Too Many Carts to Choose From...

Now that sophomore year has come to an end, I can reflect on the year and the amazing times I’ve had with friends and of course – the times spent exploring Ann Arbor’s restaurants. Before heading back to New Jersey for the summer, it was only appropriate that I tried one last restaurant.

Jordan, Staci, and I had heard about Mark’s Carts and unfortunately were unable to make it there before they closed for the season last fall. However, a spontaneous decision led us to Mark’s Carts and before we knew it, we were heading down to the Main Street area ready to check it out.  With an eager appetite and six open carts to choose from, we set out to find which cart would reign supreme:

The Contenders:

Cheese Dream. Serving artisan grilled cheese sandwiches and soup using local ingredients.

The Lunch Box. The mission of The Lunch Box is to provide high-quality, delicious, and nutritious vegan food that demonstrates the breadth and versatility of plant-based whole foods.

Hut-k Chaats. “Hut-K” means “non-mainstream,” and “chaats” are savory, flavorful Indian street food. Their health sauces are based around raw foods like spinach, cilantro, mint, dates, mangoes and lime and they’ve replaced sugar with dried fruits, and traditionally fried foods are baked when possible. It’s a culinary experience of flavors, nutrition and healing by food. (not pictured)

A2 Pizza Pi. Fresh, made to order wood-fired pizza.

  

Although Mark’s Cart was home to eight food carts (two of which were not open when we went), we decided these four were the best options and chose meals that we felt best represented these carts.

The Dishes:

Chili Grilled Cheese and the “Frenchi”. Baby swiss and caramelized onions between two slices of Zingermans bread from Cheese Dream.

Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach Wrap. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Cucumber, Onion, Spinach and Tomato wrapped in a Whole Wheat Tortilla from The Lunch Box.

Masala Puri. A multilayered chaat generally sold in the streets of Bangalore. It is a mixture of potatoes, chickpeas and peas, layered on baked chips, onions and topped with chaat sauces and garnished with savories from Hut-k Chaats.

SPIN(ach) the Feta. Fresh local spinach, feta, mozzarella, oven roasted garlic, red sauce and caramelized onion from A2 Pizza Pi.

Best dish? Before disclosing what our favorite of the four was, I have to say that each of the carts were delicious and definitely worth checking out. However, in the end our favorite was the pizza from A2 Pizza Pi. An elegant twist on the traditional pizza, this wood-fired pie was loaded with flavor and had us yearning for seconds.

Cost? Mark’s Carts as a whole is full of cheap eats – food ranges from $4-$12 depending on the cart.

Atmosphere? Mark’s Carts is seasonal and only open from April-September. Additionally, not all of the carts are open everyday, so I advise checking out the Mark’s Carts website before heading over. The atmosphere is extremely relaxed and has plenty of seating room – perfect for a sunny Ann Arbor afternoon.

If you find out more about each of the carts, or more about Marks Cart’s check out this website:

http://markscartsannarbor.com/

Location: 211 W. Washington Street, Ann Arbor.

Thank you, Ann Arbor, for the food adventures this past year. See you again in August!

Next stop – Washington D.C. Keep following University Meets Food Diversity as I make the move to the capital for the summer!

In Good Company.

With freshman year finally coming to a close, I can’t help but to reminisce about the times I’ve shared with friends over a good meal. My Alice Lloyd and Markley crew have a weekend routine that we almost never fail to break, brunch on Saturday and Sunday mornings. These meals normally take place in the Mojo dining hall, however, in search of a delicious breakfast and an adventure, we moved the crew over to Angelo’s for a Wednesday morning finals week breakfast.

Located at 1100 E. Catherine, Angelo’s has been a breakfast restaurant staple in Ann Arbor since 1956. Angelo’s is known for their homemade toast (I suggest trying white or raisin!) that is baked in-house every morning and can be bought by the loaf to take home.

