Brushfire BBQ

A week or so ago I was assisting with the details of a local wedding and happened upon Brush Fire BBQ.  They were the hired caterers for this event and DANG! were they good!

When discussing the wedding details with the (at the time) bride I was a little hesitant about BBQ. My thought, "Really? BBQ at a wedding? I think I have seen this on 'My RedNeck Wedding' a time or two!" But as with all good wedding assistants I just kept my opinions to myself (or at least I tried to have some tact with my opinion) and carried on with the organizing.  After the initial discussion I didn't give it much thought because the bride and groom seemed pretty set. 

The day of the big event Brush Fire BBQ came early, set up a nice (BBQ-y) spread with checkered accents as decor (again my red flag went up!) and had two very friendly servers.  As I began to chat with the servers they were right on board for the dinner signal and told me the two of them could handle everything for approximately 100 guests (I was a bit doubtful).  They did it though and DANG! it was speedy AND DELICIOUS!  

I can't say that the coleslaw or corn on the cob was the best ever BUT THE BBQ SURELY WAS! They had chicken, pork and beef and a very tangy sweet sauce.  I think at one point I was caught shoveling mounds of saucy meat in my face - embarrassing!

After chatting a bit more with the two servers one ended up being the owner, a young guy in his early thirties who happened to think Tucson needed a GOOD BBQ place.  Their restaurant location is on Campbell just south of Glenn on the west side of the road.  Every time I drive past that place I find my mouth watering and a strong pull on the steering wheel!

Here are the ratings as I saw them from the catering side:

Atmosphere & Ambiance: N/A (hard to say sine we were at a wedding)

Food Quality:  The BBQ = 4.5, the sides = 3

Service: 5 (super friendly and super fast)

Child Friendly: N/A (again, hard to say since we weren't at the restaurant)

I am excited to visit the restaurant now and get a second opinion!

Tucson Beer Festival

With eager anticipation our party was dropped off at the entry of what I was hoping would be mecca.  The line stretched as far as the eye could see, and I could smell the beer.  45 minutes later I could still smell the beer, and was now hungry, thirsty, and tired.  Finally making entry into the venue (baseball field) we spilled out in to the outfield where the entire line waiting to get in, was now in front of us waiting at each beer tent.  Having to start somewhere, I spied the Sierra Nevada tent and knew it would be worth the wait.  For the wait I was rewarded with the Bigfoot Barley Wine on tap! YEA!  Like a junky getting a fix, I was instantaneously in a better place.  The festival gave me the opportunity to sample some beers I would otherwise steer clear of, and I would say I enjoyed most of them.  My favorite beer of the festival was the Rouge Hazelnut Brown Nectar...YUMMMM  If you like brown ales, give this a try.

Back to the festival... Way over sold, lines too long, and several vendors pouring out of the same bottles I could buy at the store. I would recommend the VIP tickets in order to get in early and not have to deal with the crowds, but then the price doubles.

The best beer festival is the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, and it ruined me.  Because of my bias my rating is as follows:

Save your money and go to Denver. 

Otherwise, go to your local liquor store and mix up a six-pack or several, and have a party with people you actually want to be around.

Zivaz Mexican Bistro, Tucson, AZ

Tonight we met with some friends at a place we have been before the introduction of the Unknown Food Critic; to be fair we did not want to rate it on past experiences, we wanted a fresh perspective.  As a "quick casual" restaurant there are certain luxuries that will be sacrificed in the name of a cheaper meal.  Ordering at a cash register is no foreign experience to this fast food generation.  Pick, order, pay.  The service was better than we had received in previous outings in formal establishments, and the personality of the cashier made it even better.  After ordering our meal, we served our own drinks, and were seated at a table with a number.  Chips and salsa follow quickly.  Chips are light and crispy, not greasy. Salsa both red and green has a fresh taste with just the right amount of heat.  My only complaint would be the size of the salsa dishes were too small, and had to be refilled rather quickly.  The main course was served promptly and the food was hot.  The portions were a good size too.

Our order:

Ensalada Guacamole Salad:  The salmon was a little underdone and was sent back, to be replaced by a new plate.

Pollo en Rajas

Pollo en Pibil

Puntas Zevaz

Atmosphere & Ambiance: 3.5

Food Quality: 3.5

Service: 3.5

Child Friendly: N/A

Good food, good price, good quick casual meal.

Neo of Melaka, Tucson, AZ

Breaking away from the American cuisine, we took a journey to mediocrity.  The experience left us holding a mixed bag of emotions.  We walked in to the restaurant and waited at the host station for several minutes before being greeted and seated.  The main dining area was full but we have no issues dining in the bar.  The surroundings were quaint, but the temperature was HOT.  The warmth was made even more evident by our waiter that seemed to be sweating through his shirt.  The drinks came and we ordered some appetizers one of which was cold, not warm, COLD.  The problem was corrected with a fresh plate of food, and an apology from out waiter.  The appetizers were tasty but average.  While eating the second round of appetizers, one of our party  realized she had still not received her initial glass of wine.  When the missing drink issue was presented to the waiter he reconfirmed the order and said the glass would be on-the-house.  When the glass finally came it was not the right type of wine, at this point she becoming dehydrated from the excessive heat and therefore decided to cut her losses and drink it anyway.

