The Chain for Other Chains to Compete With

It was a rainy Sunday and the cloud cover was very heavy. The weather was very cool and I knew I needed a hearty meal to keep me warm throughout the day, but I also wanted to watch some football. So, I called my girlfriend, Breanne, up and asked her out to lunch. She also was looking for a meal that could stick to her bones and we tried thinking of such a restaurant.

Finally, we remembered how we liked going to BJ's Restaurant and Brewery (4270 N. Oracle Road, 520-690-1900) last semester and we decided it was due time for another visit. In the past, the food and service have been fairly decent. We hoped we wouldn't be disappointed on this visit. Considering they have a massive screen that can play four football games at one time and a huge menu full of meals that will satisfy any deep hunger you can imagine.

After driving up Oracle to the restaurant, we were surprised that we were seated immediately. In the past, there is always a 20 minute wait, no matter what time of day it is. But this was a pleasant surprise as we were seated as soon as we walked through the doors.

BJ's is really beautiful on the inside. Even though this is a chain restaurant, you can tell the interior designers spent a lot of time making this place look nice with huge ceilings, clean booths and tables, great lighting, and a spacious bar. Strongly varnished woods, a comfortable temperature setting, and that massive television screen I mentioned earlier, gives you an atmosphere Applebee's or Chili's can't even compare to.

Looking over the menu quickly, Breanne decided on the BBQ Beef Sandwich ($8.95), which comes with onion strings and provolone cheese. I chose the Roast Beef Dip Sandwich ($8.95), which is served with the usual au jus and also has a creamy horseradish sauce on the side. I was drinking a Coke while Breanne sipped on an iced tea. Being so early in the day, we decided not to drink any of the beers they have available. However, they have a wonderful selection of ales and lagers to try from their “Piranha Pale Ale” all the way to “The Nutty Brewnette,” which are all brewed in-house.

Our waitress was fast, efficient, and always willing to give us more refills. She was able to get the food in and out to us within 10 minutes of ordering and I couldn't have been more impressed with that service. The food was also very good. Breanne was really enjoying her sandwich, which had a very smoky and slightly spicy BBQ sauce throughout the beef. My dip was incredible with the beef being extremely tender and the onions in the sandwich were cooked to perfection by not being bitter at all or overly strong. With both our places overloaded with wedge-cut fries, this was definitely a meal that was going to stick to our ribs for a good portion of the day.

Synopsis: BJ's is definitely setting a standard in chain restaurant eating. From the fresh and hot food to the wonderful atmosphere all the way to the swift service, this is a chain worth trying...and normally, I'm not a fan of chains. If you're dining in Tucson, this is a place that is definitely worth trying.

Mediocre Middle Eastern

Normally, I trust what Jimmy Boegle has to say about Tucson restaurants. His reviews for the Tucson Weekly are informative and always give me ideas of places I should try out. Before this, Jimmy was always right and dead on about the service. However, he couldn't have been more wrong when it came to the Sultan's Palace (345 W. Drachman St., 520-622-2892), which has given my girlfriend Breanne and I the worst service possible out of any Tucson restaurant we have experienced.

I was very excited to try the Sultan's Palace because I enjoy Indian and Middle Eastern food so much. The idea of eating tandoori chicken, naan bread, and basmati rice always makes me happy. I was also pleased to see how close in proximity it was from campus. Breanne feels the same way about Indian cuisine and we went almost immediately after reading the review in the Weekly, expecting wonderful food similar to what Aladdin (3699 N Campbell Ave, 520-320-0468) and Gandhi (150 W Fort Lowell Rd., 520-292-1738) offer, which are two other Middle Eastern and Indian restaurants in Tucson.

We were sorely let down.

The service was expected to be slow, as the article stated. However, this was non-existent service where we waited almost a half hour for a check after our meal. The food was made overly spicy for my girlfriend's chicken kabob, even after asking if the food could be toned down. The lamb was not falling off the bone either, as Jimmy said it would. It, rather, was tough and barely removable. With us being the only customers in the entire restaurant (shocking, huh?), I was shocked by the terrible service and poor presentation of food...especially with the many other amazing Middle Eastern and Indian restaurants in town.

For such an amazing restaurant, I was charged with quite the amazing bill of $35.

So, therefore, I encourage you to try Aladdin and Gandhi, which are incredible places to dine at with wonderful prices. I will be reviewing these restaurants within the next couple weeks. However, do me a favor and NEVER eat at the Sultan's Palace, unless you really enjoy being overcharged for terrible food and service.