My personal, no-fail favorite are their omelettes. For our breakfast adventure, we each ordered different varieties of omelettes with breakfast potatoes on the side, which I also highly advise.

Here’s how we did our Angelo’s experience:

Best dishes? Although Angelo’s boasts a huge and varied menu, it will always remain my go-to place for omelettes. Pair your omelet with breakfast potatoes and two slices of raisin toast and you’ve assembled the perfect Angelo’s breakfast.

Atmosphere? Quick, friendly service and small or large crowds are welcome, with optional counter seating. Closest to a Jersey diner feel I’ve had since being in Ann Arbor.

Cost? Reasonable. A complete breakfast (with eggs, toast and drink) will ring in around $11 dollars, though pancakes and waffles average around $6.

If you come on a weekend morning you can expect a wait, however, if you’re looking for carry-out, Angelo’s has Angelo’s On The Side (right next door) that operates with a separate kitchen specifically for take-out.

Check out the menu before heading over, you might have trouble choosing just one dish!

http://www.angelosa2.com/complete.pdf

Where Vegan Cuisine Reigns Supreme

With a cozy and relaxed atmosphere lined with Bob Marley posters, Earthen Jar, is an out-of-the ordinary buffet style restaurant that serves vegetarian and vegan cuisine.

Jill, Megan and I used the warm weather as an excuse to take a lunch break and head down to S. Fifth Ave. Although the restaurant is small, the buffet provides customers with plenty of options. There is an entrée bar, with traditional Indian dishes that are all either vegan or vegetarian and vary in spices and a salad bar with different types of bean, potato and chickpea salads.

You can either dine-in or take out, and at $5.99/lb, it is easy to put together an inexpensive and delicious meal.

Here’s what we chose:

With over 20 options to choose from, we decided to the best approach was to taste test them all. Each dish was distinct and filled with tons of flavor. It was hard to resist going back for seconds!

A great compliment to a meal, or a refreshing dessert, the Soy Mango Lassi is a winner. Lassi is a traditional Indian beverage consisting of yogurt, spices and fruit, essentially a milkshake. If you're not into soy, they offer all their Lassi flavors with a dairy base.

Best dishes? It's a tough call with the entrees and depends upon if you prefer mild, spicy or extra hot. You can't go wrong with any of them. However, the banana and rice puddings stole the meal. They are neither traditional to India nor prepared the typical American way, but they are getting.

Atmosphere? Small, laid back, cozy and a fun place to grab a quick bite with friends. Only one guy runs the place and he was more than eager to let us try out the dishes we were nervous about getting before buying them.

Cost? Only $5.99/lb for entrees and salads. You can fill a container to go or a plate if you're eating in. Homemade baked goods ranged from $2.00-$3.00 and you can also have pita or naan on the side for under $1.

Here's their menu if you want to check it out before heading over:

http://www.earthenjar.com/menu.html

Jamaican' Me Crazy

Since the beginning of fall semester, I’ve passed the Jamaican Jerk Pit everyday to and from class. It took nearly a year to find someone brave enough to check it out with me, but this past Saturday Sarah and I finally made the trip over and discovered one of Ann Arbor’s buried food treasures.

From the front, the Jamaican Jerk Pit appears small, with limited seating on the top floor. However, once you venture downstairs you’ll find a cool Jamaican ambiance with bright colors and relaxed music. The food is fresh and there are a tons of options, even for the pickiest of eaters.

Here’s how we did our Jamaican experience:

For starters we went with Fried Plantains. Sweet, crunchy outside and warm, smooth inside, these treats are fun to eat and are great as an appetizer or as a dessert.

Jerk Chicken. Chicken quarters seasoned with a “secret blend of island spices” and served alongside a house-blend of sautee vegetables and rice and peas, white rice or seasoned red skin potatoes.

Best dishes? We didn’t venture too far outside the norm, but for less adventurous eaters the Jerk Chicken is a good call.

Atmosphere? Relaxed, rastifarian feel, sort of like being in a Jamaican café, without the locals.

