Restaurant Review : All posts

restaurant review

Central Provisions offering amazing 'pop-up' fare in the Bar at 327 Braun Court

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

Music is playing loud, hugging the line between fun and frustration. Watch the bar man measure, muddle, squeeze, shake and pour your drink.

Then consider food, listed on a brief handwritten menu. It's the Wednesday night pop up dinner from Central Provisions, the newest of several pop-ups hosted at The Bar at 327 Braun Court in Ann Arbor.

restaurant review

with gallery: Firehouse Subs adds to fast-food choices on William Street

Firehouse Subs, which opened March 11, is the latest restaurant to occupy a strip on William Street that is becoming crowded with fast-food options, catering to the student crowd.

Jessica Hammond owns the franchise, one of 600 around the country, with her husband, Doug. With a background in food and beverages, the couple always wanted to own their own place, but thought buying a known commodity would be better than launching an independent store. They enjoyed eating at Firehouse Subs in Florida while visiting relatives.

"Firehouse was a good fit for us" and sales from those located near campuses are usually much higher than those not, Jessica said. As a result, the University of Michigan setting was a perfect fit, she said.

restaurant review

with gallery: Pho House: authentic Vietnamese cuisine at reasonable prices

On a cold day, hardly anything tastes better than a steaming hot cauldron of pho, the delicious cilantro- and basil-infused beef noodle soup often referred to as the national dish of Vietnam.

Not only is it healing for the psyche, you can feel good about eating it for your physical self too. According to CNN, Vietnamese food ranks third on the list of 10 Healthiest Ethnic Cuisines, with "fresh herbs, lots of vegetables and seafood, and cooking techniques that use water or broth instead of oils—these are some of the standout qualities of Vietnamese food." Fortunately, there's a new place to get your Pho fix (and also other classic Vietnamese dishes like bun, banh mi, and cha gio) at Pho House on Washtenaw Avenue at Hewitt.

restaurant review

with gallery: What Crepe? offers lots of tasty variations on its namesake dish

The owners of what crepe? in Birmingham and Royal Oak decided to launch their third restaurant in Ann Arbor, since "it was a great area for a great product," said manager Dennis Williams. "There's nothing like it here."

What crepe? opened Feb. 24. The most striking element is the dramatic, awe-inspiring transformation of the space. This was formerly home to a short-lived restaurant called Squares, a plain, open space that served food cafeteria-style.

It is impossible to recognize it now. This welcoming space has the look and feel of a French bistro, with an eclectic mix of design. Gone is the cafeteria setup. Instead, this is an elegant yet casual sit-down restaurant, with hardwood floors, brick red walls and crystal chandeliers.

restaurant review

with gallery: TeaHaus: Go for the tea, stay for the food

Ann Arbor is undeniably a coffee town, with crowds of the faithful paying daily obeisance (and treasure) to experience the mystic alchemy of artisan roasted single-origin expert preparations at any number of establishments. For the tea lovers among us, the pickings are slim. Just one place makes an attempt to elevate the tea drinking experience (minus the irritating self-consciousness of the coffee shrines), and that one place is TeaHaus on Fourth Avenue in Kerrytown.

restaurant review

Smokehouse 52 BBQ adds a new dimension to dining options in Chelsea

Phil Tolliver had longed to open a barbecue restaurant in his native Chelsea. "There's just no good barbecue" in the area, he said. He and his wife, Jenn, owned four businesses previously, including True North Jerky Company, providing him with experience in smoking meats.

On Feb. 20, their dream became a reality with Smokehouse 52 BBQ, a spacious restaurant that seats 174. The restaurant is a family affair. On a recent Saturday night, The Tollivers' 10-year-old son, Nick, bused tables while his 8-year-old sister, Sophia, tagged along with servers to greet diners.

restaurant review

with gallery: Fresh, healthy and delicious food at the new Juicy Kitchen Cafe

I like homemade food not just because it's delicious — I also want to believe that when food is made with love, you can actually taste it. My favorite restaurants in town happen to be the few places where I think you can taste the care that went into the food, too.

At the new Juicy Kitchen at Maple and Miller in Ann Arbor, owner Susan Todoroff writes that her mission is "to nurture people with healthy, creative, flavorful food prepared with love." I don't know if love is what I'm tasting, but whatever it is, I want more of it.

restaurant review

with gallery: Toppers adds another option to William Street 'pizza row'

The addition of Toppers Pizza, which opened in January, has helped turn the Maynard and William corridor into pizza row. Toppers joins Cottage Inn and New York Pizza Depot as well as another recent addition, NeoPapalis.

