I went to Flagstaff for a few days and, as always, loved everything about it — the weather, the NAU campus, the little shops and most of all, the fantastic restaurants. Here’s what I ate and loved.
Tinderbox Kitchen
34 S. San Francisco St., 928-226-8400, tinderboxkitchen.com
Owner Kevin Heinonen took advantage of the downtime during the pandemic to kick things up a notch at Tinderbox, refurbishing his cozy space and upgrading the menu. I had three complete knockouts at dinner one night.
Photo by Nikki Buchanan
First: Chunky, umami-laden beef tartare, studded with creamy avocado and generously sprinkled with togarashi, lending peppery spice and crunch. Buttery toasted bread is there for the schmearing, the whole thing so impossibly rich it’s better to share.
Photo by Nikki Buchanan
Second: Crunchy duck fat corn fritters set atop a lush cream sauce of sweet corn, which provides textural contrast and sweet, earthy echo to the fritters. Blackberry compote and lemon-y leaves of red-veined sorrel provide tartness and balance.
Photo by Nikki Buchanan
Third: Rosy Iberico pork, perfectly cooked and faintly nutty tasting, is sublime with creamy Gruyere polenta, sharp sauteed kale and a few bright dashes of blackberry sauce, but the piece de resistance is probably the grilled nectarine — sweet, juicy counterpoint to that salty pork.
MartAnne’s
112 E. Route 66, 928-773-4701, martannes.com
Photo by Nikki Buchanan
Fourth: Everybody goes for the signature (and terrific) chilaquiles, but I’m also a huge fan of the gloriously rich, gooey Jerry El Mujeriego, whose name means Jerry the Womanizer. Its foundation is an enchilada, stuffed with spicy pork green chile, a dash of sour cream, cilantro and so much cheese that it strings from the plate to your fork. Topped with two fried eggs (whose yolks ooze over everything else) and nestled amid whole pinto beans, fluffy Mexican rice, righteously crunchy hash browns and a flour tortilla, it makes a stellar start to the day.
Shift Kitchen & Bar
107 N. San Francisco St., 928-440-5135, shiftflg.com
Photo by Nikki Buchanan
Fifth: Think you’ve grown tired of beet salads? Try this fantastic iteration, composed of smoky charcoal-roasted beets, nested on a creamy puddle of goat’s quark from Crow’s Dairy. For accent, charred pickled shallots and crisp-chewy beet chips, herb oil, coriander honey and torn nasturtium leaves, which lend a spicy, mustard-y kick.
Photo by Nikki Buchanan
Sixth: This one proves just what wild and wonderful things chef-owner Dara Wong and her crew can do, a risotto which gets its nutty crunch from sunflower seeds and its creaminess from coconut milk. A sous vide 75-degree poached egg is placed over the risotto, and over the egg, a mahogany-brown layer of crispy quinoa (frankly, I’ve never liked quinoa more), the dish strewn with tart-sweet peach mostarda and pea shoots. Fabulous.
Tourist Home
52 South San Francisco St., 928-779-2811, touristhomecafe.com
Photo by Nikki Buchanan
Seventh: Fried chicken, biscuits and gravy always sounds good, but there’s usually a weak link somewhere that makes the dish a dud. Not here. A fried egg and crispy boneless chicken breasts (being a dark meat fan, I’m shocked I like this, but I do) are placed atop a split biscuit, golden-brown and wonderfully tender, everything ladled with flavorful cream gravy (not the usual wallpaper paste). A sprinkle of green onion and paprika for color and that’s it, a super-satisfying breakie.
