 | |
Sushi in Sierra Vista might sound preposterous, but Tanuki is one of the best and most authentic Japanese restaurants in the state.
By Terry Greene Sterling
In Japan, the word “Tanuki” conjures mythic characters resembling doglike raccoons. Supernatural Tanuki can either be nasty or kind, depending on how they feel. They hold special sway over Japanese restaurant owners, so it makes sense that Michiko Maggie Grace named her restaurant and sushi bar Tanuki.
What doesn’t make sense, at first glance, is that Grace’s Japanese bistro sits on Fry Boulevard, the main street in Sierra Vista, a small Southeastern Arizona community populated mostly by military personnel who work at historic Fort Huachuca, the local Army base, as well as by government contractors and retirees.
You just wouldn’t expect sushi in Sierra Vista. Spend time in the town, though, and you’ll find it’s a cosmopolitan place that has a lot to offer. Hikers, cyclists and birders enjoy the high-desert grasslands and sky-island mountains that surround Sierra Vista, along with the nearby San Pedro River. History buffs flock to Tombstone, the town too tough to die, and Bisbee, the mining town turned art colony — both an easy drive from Sierra Vista. And the “living cave” at Kartchner Caverns State Park rests a few miles north of the town.
Grace recognized Sierra Vista’s potential when she first visited it in 1980. Sierra Vista couldn’t have been more different than Grace’s native Okinawa, and that’s exactly what she liked about it. “Okinawa is a beautiful island, but there are many people living in a small space, and every place you go, you see the ocean,” she says. “Here, you look around and you see the big country.”
A short, stocky woman with oversized glasses and thick black hair pulled back in a bun, Grace is now 55 and an American citizen. She opened Tanuki in 1994. Through the years, grateful Sierra Vista sushi fans have given her dozens of mementos from their trips to Japan — porcelain figurines, framed prints, needlecraft, toy boats — all of which line the walls and crowd the windowsills of the restaurant.
What distinguishes Tanuki from most other sushi joints, besides the décor, is that Grace hires only trained Japanese sushi chefs, makes all her own sauces, and is extraordinarily picky about the freshness of the fish she serves. Tanuki’s fish is flown throughout the week from Los Angeles to Tucson, where Grace picks it up at the airport and drives it 70 miles back to Sierra Vista. If a supplier sends bad fish, Grace throws the fish away. “I would rather lose a fish man than a customer,” she says. “I always have the best quality fish. I am very careful with my fish.”
Grace’s passion for fresh fish shines in the wide variety of sushi (vinegar rice, usually wrapped around raw fish or seaweed paper) and sashimi (raw fish). Other authentic Japanese dishes, such as Tempura Udon (shrimp tempura in noodle soup), Katsu Donburi (pork, vegetables and eggs served over rice) or Sukiyaki (beef, chicken or tofu simmered in Grace’s homemade sauce with yam noodles, bamboo shoots and green onions) all await nonsushi eaters. For even less adventurous palates, the fresh salmon or sirloin steak offer delicious alternatives. And Grace’s homemade cheesecake is a must.
Thanks to her own hard work and talent, and maybe a little magic dust from Tanuki, Grace has made Sierra Vista home to one of the most authentic Japanese restaurants in Arizona.
Tanuki Japanese Restaurant is located at 1221 E. Fry Boulevard in Sierra Vista. Information, 520-459-6853.
A Different Animal
Vegetarian restaurants tend to scare carnivores, but not Lovin’ Spoonfuls in Tucson, which is attracting beefeaters and tree-huggers alike.
By Robert Stieve
Robert Oppenheimer never opened a steakhouse. That’s not unusual — scientists typically stick with science, or maybe take up fly-fishing, but they don’t open restaurants. Peggy Raisglid is the exception. After working for 13 years as a chemist for Mobil Oil, she finally took the advice of friends who would come up to her after dinner parties and say things like: “Peg, your casserole was so good I licked my plate. And then I licked the plate of the woman sitting next to me. She looked at me a little funny, but I didn’t care. It was incredible. You really ought to open a restaurant.” And so she did.
Like Peggy, Lovin’ Spoonfuls is unique, especially in a state like Arizona, which is known more for red meat and potatoes than “burgers” made of adzuki beans, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, corn, organic oats and walnuts. Not only is her restaurant vegetarian, but it’s also vegan, which means there isn’t an animal or animal byproduct in sight — no eggs, no milk, no cheese, no nothing.
To an unwavering carnivore, that might sound like a recipe for disaster, but even beefeaters are embracing this popular Tucson restaurant. That’s because the menu goes beyond the stereotypical list of vegetarian options — things made of seeds, twigs and pinecones. Here, everything is fresh, flavorful and filling, another stereotypical knock on vegetarian cuisine.
