New American Bistro
Café 54, located at 54 E. Pennington St., is an American bistro open weekdays for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Chef Scott McMahon, who formerly worked at Café Terra Cotta, Barrio Grill and Lumé, makes everything from scratch using fresh ingredients. Café 54 also serves as a training program for adults with serious mental illnesses. Our Place Clubhouse, a drop-in work site, supplies the five to 10 workers. Most receive on-the-job training as line cooks, servers and dishwashers. Call 622-1907.
Art on Broadway
Tucson Museum of Art's Café a la C'Art has expanded eastward to 4400 E. Broadway Blvd. in the Tucson Bank building. Open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the restaurant features artistry with bread (sandwiches), salads and voluptuous desserts; 318-4700.
Sweet 16
RA Sushi Bar & Restaurant announces the addition of 16 new signature dishes to their menu. Traditional ingredients and flavor combinations are expertly intermingled with regional flavors. A sampling of new dishes includes Latin-Asian sashimi representing the Southwest with avocado, cilantro, pine and cashew nuts and sake garlic sauce. Tutumiyaki sea bass is lightly marinated and baked in parchment paper with fresh vegetables, while kamakura tofu blends Japanese eggplant and tofu with red miso ginger sauce. 2905 E. Skyline Drive; 615-3970.
Sparkling Wine Tips
Time to embrace the bubbly: With salads and sushi, drink brut; salmon or pork, try blanc de noir; sip rose with lobster or turkey and extra dry with spicy food like curry. Or try my personal favorite: a flute of champagne with a bowl of buttery popcorn.
