What is great about Italian food—I mean really great Italian food—is its simplicity: A little tomato, a little olive oil, a little garlic, a little oregano, a little pasta and boom, you've got a fantastic meal.

What makes exceptional Italian food, though, is love.

If you've ever had the good fortune to be invited to dinner at the home of an Italian-American family, you know what I'm talking about. It's momma's-gonna'-pinch-your-cheek-and-tell-you, "Eat more - what, you don't like my food?" good.

When it comes to Italian restaurants, it's not that they have to make you believe you're part of the family. But I'll take a simple Italian place where they love their marinara so much that they simmer it for hours and feed the souls of their guests over an upscale place with fancy plate presentations any time.

Ascolese's Italian Restaurant, in the Samaniego House by the Tucson Convention Center, provided my girlfriend, her father and me that exceptional Italian experience for Father's Day last night.

Here are a few Father's Day Specials that didn't make it into this week's Noshing Around. Father's Day is Sunday, June 21; reservations are highly recommended.

Barrio Grill (135 S. Sixth Ave.; 629-0191) will have a mesquite-grilled 18-ounce porterhouse topped with Tecate Cholula Vidalia onion rings and a baked potato stuffed with garlic, spinach, cheddar and sour cream ($30), or king crab legs in a citrus bouillon, served with basil infused butter ($32).

Chad's Steakhouse (3001 N. Swan Road; 881-1802) will have a New York strip, three Guaymas shrimp, beans, cheesy bread and ice cream ($19.95).

The Cup Cafe at Hotel Congress (311 E. Congress St.; 622-8848) will have steak and eggs ($12.50) or a cannibal omelet ($10.50) for breakfast; a pastrami burger ($10.50) and prosciutto grinder with Willcox tomatoes ($7.50) for lunch; and a grilled filet and stuffed onion ($24), pan seared trout ($17) or bourbon raspberry barbecue chicken ($18) for dinner.

At Maynards Market and Kitchen (400 N. Toole Ave.; 545-0577) it's a 12-ounce dry-aged Angus beef ribeye wrapped in bacon and a twice-baked potato, salad and a 22-ounce beer for $36. (Those dining with dad get $2 off their meal if dad orders this special.)

Jonathan's Cork (6320 E. Tanque Verde Road; 296-1631) has surf and turf ($35) and veal Oscar ($29).

Hifalutin Rapid Fire Western Grill (6780 N. Oracle Road; 297-0518) has a 12-ounce New York strip with fixings ($21.95).

Bluefin Seafood Bistro (7053 N. Oracle Road; 531-8500) has a Maine lobster, 6-ounce tenderloin and fixings ($35.)

And if you REALLY wants to treat dad to some killer barbecue this weekend, head over to Juneteenth Festival on Saturday, June 20, at Kennedy Park (3700 S. Mission Road). Boss Hogg—the barbecue outfit that's manned the grills at the festival for 39 years—will again work their magic this year, and they do not disappoint.

Remember the Bum Steer? Honestly, I thought it was still closed.

I know I'm not the only one who was more than a little surprised to see the posting on StarNet's home page today: "Original 1974 menu prices at Tucson's Bum Steer today."

Basically, this Tucson institution of our youth (Anybody else with me on fuzzy White Wednesday memories in college?), is celebrating its 35th anniversary by offering a half pound burger and fries for $1.89—along with other ridiculously low menu items like an 8 ounce sirloin steak for $4.99—until 11 tonight for two cans of food for the Community Food Bank.

That was all I needed: I talked my East Coast co-worker into stopping by Safeway and heading down for lunch.

I was rewarded with a trip in the Wayback Machine and a fairly decent burger.

Krispy Kreme doughnuts are on their way back to Southern Arizona.

Now I know a lot of you are still a little pissed off about the untimely bankruptcy filing that closed both of our Krispy Kreme locations back in 2006, but this time, Doughnut Dan is at the helm, and he's apparently one well-rounded doughnut dude.

Dan Brinton says he'll open the doors to his new Krispy Kreme location in Marana at 8260 N. Cortaro Road, Suite 112, on the morning of Tuesday, June 23. It should go flawlessly, considering that all Brinton's done over the past year has seemingly involved opening Krispy Kreme locations.

Brinton has been up to his elbows in glaze and sprinkles, opening seven stores in Arizona in 13 months. Opening any business takes dedication—and opening seven stores during a recession, well that's just plain, ahem, dough-nuts.

As for that grand opening: The first 100 lobby customers who have added Doughnut Dan as a Facebook friend (bring a printout as proof) will get a free doughnut and 12-ounce coffee every day for a year. The first 24 people in line will also get a chance to dig through a heap of sprinkles in an attempt to win a year's supply of doughnuts.

Some say that cleanliness will get you closer to godliness, but it's filthiness that'll score you a new grill thanks to a contest being put on by Barbecue World.

The contest—which ends Saturday, July 4—offers a bulletproof excuse to not have to clean up after one's self, which is a secret desire of any barbecue nut worth his sauce.

So lay down thine wire brushes and scrapers this Memorial Day weekend, and let the funk in.

Here's the text from the press release with more details:

BARBECUE WORLD HOLDS CONTEST FOR TUCSON’S DIRTIEST GRILL

Tucson, Arizona — With the grilling season now in full force, Barbecue World is looking for the dirtiest, grimiest, greasiest grill in Tucson — and will award the owner with a brand-new $1,000 barbecue island or $800 to Barbecue World.

“My favorite thing about summer is the barbecues. But after a good long summer, those grills get pretty dirty,” said George Holley, owner of Barbecue World and 15-year veteran of the barbecue business. “This is a great opportunity for Tucson’s dirty grill owners to win a clean new grill. And a clean grill is important when it comes to great tasting food.”

Barbecue World will award the Contest’s second place winner with

I just got off the phone with Steven Schultz, owner of Red Sky New American Cuisine and Catering at 2900 N. Swan Road, Suite 100, and he confirmed that he closed the eatery Sunday.

Schultz had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for Red Sky months ago, and he said today that it recently became apparent that it was no longer possible to operate the restaurant and his other eatery, Luna
Bella, which is located a stone's throw from Red Sky at 2990 N. Swan Road, Suite 145.

Some of the employees at Red Sky are now looking for work; others were offered jobs at Luna Bella, Schultz said. He said he'll continue to cater events, running all catering operations out of Luna Bella.

There, that's the bad news. Now for the good stuff.

Schultz has worked up a new menu at Luna Bella, and many Red Sky faves are on it, and for lower prices than they fetched at the now-shuttered eatery.

Schultz is also introducing new specials at Luna Bella (www.lunabellarestaurant.com; 325-3895), to include a seafood buffet, date night specials featuring multiple courses for two for less than $40, and other wallet-friendly deals.

VinTabla (2890 E. Skyline Drive) — which was recently renamed VinTabla Grill — will close for the summer, says executive chef Bruce Yim.

“The economy is a big part of it and we’re coming up to the slow part of the season,” said Yim, who also heads up the eatery’s sister restaurant in Marana, Dove Mountain Grill at 12130 N. Dove Mountain Blvd., Suite 194.

Yim said he was unsure what the exact dates of the closure would be, adding that he was "shopping around" for a smaller venue for VinTabla as well.

Dove Mountain Grill will remain open, but may soon lose one day of service per week, Yim said.

Remember to sponsor your favorite local eateries, especially during recessions, or else afterward only the chains will be left. Cheers!

It's time again for the annual Dine Out for Safety night. This Wednesday, April 29, restaurants across the city will be setting aside a portion of their profits to benefit the Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault.

Details here.