Cost? Entrees came in around $11, while sandwiches, pitas, salads and starters were all under $10. Plenty of food for the cost.

If you want to check it out before heading over, here’s their menu:

http://www.irierestaurant.com/menu.html

Jill's Sweet and Crunchy Peanut Butter Wrap

Cereal for breakfast. Sandwich for lunch. Salad for dinner. Lack of variation in the dining hall has come to define the end of my freshman year.

Luckily, Jill saved the day by creating an absolutely irresistible and easy to make wrap. After trying this, a traditional peanut butter sandwich will never taste the same.

Here’s how she did it:

-1 12” whole wheat wrap

-3 tbsp. creamy peanut buter

-1/2 tbsp. honey

-2 tbsp. granola

-1/2 apple sliced into 1/8” slices

1. Spread peanut butter over one side of the wrap.

2. Spread honey on top of peanut butter.

3. Lay apple slices along the middle of the wrap on top of the peanut butter and honey and sprinkle granola over the top.

4. Fold two ends of the wrap inwards and roll then rest of the wrap to seal.

Now here’s the best part:

1. (If available) Place wrap in a panini press, close lid on wrap and allow to press for 2 minutes.

2. Serve warm and enjoy!

Note: If a panini press is unavailable, you can place wrap in a skillet over medium heat for one minute on each side.

Continuing the Cupcake Craze.

Ann Arbor is home to a diversity of food and dessert options and what better way to satisfy your sweet tooth than with a cupcake from Cupcake Station? Located at 116 E. Liberty, Cupcake Station has over 20 different flavors of cupcakes to choose from including: Station’s Samoa, Cookies and Cream, and Red Velvet.

Station's Samoa (Vanilla bean cake filled and frosted with their signature Buttercream, rolled in toasted coconut and drizzled with caramel and dark chocolate)

Craving just one bite? Cupcake Station has mini bite-sized cupcakes that will help satiate your palate without bursting your wallet. Both mini and regular sized cupcakes can be bought in larger quantities and are sure to be a hit at birthdays, parties or for that special someone.

Head over and check it out for yourself, I promise you won’t walk away empty-handed.

A Taste of Cuba in Ann Arbor

Warm and sunny Friday afternoons are a rare occasion during the winter in Ann Arbor. Looking to take full advantage of the weather, Jill, Jessie, Sarah, Jen and I ventured down towards Main Street with a final destination in mind: Frita Batidos.

Located on W. Washington St, right off of Main, Frita Batidos is a modern and flavorful flare on traditional Cuban dishes. The menu is simple: customers can choose between mouth-watering Fritas (Cuban for “burger”), side orders such as twice fried ripe plantains or variations of churros, for dessert. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can top your burger with muenster cheese or a sunny-side up egg. Every item on the menu is under $10 and you are sure to walk away feeling satisfied.

Here’s how we did Frita Batidos:

Fish Frita: Ground Michigan Whitefish blended with herbs and spices such as cayenne and cilantro, topped with lemon-scented mayo. Even better when topped with cilantro lime salsa.

Turkey Frita: Ground Turkey meat blended with herbs and spices and topped with lemon-scented mayo.

Black Bean Frita (not pictured): Blend of ground and whole black beans, blended with spices and herbs and topped with chipotle mayo.

***Chorizo Frita: Fresh ground chorizo blended with spicy herbs and spices, topped with sweet chili mayo. WINNER.

If you want to check it out before heading over, here’s their menu: http://www.fritabatidos.com/menu2.htm

Best dishes? Close call, but I’d advise any of the listed Fritas. They’re the perfect size, filled with flavor and topped with fresh shoestring fries, to round out your dining experience.

Atmosphere? A hip and modern ambiance with communal seating makes this dining experience both unique and enjoyable. If you’re looking for something away from campus that’s still a fun and relaxed environment, this is it.

Cost? With every dish under $10, Frita Batidos is college-budget friendly.

