I think that it's a combination of oven and lack of humidity for me. I've been baking for almost 40 years, and since I moved to Tucson, AZ five years ago from the SF Bay Area, none of my cakes and cookies have been the same. Granted, I also bought a new stove at the time, but five years later and I'm still trying to figure out if it's the dryness, the heat, the new oven (I have four oven thermometers which all calibrate fine but the oven still bakes cookies in half the time they took in CA), the elevation (from sea level to 2600 feet elevation) or what. I'm using the same old recipes and brands of flour, butter, etc., and I'm the same old me, so...

BTW: my pie crusts are all still great, but they cook in almost half the time, too!

If I assume that you've already been to HdS, Westward Look/Gold Room, Feast, and AZ Inn, and want alternatives, perhaps you can try Primo, PY Steakhouse, and Charro Steak.

Primo has the most unusual and varied menu of the three, while PY Steakhouse has a more formal setting and a new menu by the new chef, and Charro Steak has delicious Mexican-ish steaks and live guitar music on Fridays and Saturdays.

I've not been to Daisy Mae's, but my friends tell me it's very funky and that the chicken and steaks are very good.

Thanks for all the great suggestions - I can always count on Chowhounds for the best advice! Downtown has really come up since I was an undergrad. Here's a short report of the past 4 days:

- Great China: Peking duck not nearly as good as I remember from 20 years ago, pre-fire. All of the other dishes were okay. Love the new space, and am used to wearing ear plugs and reading lips at Chinese restaurants.

- Comal: cool space, great service, but the food was meh - lovely, fresh tomato sauce on a mediocre chile relleno, the fish taco was fishy, and the carnitas taco was sad (I live in Tucson, AZ, now, and have great regional Mexican dishes for comparison); the enchiladas were just okay. Will return for the salsas and drinks and atmosphere.

- Mezzo: great new digs, terrific All-Gender bathrooms (this IS Berkeley, and I DO know some transgens persons) and the food was as good as I remember. Don't let the long line deter you. (If you order the horseradish on your sammie, be aware - it's HOT, and I do love hot, but I don't want holes in my throat.)

- Five: this was the only sit-down resto open on July 4 (my husband likes formal restos) and it was a lovely room with great service. I had a perfectly cooked salmon with the best saffron couscous ever (it's usually a pretty boring side) and my husband's scallops were over-salted. They had a very inventive vegan "Pavlova" which he loved, but I would have preferred one with real egg whites and real lemon curd.

On the list for my next visit: Sinaloa, Kiraku, Chengdu, Cheeseboard, Guerilla Cafe. We can't do Top Dog (it's a slippery slope to a 3-day binge, and my husband and I will end up derelicts like the couple in "Days of Wine and Roses") and I've had it with Chez Panisse (I didn't like it even when Jeremiah was there, and I loved his cooking at Stars).

Thanks again, everyone!

+1 for Seis, Anita St. Market, and Poco and Mom's (I prefer the original dive on Kolb-their waitresses are unbeatable). I also like Cafe Poco Cosa and Elvira's (although I like the one in Tubac more than the one in Tucson). The $2 carne asada taco at El Guero Canelo can't be beat (but don't bother w/ their chicken taco or the Sonoran hot dog, which is vastly over-rated, IMHO).

Baja Cafe is not Mexican, but has really unusual, good breakfast bennies and taco- and burrito-ish dishes. Reforma is not very Mexican, but you can't beat their Taco Tuesdays. I haven't been to Boca Taco, but have heard good things about it. Believe it or not, my favorite fish tacos are at B-Line Cafe (and I've tried them everywhere!).

This is too late to help you, but just in case someone else wants to know...my kid moved to Scottsdale a few months ago and on my monthly visits we've managed to find a few good places so far: True Food Kitchen (it's not a date place, though); St. Francis; Bootlegger; Blue Adobe Grill in Scottsdale, Fogo de Chao. Years ago I liked Deseo, T. Cook's and Zinc Bistro, but it's been a while and I'm not how they've held up. It's too bad more locals aren't writing in - I'd love to know more about this area, too.

I second the rec for Agustin Kitchen, even though the food can be uneven. The courtyard is REALLY pretty, and some friends of mine had their wedding reception there (they rented out the courtyard for the evening). Another pretty venue with garden space and seating inside as well as outside is Cafe a la C'art, next to the Tucson Museum, and the food is wonderful.
http://www.cafealacarttucson.com/
Maynard's also has a lovely patio setting a very good food, although it might be over your budget: http://www.bing.com/search?q=maynards...
Good luck, and have fun!