CHOW SCAN Chow Scan is the Weekly’s selective guide to Tucson restaurants. Only restaurants that our reviewers recommend are included. Complete reviews are online at tucsonweekly.com. Chow Scan includes reviews from August 1999 to the present. Send comments and updates to: mailbag@tucsonweekly.com; fax to 792-2096; or mail to Tucson Weekly/Chow, P.O. Box 27087, Tucson, AZ 85726. These listings have no connection with Weekly advertising.
KEY PRICE RANGES $ $8 or less $ $ $8-$15 $ $ $ $15-$25 $ $ $ $ $25 and up. Prices are based on menu entrée selections, and exclude alcoholic beverages. FORMS OF PAYMENT V Visa MC Mastercard AMEX American Express DIS Discover DC Diner’s Club checks local checks with guarantee card and ID only debit debit cards CatCard University of Arizona CatCard. TYPE OF SERVICE
&+() 6327/,*+7
Counter Quick or fast-food service, usually includes take-out. Diner Minimal table service. Café Your server is most likely working solo. Bistro Professional servers, with assistants bussing tables. Full Cover Multiple servers, with the table likely well set. Full Bar Separate bar space for drinks before and after dinner. RESTAURANT LOCATION
V Fine Thai Dining 9 E. Congress St ƒ Tucson, AZ 85701
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C Central North to River Road, east to Alvernon Way, west to
Granada Avenue downtown, and south to 22nd Street. NW Northwest North of River Road, west of Campbell
Avenue.
V Fine Thai Dining – a dining experience like no other in the world – offers a truly unique restaurant concept, born right here in Tucson. East meets West, as delicious traditional Thai sauces are paired with Western cooking techniques and favorites, so diners get the full "Thai treatment".
NE Northeast North of River Road, east of Campbell
Owner Vila Jarrell’s V Thai is recognized as the only representative out of 62 restaurants in Arizona by Thailand’s government that reflects the flavors of Thai cuisine. She has prepared delicious food for Tucson for seven years and loves the city, as the environment allows progression and adventure with the Thai cuisine. This modern Thai eatery is also a proud founding member of the Healthy Dining Guide, a health and wellness campaign put on by the University of Arizona School of Public Health and Pima County Health Department.
W West West of Granada Avenue, south of River Road.
Enjoy original dishes like his Thai bouillabaisse (seafood stew) that pops with flavors and includes seared scallops, grilled oysters and steamed snow crab legs, or delve into something more traditional like a grilled New York steak with panang curry, lemon grass and Thai basil. For our vegan friends our grilled garlic portabella mushroom has garnered rave reviews, while the tofu caprese salad will leave you with the feeling of eating cheese once again. Since there is only one Chef Redman, “we can honestly say there is nothing else quite like it anywhere else in the world.”
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Avenue. E East East of Alvernon Way, south of River Road. S South South of 22nd Street.
PIZZA SAUCE NW 7117 N. Oracle Road. 297-8575. Open SundayThursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.10 p.m. Counter/Beer and Wine. AMEX, DIS, MC, V. Also at 5285 E. Broadway Blvd. (514-1122) and 2990 N. Campbell Ave. (795-0344). Whippet-thin specialty pizzas and tasty salads dominate the menu at Sauce, a fast-casual restaurant owned by the folks behind Wildflower and NoRTH. A trendy, bright atmosphere and a large outdoor dining area provide ample reasons for you to eat out, although to-go orders for those who want to dine at home are welcomed. (12-25-03) $-$$ TINO’S PIZZA E 6610 E. Tanque Verde Road. 296-9656. Open Monday-Thursday 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday 10:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Sunday 3-9 p.m. Counter/Beer and Wine. AMEX, DIS, MC, V. You can’t argue with the success of Tino’s; the place has been around since the mid-’80s. The pies here will satisfy any pizza craving; they’re hot, cheesy and just plain good! Sandwiches, salads, calzones and sides round out the menu. This is an all-American pizzeria. (2-4-10) $-$$ VERO AMORE E 3305 N. Swan Road, No. 105. 325-4122. Open Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday
