We haven't been here in awhile because you have to walk outside and around the end of the strip of stores (with no street or building lights) and then traipse cautiously in the back of the strip of stores (being careful not to step in garbage which missed the dumpster; not to plant your feet in a puddle of an unnamed liquid which is probably NOT water; avoiding sharp edges and lurking rapists and murderers) and hopefully open the right door; in order to use the bathroom.
Last night, this door was locked so i had to pound and yell in order to get someone's attention and be heard over the sing-song melodic but shrill and strident Vietnamese voices.
But once this hurdle is accomplished, you can enjoy the food which is good; not great but good. Bill usually gets the chicken noodle soup which has glass noodles and cilantro and bean sprouts. There is lots of chicken; tender and all white meat. I've tasted this soup and its too bland for me.
I ordered the classic Vietnamese sandwich on a french baguette with thin slices of pork and pickled vegetables and cilantro. I also got chicken egg rolls which were very tasty.
It's on Campbell near Grant. The business card says they are closed on Monday but it was a Monday when we ate here so it might be better to call first.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
HUMMINGBIRD CAFE - TUCSON, AZ
The service was good and the food was good and the prices were great; $8.70 (that included tax) for a 3 egg omelette with tomatoes, onions and mushrooms, and home fries (grilled red potatoes cut in too large pcs. and not seasoned) and a choice of bread. I chose 2 half slices of french toast.
Even though the maple syrup was heated up three times it never got warm enough for me but the french toast was still excellent swimming in its pool of buttery goodness.
I'll be back and try their lunch the next time. They are open till 2pm and closed on Monday.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
The choice of this movie came about because we wanted to see a film and Sessions had already left the theaters. I didn't want to see this movie even though i really like Bradley Cooper because the previews made it seem like a comedy featuring bumbling mentally handicapped very annoying characters. But it wasn't a comedy though there were hilarious scenes and some funny dialogue.
Bradley Cooper (who should have gotten an Oscar nomination for his role) is Pat a guy with anger/violence issues and who is hung up on getting back together with his wife. Because of a conviction due to his beating of the man his wife was having an affair with, his sentence was incarceration in a psych hospital. His parents are wonderfully and realistically acted especially the dad Robert De Niro.
And the plot of the film is Pat getting used to living outside the hospital and for finding strategies to deal with his rage attacks and learning how to socially relate and communicate with people. One of his friends introduces him to Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence). She, of course, becomes a major influence of help to pat even though she, herself, is neurotic and trying to come to terms with the death of her husband. And there is romance eventually between the 2 of them. Jennifer Lawrence is good but she plays her normal feisty loud-mouthed and in your face with cute sassiness bit.
The movie was unusual and interesting and fast paced and believable and funny and bittersweet sad until the last quarter. Pat's dad bets on football and he makes this ridiculous bet with a neighbor so he can win enough money to open his restaurant ( he wins the bet); Pat and Tiffany enter a dance contest and they must get at least a 5 rating because this is also part of the bet (they get a 5); Pat's ex-wife comes to the dance contest to see Pat (he rejects her); Tiffany has fallen in love with Pat but storms off because of the ex and Pat talking (Pat runs after Tiffany and they spoon and croon with love mumblings). Are you getting the picture?
all of a sudden, this very realistic and easily identifiable film becomes a predictable "happy ending" movie. The worst part was pat's segue from manic inappropriate neurosis to well adjusted man in love.
Because of this i gave the film a 7.5; Bill gave it an 8.5.
Bradley Cooper (who should have gotten an Oscar nomination for his role) is Pat a guy with anger/violence issues and who is hung up on getting back together with his wife. Because of a conviction due to his beating of the man his wife was having an affair with, his sentence was incarceration in a psych hospital. His parents are wonderfully and realistically acted especially the dad Robert De Niro.
And the plot of the film is Pat getting used to living outside the hospital and for finding strategies to deal with his rage attacks and learning how to socially relate and communicate with people. One of his friends introduces him to Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence). She, of course, becomes a major influence of help to pat even though she, herself, is neurotic and trying to come to terms with the death of her husband. And there is romance eventually between the 2 of them. Jennifer Lawrence is good but she plays her normal feisty loud-mouthed and in your face with cute sassiness bit.
