A recent mid-day errand to the Foothills had me thinking about lunch, and given that I was near La Encantada, I thought I would give Armitage a try for lunch. While I have visited Armitage at night, I had not yet sampled their lunch fare.

The first warning sign should have been the lack of business. It was the middle of lunch and there were less than a handful of guests in the restaurant. Based on what I saw, it’s hard to image that the guest count for lunch even broke into double digits. With such little business, you would think that the service would be first-rate. Unfortunately the mood and service given by the staff matched the uncomfortable and downtrodden ambiance in the dining room from the lack of business.

While the food was good enough, Armitage falls short on the value side of the proposition. Nearly every sandwich was $10 and more, and there are no sides served whatsoever. Order the panini, and that’s all you get. Want fries with that? Add $5. With so many restaurants featuring a variety of summer deals, you can do better.

Armitage Wine Lounge & Café. 2905 E. Skyline Drive. (520) 682-9740. http://www.armitagewine.com/tucson/index.html

Jax Kitchen set to open on Oracle Road

According to its website, Jax Kitchen is to open on July 22 on N. Oracle Road in the space formerly occupied by Conti’s Italian Ristorante, which closed in late May. Jax Kitchen is owned by Brian and Sandy Metzger, and the restaurant will feature mid-priced international bistro fare. The restaurant is named after the Metzgers’ 18-month-old son, Jackson.

Brian Metzger has worked at a number of local restaurants, including several owned by Sam Fox. In Tucson, he was the general manager of Wildflower and North, and he helped open Bistro Zin in the summer of 2000. His latest stint was as general manager of Tavolino.

Jax will initially be open only for dinner only. Later this fall, the Metzgers intend to offer lunch and brunch.

Jax Kitchen 7286 N. Oracle Road. http://www.jaxkitchen.com/