If you head out east in Tucson on The Old Spanish Trail road you’ll soon come to Saguaro National Park. It’s one of two National Parks in Tucson dedicated to preserving the Saguaro forest and the rest of the desert flora and fauna. That’s about as far east as Tucson goes because the park is huge at 65,000 acres and goes from the desert to the pine forest of the Rincon mountains at 8300 feet. Just a short drive from the entrance to the park is another landmark that’s been in Tucson since 1956, Saguaro Corners restaurant. I remember back when I was a kid we would go to Saguaro Corners for special occasions and we’d “dress up”. In Arizona that meant a button up shirt! I loved going there because they had huge picture windows looking out into the surrounding desert with a little fountain. At that time they were allowed to feed the wildlife. I’d always see Javalina, deer, rabbits and my favorite the Gambler Quail with the little top notches. I vaguely remember it having a sunken living room feel with green carpeting and table cloths.
Today Saguaro Corner’s has taken on a modern feel with the addition of a huge outdoor patio. The inside isn’t as fancy as I remember and they are no longer allowed to feed the animals, except for a bird feeder and the fountain, which still attracts a variety of birds. The food is still very good and encompasses cuisine from all over America. I don’t know many places in Tucson where you can get fried cheese curds and chicken and waffles.
At the present time this is the only restaurant open for dinner on that side of town so naturally it’s packed with people, especially after work and on the weekends. The patio is a great place to eat most of the year and even during the hotter summer months it can be tolerated because of the umbrellas and water misters, that spray a fine mist of water into the air. The open air bar also attracts many customers to sit down for one of their many locals beers and enjoy a good conversation.
The menu has something for everyone in your group. The salads have always been fresh and never boring. The burgers contend with the best of them and even the small selection of Mexican food stands up to a few of the other restaurants in town. The one thing I haven’t been happy with is their Chicken and Dumplings. If you’ve been following the blog for awhile you’ll know some of my roots are in the south and let’s face it no one can make dumplings like my mamma. Bias? Yes but it’s true. I’ve tried theirs twice and both times I was not excited. Lesson learned and guess what? I found new dishes that I really liked.
This time at Saguaro Corners I ordered the Chicken and Waffles. My eating companion had never had cheese curds so that was a must and they ordered the grilled Salmon with asparagus in a lemon caper sauce, an old standby. The fun thing to watch is the look on someones face when they take their first bite of cheese curds, fried or not it’s usually the same. There’s a smile that starts in the eyes then works its way into the face just as the curds burst open with flavor. “it’s cheese but it’s way better!” That’s also the usual reply. They’re right it is cheese and I think it’s whey better…lol sorry couldn’t resist the pun.
The salmon was cooked to perfection as was the asparagus, I’m not a huge fan of the caper though I know they are loved by many. Yet I was impressed that Saguaro Corners didn’t succumb to their Southwestern roots and try to do some type of Mexican or chili type sauce. There are days when the old sauces that have withstood the test of time are exactly what you desire. The chicken and waffles was also a huge hit. I do like my chicken on the bone, I’m not complaining. Having chicken strips is a lot easier and really the chicken is just a vehicle for the hot sauce and maple syrup! I would certainly order this dish again.
If you find yourself on Tucson’s far east side and are in need of some nourishment or refreshments after a long hike in the desert, then head over to The Old Spanish Trail and find Saguaro Corners restaurant located at 3750 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ 85730-5638. Theres nothing like a frozen margarita on a warm Tucson day, accompanied by some fried cheese curds! Everyone in your party will find something to eat on their varied menu. The patio is a great place for enjoying the outdoors and watching people or head inside and watch the birds as they zip around the fountain. If you have any questions or comments please leave them in the box below and I’ll get to them as soon as I can. Until next time Boone Appétit!
