We’ve been on the road again, this time a trip to Arizona. Neither of us had been there for a zillion years. Since then, it seems to have become the new Florida, with lots of retirees and plenty of suburbanish sprawl, golf courses and gated comunities. But the countryside manages to be both bleak and dazzling simultaneously, at least in some places. Much of our time was spent visiting family. But a few notes, both food and non-, may be in order.
To begin with, a visitor really needs to spend some time outside, at least at this time of year. (Highs in the 60’s, lows in the 40’s for the most part during our visit in mid-December.) Our usual curiosity about a place so different from much of what we’ve experienced began to be satisfied at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum., one of the most exciting such institutions we’ve visited. Located about 15 road-curving minutes west of Tucson, it offers both flora and fauna in a lovely setting. There is some history and geology, many types of cactus, most with signs. Mostly, however, it’s a zoo, with desert animals in some great settings and many docents to explain things. Big natives like mountain lions, little ones like the residents of a walk-in hummingbird enclosure, raptor demonstrations, snakes and such. This photo is not a 7-foot asparagus, but an agave about to bloom. It’s easy to spend a day here; wear comfy shoes and a hat. If you can only go to one place in Tucson, this is our choice. 2071 N. Kinney Rd, 520-883-2702, www.desertmuseum.org .
Mission San Xavier del Bac is also a little ways out of town, a particularly fine example of mission architecture known as the White Dove of the Dessert. It’s on the San Xavier Indian Reservation, and in the parking lot is a ramada with vendors selling one of the ur-foods of the area, Indian fry bread tacos. Patted out by hand and cooked in front of you, they can be had plain, with powdered sugar or filled with beans, lettuce, tomatoes and chili, if that’s your pleasure. (Ours was with the chunky chili colorado, photo below.) There’s also another patio-centered building with gifts (including a Navajo silversmith) and a snack bar where we ate a delicious sweet corn tamale. 1950 W. San Xavier Rd., 520-294-2624, www.sanxaviermission.org .
And speaking of eating at visitor sites, downtown at the Tucson Museum of Art is a first-rate place for lunch. The museum itself includes several historic buildings, and for several months each winter offes a nascimento, an exuberant nativity scene that makes the one at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York look stodgy. 140 N Main, 520-624-2333, www.tucsonarts.com. Café a la C’Art, popular with locals, has a lovely blue dining room and a terrace. While the grilled eggplant and Cuban sandwiches were delicious, it’s the pastry that makes everyone gasp, thanks to the talent of Laura Quatrella. The best of three we tried was a devils food cake filled with chocolate mousse and topped with wee gingerbread men. Weekdays only, no reservations, and you can eat there without paying admission to the museum. 150 N. Main, 520-628-8533.
Not far away in the Historic District, we had dinner at El Charro, dating to the 1920s and one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in town. The specialty is carne seca, dried beef, a Tucson-only ingredient used to fill tacos and enchiladas. It’s interesting, and not as tough as one would expect, but overall, we were disappointed in this spot which has a good reputation. Weak drinks, relatively bland food, but locals tell us their spot on East Speedway is far better. 311 N. Court Ave, 520-622-1922, 4699 E. Speedway Blvd, 520-325-1922, www.elcharrocafe.com .
We get really tired of the same old breakfast menus, and we found some different choices at Ghini’s French Café, whose owner is from Marseille. And it’s not just croissants and coffee, although both of those were great. We dived into a garlicky anchovy omelette and house-made corned beef hash, although we were tempted by French toast with warm rum-laced apples. There’s a bakery, too. Very casual, lots of locals. And oh, yes, it’s pronounced "GEE-nee’s," with a hard "G," as in "Gift," which it is.1803 E. Prince Rd., 520-326-9095, www.ghiniscafe.com .
Between Tucson and Phoenix is the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, the remains of a Hohokam people’s building that’s at least seven centuries old, in the midst of what once was a thriving community. Its people vanished, mysteriously, perhaps in the same way and for the same reasons as the Cahokia mounds builders, across the Mississippi River. The three-story building dominates the desert landscape, and the information center tells the story of a culture that managed to thrive in this inhospitable environment. More information is available here , and it’s well worth a stop, especially before or after eating.
Where do you eat? (Isn’t that a neat segue?)
The nearby town is Coolidge, where you can avoid the franchise food horrors at Casa Palomino, right on the main street. Arizona’s Mexican food is not Tex-Mex, so things are a little different, but Casa Palomino satisfied on many counts. It’s an unassuming spot, with salsa that’s made fresh every morning, a tempting breakfast menu we’d love to return for, and an albondigas (meatball) soup that was nothing short of thrilling. Plenty of locals were knocking back large quesadillas. 1076 N. Arizona Blvd, 530-723-4223, www.casapalomino.com .
While in Phoenix, we drove past the University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals and site of the upcoming Super Bowl. It makes for the interesting juxtaposition of a university that has only a virtual campus and classrooms and a stadium that has only a virtual football team.
However, the stadium is about to grow its own version of Ballpark Village, but new and improved. Believe it or not, it’s a $2.1 billon office, retail and residential project, covering 4.5 billion square feet, to be built by the Bidwill family. Yes, those Bidwills, primarily Bill’s sons, Michael, who is president of the football team, and Tim, who is operating the development project named cbd101. When completed, in about a decade (planning commission and city council approval are expected in January), it will have a dozen corporate buildings led by a 36-story tower, three hotels, office space, more than 900 residential units, shops, restaurants and even an organic farm and farmers’ market.
Northwest of Phoenix we visited Wickenberg, www.outwickenbergway.com, driving through the Vulture Mountains. Wickenberg began as a mining town, and when Hollywood helped create the Old West mystique, it became home to lots of dude ranches, some of which remain. While you’re there, visit the Dessert Caballeros Western Museum for Western art, artifacts, model rooms and special exhibits like the bola ties we saw. 21 N. Frontier St., 928-684-2272, www.westernmuseum.org.
Also in those Western suburbs, we had a good meal at North, a very modern Italian-esque spot in an upscale shopping strip. Particularly outstanding were grilled artichokes with sea salt and a lemon aioli, a new dish for us, and a pizza made with fresh figs, goat cheese and prosciutto. Good service, too. 20004 N. 67 th Ave., Glendale, 623-537-4500, www.foxrestaurantconcepts.com/north.html.
Lots of sand at your feet, and above, a mighty sweep of blue sky which. at night, glitters with more stars than one thought possible.