A City That's Got the "Dish" on Pizza

Chicago is a lakefront, bustling city that’s rich in history and lined with sky scrapers. Oh, and it’s also home to some of the country’s tastiest, most diverse cuisine.

For my spring break, I spent a week working alongside 10 other U of M students in Southside Chicago, helping to prepare a 5^th grade class at Neil Elementary for their upcoming state standardized test, the ISAT. While most of our day was spent in the classroom, we were still able to find the time to try out the notorious Deep Dish Pizza.

I had two encounters with this native Chicago dish during my trip, the most memorable being at Gino’s East of Chicago. Gino’s East is located across the city and suburbs and best known for its over 1” deep crust filled with cheese, homemade sauce and any toppings imaginable. Our group opted for:

-the classic cheese

-the “Vegetarian”

(topped with fresh asparagus, green peppers, mushrooms, onions, red peppers, yellow squash, eggplant and zucchini)

- the“Meaty Legend”

(topped with pepperoni, Italian sausage, Canadian bacon AND bacon)

Despite being such a large group we were unable to conquer all three pizzas and gladly took home our unfinished business.

Being a true New York thin-crust pizza lover at heart, I still have difficulty saying that Chicago’s pizza beats my native slice. However, if you’re in Chicago and ready to get a taste of what the city is all about, you need to grab a slice (or, maybe even a whole pie) of classic Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.

Odd Times at Ayaka

South University is lined with restaurants to suit all college budgets. When it comes to sushi, my first choice is usually Sadako, but since it was my last night in AA before break, I decided to make tonight different.

Ayaka is located at 1205 South University, near the intersection of Church and South U. The food was great, and for non-sushi eaters, there was a large selection of dinner entrees to choose from, however, it was our odd dining experience that made this dinner so memorable.

As a party of 7, we figured that it would take longer to be seated in the main area, but instead, we were immediately brought down to the basement where there was one large booth. None of us could figure out why we were being seated down there when there were many tables upstairs open, but we shrugged off the interesting seating arrangement.

Our waiter immediately came to ask us about drinks and appetizers. We enjoyed having such attentive service, until he continued to come back every three minutes to joke about our names, our choice of entrees or to ask us what we wanted. His constant presence soon became an annoyance to our table, and after being asked for the 7^th time in 10 minutes if there was anything else we need or wanted, we realized something bizarre was going on. Was it his first day and he was nervous or trying to impress? Was it the lack of traffic in the restaurant that caused him to linger by our table? And…what was up with this single table in the basement?

After our plates were cleared (some voluntarily, some taken away before we finished our meals) our waiter came by, cell phone in hand, to inform us that we could “take our time” because the restaurant would be open for thirty more minutes. We proceeded to take our time, feeling more uncomfortable and unwanted as the minutes passed. When we ultimately decided to go, our waiter stood by our table, keeping himself involved in our conversation. Overall, the experience was unexpected at a restaurant that, from the outside, looked really good.

Best dishes? Udon noodles and sushi rolls. The udon noodle soup was filled with tons of flavor and large enough to be a satisfying dinner. The sushi fish was extremely fresh and inexpensive, I’d highly recommend the spicy salmon roll if you’re on a budget and want something good.

Atmosphere? If our dining experience was typical to any dining experience at Ayaka, I’d advise ordering in. While the food was good, and came out extremely fast, the overall dining experience was uncomfortable, though I am not sure if it would have been different if we were seated upstairs. The upstairs atmosphere is much more intimate and reminiscent of a typical sushi restaurant.

Treat Yourself to an Afternoon Delight.

Walk down E. Liberty on any given Sunday morning and you’ll find yourself peeking through glass windows, wondering why so many people are standing in line just to get breakfast. Afternoon Delight’s breakfast is truly worth the wait. I finally made the trip last Sunday with some friends while my Dad was still in town. Although the group of us normally eats healthy, we threw aside our weekly “diets” and ordered up, leaving no scraps behind.

