Now renamed the Canyon’s Crown Restaurant & Pub, the eatery retains its owners, its look and much of its staff. But in a step that will please some former critics, the English pub-themed restaurant has broken away from Firkin Group, based in Toronto, Ontario.
Owners Jim Lengel and Rich McKnight bought the site on East Tanque Verde Road two years ago from restaurateur Alan Zeman, who had been the chef/owner of Fuego. A fierce proponent of independent restaurants, Zeman took some criticism for selling out to a chain.
  
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He said brand recognition of the Firkin pubs was low in this country.
“People know what a Chili’s or Applebee’s is, but no-one knew what our old franchise was,” McKnight said. “At the same time, if people don’t have that recognition it’s really like an independent restaurant anyway.”
One of the problems with a franchise agreement was having to stick to the Firkin Group’s menu.
“You really don’t have a lot of choice,” McKnight said. “At one point we had a spinach and artichoke dip on the menu and it was terrible. People that go to a Firkin up in Canada expect that kind of dip, but it just wasn’t going to fly in the states.”
And while the Firkin & Friar always used local bread from Viro’s Real Italian Bakery and devoted a tap to Tucson’s Barrio Brewing Co., they were not allowed to advertise the fact, said McKnight.
Now, said Lengel, “we will have the freedom to cater to the local market and to become even more a part of the Tucson community.”
Executive Chef Steve Arndt remains and the menu has been tweaked to include American classics, more salad plates and fresh fruit options, as well as a pan-seared mahi mahi.
But while many of the menu additions
are healthier, some are decidedly not, said McKnight.
“We have a half-pound, all-beef hot
dog fried in hand-made cornbread batter and served with fries. It’s an artery clogger. I’m shocked but it’s turned out really popular,” he said.
At the request of one of their regulars, the management team also decided to add a truly British pub staple, the Ploughman’s lunch, with bread, Stilton cheese and a relish from the United Kingdom called Branston Pickle.
The Canyon’s Crown’s décor remains the same, to reflect the feel of a British pub, as do the 20 beers on draft and the flatscreen TVs.
“It’s not something we wanted to surprise people with,” said McKnight.
Asked whether they still planned to expand, McKnight said: “Perhaps. There are no immediate plans.”
He added the Firkin Group’s franchise opportunity is still available in Tucson. The Firkin Group did not return calls for this article.
The birth of the Canyon’s Crown comes at a “very tough” time for independent restaurants, said Colette Landeen, recruiter for
Tucson Originals, the marketing group that promotes the city’s independent restaurants - including Fuego for a time.
Landeen, co-owner of Jonathan’s Cork, said she had already put a call in to the Canyon’s Crown about joining. “This can only be a positive for our community,” she said.
Tucson Originals has added eight new members in the last year and lost two, Cuvee World Bistro and Café Terra Cotta, both of which closed. Landeen said the membership boost was a reflection of the economy; restaurateurs want the marketing help the group can give them.
“We’re all not doing exceptionally well. The last year has been very tough. Our sales are down. I’m just so happy we didn’t lose any more members,” she said.
Biz Facts6958 E. Tanque Verde Road
The Canyon’s Crown
Restaurant & Pub
(520) 885-8277
Open Sundays through
Thursdays 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.,
Fridays and Saturdays
11 a.m. - midnight
Gillian Drummond is a Tucson-based freelance writer.
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