Inside Tucson Business: Kingfisher's culinary road trip won't keep you stuck in Tucson this summer

Kingfisher's culinary road trip won't keep you stuck in Tucson this summer

Bymjluria@gmail.com"> Michael Luria, Inside Tucson Business
Published on Monday, July 06, 2009

Kingfisher Bar & Grill’s annual culinary road trip across the United States takes on the Midwest and Great Plains starting Tuesday (July 7) through July 23. The Kingfisher tour this summer introduces a new Road Trip menu featuring an array of appetizers, entrées and desserts highlighting cuisine.

The Midwest and Great Plains stop is the third of six stops this summer. They’ve already made stops for the cuisine of the Pacific Northwest and the Southwest. They’ll go Back East July 24 through Aug. 6, visit California and Hawaii from Aug. 7 - 20 and finish up Down South Aug. 21 - Sept. 6.

Highlights on the Midwest and Great Plains menu include a grilled bratwurst, entrées of rotisserie Indiana duck (a half duck roasted in an apple glaze with wild rice pilaf and braised caraway red cabbage) or grilled walleye, a fish from Wisconsin’s northwoods (served with corn and wild rice fritters, hazelnut maple butter and minted summer beans).

• Kingfisher Bar & Grill, 2564 E. Grant Road — http://kingfishertucson.com/ — (520) 323-7739.

New at Baggin’s

The locally-owned chain of Baggin’s Gourmet Sandwiches has introduced three new creations: the Southwestern tuna melt, a French dip and the “Big Fat Caesar salad sandwich.

The tuna melt ($6.49) is made with tuna, cheddar cheese, jalapenos, lettuce and tomato. The French dip, which they’re calling a gigantic French dip, ($7.75) has grilled onions, havarti, and lots of roast beef. And the “Big Fat Caeser salad sandwich ($6.25) has grilled chicken breast, romaine, Caesar salad dressing and parmesan cheese.

Baggin’s is also introducing its first children’s menu, called “L’il Baggin’s.” They include a sandwich of either a peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese, turkey (called L’il Gobbler) or ham, along with chips, a chocolate chip cooking and a small drink for $4.50.

As part of the introduction of the children’s menu, Baggin’s is running a promotion called Parent Happy Hour weekdays after 4 p.m, and Kids Weekends all day on Saturdays and Sundays where any sandwich on the regular menu is 15 percent with the purchase of a kid’s meal. Be sure to doublecheck the hours, as some Baggin’s locations aren’t open much past 4 p.m., the downtown location isn’t open at all on the weekends and only four are open on Sundays.

• Baggin’s Gourmet Sandwiches, 10 locations — www.bagginsgourmet.com/

Do ask at Sullivan’s

Through Labor Day, Sullivan’s Steakhouse is offering a “Summer of $69” menu. The three-course menu is for two guests (or $35 for a single guest) offering a choice of a starter, entrée and dessert. The entrée includes a choice of two sides as well.

Now that you know about it, if you want to partake of it, make sure you ask.

On my recent visit to Sullivan’s, we were given only a regular menu and received a rundown of that night’s specials. When we saw no other mention of the special, we asked. It was only then that we received the special separate menu. And, it was fairly obvious our server was not pleased by our request.

I figured it must be a terrific bargain if our server would react in such a way. But judging from my glance around the room, they ought get the word out; there were several open tables — and it was a Saturday night.

• Sullivan’s Steakhouse, 1785 E. River Road in Joesler Village — www.sullivansteakhouse.com/ — (520) 299-4275.

$20.09 keeps on comin’

As readers know, I’ve been serving up three $20.09 summer specials each week that are being offered by the independent, locally-owned member restaurants of Tucson Originals. These specials are being offered through Labor Day.

This week’s three are:

• Eclectic Café, 7053 E. Tanque Verde Road, northwest corner of Sabino Canyon Road — www.eclectic-cafe.com —

(520) 885-2842. Two warm salads and two fresh-brewed iced teas for dine-in only.

• Magpies Gourmet Pizza — www.magpiespizza.com/ — five locations: 4654 E. Speedway (520) 795-5977; 605 N. Fourth Ave. (520) 628-1661; 105 S. Houghton Road (520) 751-9949; 7315 N. Oracle Road (520) 297-2712; and 8295 N. Cortaro Road, west of Interstate 10, Marana (520) 572-4300. Two medium pizzas with one topping.

• Papagayo Mexican Restaurant and Cantina, 4717 E. Sunrise Drive, northeast corner of Swan Road — www.dotucson.com/rest/Papagayo/home.htm — (520) 577-6055. Any two combination plates and two beverages or magaritas.

Contact Michael Luria at mjluria@gmail.com. Meals & Entertainment is a weekly feature of Inside Tucson Business.