Dinner came and everything was fresh and hot.  Each plate was interesting and tasty.

What we ordered:

Lemak with chicken

Curry with chicken

Masak Merah with salmon

Nyonya laksa

We shared our meals family style, and enjoyed them all.

After Dinner the red bean and sesame ice cream completed our journey.  The ice cream was good, but I am a vanilla purist.

Overall:

Atmosphere & Ambiance: 2

Food Quality: 3.5

Service: 2.5

Child Friendly: N/A

For the price it was rather unimpressive.

Cafe Terra Cotta, Tucson, AZ

A couple weekends back we joined some friends for an evening at Cafe Terra Cotta.  Having been there before, we all knew what to expect but decided to sit in the bar area instead of the main restaurant.  Drinks were decent but started with a few mix-ups:  a wrong beer, followed by an orange slice on the Hefeweizen - major faux pas in the beer world, should have been a lemon! The waiter was straight from Orange County - more considered with his surfer hair than customer satisfaction.  Once the food came we all were pleasantly surprised.  The hot wings were REALLY hot with a nice smokey flavor.  The fish tacos and carnitas were good for the price and the burger was big and satisfying.

Our next time back we will be looking for a new server, with a bit more beer knowledge (shame on him)!

The great thing about Cafe Terra Cotta is they are part of Tucson Originals and it is always good to support the local economy.

Atmosphere & Ambiance: 4/5

Food Quality: 4/5 

Service: 2/5

Child Friendly: N/A

Stone Brewing Company, Escondido, CA

Stone Brewing Co. gives new meaning to the term "beer garden" in their new brewing facility.   The sole purpose of the visit was to drink some exceptional beer.  While not eating at the restaurant and therefore unable to rate the food, the rest of the facility deserves credit.  WOW.  Amazing beer for the micro/macro brewery beer lovers.  Besides the "regular" brews that can be purchased at most stores, the special editions that are in-house-only are remarkable.  If you are in the area, it's worth a visit.

Atmosphere & Ambiance: 5/5

Food Quality: N/A

Service: 5/5

Child Friendly: N/A

Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, San Diego, CA

Bird Rock Coffee Roasters elevate the coffee experience.  Great friendly service, great coffee, beans roasted on site, wonderful pastries, plenty of space in the indoor/outdoor seating area, and a self contained small child play area!  If you are in the area please, please drive PAST the chain coffee shop across the street and take in the local fare that will not disappoint.

My order: Coffee-black, and a locally made chocolate dipped macaroon 

Atmosphere & Ambiance: 5/5

Food Quality: 5/5

Service: 5/5

Child Friendly: 5/5

Rhinoceros Cafe, Coronado Island (San Diego), CA

While walking around Coronado Island, California, looking for a place to eat lunch with our children, the curb appeal of the Rhinoceros Cafe drew us in.  We thought we were doomed when we walked in to a quiet venue with white linens and no high chairs.  This is where the difficulty ended.  The waitress and staff were extremely accommodating, and made the entire meal wonderful!  I ordered the slow roasted pork sandwich, the pork was tender and not dry, had a great flavor without being overpowering or swimming in sauce.  The Cobb Salad was delightful, especially with the mango-balsamic vinaigrette.  It made for a filling, yet light summer lunch.  It was, of course, your typical Cobb salad but everything tasted so fresh and the dressing was the icing on the cake!

In summary:

Service: 5/5

Food: 5/5

Atmosphere: 5/5

Child friendly: 4/5 (no high chair, but very accommodating)

Here We Are!

The Unknown Food Critic is an idea that has been fostered for quite some time now.  We enjoy visiting locally owned restaurants, cafes and the like so we wanted a way to share our experiences and give praise where praise was due (and constructive criticism where needed as well).  By no means do we claim to be culinary experts or to have an advanced palate; we are just ordinary people with an ordinary budget looking for an extraordinary dish.

We have come up with this handy-dandy rating system that we believe covers it all (1 -5, 5 being extraordinary):

• Atmosphere & Ambiance
• Food Quality 
• Service
• Child Friendly (this category will be left blank if children did not join us for the visit)

Of course we may review a place more than once, because everyone knows things change.  But most importantly we want to hear from you!  Please join us in the critique.  What did you think?  Where have you been?  Where do we absolutely have to try?  The Unknown Food Critic is not location specific...we rate where we go and we are open to suggestions and ratings worldwide.

We hope you enjoy our dish as much as we do!