Great Upcoming Events for Tucson Foodies

Lots of exciting food and beverage related events scheduled for Tucson in the next few weeks. The weather is cooling down and it's the perfect time of year to enjoy great food in the great outdoors. Where to begin....

• Check out the Tucson Culinary Festival next week! It's four days of exciting food and "beverage" tastings brought to you by the Tucson Originals, a group of locally owned restaurants that provide food that's distinctive to the Tucson area. It all starts with the "Margarita Challenge" (I hope El Charro wins!) on Thursday night at Cuvee World Bistro . Then the event moves to Loews Ventana Canyon where there's two days of tasting great wines and foods from some of Tucson's greatest chefs. Sunday finishes up with a BBQ Brunch and great Blues music. I checked out several of these events last year and I had a great time.

• Oktoberfest in Tucson? Yes it does exist, and boy do we like to celebrate it! Get your lederhosen on and head out the Tucson Oktoberfest Festival, which starts today at Hi-Corbett Field and continues through Sunday. Enjoy authentic German food and music while checking out the many arts and crafts booths. If you're like me, it's hard to celebrate Oktoberfest when it 85 degrees outside. That's why I trek up to Mount Lemmon for their Oktoberfest celebration! Cruise up the Mt. Lemmon highway any weekend through October 9th and feast on bratwurst and German potato salad while enjoying German music and dancers dressed in authentic German wear. You'll feel like you're in Bavaria!

Tucson's Montana Avenue Satisfies Any Sweet Tooth

As you will soon see from all my restaurant reviews, I love to eat! Since every one's perception of a dining experience is different, I'm going to tell you about mine, you give it a try and then feel free to offer feedback.

A small group of friends and I recently visited one of the many Fox owned restaurant's, Montana Avenue. Located on Grant Road, it's convenient central location was perfect as we were all going to be in the area anyway, so rush hour traffic wasn't a significant problem. It's got a hip, urban vibe to it, and the dress code is "Tucson casual", which means pretty much anything goes. Prices range from $15-$30 per entree, but there's a great variety of appetizers so you'll likely spend more. The menu offers "regional American cooking" and a terrific wine list. The owner, Sam Fox, has several great restaurants in Tucson and Phoenix that offer a wide range of delicacies. Most are upscale (it's all relative I guess) and draw a clientele of young business professionals. The bar area in many of the restaurants is a focal point, and large groups tend to congregate here for the "after work cocktail". Fox Restaurants has a great reputation for wonderful food and service. One thing I must point out is that you need to make a reservation! Luckily I did, because when we arrived a 6:15 the dining room was already full.Unlike my first visit here, on this occasion our service was spotty. I noticed that the bartender was also our food server, which led me to believe that the restaurant was short staffed. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable, and he maintained a calm disposition even though I could see he was overwhelmed.

Aahhh....now for the food! I felt like trying a healthy entree so I could later indulge in desert. I ordered the special, which was a broiled Mahi served on a bed of cranberry beans (flavored with bacon) , sauteed tomatoes and arugula. Very pretty presentation, but my Mahi was extremely overcooked. Still the meal was very good. A friend ordered the Shrimp Risotto, which was wonderful, as was the Grilled Ahi and Flank Steak. Another friend ordered the Pork, which was extremely undercooked. It was very busy on this particular night so I would expect a few inconsistancies, but overall we enjoyed our meals.

I must say that Montana Avenue has overall, the best deserts in town. My favorite is the Bread Pudding, which is INCREDIBLE (it really gives the bread pudding at Vivace a run for its money). Two other guests decided on the warm Cinnamon Sugar Donut with vanilla custard dipping sauce. Numerous other deserts are available and all are very good.

Although the meal was not a complete success, I'm sure we will go back for another try. Montana Avenue has a great atmosphere, and as a general rule the Sam Fox restaurants provide exceptional food and service. If all else is a flop, at least I have the bread pudding!

