If you have a palette that’s in need of delicious Pan-Asian cuisine, you should definitely head on over to Vila Thai Cuisine located on 972 E. University Blvd, right above American Apparel. It’s on University Blvd so it’s a perfect place to go for Saturday lunch and after spend the afternoon on the boulevard shopping or catching up with friends.

Vila Thai has been open since 2006, and you can eat great Thai food with beautiful art around you. And you can also dine on some nights with live music playing outside. It’s a real classy restaurant.

Some definite choices to try from the menu is basil beef, crying tiger salad, and the curries! Oooh, do I love pineapple curry.

You can make reservations for Vila Thai by calling (520) 393-3489, and you can find out more at VilaThai.com.

Food, glorious food. We build vacations around it. We also look for good dining when we’re searching for homes. Tucson shines when it comes to the food factor. From our farmers markets to our restaurants, Tucson is tops on the foodie radar and just earned another food accolade to prove it.

Cooking Light, the largest cuisine magazine in the country, has named Tucson as one of the top 20 U.S. cities to eat smart, be fit, and live well. Using statistics from such organizations as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Zagat Survey, Cooking Light ranked major metropolitan areas on 15 criteria. Tucson placed #10, coming in above likes of Austin, Atlanta, Manhattan and Chicago!

According to Cooking Light, Tucson won out over other cities because of its innovative restaurants, farmers markets and spaces for outdoor exercise. Our city’s “percentage of residents in good health, and low percentage of overweight residents” also figured in the award.

So add the food factor to Tucson’s impressive list of home marketing features. We are a biking city, a nature-lovers city and now we’re a food city—offering homeowners a wide variety of delicious choices in a beautiful, authentic Southwest desert setting.

What’s your best food experience in Tucson? Comment now and TRE Daily will send you a list of our favorite food places!

Yet another positive notch for Tucson. Our city is appearing on more and more “Best of…” lists. Today’s recognition involves cuisine – The April 2008 edition of Arizona Highways selected Tucson’s Feast (4122 E. Speedway) for the magazine’s “Best Restaurants in Arizona: 25 of our favorite places to grab a bite to eat” report.

Actually I’m a little sad about inclusion of this wonderful restaurant in the Arizona Highways feature – Selfishly I want to keep the crowds down at this small, exceptional restaurant.

Feast is a mix of neighborhood charm, delicious specialty foods, wines and so much more. In addition to sit-down dining Feast is a gourmet to-go deli, with perfect offerings for that picnic basket or take-home treat. Chef-owner Doug Levy is a master in his kitchen and in his dining room…where regulars and newcomers alike enjoy friendly, attentive service and absolutely savory food that mixes local organic with a variety of European and new American or Southwest dishes. You also will find awesome comfort food (mac and cheese anyone?) at this special eatery.

Doug is a very talented chef who started his restaurant/catering business/wine store on Speedway several years ago after working at other local favorites. Doug enthusiastically takes care of his guests and changes his menu often, canvassing restaurant-goers about their favorite dishes (which then become specials during summertime). I absolutely love his wine-by-the-glass selections, his vegetarian items and his desserts. (Yummy home-made cakes and ice cream flavors change regularly!)

If you are looking for fresh, quality ingredients, innovative cuisine, an ever-changing menu with reasonable prices in a casual atmosphere, please eat at Feast. And enjoy. (But try not to mention this tip to too many people…!)

There’s no doubt that restaurants figure strongly in Tucson’s quality of life. And I’ll never tire of Tucson’s food scene. From its southwest offerings to its melting pot of ethnic eateries, Tucson delivers so many interesting fine dining experiences for every taste.

If you’re a fan of the centuries-old traditions of Spanish cuisine, look no further than Casa Vicente, downtown on South Stone just minutes from the majestic St. Augustine Cathedral and the Temple of Music and Art. This is a unique and authentic eatery where most evenings you can find theater goers, families, visiting artists, tourists or savvy businesspeople and residents. There are romantic nooks or comfortable tables set near the stage, ready to engage diners in a true Spanish dining experience. There’s a pretty patio where strings of colored lights and candles add to scenic dining outside.

We enjoyed carafes of sangria during our visit, but you also may choose from an extensive wine list. Our tapas (the Spanish equivalent of small plates or appetizers) included delicious manchego cheese, a fragrant frittata and spicy chorizo. Main dishes range from vegetarian paella to beautifully-presented seafood and meats.

A most enjoyable complement to the Casa Vicente dining experience is the array of world class performances featured at the restaurant. The genuine Southern Spanish art form called Flamenco, with its spontaneous song (called cante), is celebrated at the restaurant on weekends. The rhythmic hand clapping and footwork by the dancer is accompanied by classic Spanish guitar – itself a beautiful art form.

Casa Vicente is a gem among Tucson food offerings. It allows friends to gather round the table in a great setting complete with song, dance, delicious food and lively conversation. Visit Casa Vicente for the food, and find yourself also enjoying another wonderful Tucson cultural experience. Olé!

I’ve come back from a short trip from Vegas, hanging out with Californian friends of mine. Some have been in Tucson before, and others haven’t. One thing we all had in common was our love for In-N-Out Burger.

Because I was the only one from Tucson out of the group, the conversation spun to “poor ol’ Ron livin’ in Tucson without In-N-Out Burger…” WRONG. I had to let them know and shock their beliefs!

Excuse me, but Tucson is a city of 1+ million people. And we do have In-N-Out. Not only one, but two. Fret no more, my fellow Californians, your worries can be put aside. And in Tucson you can order your Double-Double with Animal Fries. Yay!

In-N-Out Burger #1 - Broadway and Alvernon, next to the El Con Mall

In-N-Out Burger #2 - Cortaro and I-10, in the Cortaro Pavilions