Once again Tucson is in the top ten

[DdBob]

This time as a food city

or I should say foodie cityin the midst of massive gentrification.....for instance we do NOT have a proper downtown and any long term local can attest to that BUT we do have newbies trying to gentrify it.....also I've been here since 1978 and I can assure you nopales is a very recent thing if it is a thing anywhere other than some gentrified hipster foodie place, same goes for prickly pear margarita's...fucking joke although PP jam has been around forever.


best-food-cities-in-the-us-7254754
Tucson was the first U.S. city to be deemed a UNESCO City of Gastronomyin 2015. Today, the destination continues to wow culinary connoisseurs with its distinct Native American and Mexican offerings dating back thousands of years. The best Tucson restaurants incorporate locally sourced ingredients into their drinks and dishes. With this in mind, prickly pear margaritas are a staple here, as are nopales (edible cacti) and TINAS BURRITOS. Tucson’s vibrant downtown district has 85-plus bars and restaurants, including Bata(which offers a largely veggie-focused menu — 90 percent of which is sourced within 400 miles of the restaurant) and Boca. Helmed by James Beard finalist Maria Mazon, Boca is famous for its flavorful tacos and salsa flights. An additional 13 new eateries will call Tucson home in 2023, including the brand-new Blue Front, where menu highlights include orange wines, creative cocktails, made-from-scratch pies, and deviled eggs.

 

[Peen Simmons]

Chicago is 3 after NYC and NOLA and that seems fair. Lot of ink re: deep dish which…meh. And the interest in food and general gentrification has squeezed out plenty of hole in the wall hidden gems.

Deebo, are you saying nopales in Tucson are a new thing or that they are a new thing overall? Because, I mean…Mexican food has existed for a few years, bro.

 

[tiger roach]

Yeah if I was going to visit Tucson for some reason, pigging out on southwest/Mex food would be a priority.

 

[DdBob]

Chicago is 3 after NYC and NOLA and that seems fair. Lot of ink re: deep dish which…meh. And the interest in food and general gentrification has squeezed out plenty of hole in the wall hidden gems.

Deebo, are you saying nopales in Tucson are a new thing or that they are a new thing overall? Because, I mean…Mexican food has existed for a few years, bro.

in restaurants....yes absolutely. In family's home cooking here...no

*edit* in south Tucson, the neighborhoods, family cooking, grocery stores, yeah...been around a long time but in restaurants...in fucking foodie trucks yes totally trendy

 

[MonkeyZero]

in restaurants....yes absolutely. In family's home cooking here...no

*edit* in south Tucson, the neighborhoods, family cooking, grocery stores, yeah...been around a long time but in restaurants...in fucking foodie trucks yes totally trendy

Rick Bayless would disagree. Maybe for Tucson though.

 

[DdBob]

Rick Bayless would disagree. Maybe for Tucson though.

isn't Rick Bayless the frontera asshole from Chicago ( i first ran across a jar of his salsa in Whole Foods over a decade ago....that should tell you all you need to know ? a restauranteer FOODIE? What would I even give the time of day to him?
remember mexican food has been popular and a mainstay here since before we were a state. Similar to sushi spreading to nebraska or Bagels to Idaho...the mexican food was going strong here looooooong before Chicago had Rick Bayless appropriating a cuisine

 

[Lerxst]

Chicago is 3 after NYC and NOLA and that seems fair. Lot of ink re: deep dish which…meh. And the interest in food and general gentrification has squeezed out plenty of hole in the wall hidden gems.

I really need to get out to Chicago some time. My wife's been there for work a few times and raved about her time visiting the city.
I've never really spent any time in the midwest 'cept driving or flying through. All of my cross country trips have been further south to make Chicago a viable stop.

 

[PunkKitty]

isn't Rick Bayless the frontera asshole from Chicago ( i first ran across a jar of his salsa in Whole Foods over a decade ago....that should tell you all you need to know ? a restauranteer FOODIE? What would I even give the time of day to him?
remember mexican food has been popular and a mainstay here since before we were a state. Similar to sushi spreading to nebraska or Bagels to Idaho...the mexican food was going strong here looooooong before Chicago had Rick Bayless appropriating a cuisine

Mexican food was popular in Chicago loooooooong before Bayless. Bayless is a hack.

 

[Tralfaz]

I've never heard of a single one of the Houston restaurants listed. I'm not sure if I'm out of touch or this listicle is just paid advertising masquerading as news.

 

[Peen Simmons]

Mexican food was popular in Chicago loooooooong before Bayless. Bayless is a hack.

Bayless is fine as a popularizer of regional cuisines and advocate for the broader world of Mexican cookery beyond the pile of refritos, cheese, and mystery red sauce that was most white people’s experience with Mexican food previous to the foodie taste boom—I mean, in our lifetimes salad was some sad iceberg plus shredded cheese and a lonely cherry tom, Italian food was spaghetti and meatballs, and “fancy” Mexican food was chimichangas and fried ice cream. Popularizers and advocates like Julia Child, Emeril, Rick Bayless, or later David Chang have done a lot to increase awareness re: general good cookery and/or international cuisines.

