Dinner at Hotel Congress

On our last night in Tucson, we went to the Cup Cafe at Hotel Congress in downtown for drinks and dinner. Hotel Congress is a really cool place, with funky decorations and dark, private nooks scattered about. Built in 1919, John Dillinger & his crew hung out there until he was arrested in 1934 after a fire. There are also stories of ghosts roaming the halls, and there's a bar, a performance space and a restaurant all located within the building.

In addition to all this, the food at Cup Cafe was wonderful, as were the delicious, unique cocktails like the the El Camino Martini made with Tequila, grapefruit juice and agave nectar and the Ghost Orchid made with Citron Vodka, Domaine de Canton (ginger liqueur), ginger root and a drizzle of prickly pear. Great beers are on tap as well.

We started with a Seared Scallop appetizer from the specials menu, made with big, tender sea scallops topped with greens and blue cheese. They were cooked to perfection, deliciously flavored and the cheese really added a nice depth to the dish.



We also got an order of the Hotel Salad, made with baby spinach, spiced candied pecans, fresh pear slices and gorgonzola tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. Everything tasted so good, with each ingredient shining through as well as enhancing the others. The portion was substantial enough to be shared between two people.



I loved it here, and will mke sure to go back on my next trip to Tucson!

Dinner at Cafe Poca Cosa

The best meal we ate in Tucson was at Cafe Poca Cosa. Located in Downtown Tucson, this swanky spot offers traditional northern Mexican food made from fresh ingredients, which change daily & seasonally. Naturally, I started with a Margarita, straight up with salt on the rim. It was so smooth and so delicious, I had two of them!



My boyfriend chose the Carne Asada en Morron (Bell Peppers) y Remerito. The presentation of all the entrees was amazing. Each dish was lovingly assembled, with a side salad, fruit and veggies arranged just so. Everything was incredibly flavorful, hearty and smooth, with just a little bit of heat.



My Dad got the Pastel de Pollo en Mole Negro, again presented with a side salad and fruit and drowning in a thick, rich, chocolate-y Mole sauce. The chicken was tender and slightly sweet and each of the flavors enhanced the other.



I went out on a limb and ordered the mysterious Plato Poca Cosa which is a selection of any three of the entrees, chosen by the chef. I ended up getting the Carne Asada dish I described above, a vegetarian dish made with spinach and mushrooms and the Crema de Elote con Jalapeño which was a cornmeal-based dish (like polenta) covered in a banana cream sauce with just a hint of jalapeño. It sounds kind of crazy, but it was delicious. Sweet, thick, creamy and hearty at the same time, it was perfect as part of a three-dish selection. I loved this meal!



We were pretty stuffed by the end, but we HAD to try a dessert, so we ordered the flan. It was delicate, subtle-y sweet and slightly caramel-y. Lovely.



So, definitely get yourself to Cafe Poca Cosa if you find yourself in Tucson for drinks and dinner!

Ice Cream at Frost Gelato

A very popular dessert spot is Frost Gelato, serving the "best ice cream in the world". The owners were inspired by Gelato they had in Rome so they enrolled in a Gelato University, learned the process and opened up a shop in Tucson that serves upwards of 60 flavors of Gelato & Sorbet ranging from Strawberry to Pistachio to Chocolate Chocolate Chip. They currently employ Nazario Melchionda from Bologna, Italy as their Master Gelato maker and use only ingredients imported from Italy, save milk and sugar, as well as Italian machinery and display cases. In addition to frozen treats, they serve chocolates, coffee, root beer floats and affogato (espresso & gelato), plus you can get pints, quarts and buckets of ice cream to go.

What you see below is Chocolate and Pistachio. The chocolate was so rich, so decadent it was unbelievable. And the pistachio was so true to the nut, not fakey-fake.



We also tried an order of strawberry and coffee. The coffee was on the subtle side, not as strong as I prefer it, but the strawberry, a flavor I usually don't order, was delicious. Fresh-tasting, creamy and fruity.



If you find yourself in the Tucson area, head over the Frost Gelato, you won't be disappointed.

Tucson Meet Yourself

One of the best things in Tucson also has the funniest name. Tucson Meet Yourself started as an attempt to acknowledge and celebrate the diversity that exists in the town most known for Southwestern/Mexican/native American culture & cuisine and has evolved into a three-day festival complete with all kinds of cuisine, musical acts, dance troupes and cultural tchotchkes. Turns out, there's quite a number of countries represented within the Tucson city limits, and they all come out to showcase their cuisine at this huge outdoor festival.



We started with an Empanada from Costa Rica packed with olives, boiled egg, beef and veggies. I was hungry, so I ate it, but it wasn't anything special.



I made my way over to the Ghanaian booth where they were making Sweet Plantains, one of my favorite dishes.



They were great, and super spicy too, different from how I'm accustomed to eating them (the sweet, El Salvadoran way).



I also made sure to get some Tacos from the Mexican booth, since I was in the Southwest after all! One with Beef, one with chicken. The beef tasted a little strong, but the chicken was just right. Sprinkled with some lime juice and covered with shredded cotija cheese, they hit the spot just right.



For dessert we went to the Danish booth.



They were making fresh Aebleskiver, little pancakes shaped in a sphere. They're similar to popovers and not too sweet, served with jam on the side and a little sprinkling of powdered sugar. We also got some Danish Kringle, originally a pretzel-like snack which developed into a puff-pastry filled with fruit or nuts. This one was almond and subtle, not too sweet, but a nice little treat.



There's so much to see and eat at Tucson Meet Yourself! It's a yearly celebration of Tucson's multi-ethnic make-up and is worth checking out if you're nearby!

Breakfast & Cookies at B-Line

Beginning today and lasting through next week, I will be posting about the food I ate on a recent trip to Tucson. There's some amazing food in Tucson, so stay tuned. You'll want to hear about this!

If you find yourself in Tucson, as I did recently (visiting family), head over to the B-line (621 N. 4th Avenue Tucson, AZ, between E.4th & E.5th, (520) 882-7575) for an excellent breakfast to start your day right. All the eggs are organic & free-range, the coffee is strong and delicious, and you can have the best cookie for dessert, if you have room. Maybe get it and save it for later.

On this trip, I chose the Scramble with Spinach (you can get other veggies or meats in yours), with a side of beans and toast that all comes with little pots of butter and wonderful fruity jams. It being the southwest, everything comes with beans instead of potatoes. The eggs were fluffy, with lots of spinach mixed in. The bread was fresh, and like I said, the jams were chunky with fruit and delicious.



My boyfriend got the Bagel Sandwich - eggs & cheese on a toasted bagel. The eggs were spilling over the side, and the bagel was pretty good, it being Tucson, did I mention?



One of the best Chocolate Chip Cookies I ever had was from B-line, so I made sure to get one for later. Packed with chips, it's soft, chewy and melty and can be shared between three people it's so big!



I also got a Mexican Wedding Cookie just out of curiosity. Turns out, it's one of my favorite cookies - powdery, with pieces of hazelnut and maybe something almondy? I think every culture has this kind of cookie - it's a typical German holiday cookie - and it's one of my favorites, yet I never know what it's called since I've had it in so many different styles.



The B-line is open late (10pm Friday & Saturday, 9pm Mon. - Thurs. and 8pm on Sunday), so you can stop by for lunch or dinner. There's no table service though, you order at the counter and they bring you your food. They also serve wine and beer (13 microbrews on tap) in addition to coffee, natural & regular sodas and fresh squeezed juices.