Written by Gail G. Collins
It’s no secret anymore. Flagstaff’s culinary scene is now the envy of much of Arizona. For a mountain town that still does not top 100,000 people, this place has dozens of independent restaurants achieving a high level of dining in their respective categories. After a few years of basking in the recent lineup of hotspots, we thought we would pause to reflect on a handful of signature dishes by our new dining places and expanded or reinvented eateries with a look across the foodie spectrum.
Craving Crepes at Streetside Saigon
In a nod to the French, the classic banh xeo, a crepe, is revamped with shrimp and shitake, that’s a hit at Streetside Saigon. The rice flour crisp is vivid with turmeric, filled with bean sprouts plus chive and served with a field of lettuce and traditional herbs. Tear off some crepe, tuck it into a lettuce leaf with mint and cilantro, roll it and soak up the lively dip—light, crunchy, healthy and flavorful. Not up for the crepe? Try the banh mi, a Vietnamese sandwich, which boasts French influence in multiple ways. Streetside slathers their softer-than-baguette bun with pate and hose mayo, piles on tender pork meatballs and a layer of livered carrot, daikon and cucumber for a tongue-teasing combination of tastes and textures. streetsidesaigon.com
July/August 2015
Regulars who travel Interstate 40 through Williams might have noticed that the highway sign for the decades-long mainstay of Denny’s on the west side of town is no longer there. As it turns out, the chain eatery had transformed into Kicks on Route 66, with such an abundance of fresh, inviting fare as to make it a dining destination. That is the secret ingredient independent restaurants can offer—choice. Often, local sourcing, scratch cooking or seasonal menus can offer customers an adventurous culinary reason to return.