Sonoran Restaurant Week helps local restaurants boost business

CATALINA FOOTHILLS, Ariz. (KGUN) — Fire erupted from a chef's pan as the kitchen staff cooked up several specialty dishes for the start of Sonoran Restaurant Week at Inca’s Peruvian Cuisine in the Foothills, 6878 E. Sunrise Dr.

More and more people came in around dinner time to indulge in the specialty menu at the Peruvian restaurant. Owner Fatima Campos is excited to share their discounted menu.

Her kids Luis and Elena were there to support her and help during a busy Sunday evening and a weekend that has already seen an increase in people because of the Sonoran Restaurant Week specials at discounted prices.

“We’ve been participating in the Sonoran Restaurant Week for 5 years in a row, I believe, so it brings a lot of customers,” Fatima Campos said.

They’re offering a special menu which includes the Carapulcra, which Luis Campos said is a Peruvian-recipe stew that has chicken, beef and pork, and dehydrated potatoes with jasmine rice. They are also featuring their aji de gallina, which is one of their most popular dishes. Luis Campos said it’s pulled chicken over a bed of potatoes and Aji Amarillo sauce, also with a side of jasmine rice.

The increase in customers so far is boosting sales after a slow summer. Luis Campos said they are getting about 20 to 30% more customers.

“We see a lot of people from all over parts of Tucson and Phoenix as well,” Luis Campos said.

On Thornydale and Cortaro Farms, the kitchen at Dominick’s Real Italian, 8330 N. Thornydale Road, was also busy as they prepared their two specialty menus for a full restaurant of people. They’re just one of more than 80 restaurants in Tucson participating in the special week.

Bryan Benton, Dominick's general manager and executive chef, was busy cooking up menu items featured for the special week.

One of their menus has lasagna and veggie lasagna as well as their house ravioli and cannoli for dessert. Their other, more expensive menu has beef ravioli and homemade tiramisu.

Dominick's also saw a slower summer and this week is already helping to boost their business.

“We see a lot of new customers this week,” Benton explained. “Every summer every restaurant I’ve worked in here in Tucson, it slows down and this starting out a few years ago I think really helps.”

Sonoran Restaurant week runs through Sunday, Sept. 15. Find a full list of participating restaurants at sonoranrestaurantweek.com.