The movie was unusual and interesting and fast paced and believable and funny and bittersweet sad until the last quarter. Pat's dad bets on football and he makes this ridiculous bet with a neighbor so he can win enough money to open his restaurant ( he wins the bet); Pat and Tiffany enter a dance contest and they must get at least a 5 rating because this is also part of the bet (they get a 5); Pat's ex-wife comes to the dance contest to see Pat (he rejects her); Tiffany has fallen in love with Pat but storms off because of the ex and Pat talking (Pat runs after Tiffany and they spoon and croon with love mumblings). Are you getting the picture?
all of a sudden, this very realistic and easily identifiable film becomes a predictable "happy ending" movie. The worst part was pat's segue from manic inappropriate neurosis to well adjusted man in love.
Because of this i gave the film a 7.5; Bill gave it an 8.5.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
KARUNA'S THAI PLATE - TUCSON, AZ
We haven't been here since Tucson 1 because the service was always so slow, surly and unfriendly. well, the food delivery time is still slow but smiles and a greeting are now present in abundance and our order was taken fairly promptly and we got our appetizer of edamame beans (steamed with salt; very very good) fast which was good because we did have to wait about 20 minutes for our food.
The prices are incredibly inexpensive (maybe because its located close to the University district; across the street from Bookman's on Grant and Campbell) but the amount of chicken in our dishes was sort of paltry.
We had Pad Khing sod which was a tasty mixture of chicken with onions, ginger, peppers and mushrooms. This entree came with rice which was very pasty and gluey; in fact, it was one large stuck-together grainy ball. Ladling the sauce from the entree helped.
And then we also shared Pad kee mao with grass noodles (translucent and skinny) with red curry sauce and a good assortment of vegetables. Once again the noodles were pasty tasting and sort of dry but the dish itself was very flavorful.
we will go back though armed with magazines to read while waiting and ordering some sauce anticipating a desert parchness to the entrees.
The prices are incredibly inexpensive (maybe because its located close to the University district; across the street from Bookman's on Grant and Campbell) but the amount of chicken in our dishes was sort of paltry.
We had Pad Khing sod which was a tasty mixture of chicken with onions, ginger, peppers and mushrooms. This entree came with rice which was very pasty and gluey; in fact, it was one large stuck-together grainy ball. Ladling the sauce from the entree helped.
And then we also shared Pad kee mao with grass noodles (translucent and skinny) with red curry sauce and a good assortment of vegetables. Once again the noodles were pasty tasting and sort of dry but the dish itself was very flavorful.
we will go back though armed with magazines to read while waiting and ordering some sauce anticipating a desert parchness to the entrees.
Friday, January 18, 2013
LEO'S - TUCSON, AZ
I had mole chicken enchiladas. Wow. there was a huge amount of tender pull apart chicken and the mole sauce was excellent; just the right spice. The refried beans were bland with no cheese on top (i ignored those) and the rice was just so-so. I also ordered guacamole which was good but the portion was small.
Bill had a beef tamale and a side of rice and he loved his dinner. The chips were thin and fresh and warm and the chunky salsa was spicy but not a lip-burner.
The restaurant is at the back of a big parking lot which it shares with a strip club. Its on the SE corner of Speedway and Rosemont and is open till 10pm.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
GANGSTER SQUAD
What a waste of time in spite of all the good actors though in this film none of them acted well. Even Josh Brolin was wooden and in the few scenes where he had to show some emotion other than revenge and anger, all he did was do an eye squint and furrow his brow. and when in the world did Ryan Gosling attain that pre-pubescent girly whisper voice?
I think Gosling is over-playing Gosling; he's sooooooo very cool and detached; which went well, however, with his marble-mouthed romantic partner played by Emma Stone who didn't even try to have any other facial expression except mascara'd laden wide eyed vacuousness.
The film consists of endless gun battles and beatings between the Mickey Cohen gang (L.A. mob) (and Sean Penn had a fake nose that was bigger than his head) and a rogue unit of the L.A.P.D.
I rated it a 2 and Bill gave it a 4.
I think Gosling is over-playing Gosling; he's sooooooo very cool and detached; which went well, however, with his marble-mouthed romantic partner played by Emma Stone who didn't even try to have any other facial expression except mascara'd laden wide eyed vacuousness.
The film consists of endless gun battles and beatings between the Mickey Cohen gang (L.A. mob) (and Sean Penn had a fake nose that was bigger than his head) and a rogue unit of the L.A.P.D.
I rated it a 2 and Bill gave it a 4.
Monday, January 14, 2013
COMPLIANCE
A highly disturbing, thought provoking, psychological tension-horror film with the theme of the suggestibility of people to do what they are told when the requests are made by a person who looks like and/or acts and/or announces that he is an authority figure.
