Aside from the managers, we were the only ones hanging out in Café 940's dining room on a recent weekday afternoon.
As was the case the last time we visited and the time before that.
Perhaps it lacked a steady flow of hungry customers because the restaurant, located a block away from the University of Arizona campus, was once home to Bakerzin, a seemingly overpriced and unpopular high-end eatery.
Whatever the reason, Tucsonans are missing out.
Under the leadership of fresh-faced restaurateurs Tommy Begay and Mike McTeer, Café 940 provides a diverse selection of unique and tasty sandwiches, soups, pastas and desserts at more affordable prices than its predecessor.
The vibe
If it weren't for the art, a random collection of paintings and photos uniformly lining the dining area, Café 940 probably would seem pretty sterile.
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The walls are hospital white, as is the raised command center platform in the center of the restaurant where the cash register is located and desserts are on display. Take out the tables and throw in a gurney, and you have the makings of an operating room.
It also can get a bit chilly. We've never been inside the space — even when it was Bakerzin — where a jacket wasn't required, which may or may not suit your average desert dweller.
Because patrons have been fairly sparse during our visits, there was no shouting over anyone for conversation. The only competition was with the techno-trance mix playing over the restaurant's stereo system.
If you're dining alone, you can always people-watch.
Café 940's floor-to-ceiling glass facade lets you watch students and professors mill around outside toward other restaurants and stores along the boulevard.
The food
We started off with some wild mushroom soup ($5.49), one of several soups available at Café 940. The dish came out creamy and hot, with an orangish tinge. Begay explained that the color was from the mushrooms, which are sautéed in a white wine sauce and then boiled. It went down warm with a thick, earthy aroma and flavor.
Next came our main courses. I had the Buffalo chicken cheese steak sandwich ($7.99) on soft bread made from scratch in the kitchen. The chicken was tender and cut into ample chunks with chopped red and green bell peppers, onions and Provolone cheese on top. A fiery Buffalo sauce was provided on the side, as was a salad with a tart dressing.
My associate had the tortellini alla vodka ($8.99), a bowl of tortellini pasta, also orange, covered in a puckery tomato cream sauce. The tortellini came stuffed with seven cheeses, and was more than enough to leave you waddling back to your car after dinner.
Café 940
• Where: 940 E. University Blvd.
• Hours: Kitchen open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Desserts, coffee and tea served until 9:40 p.m.
• More info: 792-0530.
THE BILL
Wild mushroom soup: $5.49
Buffalo chicken cheese steak sandwich: $7.99
Tortellini alla vodka: $8.99
Two iced teas: $4
Total before tax and tip: $26.47
