Judi Friedman and Jerry Lankin
We’ll review two restaurants each month for taste and presentation, service, price, value, and ambiance. If you have a favorite eatery and would like to spread the word, please send us an email at [email protected].
Sushi On Oracle
6449 North Oracle (in the Walgreens Shopping Center); 520-297-3615
Website: www.sushionoracle.net
They don’t take reservations.
Whenever your Cooks talked about the next place to eat, we kept thinking, “Wouldn’t it be nice to have a really good sushi restaurant in the desert?” But there is! Sushi On Oracle is the restaurant, and it is outstanding! We went there on a Saturday night, and the place was packed. They don’t take reservations, so when you arrive, you sign in on the sheet at the counter near the front door, and then you chat with a congenial group of others waiting their turn. In about 15 minutes, we were seated in a small, intimate alcove. The serving staff are efficient and friendly. Their offerings are extensive, so if you aren’t a sushi person, they have many entrées from which to choose. We spent some time reviewing all of the choices, from sashimi (raw fish) to sushi (fish or vegetables on rice) to dinner entrées, as well as their sake choices. Following the suggestion of our server, we ordered a bottle of Karatamba cold sake, which was the right selection for us. For our food, we ordered the regular sashimi platter, which contained eight pieces of sashimi, which were exceptionally fresh and incredibly tasty. We also ordered the rainbow roll, which has a delightful selection of sashimi on top of a California roll, a salmon-skin roll, and the soft-shell crab roll. This roll was spectacular! It is a specialty of the house, and we heartily recommend it. Each roll was accompanied by pickled ginger and wasabi and was perfect, beautifully presented, and totally tasty. Your Cooks will definitely be going back.
Taste & Presentation *****
Service ****
Price Range $$$
Value *****
Ambiance ***
Sushi On Oracle is highly recommended.
El Corral
2201 E. River Road; 520-299-6092
Website: www.elcorraltucson.com
Reservations are recommended.
This Tucson institution has been a meat eater’s choice since 1926 and is legendary for its prime rib and steaks. We went with Melanie and Nate, two other carnivores who were seeking out the best cut of bovine perfection available. But wait, we’ll get to that later. The ranch-style building, just east of Campbell on River Road, looks the part of an old-fashioned ranch house. Decorated with pictures of famous 1920-1950 movie cowboys, it sets the tone of what was to come. Tom Mix (killed in an accident just north of SaddleBrooke), William S. Hart, Hopalong Cassidy, and, of course, our own John Wayne, among many others, decorate the walls. If those names are not familiar to you, you’re definitely not a Baby Boomer. A mesquite grill dominates the room where all of the steaks are cooked and lends the authentic aroma and finish to the steaks, along with the walls and our clothes. We started with cocktails, a prickly pear margarita and red sangria, which were both delicious and generous, while Jerry had a beer. They were brought promptly by our attentive and knowledgeable server. We ordered the appetizer combo for the table, which consisted of fried onion rings, zucchini, and hush puppies—crispy and more than enough for the four of us. Three of us opted for the prime rib, and all arrived to the correct size and doneness ordered, although Jerry can’t understand why anyone would possibly order anything other than the giant Catalina cut, done super rare and enough for three meals. Just for variety, Judi had the half rack of baby back ribs. More on that soon. Jerry loves it when the server promptly follows up after the food is delivered to make sure everything is correct. Many restaurants serve prime rib, but few, if any, can match El Corral. Just the right amount of seasoned crust that seals in the juices, along with the most valuable cap, tender center portion, and accompanying fat, which contains most of the flavor. That can only be the prime of primes à la El Corral. Tamale pie went with the meal, along with salad. They were very good, but who cares? The main event was the heart-stopping prime rib. Judi’s baby back ribs were nothing to sneeze at either. Again, a common dish at many eateries, here done to fall off the bone, tender and juicy, with a great sauce. It was exceptional and plenty for lunch the next day. The Adobe Mud Pie for dessert (coffee ice cream and chocolate sauce with caramel, layered on an Oreo cookie crust and covered with whipped cream) was the perfect end to a perfect meal.
Taste & Presentation *****
Service *****
Price Range $$$$
Value *****
Ambiance ****
El Corral is highly recommended.