RELISH - TUCSON, AZ

 This is the second and last time we will eat at this restaurant located on the corner of Camp Lowell and Swan. When we ate here before it was newly opened and we could understand the lack of patrons. Now 3 or 4 years later, being about the only diners, we know the answer. the food is not very good and the customer service is lacking.

I had pulled pork which i didn't want but there was absolutely nothing else on the menu which interested me; the menu is not big and i remembered having this same decision problem the first time we were here. at that time,  i ordered the grilled chicken sandwich and was duly unimpressed; same gustatory result this time.

Bill ordered the Chef's special which was a New York strip steak mounded on a a pillow of blue cheese infused mashed potatoes surrounded by a pale green sauce. The steak was so tough he could not even cut into it. So he told the waitress and asked for the pulled pork which she brought piled on top of the same mashed potatoes moated with the green sauce.

We were charged for the steak though which was double the price of the pork. The very rare times we have returned an entree; the manager has always come over, apologized and either gave a discount on the meal ticket or offered a free dessert.

We will not be coming here again if they are even open much longer. There was never more than 1 other table of diners in the large  with patio restaurant. and this was over an almost 2 hour span of time on a Saturday night.

WINGS AND RICE - TUCSON., AZ

I love this restaurant. Everything we've ordered here has been really good. and i like the atmosphere; casual; never very noisy, nice outdoor sitting area and reasonable prices.

I got my usual (though i have tried their chicken katsu - excellent - and the Philly cheese steak; also very good.) shrimp combo. 5 gigantic shrimp grilled and basted with the glaze of my choice (sesame teriyaki; honey sticky sweet with a hint of spice) and a salad with miso dressing and a logger and long distance trucker size pile of shrimp fried rice with hibachi sauce. This is sort of like a thousand island dressing. I always order an extra sauce.


The rice has lots of veggies in it plus the tiny shrimp and there is always enough for me to share with Bill plus have a lunch the next day.

Oh, i have also had their steamed veggies which are delicious; carrots, cabbage, onions and broccoli in a light butter sesame sauce.

The restaurant is open 7 days a week and is on the corner of Pima and Craycroft.

THE EQUALIZER

We both rated this movie an 8. It was a well-acted action flick but knowing Denzel Washington was the lead already tells you its going to be well-acted.

A simple plot with several "holes" and inconsistencies through-out but then again, for me, Denzel cancels out all those minor cinematic details.

He is a retired CIA operative, living austerely in his OCD fashion, and working at a Home Depot and going for tea every night to the same diner. Its funny to see all his compulsive rigid actions from lining up silverware to when he drops his tea bag in the cup. At the diner he gets casually acquainted with a prostitute who gets beaten up by her Russian pimp. Well, that's all Denzel needs to know. He wreaks revenge.

But in a deliberate, almost choreographed, highly efficient, unusual methods way: complete with gore and lots of blood and inside body parts.

I'm glad we saw this movie because it was very entertaining. We debated in a similar OCD way about seeing Gone Girl instead but having been celluloid-ish smited the last 2 times we went to the show, we didn't want to have that experience repeated. I have read reviews of Gone Girl which were sterlingly wonderful and other reviews saying what a disappointment it was and predictable.

And because we love Denzel and hadn't ever seen him in a movie we didn't enjoy, we picked The Equalizer. and didn't regret it.