By Adam Lehrman, Tucson Foodie

Arizona Fall Restaurant Week 2012 Preview: Maynard’s Kitchen

ARW Special: $30/person + tax/gratuity

FIRST COURSE

Tri-Salad sampler of Compressed cucumber and tarragon gastrique; Compressed watermelon with goat cheese brûlée; Fresh heirloom tomato, with watercress.

SECOND COURSE

Choice of

Fresh Fish Feature of the Day

Certified Angus Flatiron Beef Steak and Frites, with Maitre d’ hotel Butter and Caramelized onions

THIRD COURSE

Sticky Toffee Pudding with Isabella’s Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Highlight of Meal

Maynard’s Kitchen is lovely addition to Tucson’s downtown restaurant scene. It’s a beautiful restaurant inside the train station with a creative menu and cutting edge chef. Maynard’s Restaurant Week menu is a great way to sample a wide variety of what they do, including sous vide cucumber and watermelon salad, fish or steak, and a delectable dessert.

The first course is a sampling of three different items. All three are very uniquely done and presented in a way that many Tucson restaurants don’t attempt. The compressed watermelon with goat cheese brûlée is the most clever of the grouping, although if you don’t like black licorice flavor (fennel or anise) this might not be to your liking. The local heirloom tomato was delicious.

A good piece of beef is the true test of a good chef, and in this case, it passed the test. Firm, but juicy tender, covered in caramelized onions, and loaded with perfectly done frites, this simple dish’s addition of the maitre d’ hotel butter and caramelized onions would beat out most other similar offerings from other establishments.

For dessert, the Sticky Toffee Pudding, which was similar to bread pudding, was very original and tasty. Resting in sweet sauce, it’s the perfect end to a pristine meal.

Best Part of the Value

Maynard’s is such a sexy restaurant, it almost deserves a PG-13 rating. Just to be able to eat inside with a date is a treat unto itself, however, the steak and dessert alone are worth the price.

Service & Ambiance

Maynard’s Kitchen straddles a fine line between fine dining and casual dining. Service is attentive and friendly, while the ambience is just oozing with romanticism. White table cloths and candle light line the narrow lower level and lend to enhanced sense of intimacy. Even without their excellent food, Maynard’s is a great place to sit and watch the trains.

Maynard’s Kitchen
400 N. Toole (inside the train station)
Tucson, AZ 85701
Tel. (520) 545-0577
http://maynardsmarket.com

Please note: Girl Meets Fork is the Official Blog of Arizona Restaurant Week. Meals were provided by the restaurants previewed at no cost to the writer.