Toppers is a franchise, with headquarters in Wisconsin. Moe Baydoun, the owner of the Ann Arbor store, is undaunted by the competition. He said he "fell in love with the hip brand" and thought it would be a perfect fit in this college town. What makes Toppers stand out, he says, is that everything is made fresh, with cheese from Wisconsin.

restaurant review

with gallery: New Maiz aims to fill midrange Mexican niche

A decade ago, when dinosaurs walked the earth, Mexican food in Ann Arbor was all about the giant wet burrito and deep-fried chimichanga, and national chains like Chi-Chi's and Taco Bell ruled. But over the past few years an interesting new landscape has developed, where the national chains have largely gone extinct and lots of idiosyncratic, locally owned shops have sprung up to take their place.

In the recent era, a handful of solid and inexpensive taquerias (like Tmaz, La Casita, and Taco King, to name a few) have populated the "low" end of the price range, while the new chef-driven Isalita has taken charge of the "high" end, creating something of a vacuum in the middle. Rushing in to fill the gap is the new Maiz restaurant on Washtenaw Avenue.

Calling itself a "Mexican cantina," Maiz has taken over a 220-seat former steakhouse (and more formerly smokehouse), on the highly trafficked strip between Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor. While their website touts the fact that "Maiz has the largest full service bar on Washtenaw Ave.," the front of the menu claims in large print that "Maiz Mexican cantina brings the bold flavors and colors of the traditional meals you would find across Mexico. Our food is prepared from scratch daily using many local suppliers for our ingredients."

restaurant review

with gallery: The Wafel Shop fills a tasty niche on Liberty Street

Noah Goldsmith was bitten by the waffle bug when he traveled throughout Europe. He took two years to develop the recipe for the perfect batter. Now Ann Arborites can sample it at the The Wafel Shop, which opened in early February. Staff wear T-shirts that say "This is not a typo" on the back. (Wafel is the Belgian spelling).

Goldsmith's partner is Tia Hoffman. She says Goldsmith's background as a Zingerman's employee and a former day trader in New York perfectly complemented her experience running several coffeehouses in Indiana. Hoffman says the emphasis at The Wafel Shop is purely on preparing excellent waffles with wholesome, locally-sourced ingredients. "We use nothing boxed. We don't even own a freezer," she said. She expects this restaurant will be a draw for one simple reason: "People love waffles."

restaurant review

WITH GALLERY: Marnee Thai offers reliably delicious Thai dishes

Holding down a lonely street side corner of the Ashley Mews tower, Marnee Thai seems psychologically far from the core of downtown Ann Arbor, even though it's just across the street from Main Street's busiest block. The jewel-tone interior is rich in turmeric yellows and muted curry reds and warm from the glow of boxy tangerine light fixtures overhead. A line of comfortable booths fronts a wall of windows on one side (although the view looks out on a gas station), and a tiny bar is tucked into the back corner.

restaurant review

with gallery: Blue Wolf Grill adds a quality dining option to Washtenaw strip

For boyfriend and girlfriend Cheri Jackson and Charles Molina, food has been a true love affair. They met in 2007 working at Panera Bread; he as the manager and she as a server. They teamed up with a partner with catering experience to launch a catering business in 2009.

The reactions were positive, with many saying, "I wish I could get this as just an (individual) plate instead of ordering it for 50 people," Molina said. The two wanted to venture into what they knew best: the restaurant business. With the third partner no longer involved, they opened Blue Wolf Grill in Ypsilanti Township last December. "We still do the catering, but the restaurant is the focus," he said.

Jackson said that locating on Washtenaw, a strip dominated by fast food, would be an ideal location and provide an alternative to heading to downtown Ann Arbor to get high-quality, homemade food.

"We wanted to bring something more homey to the area and give people choices they don't have," she said. Blue Wolf Grill occupies the space of a Mediterranean restaurant that had been left empty for roughly three years.

restaurant review

with gallery: Big-city elegance and refined warmth at new Vellum restaurant

A restaurant meal and experience can take so many forms. At one end of the spectrum, the mad dash for fried bits handed to you in the car from a drive-through window. At the other end, the leisurely intellectual consideration of gastronomic experience at a well-padded temple of pleasure and food. The opening of the beautiful Vellum restaurant, with its cardinal red facade on Main Street, has given Ann Arbor a sophisticated new destination to enjoy an evening out.

restaurant review

with gallery: R.U.B. BBQ and Pub brings good barbecue to Packard

A breakfast spot, an organic sandwich shop, a bakery, a coffee shop, and, most recently, a short-lived sports bar all have occupied a potentially promising location at State and Packard. Yet, for the past 10 years, it seems like that convenient campus spot has been dark and shuttered more than it has been open for business. So I was pleased to see lines out the door of R.U.B. BBQ Pub the first weekends after it opened in December.

