Janos/J Bar
      the Janos Blog

Late spring 2008

 

Dear Friends,

  

I know that, like me, all of you have been watching the headlines announcing rising petroleum, food and commodities prices, our weak dollar abroad, and the collapse of the housing market. Every week we read another report of impending recession, increased unemployment and uncertainty. Everyone I talk to in business, from doctors to retailers to restaurateurs, are being affected and trying to figure out how to cut back and adjust.

 

After 25 years of business here in Tucson I’ve learned a lot of lessons, the most important being to stay confident in the face of adversity, and to turn weakness into strength. That is exactly my plan for confronting the seemingly difficult times ahead.

 

Since we opened our doors downtown at the Stevens House in 1983 and through our move here to the Westin La Paloma 10 years ago you have relied upon us to celebrate your special occasions, for the romantic night out, the casual date at J BAR, or as a gentle respite with our Summer Music Series. Perhaps now, when things aren’t as good as we’d all like them to be, you need us more than ever. We need you too.

 

I’ve been asking myself what’s the best thing I can do for you this summer.

You’ve been getting part of the answer in our weekly e-blasts telling you about our Music Series, Summer Samplers, Ten Terrific Tastes, Drink Specials at J BAR and Wine Specials at Janos. Providing fun and delicious ways for you to get a night out at lower prices is an important part of the answer, so in addition to our Summer Menus we’ve significantly lowered menu prices.

 

The price discounting we’re doing takes place in a larger context and is a response not only to the economy but also addresses the positive potential of sourcing ingredients locally. Beginning before we served our first meal in our old home downtown, we started to source our ingredients locally and to inform our menus with a sense of place. Back then it was about creating a culinary identity and furthering a philosophy which places value on our cultural, agricultural and culinary heritage. Those goals remain the same and we are continuing the process of articulating a cuisine that is uniquely the flavor of Southern Arizona and Mexico. There are now new imperatives and new opportunities. As the price of petroleum continues to soar so do the costs of commercial fertilizers and pesticides as well as shipping costs for the products we get from regions beyond the southwest. Against this backdrop, the value of the local farmer comes into sharper focus. For years it’s been difficult for the local growers to compete with the large corporate farms with their genetically modified seeds, subsidies and super efficient transportation systems. Now the equation is beginning to change. The cost of fertilizers, pesticides and transportation are driving food prices ever higher and are combining with a myriad of economic forces with the net effect of shrinking disposable income. It is more important than ever for us to look nearby to source our menus. For us that means continuing to do what we do and to it better and more aggressively. It means turning that equation on its head and turning weakness into strength. Fortunately for you and for us, our strength and the source of our culinary identity has always been to tell the story of where we live through the foods we cook.

 

In year’s past we relied heavily on Francine Pearce to grow our local vegetables at Harlekin Garden just down the road from the small town of Arrivaca. Every year it was a struggle for Francine to make ends meet. While we’d buy everything we could from her, it was tough for her to get support from other restaurants or from individual customers. Back then local Farmer’s Market’s didn’t offer a viable market for Francine to sell her wonderful heirloom tomatoes and Japanese eggplant. Francine closed down her farm about three years ago and I can’t help thinking about her now as we start working with a new generation of gardeners and small producers. Now on our menus you’ll see names like Forever Yong Farms where John and Yong Reub have established their lifestyle growing delicious vegetables which they supply to Farmer’s Markets, organic markets and a couple of restaurants including our own. When you come in this summer you’ll taste their delicious artichokes, tender green beans, gorgeous opal basil and fresh Mrs. Burn’s Lemon Basil, one of the native basils collected and marketed by Native Seeds SEARCH. Stewart Loew and his family at Agua Linda Farms are building their expansive business just south of Tubac farming bio-dynamically on the family’s historic lands. Right now we’re cooking with their beets, turnips and peas. As the summer progresses we’ll work our way through their crops. When you see the name ‘The Chicken Ladies’ on our menus it refers to Jane Evans and Laurie Clark who are raising heirloom chickens and will soon be bringing us heirloom tomatoes they’re raising mid-town near Stone and Blacklidge.

 

This isn’t to say that the life of the local farmer is easy now. Far from it, but I think the time is fast approaching when we will value foods that are locally raised over those that are shipped in from far away. In southern Arizona we work with a number of organizations including Native Seeds SEARCH, the Santa Cruz Heritage Alliance, Slow Foods, The RAFT program and Sabores Sin Fronteras whose efforts are focused on promoting foods and flavors unique to our region.

 

So what does that mean when you come in for dinner or drinks this summer? First and foremost it means great food, lower prices and more local flavor. We’ll be changing our menus more frequently this summer, keeping pace with the harvest and constantly offering great new dishes for you to enjoy. 

 

No, we’re not going to do away with all the wonderful products we’re proud to bring in for you. We’ll still be offering exceptional seafood from sustainable sources, great lamb, beef and the luxury items that make dining out at Janos the most special experience in Arizona. But as the restaurant that has been defining “Arizona” cuisine from before we served our first meals in 1983, we are reasserting our commitment to local ingredients and local flavors and to all the good things that brings.

 

We are also reasserting our commitment to you. Janos and J BAR will continue to be the restaurants where you can rely on for great service, food and drink, and now, more than ever, where great value is as important as great flavor.

 

We will continue to send our eblast every week to let you know who’s playing and what we’re cooking and drinking. Log on to our website www.Janos.com for a more complete listing of our menus and activities.

 

As we celebrate our 25^th year serving you here’s a short list of reasons why you’ll want to punch your passport at Janos or J BAR this season:

 

• J BAR Summer Samplers Entrees  $12.95
• J BAR Weekly Drink Specials
• Summer Music Series Wednesday and Thursday nights at sunset (Friday and Saturday in September
• Janos Summer Sampler Entrees $19.95
• Janos Ten Terrific Tastes Menus (12 items over 4 courses) $50.00
• Janos Weekly Wine Specials
• Collect Stamps on your Summer Passport for free meals.
• Celebrate a special occasion with and we’ll give you a box of homemade chocolates and gift certificate for your return visit.

 

All the best,

 

Janos