Eggs:

Egg dishes were all spectacular. Between the table, we ordered…

-an egg white vegetable omelet (on the lighter side, but perfect balance of sauteed vegetables and egg)

-a smoked Nova salmon omelet (on the weekends they serve with it with fresh poached salmon!)

-a veggie boule (imagine…a mixture of vegetables, eggs and cheese served in a hollowed out French bread bowl or “boule”, béarnaise sauce on the side)

-and finally, smoked Nova salmon eggs benedict (the richest of the dishes, but by far the tastiest. Salmon, cream cheese, capers, red onions and poached eggs atop a toasted whole wheat English muffin, smothered in béarnaise sauce. What more could you want?)

Pancakes and Muffins:

-Blueberry pancakes. The size of a dinner plate, this pancake was griddled and flipped to perfection. At the first bite, you were greeted by warm and buttery yet fluffy goodness with the right balance of fresh blueberries. We shared one for the table and it was gone almost instantly. Ironically, nobody wanted to be the one to take the last bite.

-Blueberry and peach muffins. I’m not sure if the muffin is a signature of Afternoon Delight or not, but it was hands down the best thing we ordered. Order it cut in half and toasted or if you’re feeling adventurous (or a bit indulgent), order it split and filled with frozen yogurt.

Although it is a few blocks from campus, Afternoon Delight is worth the walk AND the wait. For under $10, you can fill up on your favorite breakfast foods…and if you’re still not satisfied, they serve lunch too.

Location:

251 East Liberty Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2120
(734) 665-7513

**they don't take reservations and there's usually a wait on the weekends, but you'll be seated very quickly.

When Dad Comes to Town...

Dad came to visit this weekend and that meant one thing: it was time to eat well. As avid foodies, we decided to turn our trip for lunch into three-hour food adventure in Kerrytown.

First stop: Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market. I’ve been dying to go for months and finally got the chance to check it out. The selection of fresh fruits and vegetables was sparse, which didn’t surprise me because of the weather. However, the market did have a variety of fresh breads, fish, meats and yogurts to choose from. We headed to the fresh breads stand, where we were greeted by a variety of ryes, sourdoughs and pretzel rolls. Each of the breads was freshly baked in a nearby bakery and after contemplating over which looked best, we settled on an iron-skillet baked rye and a pretzel roll. The owner of the stand directed us to a nearby fish shop, where we were told to pick up some smoked fish to pair with the rye.

Second Stop: Tracklements Smokery. The store was lined with whitefish and smoked salmon, any smoked fish you could imagine, Tracklements had it. I grew up around Jews who used any excuse to eat bagels and lox,I had never personally tried lox until I tried Tracklements’. It’s a bit of a hike from campus, but these lox are worth it. Save up, at $10 for ¼ pound,it’s a bit pricey, but I promise you’ll savor every bite.

Third and final stop: Zingerman’s Deli. As if we hadn’t sampled enough already, we decided to wait out the 30-minute line in the cold, knowing the end result would make it worthwhile. Thirty minutes truly doesn’t feel that long when you are constantly being fed samples of homemade graham crackers, house cheddarcheese and curried turkey salad. When it was time to finally make our decision onwhat we wanted to order, we were overwhelmed by theenormous variety of options. Dad settled on “Who’s Greenberg Anyway?”, asandwich stuffed with Zingerman's corned beef, chopped liver, leaf lettuce, Zingerman's own Russian dressing and hand-slice Jewish rye bread from their bakery. I selected “J.V.W.’s Detroit St. BBQ”, consisting of Zingerman's BBQ Amish chicken, Nueske's applewood-smoked bacon and coleslaw on grilled sourdough bread. We shared a cup of homemade split pea soup on the side. When the food arrived we were convinced there was no way we’d be able to finish it all,especially after all that we had sampled earlier. But not to worry, despite our fears, we braved the huge portions and finished each sandwich, pickle and drop of soup to the last bite.