Wining & Dining in Tucson

My husband and I enjoy eating out and going to wine tastings. So we will be going to McMahon's Prime Steakhouse this Sunday. They're having their monthly Wine Tasting, this time showcasing 15 wines and featuring their usual yummy appetizers. The sampling wines will be available for purchase at wholesale prices (by the bottle or case). They also usually have a Chef Demonstration on how to prepare the appetizers. Admission is $20, and $10 of the admission fee can be applied towards your wine purchases. McMahon's Prime Steakhouse is at 2959 N. Swan Road (at Ft. Lowell). Call (520) 327-7463 for reservations. See you there!

We also like eating Chinese dim sum at Gee's Garden (1145 N Alvernon Way(520)325-5353) on Saturdays or Sundays. They have dim sum every day but on the weekend, the dishes are pushed around the restaurant fresh to your table on carts. In Hong Kong, one of the traditional methods of food preparation is to use one chicken or one duck to make several dishes. The Old Peking restaurant has recently changed owners. We started going there after the new chef bought the restaurant, and the word on the street was that the restaurant really improved. They serve a Peking duck in three dishes. For the first dish, the duck skin is served with thin pancakes, scallions, and Peking duck sauce. For the second dish, the chef uses the duck meat and chopped veggies such as water chestnut to make a fresh tasting lettuce wrap. Finally, the bones are used to make a nice soup with tofu and Napa cabbage. The cost for all three dishes is $29, and it is easily enough to feed four people, although we augment these dishes with a veggie dish such as Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce. Maybe we'll bump into you one day there. Please note: be sure to call ahead if you're going to order the Peking duck or the roast pork; it takes a few hours to prepare them. The Old Peking Chinese Restaurant is located at 2522 E. Speedway Blvd. Phone is (520) 795-9811. Tell them Mei-Ling sent you!