For Tucson Area Wine Lovers

I'm about to make one of my personal recommendations, so I hope all of you like the vino! For those of you that truly enjoy savoring a nice glass of wine, there's a neat little wine shop you should try called Wine Brothers. The concept of a wine tasting bar in Tucson was relatively new when Wine Brothers opened in early 2007. Though there were a few wine retail stores that also offered tastings at the time, I find that the relaxed atmosphere, reasonable prices and casual Tuscan theme at Wine Brothers is unmatched. It's very easy going and fun; not at all stuffy like some of the finer wine tasing bars are. Besides having an extensive selection of great wines for sale, wine connoisseurs have several different options for enjoying their favorites on the premises. If sampling a variety of wines is your style, head up to the tasting bar and check out the daily selection that's being offered. If you would rather just relax with a glass of your favorite vino, make your purchase and then make yourself comfortable in one of the cozy leather chairs located in the lounge area. Can't enjoy a good glass of wine without something to munch on? No problem! Bring in whatever you're craving and have a seat at one of the many bistro tables in the cafe area. There's even a private room that can reserved for group tastings. If you'd like to make an evening out of it, make sure to stop by on Saturday evenings when there's live entertainment. Another new wine cafe and lounge, Armitage, opened at La Encantada shopping center. A brother to the Armitage wine lounge in Phoenix, I'd expect to find the same premium wines and Old World ambiance as in the Scottsdale location. Once I've made my visit I'll post on it and let you know!

First In and Out Arrives in Tucson

Now I originally wrote this entry back in April 2007, but since my Tucson Foodies blog is new I'm including my older posts from my Greater Tucson Real Estate Blog, and I think this story marks a significant date in Tucson. Once your city gets an In and Out Burger you feel you've finally made it in the world. On April 25 the first In and Out Burger opened to much fanfare in Tucson, and it opened at 9am, 1 1/2 hours before its scheduled opening time. As I predicted, the lines were out the door as people waited for a little taste of heaven. At 12:30pm I counted 83 cars in the drive thru line, with the last being a police car. I wonder if the officer was on the clock as he waited to order his Double Double. I admired all of those dedicated souls that stood in the long line, just to satisfy that persistent craving that cannot be satisfied by your normal burger joint. As seating inside was limited, many could be found enjoying their meals on the roofs of their cars in the parking lot. Still, I know that there are many individuals that don't believe the hype about In and Out, so I have provided a photo of the franchise's loyal fans for those non believers. Once the commotion has subsided (and the temperatures have cooled a bit) I too will be standing in that long line as I salivate. To answer the question "Is it worth the wait" I answer "You betcha!"

For all you Tucson Foodies

Welcome to the official Tucson Foodies blog! As I mention in "About Me" I'm a real estate agent in Tucson Arizona, and one of my many passions is food! It's something that we all have in common, whether it be eating to survive or eating for the dining experience. Food provides us with nutrition, comfort, and time with those we care about. To me there is nothing like sitting down to a fantastic meal, having great conversation and experiencing it all in an interesting setting.

The term "foodie" is defined by Wikipedia as "an informal term for a particular class of aficionado of food and drink". When I hear the term "aficionado" I visualize an older British gentleman with a glass of cognac in one hand and a Monte Cristo No. 2 cigar in the other. This is probably why I don't consider myself an aficionado. I really just enjoy good food, and I'll add good wine.

Since I enjoy eating and my husband and I do get the opportunity to venture out to area restaurants quite a bit, I thought I would start a blog about it. Several of my past clients were new to Tucson when I first met them and were unfamiliar with where to go for a decent meal. I enjoyed finding out what their likes and dislikes were and then recommending a restaurant that might match their tastes. Most of the time they were very happy with the recommendations, and even gave me feedback on some of their favorites (now I know what to try next time I visit). Tucson has a great variety of options when it comes to eateries; there is almost too much to choose from. Some are good and some are not so good, but I'll give honest feedback about everywhere I dine. Please remember it's all personal opinion, so if you've been to one of the restaurants I mention and had a different experience please post a comment. The goal of this blog is to have fun while I help everyone out there make that all important decision....Where do I eat?

Valorie Bradley

Long Realty

Tucson Arizona

http://www.valoriebradley.com/