2001 Michelson Interferometry Summer School

Restaurant Guide

With two million tourists coming through every year, Flagstaff is the fast food capital of the world. If you are inclined toward such grade-Z gastronomy, it will be amply apparent in neon along Milton Avenue. Otherwise, there are some better places to eat, offering a variety of choices, and we have compiled the following personal suggestions for your benefit. Prices include tax and tip. Detailed maps of Flagstaff will be included in your meeting materials.

Mexican: Go to Salsa Brava, 1800 S Milton. A wide selection of excellent salsa, ranging from mild to some real fire-in-the-belly mixes. For the entree, try the chimichanga ($10) if you're unfamiliar with Mexican, or try any of the other interesting selections if you've had all the basic stuff. With a Dos Equis to wash it all down, you'll spend about $10-15. Within easy walking distance from the Amerisuites.

Indian: The Delhi Palace (2700 S Woodlands Plaza Blvd) is pretty good, standard Indian cuisine, and within walking distance of the Amerisuites. The vindaloo can be wonderfully spicy or a bit disappointing, depending on which chef you get. Usually around $12, not counting drinks.

Italian: Running from $15-$20 including a glass of decent red wine, is Pasto, (19 E Aspen, only a mile from Lowell). It is Flagstaff's best Italian, with a variety of excellent dishes to choose from, as well as daily specials.

Chinese: Recently the Golden Dragon Bowl (2730 E Lakin, next to Steves Blvd), was voted Best in Flagstaff. It is quite good, with exceptionally polite and prompt service. Expect the usual $10 - $15.

Japanese: Crazy for sushi? The Sakura is the place (1175 W Rt 66, attached to the Woodlands Plaza hotel). This is within a mile of the Amerisuites. Dinner runs $15-$20.

Thai: Yes, you can get Thai in Flagstaff, at the Dara Thai, 4 S San Francisco. Enjoy bizarrely titled dishes such as the Evil Jungle Princess. You can thai one on, too, with the equally strange house cocktails. The train tracks are just down the street, so you'll experience the defining characteristic of life in Flagstaff: frequent blasts from the freight train whistles. Expect to pay $10-$15.

For microbrew mavens: Flagstaff has jumped on the microbrew bandwagon, and some of our better efforts can be had at the Beaver Street Brewery (11 S Beaver). Enjoy the nut brown ale. This place is a restaurant/bar, and you can get a filling dinner to go with your beer. Basic dinners run $6 to $9; daily specials go up to $14. A 4-glass pitcher of beer is about $7.

Steaks: If the Wednesday barbecue at the mesa doesn't seem like a healthy enough dose of smoky red meat from out here in the guns-and-manure district, try the Horsemen Lodge (North Hwy 89, 3 miles past the Flagstaff Mall). It's the best place in Flag to go for Western-style cooking, and they really know how to do it. A nice soup/salad bar, delicious fresh bread, and Arizona-sized portions of barbecued varmints will surely fill you up. It's 9 miles from Lowell, but worth it. The name is probably just what the old place used to be, and it has a nice frontier ambience. With a drink you'll pay $20.

Fine Dining: If you have a few extra bucks, try out Flagstaff's best restaurant, The Cottage Place (126 W Cottage Ave). They can only seat about 11 parties, so get reservations and prepare to enjoy. Expect to pay about $40 for everything.