Love them or love to hate them: These niche dishes in Tucson are cult classics

“He was like no, that is the worst idea I’ve ever heard,” Foy said.

The suggested dish: a plate of tender, succulent, garlic butter-covered snails.

Back in 1995, Foy learned the secrets of making top-notch escargot at an apprenticeship in Virginia. He thought he might as well dip his toes back into the French delicacy and offer it in Southern Arizona.

Foy ultimately won the escargot debate, and the special made its big debut at Dante’s Fire.

Within minutes, the snails were sold out.

Dante’s Fire isn’t the only place here in town experimenting with menu items that’ll make your mouth water or have your eyes widen in horror. From tripe tacos to tubs of chicken liver, Tucson’s food scene has all kinds of unusual dishes you either love — or love to hate.

Snailed it: Escargot’s a hit at Dante’s Fire

The escargot special at Dante’s Fire, 2526 E. Grant Road, had a dedicated fan base, leaving Foy no choice but to add it to the menu permanently.

In the beginning, Foy could easily order a batch of snails to the restaurant, but when COVID-19 hit, things began to get tricky. With fewer people in the market selling escargot and restaurateurs having to compete with cruise lines to get an order in, the ingredients were almost impossible to get.

“What was fairly inexpensive quadrupled in price overnight,” Foy said.

There was even one point in time where Dante's had to order the snails via Amazon. Thankfully, it is now able to find the precious escargot at Shamrock Farms and Chef’s Warehouse.

Once it gets its snails in, it’s time to start cooking.

When making escargot, slow and steady wins the race. Foy said it’s important to use a long braise approach as opposed to cooking them fast, which will make them rubbery instead of tender.

Once the snails have cooked a while alongside some onion, Foy likes to add in chicken stock and a touch of Worcestershire sauce. When that has been reduced, in goes lots of fresh garlic, salt and pepper.

When everything is said and done, you’ll be left with five luscious, juicy snails that soak up all the garlic butter goodness.

“What I like to say is eating escargot is a reason to eat copious amounts of butter and garlic,” Foy said. “What you're going to taste right off the bat is the butter and the fresh garlic. It's also got a nice, earthy kind of a flavor and a smooth texture if it's braised right.”

Foy says around 90% of people who have tried it will be fans of it for life. As for the other 10%, they’ll kindly say it’s not their thing. You won’t know what side you’re on until you close your eyes, take a deep breath and indulge in a big bite.

“During our happy hour, it's $7 to get five little pieces, Foy said. “Come by, waste $7 and figure out which camp you're in.”

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get a beef tongue sandwich at Kneller’s Deli

You have to walk into Kneller's Deli, at 2545 E. Speedway, bright and early on Tuesday morning, or you can forget about leaving with chicken liver.

The containers of freshly made chicken liver have to be replenished every two days, thanks to the high demand for this Jewish specialty.

When making this traditional dish, owner Jeremy Kneller-Hernandez keeps it old school. Chicken liver, chicken schmaltz (which is made in house), caramelized onions, parsley, salt, pepper and a little bit of oil are thrown on a pan and cooked to perfection.

The final product will be a nice, thick spread that goes well with bagel chips or smeared on a freshly baked bagel.

“People come in once a week and grab a little container,” Kneller-Hernandez said. “They'll either eat it here with some bagel chips that we make here, or they'll take it home and use it on a bagel.”

I know what you’re thinking if uninitiated: what on earth could chicken liver taste like? Kneller-Hernandez describes it as very irony, but don’t worry, he makes sure to brighten it up with fresh herbs and tops it off with boiled egg to give the dish more of a refreshing balance.

“It's a very acquired taste,” Kneller-Hernandez said. “Not a lot of people tend to like it on the first try, but it's a more nostalgic thing. I think people growing up with it tend to understand that flavor.”

Chicken liver has been such a hit at the deli, Kneller-Hernandez is planning on adding some more chopped liver-centered dishes to the menu, including a mini charcuterie board that comes with the  beloved spread.

Too scared to try chicken liver? What about a beef tongue sandwich!

In Kneller's glass case up front, you can spot a whole chunk of beef tongue for sale, courtesy of Vera Earl Ranch in Sonoita.

Kneller-Hernandez makes sure the beef tongue sandwich the deli makes in house has all the same flavors as the ones Back East.

First, he brines the tongue, boils it, cleans it, and boils it again with some spices and a touch of vinegar. When it’s finished, it’s ready to be put on a sandwich and served to a hungry customer.

“It's really juicy meat, very flavorful. It's delicious,” Kneller-Hernandez said. “You barely have to season it because it has so much flavor.”

El Rustico’s tripe tacos are udderly amazing

For Juan Almanza, cabeza and lengua are for breakfast and tripas are saved for lunch.

Since he was 7 years old, Almanza has been making tripas, a taco that’s made with tripe, a.k.a. the stomach lining of a cow. As a kid, he’d attentively watch his neighbor craft tripa tacos, soaking in all his cooking knowledge.

Years later, Almanza was showing off those skills at the Tohono O’odham Swap Meet, where he made delicious birria tacos. At an event he was catering, he was asked to make tripa tacos, so he whipped them up and was met with glowing reviews.

He decided to start offering tripas at the swap meet as well. No surprise, they were a hit. When he eventually opened his brick-and-mortar, El Rustico at 2281 N. Oracle Road, he made sure to put tripas on the menu.

“The tripas were a big sensation,” Almanza said. “Sometimes I’d have to make 150 pounds of it.”

Almanza first cleans the tripe nicely, boils it and throws it in the fryer with a pinch of salt in order to get a crispy, crunchy exterior. It’s then ready to be laid on top of a homemade corn tortilla and devoured in seconds.

While some people may like their tripas on the tender side, Almanza recommends getting them extra crispy for maximum deliciousness.

Though the thought of stomach lining may be unnerving, the taste of Almanza’s tacos will wash away all those fears. The tripas have a rich, savory taste that’ll have you craving more. The golden, crispy exterior pairs nicely with the slightly chewy interior, similar to a chicharron.

(FYI: El Rustico has my favorite tripa tacos in town!)

From birria to tripa tacos, Almanza can make anything into the most scrumptious taco you’ve ever had.

Other unusual dishes around Tucson

Looking to try even more unique food? Here’s a list of few of interesting dishes you can find in town.

At The Parish, 6453 N. Oracle Road, you can get Hot Legs Le’Jean, a.k.a. black pepper and horseradish rubbed frog legs wrapped in bacon.

Bamboo Noodle House, 2920 N. Oracle Road, has braised pig feet on their menu.

Want to try more tongue? Tacos Apson, 3501 S. 12th Ave., has lengua tacos.

Are you a fan of cabeza (beef head) tacos like me? I’d suggest trying the ones at Taqueria Juanitos, 708 W. Grant Road. So good! 

Dante’s Fire isn’t the only place to get escargot. Check out Le Rendez-vous, 3844 E. Ft. Lowell Road, for all of your French dining cravings.