Pie for the Masses at No Anchovies!
Pizza aficionados and novices alike are in for an experience at No Anchovies - just pull up a barstool, bench or lawn chair and try pizza as an art form, sans anchovies.
Midtown Tucson is home to nearly 37,000 graduate and undergrad students at the University of Arizona's 378-acre campus. The school educates, houses and entertains the student body, but many venture slightly off-campus to enjoy some of the most unique cuisine in town, and Tucson's grown-ups should consider taking a cue from the flip-flop-clad college crowd.
In Main Gate Square - just west of campus - No Anchovies! Gourmet Pizza serves up giant slices of one-of-a-kind pizza. While traditional toppings like pepperoni and sausage are popular menu items, this small, eclectic campus eatery is best known for its "specialty" pies.
Customers can try everything from the tabano - which comes with thick slices of fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, chunks of fresh tomato and large, fragrant basil leaves - to the popular hot wing pizza, with chunks of chicken marinated in wing sauce, with mozzarella, blue cheese and ranch drizzled on top.
The potato pizza is adorned with provolone cheese, thick red potato slices, bacon, cheddar cheese and green onion; while the chicken teriyaki pie is topped with mozzarella, teriyaki-marinated chicken breast, bell peppers, green onions, sesame seeds and thick, sweet teriyaki sauce.
Other favorites include chicken parm - No Anchovies!' ode to breaded parmesan chicken in pizza form - barbecue chicken, spinach tomato feta, spinach delight (with spinach, tomato, onion, artichoke, black olives, extra virgin olive oil, and roasted bell peppers and onion), Hawaiian, and many more.
For those not in the mood for peculiar pizza, No Anchovies! also serves up fresh, generously sized salads, hot and cold sandwiches, and appetizers. The restaurant also boasts a full bar, offering daily drink specials and featuring locally brewed Nimbus beer on tap, plus more than 50 bottled varieties.
Browse the menu online at www.noanchoviespizza.com, or drop by for a meal in person: 870 E. University Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85719. (520) 623-3333
Tucson Shopping
My favorite thing to do in Tucson is definitely to go shopping! I really enjoy spending time with my friends when they come to visit, especially going to one of the shopping malls and having a nice dinner at a restaurant. Vivace is one of my favorites, which has a delicious crab-filled chicken breast. For me, shopping is a great way to relax and change my daily routine, but there is always something going on in Tucson: festivals, dance presentations, conferences, symposiums, and so much more. So, no matter if I want have fun, relax, or learn new things, Tucson offers me a wide variety of stuff to do.
A Day at the Tucson Meet Yourself Festival
The fall weather in Tucson is so incredible that my fiancé and I are always looking for fun things to do outdoors. We were already close to Downtown, so we decided to head down to Jácome Plaza to see what the Tucson Meet Yourself Festival was all about.
I was surprised to learn the festival was celebrating it's 36th anniversary and was disappointed we didn't have more time to peruse all the booths and watch all the performances. The festival wasn't just about it's amazing cultural food selections, but also included so many demonstrations, performances, shows, and even a local farmer's market, that it could be an all-day event for the whole family.
After watching some great banjo players at the Courthouse Stage we walked across Church Street, passing the bouncing low riders as they set up for their car show, and settled in to watch the Columbian Folklore dancers on the Youth Stage. When they were finished, we browsed some of the local club booths and the farmer's market located at the downtown library's plaza.
Our stomachs telling us it was time to eat, we headed back to the Ethnic food area with a plan. Being one-quarter Danish myself, I was excited to see the Tucson Danish Club had a booth so they were my first stop. Remembering how my mom made aebleskivers (basically spherical pancakes stuffed with fruit) I wanted to see how the Danish booth's compared. These didn't have fruit in the middle, but rather some rasberry jelly on the side. Still, not only was I pleasantly surprised with them, but I also got to chat with some Danes and signed up for their club's newsletter. Next, we found the Thai booth and shared a plate of chicken curry with potatoes and onions on a bed of white rice, and it was scrumptuous. Our bellies expanding but not yet full, we shared a tasty chicken sandwich (gyro) from the Persian Club and for dessert, we sipped on a bubble tea from the Vietnamese Alliance of Tucson Booth.
We were stuffed beyond capacity but managed to waddle over to watch a performance on the Martial Arts Lawn before heading back to our car. With all there is to see and do at the Tucson Meet Yourself Festival, I can see why it is a two-day event. And it's cheap! Next year, we're planning on going both Saturday and Sunday to sample more of the great food and watch more of the interesting cultural performances. Heck, maybe next year I'll be in the Danish booth handing out aebleskivers myself!
