A year and a half ago “Artistic Tucson” aka Charlie Spillar send me an email about a new restaurant called “A.i. Bistro” of the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Tucson (AIT) at 5099 E. Grant, west of Rosemont. It is a culinary school for young people (median age 25) to learn how to cook and serve cuisine from around the world. The Art Institute offers education in design, media arts, fashion & culinary professionals.

Click below for Charlie’s August, 2010 favorable article about the art gallery at AIT and this fusion style restaurant. http://tucsoncitizen.com/art/2010/08/04/great-art-great-food-at-tucson%E2%80%99s-art-institute/

Finally last week I ate lunch at this restaraut (only open Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) at this restaurant, and was pleasantly surprised. The small student-run restaurant has only 10 tables and is on the 2nd floor of the large AIT school building on Grant, but it has lovely corner window panels that look out towards Grant. The tables have a fine dining look with white tablecloths & red or black napkins, and fresh flowers on the tables.

Everyone was friendly and welcoming, and three tables are elevated so you can actually watch your own meal being prepared in the exhibition kitchen right next door, through large picture windows. I ordered the Barbeque Salmon, Cous Cous, and Arugula salad for $7.00. The other choices sounded delicious as well, such as Roast Loin of Pork with a Proscuitto and Herb stuffing, or the Chicken Scaloppini with a buttery roasted tomato emulsion. The lunch entrée came with several slices of soft bread and two types of butter (regular and herb). Specials change weekly depending on the season.

While I waited for the students to prepare my meal, I checked out the eight pieces of student art on the walls, by those enrolled in graphic design or fashion design – all taking a basic course in color I was told.

My meal arrived promptly and the barbecue salmon was exquisite in flavor and softness. I usually order salmon when I eat out, and this was the best I’ve had in decades. The salad was tasty as well, composed of arugula, apple slices and onion slices, with a bacon vinaigrette. The soft cous cous was finely prepared as well and made a wonderful, complete meal. Later I enjoyed a creamy light dessert of prickly pear ice cream for only $1.50, my first experience with this cactus food aside from prickly pear jelly.

I give an “A” to the students for this overall experience and the quality & price of the food. You can also order a complete meal of appetizer, entrée, dessert and drink for $11.95, or a three course tasting meal for that same price.

Lunch is being served by the students for the summer semester till September 13. Call 520-318-2726 to make a reservation (required due to limited seating), but there were a few walks-ins when I was there (space available). Lots of customers were dropping by for take out as well, so this restaurant has become popular since it opened in July, 2009. Email is AiTucsonbistro@aii.edu.
Students in the culinary program competetly called me back to confirm my reservation, and I had to reschedule it once.

Informative websites if you’re interested in AIT or the Bistro itself: www.artinstitues.edu, or specifically http://www.artinstitutes.edu/tucson/about/ai-bistro-restaurant.aspx

Visit the newly opened Encore Exchange, a unique 2nd hand/collectible store in a large warehouse at 847 N. Stone (south of Speedway, SW corner of E. 2nd St. and Stone). Fellow blogger Charlie Spillar (“Artistic Tucson”) discovered this gem of a place, and took the photos for this article.

exterior of Encore Exchange, courtesy of Charlie Spillar

Don Vick, the founder/CEO gave me a personal tour recently and his story about the building and his vision for this “original, 2nd hand store with character” is fascinating.

The building itself was the 1941 Beaudry car dealership, then turned into a laundry dry cleaning business, then bought by Don in 1995, when he moved here from San Antonio, TX. He leased it to the Celestial Skate Park for 5 years, then to Empire Customs (hot rod & motorcycle shop) for another 5 years.

And now his dream of a collectible/thrift shop has come to fruition, with the goal to assist 11 non-profits, primarily Mentor Kids USA and also:

Showcase room, courtesy of Charlie Spillar

Arabian Oasis
Crisis Pregnancy Center
Community Renewal
Eagle’s Wings of Grace
4 Tucson
Gospel Rescue Mission
Street Light Ministry
Teen Challenge
Tucson Refugee Ministry
Wayfarer Center

Don has a passion for helping kids, and told me that proceeds from the Encore Exchange store go to these non-profits after their operating expenses.

The store is filled with furniture, books, collectibles, antique golf clubs (from 1920’s), picture frames, dishes, toys, etc. In the showcase room (with a red ceiling) there is an actual working Victrola, a surveying transit from the late 1800’s, old glass bottles, a jeweler’s wooden table, porcelain gas stoves, and lots more.

But the most amazing find is a gorgeous pewter chess set complete with a circus wagon to hold the intricate pieces, and 2 zebras –a true buy for only $2500. See the photo below.

pewter chess set & wagon with zebras, courtesy of Charlie Spillar

Just outside of the showcase room is a cool water fountain built from rocks, shells, driftwood, etc. which greets customers as they enter. There’s even a Hawaiian palm frond hat nearby for the tropical oasis feeling.

Outside the store is a 1938 Ford ice truck which once delivered ice blocks for ice boxes (replaced by today’s modern day refrigerator). And Don is building a sign for the front, from 1000 (or so) plastic recycled Sobe bottles, using the bottom of the bottles facing out. Another project is to create a stained glass exterior up on the metal awning outside the front of the store…when he has time.

Store hours (open every day):
Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information or to donate items contact Don Vick at 520-869-2961 (cell) or dvick7@gmail.com.

Charlie Spillar, who blogs online here at Tucsoncitizen.com as “Artistic Tucson” was just named one of 10 “local heroes” in the Tucson Weekly’s Dec.22-28 issue (on news stands now). Charlie was praised for his leadership in helping to save the unusual Valley of the Moon, finding new homes for the Magic Carpet Golf statues after that entertainment venue closed, and fighting to retain a drive-in theater in Tucson when the De Anza Drive In Theater also closed. I know Charlie from meeting over the last year/half at art receptions and galleries, and he is indeed passionate about art and preserving it. His own whimsical bird sculptures are unique and attractive, last seen by me at the Art Gallery on the NE corner of Stone/Speedway.

Photo courtesy of Charlie Spillar

To read more about Charlie go online to www.tucsonweekly.com (article is written by one of our former editors/artist Ryn Gargulinski, now a writer for the Weekly). Or pick up your issue today or tomorrow all over town, page 18.

Another local hero in that Weekly article is Patricia Maisch, who wrestled that gun clip away from Jared Loughner on January 8, 2011. She is now a spokesperson for Mayors Against Illegal Guns, to tighten background checks of people who purchase guns. The article about Patricia is on page 15 of the Weekly. She is also honored as one of AARP Magazine’s “The Daring Dozen” in their December 2011/January 2012 issue (page 51). These 12 American individuals are recognized as people who use “their energy, creativity and passion to make the world a better place.”

Arizona shooting heroes Ret. Army Col. Bill Badger and Roger Salzgeber are honored along Patricia for their acts of physically bringing armed Loughner down to the ground at the NW Safeway. I recently met both Patricia and Roger at the Tucson hearing by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, through mutual contact Daniel Hernandez, Jr.

A tribute to one of these “daring dozen” was given to my former boss Hawaiian U.S. Senator Dan Inouye (page 48), now President Pro Tempore, who is committed to “common courtesy” as a “Chief Compromiser”. The Senator has served in the U.S. Senate since Hawaii’s statehood in 1959. He just sent me a President Pro Tempore medallion as a keepsake.

Read this AARP article about “Inspire Awards Honorees” online (click here).

Congratulations Charlie and to these other 9 Tucson local heroes, and to the AARP “Daring Dozen”, which also included famous people such as Jane Goodall and the late Steve Jobs.