For a large restaurant corporation to open a taco restaurant in Tucson, is a little bit like bringing coals to Newcastle.
Tucson has some of the best tacos in the country and the options are endless.
So, when I heard Phoenix based Barrio Queen was opening a large space in Oro Valley, I was curious.
The Barrio Queen story is interesting, but more about that later. Let’s just say that a lot of their hype needs to be scrutinized for authenticity. And you reads know I seldom use that word.
Even more shocking is that Barrio Queen is not only the soon to be opened, if not already opened, corporate Mexican restaurant in town.
One, El Mesquite is located in the new Doubletree Hotel Downtown, just a stone’s throw away from long-time local favorite, El Minuto and a hop and skip away from El Charro. Their schtick involves bringing a “desire to work these flavors (agave, cactus, pre-Hispanic tomatoes, squash and corn and the smoke of mesquite) into a fresh modern interpretation of desert dining and present Tucson with a new lens to view Mexican cuisine.” Apparently, they haven’t heard about our City of Gastronomy designation.
One has to question our city elders when it comes to their judgement about not insisting on a different kind of restaurant. Rather than promote all the local places within walking distance they condone a ‘modern’ corporate Mexican restaurant.
The other, Ojos Locos, is on the Southside near Irvington and I-19 located among a mass of other chain restaurants. It’s been described as a Mexican Hooters but the website leans a little more redneck than anything Latino (that’s the word they use.) The company is out of Dallas, which explains a lot. The website reads like a gringo trying hard to not sound racist as he talks Spanglish with his Mexican neighbors.
The question is: Do these big shots really think they can serve us anything that comes anywhere close all the wonderful Mexican food we have here?
Simply put, NO!
Tucson Mexican food is some of the best on the planet and these days can be found citywide. From tiny taquerias and food trucks to elegant sit-down dining rooms, Mexican food in Tucson is a treasure.
Our Mexican food comes in many iterations. Too many types of tacos to mention all beautifully presented. Casa Molina’s tacos are almost too pretty to eat- but DO eat them!.
Tortillas, both flour and corn, come to the table hot off the grill like at Taqueria Pico de Gallo or the huge flour ones at St. Mary’s. Birria (have you at the birria at Rollies Mexican Patio?) and carne seca (El Charro‘s comes to mind) take beef beyond the limits of flavor.
Pollo and mariscos are prepared by with care and skill. El Guero Canelo made the Sonoran hot dog famous. We’re the home of the chimichanga and topopo and almendrado for christ’s sake.
And salsas? Just check out Boca Taco for examples of what’s out there.
The biggest pretender of all is Barrio Queen.
In an article in a Phoenix business magazine, the owners claim they created Barrio Queen to ‘bring to the valley the history and culture of Mexico…using traditional recipes from the barrios of Mexico’.
In reality, Barrio Queen was the brainchild of Silvana Salcido Esparza, a most talented and creative chef in Phoenix. Her Barrio Café has won numerous accolades from food professionals and the national press. She won a James Beard Award. Politicians stop by as part of their campaign tours.
She’s her own woman, no cookie cutter chef is she.
Silvana opened Barrio Queen in 2012 in partnership with Steve Rosenfield and his wife, Linda Nash of Rosenfield Restaurants LLC. They own hundreds of chain fast-food restaurants in a half dozen states.
Before the year was out Silvana was no longer involved. The reason for the change is very murky, but the fact that she is not ‘allowed to comment’ on anything says more than any comment she could ever make.
The landlord of the building where Barrio Queen will be situated was quoted in the Star saying, “We think Barrio Queen will be the perfect addition to Oro Valley.”
Really? Charro Vida is two minutes away. Tucson Tamale and Guadalajara Grill are across the street. Each offers different takes on Mexican food and all are LOCALLY OWNED!
Do you remember in Peter Pan when Peter tells Wendy that every time a child stops believing in fairies, another fairy dies? That’s how I feel when these corporate Mexican restaurants set up shop in town, another bit of Tucson’s soul dies.
I’m not going to tell you what to do…. but if you cherish Tucson flavors, local businesses and the vast talent Tucson restaurants have to offer, you know where to dine.
A word or two to your city councilperson or county administrator probably wouldn’t hurt. In fact, take them to lunch for some real, local Mexican fare. You have plenty of choices.
The Mexican food in Tucson is real food made by real people.
We don’t need out of town pretenders coming in to town thinking they’re going to show us how to do Mexican food right.
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