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Friday, December 26, 2003

Go North She Said by Karyn Zoldan

North sits on the most prime piece of La Encantada property. With excellent signage and north and south views, you can see North from Campbell just south of Skyline. That Sam Fox of Fox Concepts sure knows what he’s doing.

This is the restaurant to go if you want to people watch and don’t really have a meaningful conversation with anyone. The acoustics are loud amplifying off the dramatic metal, wood, and brick interior. I recommend sitting outside if the weather is right. Or just go for a drink and watch the 30-somethings preen and pimp around; that’s got to be worth the price of admission.

Reservations are definitely necessary so you might opt for lunch or an early dinner. Since I love the other Fox restaurant – Wildflower – I ordered the crisp calamari salad with baby arugula and grilled lemons. It was done to perfection and I didn’t want to see the bottom of the plate. My friend enjoyed her bruschetta but I found it quite ordinary. Of course, the grilled Ahi tuna with “whatever fresh green vegetables we have” was to my liking as was the salmon with roasted squash and sweet onions. The combinations just rocked and so was the action in the open kitchen with not a wasted movement.

Surprisingly dessert was not described well by our waiter and so when it arrived; it was not what we expected or would’ve wanted. Since the meal was on the house or as invited guests of North – why complain. It was pre-opening night and these things happen.

North serves modern Italian cuisine and other menu items include fresh ravioli, tagliatelle with fresh peas and mushrooms (but what kind of sauce since the menu doesn’t specify), angel hair with Mediterranean mussels and clams, pizzas, rosemary chicken with roasted organic vegetables, and much more.

The martini list looks creative to say the least: Blavod black vodka with blue cheese stuffed olives; Stoli raspberry, Chambord, cranberry juice, and sour mix; and Limoncello liqueur and vodka (you’d have to pick me up off the floor) in a sugar rimmed glass.

And there’s mojitos but that’s for another time…

North is located at La Encantada – 2995 East Skyline Drive – Tucson, 520-299-1600

Thursday, December 25, 2003

Bah Hamburger by Karyn Zoldan

Here it is Christmas day and I’m jonesing for a hamburger. You know the kind – thick, juicy, on a grilled bun with grilled onions, a slice of tomato that tastes like a tomato and some fries with the skins left on, sprinkled with some a little spicy salt. To be washed down with a margarita or two.

The thing about this town (Tucson) is very few restaurants are open on Christmas. You would think the whole world is Christian and it ain’t. There are plenty of Jews, Buddhists, Muslims and atheists who live and vacation here who don’t want to spend beaucoup bucks for a high and mighty, overpriced Christmas feast.

I can see that Mexican restaurants close their doors because for many employees this is a day off to be spent with their families. But in big metropolitan areas, good Chinese/Thai/Vietnamese restaurants by the thousands rock out on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Again the keyword here is good – which there are few and far between of those Asian restaurants in Tucson and many of them, not matter how good, or bad, are closed.

Seli Malaka, an Indonesian restaurant, is open. It’s pretty good but not great and usually packed. Rose Garden on Ft. Lowell is open, it’s not very good, but that’s average as far as Tucsonans as they don’t know any better, and it will be packed. T.G.I. Friday’s is open and packed from noon to closing. We tried to go one year and the wait was 1 ½ hours. Another year we sat at the bar instead of waiting. I drove and insisted on drinking; my friends were appalled that I drank and drove. Since the cops were out in such full force, admittedly it was a stupid thing to do. That’s probably where I should go if I want a hamburger.

Mad cow disease be damned. The cattle farmers were riding high on a short-lived high priced beef wave mostly caused by the rising cost of beef from the 32 million Americans demanding beef on their low carb diets. The mad cow disease ruined England’s tourism for several months, it will be interesting to see how America fares. Tempeh anyone?

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