Urban Dictionary's definition of Tico:
1) The self appointed slang term Costa Rican's chose for themselves. 2)The Embodiment of latin flavor and zest for life. A "Tico" is easily the most amazing person you will ever have the astounding pleasure of meeting. They have a very care free outlook on life guided by the "Pura Vida" saying. A tico knows good food, good women, and most of all good drink. The perfect example is their local beer "Imperial". Tico's can party, they are smart, they are charming and funny. All around damn near perfect.
My definition of Ticoz: One of my absolutely favorite Restaurants in all of Arizona. No, the United States! So glad it's here instead of in Costa Rica! It would be too darn hard to get to and that just wouldn't work for me.
I happened upon Ticoz when I started working for Florence Crittenton and we needed a restaurant to throw a "Congratulations You All Worked Hard" Party for my Store Staff. Someone knew Tom Jetland, Ticoz owner at the time (current co-owner of Switch , Metropolis &Fez). The restaurant was brand new and so was our store so it seemed appropriate! We had our party in the private dining room and it was a blast! There were appetizers and drinks galore. The slider hamburgers were amazing and the tacos were so tasty and full of flavor that I knew I'd found a favorite!
I continued to be a fan and customer of Ticoz and in 2010 I learned that Ticoz had been sold to Joe Wilson. I was in shock! What if it wasn't as good? Tom told me to introduce myself to Joe the next time I went in......so I did! I really loved Joe's personality right away! He is full of energy and so involved in the restaurant that it is now hard to imagine Ticoz without Joe! I can honestly say that even though I eat there a LOT, there have been maybe a total of two times that he hasn't popped in while I was there. I feel like royalty in this place! Most of the wait staff knows me and my family and it's rare that they don't bring our Iced Tea with them as we are seated!
Joe is serious about making sure his customers are happy. I think that's why we get along so well. I've owned and run retail stores my whole life and I know that customer service is tantamount to a great success. Ticoz has this down! Joe knows what it takes to make a customer happy....so if you need something modified, just ask! The staff will help you out!
Okay, the food:
We usually start with Waffle Fries! They come with Cornmeal Chili Lime seasoning which is unique. I eat mine with a mayo/catsup mixture (Hey, if you're going to eat fried food you might as well over do it, right?) A few of my other favorite Gluten Free appies include the Pork Tostadillas, little baby carnitas tostadas with guacammus (guacamole/hummus mixture), tomato, queso fresco, cilantro and marinated onion. Very nice textures and taste.
The Nachos Montana are great as well, but order with caution! The jalepeno slices are many.......House-made corn chips, four cheese blend, black bean, green onion, tomato, jalapeno, sour cream - Choices include:Shredded chicken, beef or pork, grilled chicken, crispy chicken or pork chile verde.
My Vegan friend was so happy that they custom made her some Vegan Lettuce Wraps. The menu offers them with Grilled chicken breast, dried mango, pineapple and cherry, toasted pumpkin seed, macadamia nut, passion fruit vinaigrette. Served with five romaine cups....but the great thing about this amazing place is that they will gladly help with your dietary restrictions if possible!
For main dishes I used to get a lot of burgers but a few things happened around the time that Joe took over. He revamped the menu quite a bit. He kept a lot of items but he changed up quite a bit as well. I ended up becoming gluten free and stopped eating regular burger buns, which was fine because I learned that my favorite thing on the Ticoz menu (and now my signature dish!) is the Blue Corn Chicken Enchilada's!
They have shredded Chicken, Green Chili, Cheese, and a Sour Cream Green Chili Sauce! That sauce is phenomenal! It's served with rice and grilled zucchini but I sub out Pinto Beans for the Zucchini because they are so darn good!
The Coconut Curry Rice is really flavorful and gluten free as well. It has generous amounts of sauteed bell pepper and onion with mild or spicy curry. Your choice of shredded chicken, beef or pork.
The Tacos are really good as well. You get two corn or flour tacos, cabbage, chipotle crema, avocado crema, marinated onions. Choice of shredded chicken, beef, pork or vegetarian. There are some more meat options for an additional price too. Served with rice and pinto beans.
The thing is that you just have to go down and check this place out. There are a lot of other menu items which work for the gluten free crowd. Ask the servers to help you out. You really can't go wrong! Grab a drink too! The Happy Hour Half off Signature Cocktails is a deal and they are heavy on the pour ;o) Try a blood orange Margarita!!!!!!!!!!!! 3:00 to 6:30 daily, currently.
Take a look around the menu and then get your body in there and try it! Tell them that Susan Martin sent you! Have a cold drink and try some excellent Latin Fusion food! Take a walk on the Ticoz side of life! Your tummy will thank you!
Check out their website!
See what yelp says about them!
Want to know what Trip Advisor says?
*Please make sure that the items you are ordering are gluten free and you feel safe with them. I make suggestions on the items that work for me. Be in charge of your own health and be safe by making your own decisions! As always, stay healthy!
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