It's About the Bread

Isn't there just something about a good sandwich? I mean, the idea is so simple. You have your bread and in between are the topping and condiments. Yet, America is just addicted to sandwiches and I can't get enough of them. What I love the most about sandwiches is when the bread is fresh and warm, straight out of the oven. In my opinion, fresh baked bread is the essential part for a perfect sandwich and I'm obviously not alone. Many other Tucsonians feel the same way because Beyond Bread (3026 N. Campbell Ave, 520-332-9965) is one of the most popular fast casual restaurants in town.

Last Sunday, my girlfriend Breanne and I decided to go out to Beyond Bread for lunch. The idea of a fresh bakery roll with amazing meats, cheeses, and vegetables sounded perfect to us and we had to go. Since we live close to downtown, getting to the restaurant was painless and very close by car. We were weary though because normally, Beyond Bread is packed for lunch, no matter what day of the week it is. When I say packed, I really mean it. This place has out-the-door lines for hours with people just clamoring to get a good sandwich.

After arriving, we were happy to find out we were between crowds and the restaurant was busy, but not crazy yet. We walked in and grabbed a menu from the bin near the entrance. This place has a massive listing of hot and cold sandwiches as well as salads. They also have a wide variety of desserts, such as crème brûlée, scones, and cheesecakes, to try, if you are so inclined. The freshly baked breads, that is made daily, is also for sale. They have ciabattas, focaccias, and even walnut bread for you to bring home and enjoy.

Quickly scanning the menu, Breanne chose the “Bart's Bag” ($6.75) which is described as “turkey, brie, lettuce, tomato, red onion, honey mustard, and mayonnaise on a Baguette.” I decided on “Collete's Cordon Bleu” ($6.75) which is “chicken, ham, swiss, honey mustard on White.” We also ordered a bag of Baked Lays and a bag of Beyond Bread's regular chips, which made each sandwich $0.50 more.

Once we ordered, we didn't have to wait long for our food as a server ran out with both our sandwiches. The portions here are enormous, which is great for me since I'm constantly working out and need a lot of food. However, a half sandwich would be perfect for somebody with a normal appetite. Bre's sandwich had a good helping of turkey and the creamy brie cheese made this a “must try.” In fact, Bre orders this sandwich every time she comes to Beyond Bread because it's just that good. My cordon bleu sandwich was also amazing with a spicy honey mustard backing up thinly sliced ham and huge pieces of chicken.

Synopsis: Beyond Bread is a part of Tucson with a wide variety of people eating there on a daily basis; everybody from college students to grandmothers to massive families all eat out here. The decent prices, generous serving sizes, friendly staff, fast service, and fresh bread all are great reasons why the next restaurant you should eat at is Beyond Bread.

Heavenly Honjake

Since the two years I have lived in Tucson, I have found out that I have a strong love for sushi. Something about me gets very excited about spicy tuna rolls, fresh wasabi, and beautiful presentations. Luckily, my girlfriend, Breanne, feels the exact same way about this Japanese cuisine and whenever we have spare cash, we make a point to gorge ourselves on as much sushi as we can possibly fit inside of us.

Out of all the sushi restaurants in Tucson, we have had some hits and misses. The one major hit previously to this outing was Sky Blue Wasabi. But, we were driving up Campbell Ave. recently and decided to try something new. This restaurant was Sushimatsu (2660 N. Campbell Ave., 520-320-1574) and Sky Blue may have just found some competition for, what we consider to be, the best sushi joint in Tucson.

Upon walking into Sushimatsu, which is attached to Yoshimatsu Healthy Japanese Food, we were amazed at how quiet was. Sushimatsu has a strict policy that no children or large groups of people can dine there, which Breanne and I couldn't be more happy about considering we were looking for a relaxing evening out together. The walls are painted black, the wooden floors are richly stained, and the sounds of trickling fountains and light Japanese music make up the atmosphere of Sushimatsu.

Breanne couldn't stop commenting on how elegant everything was with our waiters being very polite and patient. They were willing to explain every item on the menu in-depth and had an understanding of what each roll tasted like to them. Other sushi restaurants in town had incredibly rude service and were very short with us, which can be irritating, since Breanne likes to scan the menu throughly before ordering. With Breanne extremely happy with the service, so was I.

