07/31/2018
Smokey Mo
My wife and I noticed a sign off of 1st Avenue that said Smokey Mo. The parking lot looked empty, however the sign said Open. We decided to have a closer look and we are very glad we did. Upon opening the front door to Smokey Mo the aroma of smoking meats and mesquite brought me back to my younger days. I thought of when my Dad would take me fishing in the woods. We would smoke the fish we caught with similar wood we found.
The restaurant was very clean with ample seating, both inside and outside on the patio. We were greeted by an extremely friendly lady named Bryana. She explained to us the menu for lunch in detail,served daily until 3pm. We decided to split the AZ OG burger,with pepper jack cheese,Serrano aioli,Tomato, and crispy onions. Feeling the need to go further into the menu we also ordered 2 Tacos both the Pork and the Chicken served on a warm corn tortilla with cabbage,cotija and avacado crèma. Feeling that may not be enough to satisfy our pallet we opted for the Pulled Pork with Spice house BBQ, jicama/citris slaw on a sesame seed bun. The Pastrami is a real treat with a 12 day house brined pastrami served with sauerkraut and mustard on marble rye bread. The sides were hand cut fries,Homemade coleslaw,smoked baked beans and house made potato salad.
As we tried each of our delicious smoked food, we found ourselves not being able to put them down to talk. The smokiness of the beans really stood out. The pulled pork was simply the best i've tasted in Tucson thus far with the jicama slaw that complimented the pork far beyong my expectations. The homemade slaw and potato salad were divine with just the right amount of seasoning and dressing. Tucson is known for it's tacos but let me get this said, out the gate. The tacos at Smokey Mo hands down can win a reward for best in Tucson. The tacos mixture of cabbage, cotija and avacado crema was perfectly balanced with no sloppy mess or soggy tortilla. The AZ OG burger ordered medium rare was amazing. The pepperjack cheese complimented the serrano aioli to perfection. Just when I thought i've tried every french fries in the world I meet the Hand cut fries. They were a perfect golden brown with a crispness on the outside and smooth potato taste on the inside, need I say more?
I had the opportunity to meet the chef behind the scene of this smokey goodness.Chef Conor Jensen He has been making people happy with his creativity for 18yrs in the hospitality business. He says he is dedicated to delicious foods and is inspired by his passion for perfection. I would say Chef Conor Jensen met all his goals. We will definatly be returning for dinner service. Be ready to read about our second visit. Smokey Mo is truly a hidden gem Tucson needs to find to satisfy there smoked meats BBQ taste buds.
Smokey mo is located at 2650 North, First Avenue, Tucson, Arizona, 85719 (520) 203-8250