Bill had to stop watching the film several times. He got all churned up and emotionally caught up in the gradual degradation of the characters.
It is based on a series of true cruel pranks and mostly from an incident that happened at a Mcdonald's in Kentucky. Sandra, a manager at a fast food restaurant, is called by a man identifying himself as a police officer who says that one of her employees stole some money from a customer. she is asked to take Becky aside and question her until he and his fellow cops can come to the store. When Becky denies taking any money, the 'cop' then asks Sandra to search her pockets and purse. When this doesn't reveal any money, she is then asked to strip search Becky.
These events are taking place amidst a busy Friday night with a constant influx of customers adding to Sandra's stress. The caller cajoles Sandra, meets her protests with guilt inducing statements and also talks to Becky and threatens her with jail if she doesn't cooperate. He also praises Sandra when it appears that she finally has reached the end of her compliance; telling her she is handling this so well, she could be a junior deputy.!
The extent of what Sandra is asked to do and the extent of what Becky submits to is shocking and the movie does an excellent job of very slowly and patiently drawing you into this situation so in addition to open mouthed exclamations of surprise and disgust, you start to think about your own pacifity in a similar circumstance. The movie serves as an excellent topic of fierce discussion with fellow film viewers.
I gave it a 9; bill gave it a 7.
Bill had to stop watching the film several times. He got all churned up and emotionally caught up in the gradual degradation of the characters.
It is based on a series of true cruel pranks and mostly from an incident that happened at a Mcdonald's in Kentucky. Sandra, a manager at a fast food restaurant, is called by a man identifying himself as a police officer who says that one of her employees stole some money from a customer. she is asked to take Becky aside and question her until he and his fellow cops can come to the store. When Becky denies taking any money, the 'cop' then asks Sandra to search her pockets and purse. When this doesn't reveal any money, she is then asked to strip search Becky.
These events are taking place amidst a busy Friday night with a constant influx of customers adding to Sandra's stress. The caller cajoles Sandra, meets her protests with guilt inducing statements and also talks to Becky and threatens her with jail if she doesn't cooperate. He also praises Sandra when it appears that she finally has reached the end of her compliance; telling her she is handling this so well, she could be a junior deputy.!
The extent of what Sandra is asked to do and the extent of what Becky submits to is shocking and the movie does an excellent job of very slowly and patiently drawing you into this situation so in addition to open mouthed exclamations of surprise and disgust, you start to think about your own pacifity in a similar circumstance. The movie serves as an excellent topic of fierce discussion with fellow film viewers.
I gave it a 9; bill gave it a 7.
Friday, January 11, 2013
ZAYNA - TUCSON, AZ
This mediterranean and middle eastern restaurant is on Speedway between Columbus and Alvernon - closer to the Columbus intersection.
We started eating here when they were located on Tanque Verde. We would stop off on our way back from hikes on Mt. Lemmon. When we heard that they were opening another place really close to us, we were excited as our experiences with the food and service were positive. (they have since sold the one near Mt. Lemmon).
However, the first couple times we ate at this new location, we were really disappointed. The eating space is small and quite a few tables are jammed in; mostly 2-seaters. The menu was just as big and the prices reasonable but the quality of the food was not very good. Each time we went we had a different complaint; lukewarm Greek fries, stingy amount of tanini sauce, service surly. So we just quit going and focused on Fronimo's as our source of good mediterranean food.
But last night's dinner was superb and now we are eager to go back. I had a taste memory of a gyro salad we had at the 'old' location and so we thought we'd give it one more college try and we are so glad we did. We both had the salad with a side of pita bread (once pita bread gets less than hot it starts tasting like compressed flour.)
The salad is $7 and is a big pile of lettuce, lots of feta cheese, tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers and savory tasty slices of gyro meat. The dressing is a wonderful tangy-sour-sweet herbed oil and vinegar vinaigrette. We were very very satisfied.
absence makes the heart grow fonder could be applicable to restaurants too, it was in this case.
We started eating here when they were located on Tanque Verde. We would stop off on our way back from hikes on Mt. Lemmon. When we heard that they were opening another place really close to us, we were excited as our experiences with the food and service were positive. (they have since sold the one near Mt. Lemmon).
However, the first couple times we ate at this new location, we were really disappointed. The eating space is small and quite a few tables are jammed in; mostly 2-seaters. The menu was just as big and the prices reasonable but the quality of the food was not very good. Each time we went we had a different complaint; lukewarm Greek fries, stingy amount of tanini sauce, service surly. So we just quit going and focused on Fronimo's as our source of good mediterranean food.
