Macayo Mania

Though I've heard that Macayo's Mexican restaurant is not "authentic" Mexican fare, it has been one of my favorite restaurants in town since I moved here in 1999. Along with El Charro, Macayo's is the place I take all of my out-of-town guests who crave Mexican food (all of them). The Spanish word "macayo" means "macaw" in English (like the bird). Macayo's began as a family run business in 1952 when Woody and Victoria Johnson opened up the first Macayo's on Central Avenue in Phoenix. The first Tucson location opened in 1982 on Oracle Road and Magee Road. This is the location I frequent most frequently. The staff has always been extremely welcoming and this week it was no different.

I hate to admit it but I rarely stray from my Chicken Chimichanga de Macayo. Why fix it if it isn't broken? Plus it's so good, I'm always craving it. It's chunks of chicken wrapped in a flour tortilla and deep fried (what's better than deep fried anything?) and then smothered in their relleno sauce. They top it with sour cream, lettuce and tomatoes and it comes with a side of refried beans or rice. Yes, I usually ask for both rice and beans because I can never choose!

And then there's the salsa! It's very distinct--in a good way. You can definitely taste the cilantro in it which I love and it has the perfect ratio of solids/liquid. Of course it's a never-ending bowl of chips and I rarely eat less than two.

Mango Monger

The warm weather in Tucson seems to attract crowds to outdoor events and festivals. Last weekend was a prime example. "My Nana's Best Tasting Salsa Challenge" is an Arizona based salsa festival and contest. It was held in Tucson for the first time on Saturday, November 8 at Reid Park. Admission was $5 at the door and you could taste any and all the salsa you want. Each of the salsa makers make a booth to attract taste testers in hopes that they will donate a dollar to their jar which counts as a vote for their salsa. Mariachi music resonates throughout the park and hundreds of people young and old congregate at the gaudily adorned booths. Did I mention the margaritas? At first I felt like someone was stealing my idea, but then I realized that their Margarita Mix-Off had been an annual event in Tempe for years. Of course I had to work that night so I couldn't partake in the inebriation celebration, but I did try just about every salsa offering out of the nearly 40 options.It was a tough competition. From mild to "hot", the salsas differed significantly from one another. The "hot" salsas were not really hot at all. I would actually call them medium at best. There was a rumor making its way through the mill about a blueberry habanero salsa in the challenge. After hearing this, I began to investigate. Much like the rumors of Brett Favre joining the Vikings, and to my dismay, this rumor turned out to be just that: a rumor. But I did find a favorite. A woman by the name of Joy Slagowski who is a reporter for the Daily News in Sun City, made a mango black bean salsa that was INCREDIBLE! I should note that I typically hate mango salsa as I feel there is no room for fruit in salsa (save for tomatoes but we all know that's a farse!) I liked the salsa so much, I tossed a few dollars in her jar and after telling her she deserved a trophy for her concoction, she showed me two that she already won in prior Tempe festivals. I guess I'm not the only one swayed by the mango mix.

A day in the life of humanity

Living in Tucson for over nine years, I thought I knew all there was to know about this western border town. As usual, I was wrong. This weekend has brought about a new perspective for me on many things, some of which I will cover throughout the week. Despite its relevence to my usual topic, I feel compelled to write about the most rewarding experience first: our trip to St. Andrew's Clinic in Nogales, Arizona, on the border of Mexico. There I saw children from around Mexico with disabilities and ailments, who came to the clinic for medical treatment. The children of St. Andrew's Clinic are beautiful. Smiling through it all and gracious for the help they were given, they opened my eyes to what it's really all about.When we first arrived, I was nervous. I had heard and seen many things about the clinic and knew that I wanted to do it justice in our publication. I wanted to cover every angle, meet all the volunteers and hear every child's story. But of course, I didn't even come close. The few children I was able to meet captivated me so much, it was time to leave before I knew it. I began to think that I could be any one of them. And any one of them could be me. I thought that if they had been born on this side of the border, this type of treatment would be readily available to them at all times. But I didn't hear a single complaint from anyone. All the volunteers were happy to help. The children were happy for the help, as were the many parents who drove their children for hours just to seek it. And meanwhile, I felt helpless. I felt a little out of place. I wasn't helping, I was simply observing.Throughout my day of trying to coordinate the chaos, I found myself entranced in a moment of reality. I went there with a purpose of getting every story in the perfect online multimedia format but instead, I found myself overwhelmed by the powerful message of love, selflessness and gratitude. It was difficult, but the children kept smiling and despite the tears welling up in my eyes, I smiled back. I walked in nervous, and I walked out inspired. The day came to an end as we drove our cars back to our normal lives in Tucson. There was something different about the ride home, though, and I think everyone in the car felt it. We had just experienced something great. And we wanted to go back.

Mean Mexico City Cuisine

I used to go to La Parrilla Suiza nearly every week when I lived near the northwest location on Ina Road. But since I moved to central Tucson, I rarely find myself making the trek to that location. While on Margaritour 2008, however, I found another location with the same great food, with at least half of the ambience of the northwest location. La Parrilla Suiza is a self-proclaimed "authentic Mexico City cuisine" restaurant. They cook many of their dishes on charcoal or they are grilled. This is what they say sets them apart from the northern Mexican cuisine that is frequently served in Tucson and in neighboring border towns. Long-time bartender Manuel has worked for the company for nearly 25 years. He told me that they also have several locations throughout Mexico and others in Phoenix as well.
I ordered the cheese enchiladas as I am a creature of habit and find it difficult to stray from such a perfect dish. As expected, the enchiladas were as delicious as I remembered them. The margarita I had is called "The Widow of Oz," and is made up of Tres Generaciones Plata tequilla, melon liqueur and Sweet and Sour. The tequilla is one of my favories and is made with 100% Blue Agave. The margarita was decent but I prefer their house margarita since it's made sanz the melon liqueur. Beyond the enchiladas I love that La Parrilla Suiza gives you three types of salsa with your homemade tortilla chips. One is a creamy avocado based salsa which I would call my favorite. But the hot salsa is a good addition to the milder dishes and the pico de gallo is delicious and made from all fresh ingredients. The bar is a little dark but it's cozy and Manuel "Manny" gave us great service. His English was very broken but I could tell that he loved the company he works for and he kept the chips and salsa coming. I'm glad I found this other location and maybe one day I'll try something new there! The one thing it lacks is the mariachi band that always seems to be playing at the Ina Road location. While it can be rather loud at times, the band really adds to the atmosphere and makes you feel like you're in Mexico City.