Editor’s Note: Harvest on River is Closed due to a lease dispute. Please visit Harvest in Oro Valley until they find a new venue.
There are two Harvest Restaurants in Tucson. The menu is the same. Their mission is a focus on fresh local food; Grass-fed beef burgers, and local produce.
One week not long ago, Ms. Karen & Ms. Sue went to Harvest Restaurant. They each ordered a salad. Ms. Karen ordered the Gorgonzola salad. Organic field greens tossed in gorgonzola vinaigrette dressing w/all-natural grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, onions, grapes, roasted corn, gorgonzola cheese & roasted pine nuts (11.90). Ms. Sue ordered her favorite. A Caprese Salad: organic field greens, local organic tomatoes, house-made mozzarella, drizzled w/ aged balsamic reduction topped with fresh basil ($11.90). You can read Ms. Karen’s review here.
They both raved about their salads. But being served at an adjacent table were some burgers & fries. Karen took notice. They looked SOOO good. OF course they did. She was having a salad. And she mentioned the burgers when she arrived home and said we need to go back to Harvest and partake of their burgers.
So the following week, Ms. Karen invited neighbor Roy and me to join her for a Harvest burger. We arrived early, parked on the upper parking area and were seated immediately. Drinks were ordered. Ms. Karen & I ordered Sauvignon Blanc from Washington state, the Haymaker, ($5). Roy ordered his standard hot tea.
Ms. Karen ordered a Brandy Burger: grass fed beef, aged sharp white cheddar, caramelized red onions, local organic tomatoes & organic field greens drizzled w/ house-made brandy sauce served w/ house-made cumin-parsley fries ($12.90)
Roy ordered Quiche Loraine with potatoes. He has a house guest that won’t eat anything but burgers. I ordered the Truffle Mushroom Melt with the same fries as Ms. Karen: grass fed beef, topped with sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions drizzled in truffle oil, fontina cheese & roasted garlic spinach truffle aioli on grilled multigrain bread ($13.90).
When first served, we were immediately impressed with the size of our burgers. These babies were for a well-honed appetite. Karen could only finish half of hers. I consumed all of mine. They were top grade delicious.
Karen declared her burger to be better than Zinburger. I had her other half for dinner that evening and agreed, although I would order the Truffle Burger again, and Ms. Karen would reorder the Brandy Burger.
The steak fries were to die for. Never have I had chips this good. Crisp and flavorful. The ketchup was housemade, sweet with a touch of red pepper. Ms. Karen had to inquire about it. I hear they serve Fish and Chips on Wednesdays and Sundays. My favorite. We are definitely going back for those. I wonder if the chips are different. We will let you know.
Roy said he enjoyed his quiche and cup of tea, after a week of non-stop burgers. The service was very good and the bill was most reasonable. For Harvest burgers, we rate them five saguaros, best of the best. Harvest now goes on our list of Ten Best Burgers in Tucson.
