and the cafe next door (owned by their daughter), Ghini's is a great place for breakfast. Have fun, Jane
I just got back from a few days in Tuscon and a few hours in Nogales, and I have to recommend a great little taqueria on 12th street called BKs Sonora Style Carne Asada. When I drove by there Sunday night around 9 pm from the airport it was packed, while all the other little taco trailers were dead. they only have Carne Asada tacos, quesadillas and Hot Dogs (very popular street food in Mexico-I don't know why) ansd something called a caramella-nver found out what it was, but tacos seemed to be the thing to order, based on what everone else was eating, and they were great. For $1.25 each,you get a small taco consisting of just the tortilla (unfortunatly just one-in Mexico two tortillas seems to be the most typical) and some very lean and well-seasoned beef. But the best part is the condiments bar in front of the trailer, where everyone loads up on radishes, cucumbers, cabbage, red onions, guacamole with queso fresco and two kinds of red salsa-one mild and one made from toasted chile de arbol. For once you can't bitch about not getting your tacos the way you like them. Check it out and tel them you heard about them on the internet--they'll think you're crazy. The so-called Mexican restaurants in tuscon practice what they call Sonora style Mexican food, but it's basically bland giant burritos or the deep fried variation called a chimichonga. The most famous place is El Charro, but aside from some tasty carne seca (their house specialty), the place was mediocre and overpriced-expect to pay $9-12 for a combo plate. The guacamole tasted like the frozen variety. The red salsa tasted like stewed tomatoes out of a can mixed with a lot of that pre-minced garlic that you get from restaurant supply houses. The tacos are of the fried tortilla variety-do these exist anywhere in Mexico? The place is in an old house made from lava rock that was quarried in the 1800's and is very colorfully decorated though, although I found it odd that they had an "In-&-Out Burgers" bumper sticker plastered on the wall along with all of the beer signs. After eating there, I would have rather had the In-&-Out burger. There is a gift shop for those looking for a varnished chile rista to take home with them. Mi Nidita's food is a little better, but not as expensive and it is not as trendily decorated. The salsas still taste like they came out of a Pace Picante Sauce jar. If these places are accurate representations of Sonora, then I'll take Oaxaca, Veracruz, Mexico City or Puebla over Sonora any day. On my last trip to Tuscon, I tried a place that may have been Cafe Poca Cosa, but I'm not sure, so don't quote me. The menu was definitely more Central Mexico than not and looked promising, and the waitress said that the chef was really into "Diana Kennedy." Well, if he/she was into Diana Kennedy, they weren't there the day I was there. Diana would be outraged at what was presented. No matter what you ordered, it looked the same and was piled on a plate and mixed together with a big salad complete with alfalfa sprouts! The moles were bland, and that's one thing mole should never be. Mexican cooking is about maximizing the flavors of the food, and this stuff was tasteless. Once again a very nicely decorated place in an old hotel. If it was not the Poca Cosa I'm sorry for the things I said. South Tuscon (6th & 12th) is the place to head for the food, but if you want nice interiors, stay north of the freeway.
I lived in Tucson for 7 years but haven't been back in 5. Good Mexican food was always found in S. Tucson. Mi Nidito's was one of my favorites. Good food and prices. Had a problem there once and the owner came out and took care of it personally (didn't like what I ordered). Mi Nidito (which translates to 'My Little Nest <if I remember right>) was a comfortable little restaurant with friendly people. Bear in mind, that was 5 years ago but I'd bet not much has changed. As for Nogalas, the best place we ever ate at was a little scary looking taco shop on one of the main streets. The door leads into a hallway. Just inside the door is a grill cooking up meats. Walk down the hall and it opens up into a dingy little restaurant with some of the best tacos and hottest sauce you'll ever have. Just remember that if you have bottled soda, the ice cubes are still made out of local water. Have a great trip. I strongly recommend the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
>That sounds like Poca Cosa. I'll agree with you on the mole, I didn't >much care for it. But, they still do many things well. The Pastel >d'Elote is very good, for example. And some of us like having some nice >fresh fruits and vegetables with a meal ... >Jane I also like fresh fruits and vegetables! Everyone in our party ordered different dishes, but every plate had the same pile of salad on it that dominated the plate (and although I'm sure alfalfa sprouts can be found in Mexico, I have never seen them in such abundance--but then Tucson is not Mexico anymore). I just think a little more thought could have gone into the accompanying vegetables, and a little more flavor could have gone into the entrees. Actually it was a nice try, and more interesting than the other places I've been to in north Tucson. I'll be going back to Tucson in March or April and I'd like to try some new places. Any recommendations? They don't have to be just Mexican places... Dane
George B. wrote: >From: [email removed] (George Berger) >Subject: Re: Tuscon and Nogales? >Date: Tue, 03 Dec 1996 16:26:38 -0500 >Someone wrote: >I'll be going back >> to Tucson in March or April and I'd like to try some new places. Any >> recommendations? They don't have to be just Mexican places... >Hi Dane - >The Tack Room is one of the better restaurants in the Southwest. Mobil 5 >-Star, reasonably expensive, excellent service, good wine list. >Best, George >-- >George Berger >[email removed] Just for clarification, the Tack Room lost its fifth star upon the last review. It's now a four star establishment. The reason given by the restaurant was that while its food and service had not changed, the standards for the fifth star had. (Things to do with food originality, updated decor, etc.) Some other good restaurants (not Mexican) in Tucson are Vivace (I will be there Friday the 13th) and The Kingfisher. Also Jano's in the downtown area is very good. Jano (the owner/chef) is a repeat winner at the James Beard competitions. For good family-style Mexican food, head down 4th Avenue into South Tucson. Right around 36th St (by the dog track) is a cluster of restaurants that all will give you a good taste of Sonoran-Mexican cooking. Nothing fancy (really). Just hearty food. Happy Eating! Jim Bird