After taking the time to decide, we chose the Spicy Tuna Roll ($4.50), Alaskan Roll ($8.50), and the Rainbow Roll ($8.50). I chose to drink a large Sapporo beer ($5.00) while Breanne had a glass of plum wine and soda ($6.00). What amazed us was within a minute of ordering, we had our drinks in front of us with complimentary miso soup and fresh edamame. The miso was perfect with it not being too salty, but still having a hearty tofu flavor. Our edamame was the same with it being salted perfectly and easy to pop out of its casing.

After we finished our edamame and soup, the sushi was delivered and it was heavenly. The spicy tuna was strong and had a nice Japanese garlic flavor it. Even with a heaping helping of wasabi in my soy sauce, the roll was not overbearing, but still had a great kick. The rainbow roll was also wonderful with the yellowtail, tuna, salmon, and shrimp blending together with the rice and avocado. Breanne and I really believe the rainbow roll is the best roll for a sushi beginner to try as it gives you many different pieces of fish to try to figure out what you enjoy the most.

But the best item Breanne and I ate that night was, easily, the Alaskan roll. The salmon used at Sushimatsu is special due to the fact it is Honjake Salmon, which the restaurant swears upon and uses strictly. When we ordered our meal, we didn't think there would be a major difference upon the way Sushimatsu's salmon tasted compared to other sushi restaurants. We couldn't have been more wrong. The salmon was amazingly fresh and did not have a fishy flavor. It almost tasted pure and we couldn't have ate the roll any faster.

Synopsis: With its proximity to campus, their policies about large groups and children, and wonderful service and food. For a nice, quiet evening after a long day at work, you can't go wrong here with a roll with some Honjake Salmon and a big bowl of miso soup.

Marvelous Mexican with a Twist

My girlfriend, Breanne, is very indecisive when it comes to choosing a restaurant to eat at. Common answers I get when I ask her what she'd like to eat are “I don't care,” “You choose,” or “Narrow it down to two choices and I'll choose then.” Her amazing lack of preference is almost admirable and had to come to be expected by me. However, this week was a rare moment for Breanne when I asked her what she'd want for dinner and I got a definite answer.

“I want to go to Zivaz, does that sound good?”

Happy that I didn't have to choose, we quickly hopped in my car and made our way from campus down Broadway towards Zivaz Mexican Bistro (4590 E. Broadway Blvd., 520-325-1234). On the way, we reminisced about how we'd drive past this restaurant every time we'd go to the Park Place Mall and always said that it looked like something we should try, since we both like good Mexican food and also enjoy casual dining such as Pei Wei Asian Diner and Sauce. This place seemed to be a fusion of those qualities from the outside, which would make it a great restaurant for us, but never seemed to stop. Finally, we were going to try that mysterious restaurant we had been eying.

As I parked the car and we walked inside, we were amazed by how clean and bright Zivaz is. The furniture and walls were all in a beautifully muted color scheme of yellows and greens. The menu is huge and against the wall you immediately see upon walking in. We felt like we were being really fancy by going here, but also remembered it was a casual dining experience by the all-you-can-drink soda fountains in the corner and the Tucson policemen eating together while in uniform at a table in the back of the restaurant.

After perusing the menu, I had decided on the Camaron Mignon ($12.95), which is giant shrimp that are wrapped in bacon and covered in a “Zivaz” cream sauce. Breanne chose the tacos ($6.95), which is two flour tortillas (you can choose corn too) with lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, and beef. Both dishes come with rice, beans, and a side salad. We also ordered two drinks from the soda fountain where I got a Mountain Dew and Breanne made herself an Arnold Palmer.

While waiting for our food, we were given a bowl of red, white, and green corn chips with two different types of salsa. One salsa was tomato based while the other with made with tomatillos, making it a green salsa. Both were very tasty and were up top par with many authentic Mexican restaurants in Tucson.

Shortly after we finished the chips, our meals arrived and they looked amazing. My Camaron Mignon was so delicious with the cream sauce being very delicate and the bacon was cooked to perfection to the point it was not chewy, but also not overly crispy. Breanne's tacos were seasoned very well and she was given a generous amount of guacamole, which she was very happy about. The beef was perfectly cooked and jam-packed full of flavor. However, the rice, beans, and salads were good, but nothing worth writing home about. I was happy though to see we got black beans with our meals rather than the standard of refried as a nice change.

Synopsis: This restaurant is definitely on par with the wonderful casual sit-down restaurants in Tucson. If you're looking for something fast and delicious near the Park Place Mall, Zivaz Mexican Bistro is the place to try.