Diners flock to HiFalutin for ‘truly comforting’ food

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — — Today’s theme for Tasting Tucson, in a word, is comfort food. We’re heading to the Northside to sample classic dishes with a Wild West twist.

During this visit to HiFalutin Rapid Western Grill on Oracle, we also met several friendly and passionate staff members. Each of them is essential to making the evening enjoyable for the guests, so we got to see them do what they do best at the bar and in the kitchen.

Enter the main dining room and you’ll see the bar first on your left. That’s where bartender Karen is ready to shake and stir the grill’s Cowboy Old-Fashioned cocktail.

“I’m going to do two ounces of bourbon. I’ve already crushed my orange, a little bitters. I’ve infused my black cherries in bourbon… they’re everybody’s favorite. If there’s no black cherry, they’re not happy.”

Karen told me that regulars love to pair them with the steaks on the menu, so she’s practiced a lot to perfect this recipe. “I love getting compliments on my drinks,” Karen said. “That’s how I know I did a good job.”

Now it was time to pair the drink with a hearty meal. To find the right complements, Bradley, one of the restaurant’s servers, would serve as our guide in the kitchen.

“If you read our reviews, you’re going to read about our blue corn muffins, which are our house specialty,” he said. “A lot of people think they’re blueberry muffins. They’re blue corn muffins, and people say, ‘Oh!’ and they realize that.” Just remember not to overeat.

Bradley said the flank steak salad was his ideal lunch compromise. “It’s kind of the best of both worlds,” Bradley said, as we admired the layers of color stacked on top of each other.

Back in the kitchen, Chef Beto is hard at work preparing the meat entrees from the grill. “Blackjack Burger is cooked to your preference, the way you want it. Beto puts a knife on it, he marks it with our HiFalutin brand.”

Longtime fans come to HiFalutin Grill for big proteins like the 16-ounce Russell ribeye, but they can also go light with a cedar-planked pesto salmon and a loaded baked potato.

And for a comforting meal, the kitchen crew can always whip up meatloaf. “I think this will bring you back home,” we said. “No offense to my mom, but this meatloaf is better,” Bradley said.

It’s all hard work, and speaking on behalf of his team, Bradley said it’s worth the extra effort to keep neighbors coming back.

“Isn’t it gratifying to see the reaction they get?”
“I love making people smile. It speaks for itself. It’s a real comfort food and I love serving it.”

And in a new culinary landscape, HiFalutin also has the means to get around town. They take their food truck to parties, festivals and catered events.

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Jose Zozaya José is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. Before coming to southern Arizona, José worked in Omaha, Nebraska, where he covered stories ranging from local, state and federal elections to toxic chemical spills and community programs impacting immigrant families. Share your story ideas and important issues with José by emailing jose.zozaya@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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