On a recent Friday night, we walked into a lively, jam-packed restaurant. By 6 p.m., nearly every table was filled, and sports talk hosts from the local radio station WTKA (1050-AM) were broadcasting. WTKA broadcasts live from the restaurant every Friday.

restaurant review

with gallery: Isalita's much-anticipated '100% Puro Mexico' experience lives up to the hype

As an example of how much anticipation has accompanied the opening of Isalita, some local bloggers openly begged for an invitation to the friends and family opening. And just three days after the place opened, foodie friends were already texting to ask if we'd been. Situated next door to Italian sister restaurant, Mani Osteria, on East Liberty Street in Ann Arbor, Isalita's electric energy does feel like the "100% Puro Mexico" of its tagline.

restaurant review

Kuroshio offers upscale Japanese dining experience

A sashimi tuna rose on daikon radish with a crispy golden angel-hair pasta in tempura batter with seaweed dusting and a wasabi leaf at Kuroshio restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor.

Joseph Tobianski | AnnArbor.com

The Wangs transformed the dingy atmosphere, taking out well-worn and stained carpet and installing a plush, patterned one instead. Our table, with cushy chairs, bordered a waterfall. Fresh black paint on the walls and sparkling-clean floor-to-ceiling windows add to the contemporary look. The servers all wear purple ties that match the napkins and table covers.

General manager Alan Wang, the son of the owners, says the goal is to "present the best food quality out there." He says the chefs use the freshest tuna, salmon and meats.

restaurant review

food & grocery: Hana offers well-done, reliable traditional Korean fare

Spicy and steaming hot kimchi stew is wonderful on a cold night.

Photo by Bob Kuehne

With its large population of Korean students and a new(ish) Korean Studies Program, Ann Arbor is a veritable treasure trove of Korean restaurants. However, few of them can claim to have been around for nearly three decades. For that we have to look to Ypsilanti, where Hana Korean Restaurant on Michigan Avenue has been in business for 29 years.

restaurant review

with gallery: Quarter Bistro remains a reliable dining destination

Whenever I drive by The Quarter Bistro & Tavern during evening hours, I notice that the parking lot has few available spots. "We have a huge following of regular guests," says Terry Martin, the restaurant's general manager. He says the secret of Quarter Bistro's long-term success is appealing to as many people as possible. The restaurant "is upscale, but has something for everybody," he said.

It's a massive space inside, complete with a warm, dimly lit main area that reminds me of a cozy family room. There are hardwood floors throughout and booths the color of chocolate, as well as a long bar off to the side, and private rooms. A large space to the right, the sun room (where the Sunday brunch is held) is cheerful, though floor-to-ceiling windows make it a bit chilly this time of year. I prefer the main dining room, especially since the intimate, high-backed booths offer more privacy and are spacious enough to fit a large dining party.

restaurant review

with gallery: Grange Kitchen and Bar demonstrates how delicious farm-to-table can be

Fried Pig's Head is intimidating to contemplate on a menu but mouthwatering when it arrives in front of you. Crisp greens in a tart vinaigrette garnish one side of the plate, opposite the golden deep-fried dome of meat resting on a sauce gribiche of hard-cooked eggs, mustard and tarragon. Cracking the delicate crust of the brioche-crumbed fritter releases a curl of pork-scented steam and a rush of tender, meaty bits slow cooked from an actual pig's head. The sweetness of the rich meat interspersed with bits of crispy crust is heightened by the palate-cleansing greens.

The fried pig's head, says Chef and owner Brandon Johns, is "one dish that explains what we do at Grange: we buy locally and use everything we can." It's a dish that also defines the delicious potential of the "farm-to-table, nose-to-tail" experience at Grange Kitchen and Bar on Liberty Street in Ann Arbor.

restaurant review

with gallery: Have your cake and eat it too - for brunch on the weekend at Jefferson Market and Cakery

Kim Bayer | AnnArbor.com Contributor

Looking for brunch on a weekend morning? Enter the time warp of Ann Arbor's historic Old West Side to find a remnant of the era when every neighborhood had its own little store. Under its classic "Good to Go" sign and behind an old-fashioned brick and glass front stands the Jefferson Market and Cakery.

This neighborhood market and bakery across the street from Bach Elementary School has seen several incarnations, and was known as Schneeberger's Grocery as far back as 1922. Now owner Mary Rusmussen runs her specialty pastry and cake-baking business there, offering soup and sandwich lunches during the week, and brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.