A week or so ago, Neighbor Roy brought me an article about a new Turkish restaurant in Tucson: The Turkish Grill House on Prince Road. So we thought we’d try it. The problem turned out that it didn’t open until 3 PM. And, it turned out, to be at the same address as an old favorite, the Old Time Kafe. We had not been to the Old Time since before the Pandemic, so we thought we should go again and see what the story was with the Turkish place.

We parked in front of the building where there was both a sign for Old Time Kafe and also the Turkish Grill House. We thought, “Well, this should be interesting.”

Seemed like the same friendly elderly lady greeted us as we entered and asked if we wanted a table or a booth. I told her, “Booth, please.” Then our waitress approached us and asked for our drink orders. Roy, as usual, ordered hot tea. I, as usual, ordered Iced Tea.

When she returned with our drinks, she took our lunch order. As she did, I complimented her on her beautiful fingernails. They were extraordinary, not long and sharp like the younger girls wear them, but more modest in length, but a pearly blue-grey. She thanks me and said she and her daughter get them done every three weeks, and added “We deserve it, we think.”

Roy, to no surprise, ordered the meatloaf with mashed potatoes and veggies ($11.49). And I ordered chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and veggies ($11.49). Mine came with garlic toast. So did Roy’s.

Roy can tell you about his experience.

“This week we thought we would try one of Tucson’s newer ethnic restaurants–in this case a Turkish-themed restaurant new to Tucson. Unfortunately, it does not open til three, so we decided to go to an old favorite, Old Time Kafe on W. Prince Road. When we arrived we saw both signs, one for the Kafe and the other for the Turkish restaurant at the same address; after we were seated and menus presented , I ordered my usual hot tea and their famous meatloaf. Being a “Depression Baby”, we had lots of this meat during my childhood. So at age 90, I feel that I am an expert in meatloaf. While taking my order I asked when the Old Times Kafe would be closing so that the new Turkish restaurant could move in. The waitress stated, “we aren’t going anywhere.” She further explained that, they would be sharing times open. The café would be open from early a.m. til 3 pm, then the new Turkish restaurant would open with their themed restaurant until late evening, a new concept to me.

Our lunches arrived promptly. My meatloaf was a generous slab, slathered in home-style gravy, a generous serving of mashed potatoes, broccoli and carrot slices, firm as I like them, and two slices of bread, buttered and toasted, my dreams of near nirvana cooking in Tucson.

I usually rate this restaurant as a 3 1/2 saguaros–however I will award my first 4 1/2 sahuaros to the owners of this restaurant. The extra saguaros are for forward-thinking: Developing a new dining concept. Think for a moment. All American home-style dining in the morning and a Turkish meal in the afternoon without leaving the restaurant. Given the number of new ethnic food trucks in Tucson, this concept might be encouraged to assist the next generation of restaurants in Tucson–no wonder a food magazine labeled Tucson as having the best cuisine in the US.

Years ago, I spent 2 weeks in Turkey and can attest to its selection as one of the 5 best cuisines in the world. I can hardly wait to visit the new Turkish restaurant. Hopefully, this concept can be utilized by other Tuscon restaurants so as to give a helping hand to the next generation of new and exciting restaurants.”

We should mention the Old Time Kafe’s GIANT Special, called the …

My chicken fried steak and fixings were very good and plentiful. I rate the Old Time Kafe with four Saguaros and look forward to visiting in the late afternoon or evening when the Turkish Grill House is hopping.

Old Time Kafe
1485 W Prince Rd, Tucson, AZ 85705
(520) 293-2324

Opens at 5:30 AM. Closed Tuesdays.