Of course, there are a few things on the menu that require an open mind, such as the Deluxe BLT, which is made of soy bacon strips, fresh lettuce, tomatoes and vegan mayo; the Asian Pepper Steak, which features stir-fried vegan beef with peppers and onions; and the Golden Nuggets, an appetizer of battered soy chicken served with various vegan dipping sauces.
If you’re feeling a little adventurous, you won’t find a more palatable vegetarian menu. If you’re more concerned with filling an open stomach than an open mind, there are plenty of safe options, as well, including soups, salads, burritos, pastas and some of the best french fries you’ll ever eat. Because they’re made with 100 percent canola oil in a fryer that’s free of fish sticks and chunks of calamari, the natural flavor of the potato is deliciously tangible. Equally impressive is Peggy’s Cashew-Mushroom Pâté, which was named one of the six best vegetarian dishes in the country by the readers of Vegetarian Times magazine.
In addition to the entrees and appetizers, the atmosphere at Lovin’ Spoonfuls exudes a kind of healthiness. It’s not hippie, like something you’d find in Flagstaff. It’s minimalist and clean. Spotless. Kind of like a chemistry lab, but instead of petri dishes and test tubes there are sandwich baskets and dinner plates. What else would you expect from a scientist-turned-restaurateur?
Lovin’ Spoonfuls is located at 2990 N. Campbell Avenue in Tucson. Information: 520-325-7766 or www.lovinspoonfuls.com.
Feast, Tucson
There’s nothing fancy about Feast. It’s just a regular building in a regular old neighborhood in Tucson. What’s special about the place is that it’s a restaurant and a catering business — everything chef-owner Doug Levy creates is available for eating-in or taking out. With a menu that rotates twice monthly, Levy creates eclectic offerings perfect for constructing a made-to-order meal. Try a parsnip salad paired with seared opah, served over rice with yellow vegetable curry salad and fried garlic. Or, get adventurous and taste any of Levy’s other clever creations. For an after-dinner treat, or while you’re waiting for your order, splurge on one of his homemade desserts, like a triple chocolate terrine or chocolate truffle cookies.
Feast is located at 4122 E. Speedway Boulevard, Tucson. Information: 520-326-9363 or www.eatatfeast.com.
VinTabla, Tucson
At stylish VinTabla (which means “wine casket”), there is much ado about wine, thanks to Laura Williamson, one of only 130 master sommeliers in the world. She oversees the restaurant’s retail wine shop, conducts wine-tastings and classes and maintains a Wine Spectator award-winning global list that reads like a bodice ripper (“juicy & lush” reds, “vibrant & sleek” whites). Executive chef — and Postrio alum — Bruce Yim complements her efforts with an appealing menu of wine-friendly small plates, wood-fired dishes and entrees, including duck sausage and sun-dried cherry pizzetta, salumi, artisanal cheeses and sticky pudding toffee cake.
VinTabla is located at 2890 E. Skyline Drive, Suite 100, Tucson. Information: 520-577-6210 or www.vintabla.com.
BeDillon’s Restaurant & Cactus Garden, Casa Grande
If you have a taste for history, you’ll love BeDillon’s, a graceful adobe home built in 1917 and quietly falling apart until its rescue by Michael Jackson (no, not that Michael Jackson) in 1990. Jackson kept and restored as much of it as possible, including the stunning cactus garden (featuring 85 global varieties) and the museum, which houses an amazing collection of Native American artifacts. That said, most people come to BeDillon’s for the food, driving from Tucson or Phoenix for bacon-wrapped black olives stuffed with jalapeño cheese, hand-cut steaks and ultra-buttery apple cake. BeDillon’s is located at 800 N. Park Avenue, Casa Grande.
Information: 520-836-2045 or www.bedillons.com.
Bisbee Breakfast Club, Bisbee
In 2005, Pat and Heather Grimm turned the old Rexall Pharmacy into a sweet, cluttered café; now they can’t beat the locals away with a stick. Using real maple syrup for their blueberry- and walnut-studded buttermilk pancakes, locally roasted beans for their espresso, and homemade, Jim Beam-spiked barbecue sauce for their Huckburger (stacked with ham and Swiss cheese), this quality-driven operation has been featured in both Gourmet magazine and Jane and Michael Stern’s Road Food. Save room for house-baked pies, scones and cinnamon sticky rolls.
Bisbee Breakfast Club is located at 75 Erie Street, Bisbee. Information: 520-432-5885 or www.bisbeebreakfastclub.com.
