Tasting Tucson: 'true comfort' dishes keep diners coming back to HiFalutin Western Grill

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) -- — Today's theme on Tasting Tucson, in a nutshell, is comfort food. We're going up to the Northside to tuck into classic favorites with an Old West twist.

On this visit to HiFalutin Rapid Western Grill on Oracle, we also met several friendly and passionate staff members. Each one is key to making a night out great for guests, so we got to see them do what they do best at the bar and by the kitchen.

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

“Going to do two ounces of bourbon. I already muddled my orange, a little bit of bitters. I got my black cherries infused in bourbon... these are everyone's favorite. If it doesn't have the black cherry, they're not happy."

Karen tells me regulars love to pair these with the steaks on the menu, so she's gotten a lot of practice perfecting this recipe. "I like getting compliments on my drinks," Karen said. "That's how I know I did a good job.”

Now let's pair the drink with a hearty plate. To find the right complements, Bradley, one of the restaurant's servers, was going to be our guide in the kitchen.

"If you read our reviews, you're going to read about our blue corn muffins, in-house signature," he said. "A lot of people think they're blueberry muffins. (They're) blue corn muffins, and people are like, 'Oh!; and they figure it out." Remember not to fill up on the muffins.

Bradley said the flank steak salad is his ideal compromise for lunch. "Kind of the best of both worlds," Bradley said, as we admired the layers of colors stacked on top of each other.

Back in the kitchen, chef Beto is hard at work churning out the grill's meat entrees. "Blackjack burger cooked to your choice, however you want it prepared. Beto puts a knife on top, he brands it on top with our HiFalutin brand."

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

And for peak comfort food, the kitchen team can always whip up meatloaf. "I think this is going to bring you back home," we said. "No offense to my mom, but this meatloaf's better," Bradley said.

All this is hard work, and speaking for his team, Bradley said it's worth it to go above and beyond to keep neighbors coming back.

"How gratifying is it to see that reaction they get?"
"I love bringing smiles on people's faces. It just speaks for itself. It's true comfort food, and I love serving it."

And in a newer food scene, HiFalutin also has the wheels to move around town. They'll take their food truck out to parties, festivals and catered events.