By Rebecca Cook IN THE 1982 book Blue Highways, a chronicle of one man's journey around the perimeter of the lower 48 United States, author William Least Heat-Moon develops a reliable method for evaluating roadside diners. "There is one almost infallible way to find honest food at just prices in blue highway America: Count the calendars in a cafe: • No Calendar: Same as an interstate truck stop • One Calendar: Pre-processed food assembled in New Jersey • Two Calendars: Only if fish trophies present • Three Calendars: Can't miss on the farm-boy breakfasts • Four Calendars: Try the ho-made pie, too • Five Calendars: Keep it under your hat or they'll franchise." While much of Tucson is well-distanced from any blue highway, it's nevertheless possible to find at least two local eateries that would not look out of place along the open road. Even if they presently lack a full allotment of wall calendars. Bobo's Restaurant and Judy's Cafe, both located in midtown Tucson, serve up platters that recall another era, a time before "low-fat" became the dietary adjective of choice. Since first arriving in Tucson more than a decade ago, I've heard about breakfast at Bobo's Restaurant, located on Grant Road just west of Country Club. For a modest cash outlay one could fill up on immense omelets, plate-sized pancakes, home-fried potatoes and solid servings of bacon, sausage and ham. In a time of such flux, isn't it comforting to know some things haven't changed? Bobo's has modified neither its decor, food nor service in the intervening years, and a large and dedicated clientele shows its appreciation by returning again and again. One small change worth mention is the opening of a second location, Bobo's Restaurant II, on Speedway just west of Swan Road. Open from 5 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., Bobo's main focus is on that first meal of the day. Breakfast offerings are broken into four categories: Eggs and Meat, Buttermilk Pancakes (and several variations thereof), Omelets and Breakfast Specialties, an eclectic mix ranging from cinnamon toast to the "flying saucer," a giant pancake topped with spinach, melted cheeses and spices. By 6:30 in the morning Bobo's is hopping, in part, no doubt, because of a Monday-through-Friday special of two eggs, home fries and toast for 99 cents, if ordered before 8:30 a.m. My yardstick in assessing breakfast houses is the quality of the pancakes. The cakes at Bobo's come large, overlapping the edges of your plate, and served plain or with blueberries, bananas or apples. I'm spoiled by my mother's buttermilk pancakes, which are invariably light, golden and rich in flavor. Therefore, I was disappointed in Bobo's pancake, too heavily cake-like for my liking. Halfway through it turned into a syrup-soaked mush, which was none too appetizing. The ham and cheese omelet, however, was outstanding and suitably worthy of "The Best in the West" claim on the menu. Thick, juicy chunks of smoked ham smothered in melted cheese (your choice of Swiss or cheddar longhorn) and folded inside a perfectly cooked three-egg envelope, made this dish a standout. Two lighter appetites could easily split one of these and still come away full. Lunch at Bobo's, if you forego the always-served breakfasts, is limited to a handful of daily blue-plate-like specials. While many people I know would rather die than risk ordering meatloaf in a restaurant, for me it's yet another gauge of a restaurant's home-style quality. Bobo's hot meatloaf sandwich comes atop slices of white Wonder-style bread, accompanied by mashed potatoes, all served in a sea of brown gravy. Bobo's meatloaf was nearly all meat with just a few onions, but it tasted unexceptional and was too salty even for my taste. The mashed potatoes were honest and delicious and real, definitely not whipped up from a freeze-dried mix but smashed on site. What a treat. Another special of the day at Bobo's were the navy beans and ham, served with cornbread and a green salad. The soupy main dish did not have much flavor beyond the ham, the cornbread was on the dry side and the salad consisted of iceberg lettuce with one slice of tomato. Not an award-winning meal by any means, but more than adequate to fill you up. Far more appealing for lunch is Judy's Cafe, which offers a complete lunch menu in addition to a few daily specials. Located just off Broadway near Campbell Avenue, Judy's serves up burgers, deli sandwiches, soups and sandwiches as well as heartier mid-day meals. There was but one calendar on the wall at Judy's (Tucson firefighters), but some wall-sized motorcycle renderings were very encouraging. While the burgers floating past our table looked and smelled scrumptious, my companion and I opted for more serious diner fare the day we visited. I tried the chicken-fried steak while my friend could not resist the fried chicken special of the day. The chicken-fried steak was tasty, although a bit too browned and overdone, making it slightly dry, a fact that was accentuated by the minuscule amount of gravy. Judy's mashed potatoes were the genuine article also, and the salad, which again featured iceberg lettuce, at least had a few cucumbers thrown in for good measure and came with the best tasting blue cheese dressing I've had in a long time. The fried chicken was absolutely delicious, cooked until the thin coating was golden but the meat inside still moist and juicy. Served with mashed potatoes and gravy, corn and a green salad it was a deeply satisfying comfort-food meal. Open from 5:30 a.m. until 2 p.m., Judy's also features breakfasts worth checking out. Platter-sized pancakes are the norm here, too; although seemingly less dense and more buttermilk-tasty than at Bobo's. Instead of home fries, Judy's serves up fresh hash browns with its breakfast meals. The eggs here taste as though they were snatched from beneath the chicken just before you arrived, your coffee cup never completely empties and the service is friendly and attentive. Slightly pricier than Bobo's (no 99-cent specials here), Judy's nevertheless serves up plenty of mouth-watering food at affordable prices. My greatest disappointment at Judy's and at Bobo's was the sorry state of the pies. Both places listed pies on the special boards, and I expected a pastry that was fresh and homemade. Judy's offering was a chocolate cream pie that tasted like packaged pudding mix; Bobo's fruit pies tasted bland, canned and had crusts that were thick and soggy. Definitely not like Mom used to make. In the final analysis: Bobo's Restaurant--2 1/2 calendars; Judy's Cafe--three calendars. With a slight pie adjustment, Judy's could easily zoom to five-calendar heights. Bobo's Restaurant. Two locations: 2938 E. Grant Road. (326-6163); and 4900 E. Speedway (327-0911). Open daily from 5 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The Speedway location opens at 6 a.m. Cash, CH with guarantee card. Menu items $.99 - $3.95 (daily specials can be slightly higher). Judy's Cafe. 2030 E. Broadway. 624-5598. Open 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Closed Saturdays and Sundays. Cash, CH with guarantee card. Menu items $1.75 - $5.25.

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