Café Roca, Bisbee
Pressure-fired bricks were relatively new in 1907, when Bisbee’s Costello Building was constructed. But thanks to those bricks, the Costello Building was spared from a fire that leveled much of the mining town in 1908. Now, 100 years later, the building houses Café Roka, a three-level, internationally inspired restaurant that’s been serving up some of Bis-bee’s finest fare since chef-owner Rod Kass moved into the Costello in 1993. Whether you’re a sucker for sweet-potato strudel or have a hankering for New Zealand rack of lamb, the café has something for everyone, including history buffs.
Café Roca is located at 35 Main Street, Bisbee. Information: 520-432-5153 or www.caferoka.com.
Dot’s Diner, Bisbee
In case you missed it, Dot’s Diner was featured on the cover of our April 2008 issue. The 10-stool eatery, which is named in honor of Dot Bozeman, the restaurant’s first cook and bottle washer, is a blast from the past if ever there was one. The next time you’re in Bisbee, check it out – it’s one of the state’s best.
Dot’s Diner is located next to the Shady Dell RV Park on Old Douglas Road, Bisbee. Information: 520-432-3567 or www.theshadydell.com.
El Conquistador, Douglas
Originally built in 1907 and rebuilt in 1929 after a devastating fire, The Gadsden Hotel is called “the last of the grand hotels,” a moniker you’ll appreciate when you see the white Italian marble staircase in the lobby and the Tiffany stained-glass mural on the wall of the mezzanine above it. The hotel’s dining room, El Conquistador, is modest by comparison, but still maintains a stately air. Its Mexican-American menu is mostly old school, too, featuring super-nachos, burritos, steaks, fried shrimp, baby beef liver and roast turkey with cranberry dressing.
El Conquistador is located at the Gadsden Hotel, 1046 G Avenue, Douglas. Information: 520-364-4481 or www.hotelgadsden.com.
Velvet Elvis Pizza Company, Patagonia
Cecilia San Miguel has one mission and one mission only: to “introduce customers to delicious and healthy dining alternatives.” And in the striking Southern Arizona town of Patagonia, that task is becoming less daunting, as more and more restaurateurs and chefs are turning to locally grown and organic produce, meats and cheeses. Consider, for example, the menu at Velvet Elvis, where San Miguel has combined the vibrant flavors of the Southwest with a dose of vintage kitsch to create such items as the “Pancho Villa” pizza, a combination of homemade beef chorizo, fresh tomatoes, yellow onions, cilantro, fresh jalapeños, and Asiago and mozzarella cheeses. The soups, salads and calzones are equally delightful — and the King would not have it any other way.
Velvet Elvis is located at 292 Naugle Avenue, Patagonia. Information: 520-394-2102 or www.velvetelvispizza.com.
Canela, Sonoita
It’s been nearly four years since chef-owners John Hall and Joy Vargo moved from Seattle to Sonoita (Southern Arizona’s wine country) to open winsome, wood-beamed Canela, which deftly expresses wine-country sensibilities by showcasing locally produced food and wine. Their frequently changing menu, built around what’s fresh and in season, might feature seared pork belly with grilled radicchio, raisins and blood orange vinaigrette; roast quail with cornbread stuffing; and powdered sugar beignets with pineapple compote. If you’re lucky, you’ll stumble across one of their four-course, special occasion tasting menus, priced at $45-$60 with wine pairings.
Canela is located at 3252 Highway 82, Sonoita. Information: 520-455-5873 or www.canelabistro.com.
Shelby’s Bistro, Tubac
What tiny Shelby’s lacks in size, it makes up for in charm, sporting an eclectic collection of tchotchkes and a pleasant patio overlooking a pond. Owner Anthony Tay’s Mediterranean-inspired menu, which focuses on the foods of his childhood, features pastas; light, thin-crust pizzas (try the Mediterranean, topped with grilled chicken, pesto, kalamatas, artichokes and feta); and lots of seafood, including the signature Southwestern Seafood Bouillabaisse, accented with lime and cilantro.
Shelby’s is located at 19 Tubac Road, Tubac. Information: 520-398-8075.
Plaza Restaurant, Willcox
Stepping into Willcox is a little like stepping onto a Wild West movie set. It’s in the heart of Apache country, which means it’s a bit rugged. It’s also smack dab in between Phoenix and El Paso. But that’s not to say the area is a wasteland of good eats. For casual family dining in Willcox, try Plaza Restaurant. It’s open 24 hours a day and features Mexican food and American fare, from burgers and fries to a Friday night fish buffet that’s popular with the locals. Plaza also offers takeout service, banquet facilities and an ultra-friendly service staff.
Plaza Restaurant is located at 1190 W. Rex Allen Drive, Willcox. Information: 520-384-3819.
