KALINA - TUCSON, AZ

This is a new Russian restaurant on the East side. The website strongly advised to make reservations due to their small and cozy space. However, it was cozier than I thought it would be; in fact, to the point where i did NOT feel cozy. The seating area was small but there were way too many tables jammed in. Because we were involved continuously in a stimulating conversation with our eating partners, Jean and Tim, I, for one, easily tuned out the elbow-smashing closeness of the other diners. However, if we were there with dull folk, the nearness of so many other humans would have disturbed me.

The service was friendly and prompt. All the dinner entrees were $17 and came with a choice of soup or salad. A big basket of rolls and rye bread with butter came to the table as soon as we were seated. Bill and i shared the Siberian pelmeni; 25 tiny spiced lamb dumplings with a sour cream dipping sauce. I thought they were really tasty but not as good as the pelmeni at European Market where these morsels are bigger and about half the price. We also shared Muskovite breaded pork loin which was not very tender and was really dry. This came with a fried mushroom concoction which was good and sweet dried plum rice which was very delicious. If we came here again (doubtful) i would like a bowl of that accompanied by their vegetable salad.

That was one of the salads we picked as a side to our entree. Lots of  different vegetables and the portion size was adequate. The other salad was just a lettuce one and that was very ordinary. Oh, red cabbage came with the pork also.

So all in all, an ok experience but the price of the food didn't match the quality. Plus, it was one of those restaurants where you have to wind your way through the kitchen and dish washing area to get to the bathroom. I'm always afraid i'm going to slip on some borscht and unceremoniously land on the floor.

BK - TUCSON, AZ

We love this Mexican restaurant (next time we're there I'm going to ask what BK stands for) and they also serve a killer burger and their salsa bar is immense and varied. There are grilled chili peppers and onions, 4 different kinds of salsa, coleslaw, cheeses, cucumber and radishes, lettuce, pickled onions, an olive mixture and prob. 10 more types of additives for your tacos or burgers or tortas.

I have gone through several different favorite dinner orders but my current one  is a Sonoran hot dog and 2 shrimp tacos. The shrimp is lightly grilled and breaded and cut up in small pcs. with a delectable slightly spicy sauce.

The atmosphere is always party-like and the customers are all in good moods too. Lots of laughter. Service has always been prompt and friendly. The room is lined with TV screens; sometimes all set to different channels but always one has music video's with pounding bass and drums and swiveling hips and pooched out buns and big overflowing breasts and tight pants and all the singers looking and sounding interchangeable.

FESTA BUFFET - CASINO DEL SOL - TUCSON, AZ

We ate here on Christmas Day and it exceeded our expectations. To tell you the truth, i secretly had a thought that being a casino where the emphasis is on gambling and not the quality of the food (just the quantity and availability); that the Festa Buffet would be a notch abova Golden Corral. But i was so very wrong.

The selections were vast and everything both Bill and I had was excellent. Here's a sampling of what was on my plate: mongolian beef (i never get beef in a Thai or Vietnamese restaurant or at a Chinese all-you-can eat place, because the beef is never tender enough for me; well, this beef was wafer thin and very tender in a rich, dark, spicy onion laden sauce.), orange chicken, an assortment of tiny fingerling potatoes (Peruvian purple, white, red, yukon, russet, dutch baby butter's) sauteed in herbs and olive oil, fruit salad, some vegetables with 1000 Island dressing (the dressing was exactly to my picky specifications). oh, and on my first plate, i had some skinny long green beans which  were very good; crisp but cooked; UNTIL i looked closely and saw they were asparagus spears which i don't like so all of a sudden, i wasn't interested anymore in praising them or having them on my plate and gave Bill what was left. Sort of a funny, odd, power of the mind gustatory blip.

The service was good and i was surprised that the place was pretty empty though the gaming tables were packed.

The only disappointment was the desserts. There was a lot of them and i tried some pudding cups, and a tiny mousse packet in a choc. cookie and some bananas foster with warm vanilla sauce but none of them were memorable.

This was a perfectly delightful ending to our Merry Festivus celebration weekend.