But last night's dinner was superb and now we are eager to go back. I had a taste memory of a gyro salad we had at the 'old' location and so we thought we'd give it one more college try and we are so glad we did. We both had the salad with a side of pita bread (once pita bread gets less than hot it starts tasting like compressed flour.)
The salad is $7 and is a big pile of lettuce, lots of feta cheese, tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers and savory tasty slices of gyro meat. The dressing is a wonderful tangy-sour-sweet herbed oil and vinegar vinaigrette. We were very very satisfied.
absence makes the heart grow fonder could be applicable to restaurants too, it was in this case.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
PREMIUM RUSH
we saw the original with Kevin Bacon about 2 months ago and that was a horrid movie because not only did you have to watch all the steroid pumping legs you also had to endure a stupid insipid romance sub-plot.
The premise of the movie is that a messenger is given a package to deliver that someone other than the intended recipient desperately wants. The entire film is bicycles going fast. and what puts the candle on this rated 2 movie is the Memento style "story" telling. so on the screen you see action that is then preceded by what happened prior to that scene. This happened all through the movie until we just quit watching.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
NOT FADE AWAY
A wonderful trip back to the 60's with absolutely great music from the Rolling Stones, Bo Diddley, Mother Earth (killer song - Down so Low), Beatles, Procol Harem; just to name a few.
I thought the film was going to be about the formation and tribulations and trials of a rock n' roll band started by high school friends and it was - but only in part. It was mainly a nostalgic ride to the decade of free love and hippies and Martin Luther King, Jr. and freedom marches and LSD and long hair and rebellion against all forms of authority and guru's and the Tibetan Book of the Dead. But also about the fractious and very often unpleasant relationship between parents and their children; the struggle between one generation and a totally different one without identification points for the mom and dad. and of course, this split and lack of understanding was exemplified and highlighted by the emergence of rock n' roll.
I gave it a 7 and Bill gave it an 8. Its a shame that no publicity preceded this movie because a lot of people will miss out on an entertaining film.
I thought the film was going to be about the formation and tribulations and trials of a rock n' roll band started by high school friends and it was - but only in part. It was mainly a nostalgic ride to the decade of free love and hippies and Martin Luther King, Jr. and freedom marches and LSD and long hair and rebellion against all forms of authority and guru's and the Tibetan Book of the Dead. But also about the fractious and very often unpleasant relationship between parents and their children; the struggle between one generation and a totally different one without identification points for the mom and dad. and of course, this split and lack of understanding was exemplified and highlighted by the emergence of rock n' roll.
I gave it a 7 and Bill gave it an 8. Its a shame that no publicity preceded this movie because a lot of people will miss out on an entertaining film.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
KILLER JOE
This movie was deliciously darkly comic, sadistic, violent, quirky, mesmerizing and thoroughly enjoyable. It is the pinnacle of cinematic pulp fiction.
The acting was phenomenal by everyone and it was non-stop action and suspense and tension. Even Bill who is quite good at figuring out endings did not know where this one was going and the final plot twist and ending was superb.
Matthew McConaughey is Joe, a cop who moonlights by contract killing. He is approached by Chris (Emile Hersch) who owes a lot of money to drug dealers. He talks to his dad Ansel, played so well by Thomas Haden Church as a befuddled, alcoholic, simple-minded man, about the insurance policy they could have if Ansel's ex-wife and Chris's mother was killed. Dottie is the beneficiary who is Chris's sister and Ansel's daughter and she will share the money with Chris so he can pay off his drug debt. Dottie is played with just the right combination of grown-up sexpot, temptress and young innocent freespirited teenager by Juno Temple.
So the movie proceeds at breakneck speed with McConaughey's gracious and ever so polite and softly rolling conversation overlying projectile evil and madness. This is one of his best roles. It was a wonderful parody of Southern dysfunction complete with barking pitbulls on chains, and trailers with refrigerators near the front door. There is a scene involving Joe and Ansel's current wife (Gina Gershon) involving a chicken leg that reached the heights of sexual depravity and comic astonishment.
The movie got an NC-17 rating but it should have been an NC-99 rating. You'll either turn it off within 5 minutes or want it to be longer. Bill and i rated it a 9.
The acting was phenomenal by everyone and it was non-stop action and suspense and tension. Even Bill who is quite good at figuring out endings did not know where this one was going and the final plot twist and ending was superb.
