Italian memory in Tucson-Can you help?

[noseyrosey]

I need some help....a couple summers ago I ate at this great italian place in Tucson. Next week I am returning and would love to eat at the same place, but I can not remember the name or exactly how to get there. The place was in the 'northern' part of town and I seem to remember that it was in front of or next to a ?hotel?. It was not a huge place but also not a hole in the wall. They had great wine (probably the reason I don't remember the name) and super food. Any ideas?

[noseyrosey]

Thank you for all the help! I will be there next week and Vivace sounds like the place. What is the average diner cost there? Will I need reservations for mid week dining?

[lawyerbriefs]

Entrees run from about $12-28, with appetizer in the $9-15 range. I'd recommend reservations, even mid-week in the summer. I find Vivace to be about as tough a place to get into as any in town. It also seems to be everybody's No. 1 choice.

[Dave Peters]

Your description (north, near hotel) sounds like Vivace's which serves northern Italian food and very highly recommended.

[lawyerbriefs]

I remain confident that you are remembering Vivace. Do yellow faux painted walls and "old world" pieces of furniture register with you? A beautiful bar with wines hanging from racks on the walls?

Bottom line: even if Viace is not the place you recall, you won't go wrong there at all!!!

[Booklegger451]

Certainly, if someone took you there specifically, especially to impress you, Vivace would be the place.

[Booklegger451]

Rosey,

Tell me a bit about the hotel... was it a resort, or a stand-alone business hotel? Big or small?

Also, tell me a bit about the meal. Do you remember if the wine list was small, with many outstanding bottles, or voluminous? Was the menu a pasti/primi/secundi style Italian affair, or a more traditional appetizers/salads/entree's American menu?

[noseyrosey]

The hotel was a stand alone business hotel. The 'chain' type hotels--semi large. Someone whom I was with order the wine so I never looked at the list--as for the menu it was not your spaghetti and meatballs type menu. Does that help?

[Booklegger451]

Sure does. I have a couple of suspects. I'm going to see if I can't track down (or take) pictures.

[Booklegger451]

On the North side, near chain business hotels, these restaurants come to mind:

Conti's

Michelangelo (though, as I recall, this IS a spaghetti and meatball type Italian place... but it's been years since I was there)

Tavolino (Maybe... it's in a strip mall, with hotels about a half mile both north and south)

Vivace (by the Windmill Inn at St Phillips... not really a chain business hotel, but close enough for memory)

[lawyerbriefs]

My best guess is also Vivace.

[donald]

"Great Italian place in Tucson" I immediately think of Vivace. Located in St. Philip's Plaza - Campbell and River Road. And there is a hotel next to their building. And, of course, super food!