Tucson - American Southwest - page 366

366

El Charro Café SONORAN MEXICAN El Charro, housed in an old stone build-
ing in El Presidio Historic District, is Tucson's oldest family-operated Mexican restaurant
and is legendary around these parts for its unusual carne seca, a traditional air-dried beef
that is a bit like shredded beef jerky. To see how they make carne seca, just glance up at
the restaurant's roof as you approach. The large metal cage up there is filled with beef
drying in the desert sun. You'll rarely find carne seca on a Mexican menu outside of Tuc-
son, so indulge while you're here.
The adjacent ¡Toma! (p. 397), a colorful bar/cantina, is under the same ownership.
There are other El Charro locations at 6310 E. Broadway ( & 520/745-1922 ); 4699 E.
Speedway Blvd. ( & 520/325-1922 ); 6910 E. Sunrise Dr. ( & 520/514-1922 ); and 7725
N. Oracle Rd., Oro Valley ( & 520/229-1922 ).
311 N. Court Ave. & 520/622-1922. www.elcharrocafe.com. Reservations recommended for dinner.
Main courses $6.25-$19. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am-9pm.
Inexpensive
Café à la C'Art LIGHT FARE Located in the courtyard on the grounds of the Tucson
Museum of Art, this cafe serves up tasty sandwiches and makes a good lunch spot if
you're downtown wandering the Presidio neighborhood or touring the museum. Try the
gingered apricot-almond chicken-salad croissant or the Cuban sandwich, which is made
with roasted pork and ham. Wash it all down with some fresh lemonade, and be sure to
save room for dessert.
150 N. Main Ave. & 520/628-8533. www.tucsonmuseumofart.org/visit/cafe.php. Reservations not accepted.
Sandwiches and salads $7.50-$9.50. MC, V. Mon-Fri 11am-3pm; 1st Sun of each month noon-3pm.
CENTRAL TUCSON & THE UNIVERSITY AREA
Expensive
Arizona Inn-Main Dining Room FRENCH/AMERICAN The dining room at
the Arizona Inn, one of the state's first resorts, is consistently excellent. The pink-stucco
pueblo-style buildings are surrounded by neatly manicured gardens that have matured
gracefully, and the courtyard and the bar patio overlooking the colorful gardens make for
romantic dining spots. The menu changes regularly, but includes plenty of classic dishes
such as vichyssoise, bouillabaisse, and boeuf bourguignon and a handful of Southwest-
ern-inspired offerings. Presentation is artistic, and fresh ingredients are emphasized. The
homemade ice creams are fabulous. On weekends, you might catch some live music.
2200 E. Elm St. & 520/325-1541. www.arizonainn.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses
$12-$25 lunch, $30-$44 dinner; tasting menu $65 ($85 with wine). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 7-10am,
11:30am-2pm, and 5:30-10pm.
The Dish Bistro & Wine Bar NEW AMERICAN Located inside the Rumrun-
ner wine-and-spirits shop, this tiny, minimalist restaurant is brimming with urban chic.
On a busy night, the space could be construed as either cozy or crowded, so if you like
it more on the quiet side, come early or late. The chef has a well-deserved reputation for
artfully presented dishes that can be both creative and comforting at the same time. On
a recent visit, the grilled pork tenderloin was just such a dish. Although the pork tender-
loin was familiar enough, the accompaniments—black-pepper caramel sauce, shallot-
and-fig confit, and yam fonduta (Italian for fondue)—were deliciously exotic. Naturally,
because this place is associated with a wine shop, the wine list is great. Despite what the
address says, the Dish is right on Speedway Boulevard.

12