Is going to Topolobampo or Frontera or Xoco like eating at someone’s tia’s house and feasting on ye olde family recipies? Nope. But it’s generally good and prepared well with fresh ingredients. Is Momofuku the same as the little family ramen joint by the bay in my friend’s hometown of Date, Hokkaido? Nope. But it’s good. Is Big Jones the same as getting invited to the cookout down south? Nope. But it’s delicious.

There’s way worse people than Bayless in the Chicago food scene.

 

[Peen Simmons]

I guess I tend to reserve my ire for Chicago’s rapidly Manhattanizing big white plates, complicated “shareables,” and $25 cocktail restaurant scene where it’s just smearing purée on a plate and doing boring stuff with hanger steak and expecting $200/head for the trouble. Basically the entirely of the West Loop and River North/Fulton Market places.

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy a nice place, but so many are just blah or exercises in conspicuous consumption or lipstick on a pig twists on comfort chow.

 

[MonkeyZero]

I guess I tend to reserve my ire for Chicago’s rapidly Manhattanizing big white plates, complicated “shareables,” and $25 cocktail restaurant scene where it’s just smearing purée on a plate and doing boring stuff with hanger steak and expecting $200/head for the trouble. Basically the entirely of the West Loop and River North/Fulton Market places.

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy a nice place, but so many are just blah or exercises in conspicuous consumption or lipstick on a pig twists on comfort chow.

Insert Alinea here. lol
I do like Grant Achatz but that level restaurant is beyond my dining experience. I went to Charlie Trotter's before it closed and sat at the chef's table in the kitchen. It was an incredible experience but I'll never do it again.

 

[Peen Simmons]

Insert Alinea here. lol
I do like Grant Achatz but that level restaurant is beyond my dining experience. I went to Charlie Trotter's before it closed and sat at the chef's table in the kitchen. It was an incredible experience but I'll never do it again.

I’m fine with Alinea and similar places where people are putting their money where there mouth is in terms of craft, technique, and artistry. I’m more salty about the mid-tier stuff (Girl and the Goat, Au Cheval, various Lettuce Entertain You ventures, all those brunchy places, further afield your Scofflaws and Rootstocks). Places that are essentially Chili’s/Red Lobster but for yuppies. Frankly, if your burger is inching close to $20 you’re on my shitlist.

 

[jp_nyc]

At least they left Boulder out. The last thing we need is more fucking tourists making it hard to get a reservation at the good restaurants.

 

[DdBob]

Mexican food was popular in Chicago loooooooong before Bayless. Bayless is a hack.

I realize that but compared to a place like Tucson it’s still in its infancy although now the Spanish population is massive every where so growth of neighborhoods, markets etc will grow at a much more rapid pace everywhere. But yea Baylee’s is about as authentic as Einstein bagels

 

[Peen Simmons]

I realize that but compared to a place like Tucson it’s still in its infancy although now the Spanish population is massive every where so growth of neighborhoods, markets etc will grow at a much more rapid pace everywhere. But yea Baylee’s is about as authentic as Einstein bagels

“Authentic” is different than good. Also, authenticity re: food is a pretty fraught concept. I mean, I’ve had great tacos al pastor from a $1/taco taqueria. I’ve had delicious grilled duck tacos at Frontera. I occasionally will eat and thoroughly enjoy some nasty ol’ Taco Bell. And I’ve had elsewhere and made myself vegan tacos al pastor that were great. There’s not really one “right” way to eat or even to approach something as varied and cross-cultural as tacos. Heck, tacos al pastor and tacos arabes are basically “Mexican gyros” inspired by Lebanese foods and flavors. If you want to be authentic about it, order the shawarma.

Obsession with culinary authenticity is what leads to ridiculous fictional “science” like paleo diets.

 

[DdBob]

“Authentic” is different than good. Also, authenticity re: food is a pretty fraught concept. I mean, I’ve had great tacos al pastor from a $1/taco taqueria. I’ve had delicious grilled duck tacos at Frontera. I occasionally will eat and thoroughly enjoy some nasty ol’ Taco Bell. And I’ve had elsewhere and made myself vegan tacos al pastor that were great. There’s not really one “right” way to eat or even to approach something as varied and cross-cultural as tacos. Heck, tacos al pastor and tacos arabes are basically “Mexican gyros” inspired by Lebanese foods and flavors. If you want to be authentic about it, order the shawarma.

Obsession with culinary authenticity is what leads to ridiculous fictional “science” like paleo diets.

This is kinda my grip with teh bayless guy and his approach.... he's kinda marginalized stuff like what mexicans around these parts have been eating for years because it's deemed boring or not exotic enough. The Mexicans here grew up on burritos, beans , rice,grilled meats, etc probably a mix of tohono O odham which used to be called "papago" which basically meant "bean people" was influencing their diet as well. But most people turn their nose up at basic Sonoran style food these days.
When i said not authentic it's cuz Bayless is an Oklahoma guy who started in Michigan and now resides in some uppity part of Chicago

 

[Lerxst]

On today's episode, the wise council of internet guitarists (and auto mechanics) take on cultural cuisine authenticity, tinas burritos, & hot dogs

 

[Peen Simmons]

On today's episode, the wise council of internet guitarists (and auto mechanics) take on cultural cuisine authenticity, tinas burritos, & hot dogs

It’s amazing how much of the universe revolves around a 10 square mile area of a midsize American desert city and what one individual stoner watched on television or skimmed on the internet the night previous.

 

[Bones McHorror]

found ddbob's music channel