11 a.m.-10 p.m. Café/Beer and Wine. AMEX, DIS, MC, V. Also at 12130 N. Dove Mountain Blvd., No. 104 (579-2292). The Dove Mountain location has a full bar. The only pizza joint in town that’s certified as following the rigid guidelines of pizza from the old country, Vero Amore serves great pies. A couple of pasta dishes and salads round out the menu. The atmosphere is warm and cozy, and the service is sincere. The wine list is just right. This little pizza joint is a nice addition to the myriad restaurants in the Swan/Fort Lowell roads area. (8-24-06) $$
SANDWICHES BEYOND BREAD C 3026 N. Campbell Ave. 322-9965. Open MondayFriday 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday 7 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Counter/No Alcohol. AMEX, MC, V. Also at 6260 E. Speedway Blvd. (747-7477) and 421 W. Ina Road (461-1111). Voted best bread in Tucson ever since it opened, Beyond Bread specializes in reviving the art of artisan bread, with its small batches and hand-formed loaves. Monstrous sandwiches, excellent pastries and swift service have earned this venue its status as one of the best places in Tucson to grab a quick bite to eat. (2-5-01) $ THE DAGGWOOD CAFÉ C 736 E. Fort Lowell Road. 903-9663. Summer hours:
Open Monday-Saturday 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Regular hours: Monday-Saturday 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Counter/ No Alcohol. DIS, MC, V. The Daggwood Café offers bellybusting sandwiches that run from the usual offerings to a few house specialties. All are big, of course; what else would you expect from a place with such a name? Everything is fresh and tasty. Catering is available. (1027-05) $-$$ EAST COAST SUPER SUBS C 187 N. Park Ave. 882-4005. Open daily 11 a.m.-
8 p.m. Counter/Diner/Beer and Wine. AMEX, MC, V. A slice of the turnpike right here in our own back yard, East Coast Super Subs will make transplanted Easterners weep with joy. The cheesesteaks are unparalleled—great rolls, tender sliced beef, sautéed sweet onions, melted provolone and a red-pepper relish to die for. Super Subs come in sizes up to 16 inches. Without a doubt, a complete meal in a bun. (9-9-99) $-$$ FRANKIE’S SOUTH PHILLY CHEESESTEAKS C 2574 N. Campbell Ave. 795-2665. Open Monday-
Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Counter/No Alcohol. AMEX, DIS, MC, V. If you’re looking for an authentic Philly cheesesteak or a hoagie made from fresh ingredients, Frankie’s is the place to go. Fresh Amoroso rolls are flown in, and the meats come from Italy via Philadelphia. The Philly wings will give Buffalo-style a run for the money. Prices are more than fair. Service is upfront and friendly. A great place to eat in, take out or call for delivery. (3-24-05) $ LUKE’S ITALIAN BEEF C 1615 S. Alvernon Way. 747-8399. Open Monday-
Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Counter/Beer Only. DIS, MC, V. Also at 101 E. Fort Lowell Road (888-8066), 4444 E. Grant Road (3219236), 6741 N. Thornydale Road (877-7897) and 2645 E. Speedway Blvd. (795-6060). These sandwiches are big and beefy, and the dogs snap when you bite. They come in wrappers filled with crisp, hot, crinkle-cut fries. Italian sausage and pizza are also first-rate. $ MELT E 5056 E. Broadway Blvd. 326-6358. Open Monday-
Saturday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Counter/No Alcohol. AMEX, DIS, MC, V. It’s a sandwich shop! It’s a cupcake store! It’s two eateries in one! At Melt, all of the sandwiches are named after American cities. Whether you prefer your sandwiches hot or cold, you’re bound to find something you’ll like. Salads and sides are available, and if you’re craving a fried-egg sandwich on your way to work in the morning, stop by. Of course, then there are all those cupcakes from 2 Cupcakes, which shares the building (www.2cupcakes.com). They are as tasty as they are pretty. (9-8-11) $ PJ SUBS T6 FILLING STATION C 2500 E. Sixth St. 326-9500. Open Sunday-Thursday
11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Café/Full Bar. AMEX, DIS, MC, V. Want a tasty sandwich, some well-prepared fries and wings, and a cocktail, all while watching the game? PJ/T6 may just be the place for you. There’s nothing here on the menu that’s particularly noteworthy, but they do what they do well. (9-24-09) $-$$ WHICH WICH? C 943 E. University Blvd., Suite 125. 884-0081. Open
Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Counter/No Alcohol. AMEX, DIS, MC, V. Within about a dozen broad categories (various kinds of flesh, seafood, vegetarian, Italian, comforts, classics,