City of Gastronomy, UNESCO Food Source, Best 23 Miles of Mexican Food in the county; these monikers and titles speak to the bevy of culinary avenues available to travel down in the Old Pueblo. Tucson earned its recognition with a vast array of Latin food options, but has been lacking Cuban representation. That void has been lovingly filled by Mojo (moe-hoe), a new Cuban restaurant in Tucson. With the kitchen headed up by Janet Balderas, this novel player in the Tucson culinary scene brings genuine love and focus to a relatively under-represented category of Latin food.
“I had never experienced Cuban food before. So, getting to be introduced to Cuban food and getting to find and discover something that I had never had before was very different for me.” Owner Nick Schaffer spoke about the lengths they went to prior to opening to ensure authenticity and bring the vivacious, vibrant flavor profiles from the Cuban food scene in Miami Florida into the Sonoran Desert. “I think people in Tucson are so used to Mexican cuisine. The main difference between Cuban and Mexican cuisine is that it’s typically not spicy.”
The food speaks to this continued adherence to tradition and clear adoration of the influences. Janet takes pride in Mojo being a scratch kitchen and leans into the ethos of the folks who she worked with and learned from.
Being a scratch kitchen means there are some leftovers that would normally go to waste, but Janet and her team are cooking up some ways to keep the extra food in play by potentially using it over in the bar through making infusions, reductions, or accouterments to make the drinks look and taste match the authenticity of the food.
“Being an all-scratch kitchen, what do we want to do with all the scraps we have? You want to utilize them. Since we use a lot of pineapple in the kitchen, eventually we got together and utilized those pineapple scraps to infuse into a liquor. Maybe do some fermentation? Maybe even some barrel aging? We have that little barrel, and we can charr the inside. I mean, who doesn’t like to use a blowtorch?”
Nico Ramirez, one of the skilled bartenders, sings the praises of the pairing of the Cubano with their take on an Old Fashioned. Their iteration is called the Hemingway and Nico says, “The Hemingway has an acidity from the grapefruit and lime juice which does a really nice job cutting through the fat of the ham that goes into the Cubano sandwich.”
Mojo is located on the northeast corner of Campbell and Grant. The location has been host to a few different restaurants over the last few years, and when the crew moved in they opted for a total to-the-studs renovation. Nick said it was gutted and rebuilt to make their vision a reality. “The only thing we kept was the hood.” The space is absolutely wide open and inviting, with light streaming in from the south wall’s numerous huge windows. That makes the seating feel warm and comforting while still achieving an elevated, dignified ambiance. The outside patio and bar area is also incredibly welcoming, even with the heat of summer looming, thanks to giant umbrellas and some healthy plant life to provide shade.
The spread on offer at Mojo is unique and specialized. First up is the esoteric yet approachable fried Yuca (you-kah). This has, at least for Janet, become their de facto french fry replacement. It has a crisp, bright texture akin to a steak fry a-la Red Robin’s fries, but has a lighter flavor and slightly starchy mouthfeel. Paired with the dipping sauce, they are something folks come back for in and of themselves.
For the next round, Janet delivered a Cubano that is deceptively deep in flavors thanks to its unassuming exterior. The crisp bread is uniquely and exclusively baked for Mojo thanks to La Estrella Bakery and Mojo is the only restaurant in town to benefit from the panaderia’s take on the bread.
For a more well-rounded, big picture meal, Nick suggests the Tour of Havana. This overflowing plate has just about every shade of the Cuban flavor spectrum covered. “It’s a lot of food, so two people could share it and get a sample of just about everything” says Nick. The presentation of ropa vieja, mojo chicken, and lechon asado is almost as savory as the flavors themselves, and is a very nice way to dabble in all the delectable dietary divinities on offer.
Mojo stands to be a trendsetter in more ways than one. The intense passion infused into every aspect of the food and drink, from the spices to the desire to adhere to the principles instilled in them from the source, will set them apart from the already vivacious food scene in Tucson. Hopefully, the success of this venture leads to future expansion and the Cuban vibe seeping into the community. Being able to sit back after a divine dining experience and sip on some high octane Cuban coffee is a luxury we should all be able to experience. All the better to have that experience in our backyard.
written by: isaac stockton
photographed by: isaac stockton