Matthew McConaughey is Joe, a cop who moonlights by contract killing. He is approached by Chris (Emile Hersch) who owes a lot of money to drug dealers. He talks to his dad Ansel, played so well by Thomas Haden Church as a befuddled, alcoholic, simple-minded man, about the insurance policy they could have if Ansel's ex-wife and Chris's mother was killed. Dottie is the beneficiary who is Chris's sister and Ansel's daughter and she will share the money with Chris so he can pay off his drug debt. Dottie is played with just the right combination of grown-up sexpot, temptress and young innocent freespirited teenager by Juno Temple.
So the movie proceeds at breakneck speed with McConaughey's gracious and ever so polite and softly rolling conversation overlying projectile evil and madness. This is one of his best roles. It was a wonderful parody of Southern dysfunction complete with barking pitbulls on chains, and trailers with refrigerators near the front door. There is a scene involving Joe and Ansel's current wife (Gina Gershon) involving a chicken leg that reached the heights of sexual depravity and comic astonishment.
The movie got an NC-17 rating but it should have been an NC-99 rating. You'll either turn it off within 5 minutes or want it to be longer. Bill and i rated it a 9.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
CAFE FRANCAIS PATISSERIE - TUCSON, AZ
Cosmo and I were very disappointed in this restaurant. It is owned by the same couple who ran Cafe Delice on the far East side and which recently closed. Nicole, the wife, does all the pastries.
The space is inviting and large and roomy and the windows look out onto the courtyard of Plaza Palomino which is very attractive. They are open for breakfast and lunch and on Fridays and Saturdays they also serve dinner.
I ordered a croque monsieur which is ham and cheese and bechamel sauce on bread. This was served with a small green salad with a tart creamy dressing. The sandwich was very very dry. The bread, though fresh, was way too thick for the skimpy insides plus the ham tasted and looked more like a pressed ham loaf. I could not taste the bechamel sauce at all. When i asked for mayo to add some moisture, i was told by the waitress (who was efficient but hovered speechlessly by the side of our table for endless minutes one too many times) that they have NO mayo!!
So she brought dijon mustard but it still needed some wetness. I think the fact that the bread was toasted added to the dryness. I then got a side of the salad dressing and lathered that on the sandwich. and that made it fairly pleasantly edible.
Cosmo got a Monte Cristo which was also lacking in filling quantity, breading, classic shape and the accompaniment of what was advertised as being strawberry preserves.
We shared an apricot galette which was the best of our lunch repast. However, even this wasn't outstanding and the pastry could have been flakier and more luxuriously buttery. Isn't this the hallmark of French pastry?
Oh, and one last thing. the owners wanted all the black padded chairs to be on one side of the room and the dark green ones to be on the other. These are metal tipped chairs on a tile floor and this task was done with much interruption and clangor for about 15 minutes straight including the changing of the chairs at the table we were sitting at. This was very disruptive.
I won't be back.
The space is inviting and large and roomy and the windows look out onto the courtyard of Plaza Palomino which is very attractive. They are open for breakfast and lunch and on Fridays and Saturdays they also serve dinner.
I ordered a croque monsieur which is ham and cheese and bechamel sauce on bread. This was served with a small green salad with a tart creamy dressing. The sandwich was very very dry. The bread, though fresh, was way too thick for the skimpy insides plus the ham tasted and looked more like a pressed ham loaf. I could not taste the bechamel sauce at all. When i asked for mayo to add some moisture, i was told by the waitress (who was efficient but hovered speechlessly by the side of our table for endless minutes one too many times) that they have NO mayo!!
So she brought dijon mustard but it still needed some wetness. I think the fact that the bread was toasted added to the dryness. I then got a side of the salad dressing and lathered that on the sandwich. and that made it fairly pleasantly edible.
Cosmo got a Monte Cristo which was also lacking in filling quantity, breading, classic shape and the accompaniment of what was advertised as being strawberry preserves.
We shared an apricot galette which was the best of our lunch repast. However, even this wasn't outstanding and the pastry could have been flakier and more luxuriously buttery. Isn't this the hallmark of French pastry?
Oh, and one last thing. the owners wanted all the black padded chairs to be on one side of the room and the dark green ones to be on the other. These are metal tipped chairs on a tile floor and this task was done with much interruption and clangor for about 15 minutes straight including the changing of the chairs at the table we were sitting at. This was very disruptive.
I won't be back.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)