Another Year, Another Adventure

Between welcome week, classes starting, rush and adjusting to junior year, I'll admit I've been slow to writing a post.

In order to celebrate being back in Ann Arbor, Julie, Sam and I decided that Seva was appropriate for the occasion. Although I've written about Seva before, I knew that one post would not be enough to give this restaurant the much needed attention it deserves.

A vegan and vegetarian's delight, Seva's food is so good that it can convince any meat-eater to put aside their carnivorous cravings for the evening. Every time the three of us go, we always say that we'll venture outside of our regular orders and explore the other delicious looking options on the menu...and every time we give into old (but good) habits and order the classic dishes we love most.

Here's some of our favorites:

ENSALADA

[romaine, tempeh, corn-cilantro-lime salsa, cheddar jack cheese

guacamole, sour cream, pepitas, corn tortilla strips]

CILANTRO PEANUT STIR-FRY

[broccoli, red & yellow peppers, mushrooms, mung sprouts, green onions, carrots, brown rice, roasted peanuts, cilantro-peanut-ginger-lime sauce]

RENNIE'S PEANUT KALE SALAD

[hearty kale, carrots, butternut squash, red peppers, peanut-cider marinade]

Cost? Most dishes range between $10-15 dollars and are very filling - you won't be missing the meat. If you want a heartier meal, I'd suggest adding a tempeh patty for an additional $4, it's worth the cost.

Atmosphere? My true favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor - a hip, relaxed crowd that never falls short of any expectation.

Best dish? See our favorites above, I'll let you be the judge.

Seva
314 E. Liberty Street, Ann Arbor MI

And to top off our delicious and satisfying meal, we caught a ride home on The Conference Bike - a red circular apparatus that has seating for six and a round handlebar in the middle, with one man steering. The owner hangs out by the restaurant, Mani, right down the street from Seva. For $5 per rider, this bike is worth every penny - just make sure to have a camera on hand.

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!

A Locally-Grown and Locally-Sourced Breakfast

A little more than three years ago, a unique and sustainable way of serving food to local community members was conceived. Selma Café was “envisioned as a center, a hub, a heart of the many ongoing efforts to improve our lives through community building, free access to affordable, healthy foods, and to foster right-livelihood in vocations with meaning and purpose” (www.repastspresentandfuture.org). Each week, Selma Café features an array of locally grown breakfast dishes prepared by local chefs and volunteers. Although you won’t be met with a bill at the end of your meal, suggested donations are $10-15 for breakfast. Selma is an all-volunteer operation and all proceeds go directly to the local farmers and producers that supply the ingredients and to non-profit groups working to expand access to healthy, sustainable food resources.

In light of Selma Café’s recent showcase at the University of Michigan TEDx this April, Sam, Julie, Ben, Zack and I decided to visit Selma to find out for ourselves what all the talk was about.

What to know about Selma Café before heading over:

You won’t find Selma located on State Street, Main Street or near any of the other restaurants in the Ann Arbor area. This is because Selma Café is hosted at the home of Lisa Gottlieb and Jeff McCabe on 722 Soule Boulevard in Ann Arbor.  Also, be ready for an early breakfast. Selma Café is open from 6:30-10:00am every Friday, but I suggest getting there early because food runs out quick and every entrée is worth trying!

We managed to brave the dreaded early Friday morning wake up and got to Selma around 8:00am, just in time to beat the second wave of breakfast rush. Although we had to wait anxiously for 30 minutes for enough seats to clear, during our wait we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to meet Jeff and Lisa, and speak with them further about their experience at TEDx.

Once we were finally seated, we decided the only way to get the full Selma Café experience was by trying out all of the dishes on the menu that week:

Here’s how our Selma experience went:

If you're looking to support the local, sustainable food movement and you're craving something different than the usual breakfast places by U of M campus - I'd definitely advise checking out Selma Cafe, it's worth the early Friday wakeup.

Here's their website if you want to find out more about the mission of Selma and what's on the menu for this week: http://www.repastspresentandfuture.org/site/fmselma/

Not Your South U Sushi Place

I’ve always been a Sadako fan, minus the occasional trip to Ayaka, Totoro or Sushi.com when I’m craving something different. However, with sophomore year coming to a close, Sam, Julie and I thought it was time to step out of our sushi comfort-zone and venture down by Main Street with a mission of finding a great new sushi place.

Mission accomplished. Located at 106 S. 1st Street in Ann Arbor, Miki's enormous sushi menu has enough variety to satisfy all kinds of sushi-lovers and it's safe to say it has now become my favorite sushi place.  

Looking for something sweet? There's a roll for that.

Ever wish you could see a sushi roll lit on fire? There's a roll for that. 

Want something deep fried? There's a roll for that. 

Ordering enough sushi to fill a sushi boat - but want the boat to light up? ...Miki does that too. 

So here's how our Miki experience went:

(Pictured rolls: Mango Fiesta roll, Crazy Boy Roll, Caterpillar Roll, Pacific Roll and Kiss of Fire Roll)

And to top it off ... the Diablo roll... Shrimp tempura, crab, avocado and cucumber inside. Topped with spicy scallop. Baked in oven and drizzled with eel sauce. 

Cost? The quality of the sushi is reflected by the cost. While most specialty rolls more expensive - between $12-14 - classic rolls are between $4-6. If you're not into sushi, most kitchen entree's average $15.


Atmosphere? Relaxed, yet upscale. Not quite as fancy as the Main Street restaurants but definitely a few steps up from places on South U or State Street. Great service.


Best dish? Hands down the Diablo Roll. I have never been a fan of baked rolls - I believe sushi is best when served simple and raw; however, the Diablo Roll has made me reconsider these feelings. This roll is packed with tons of flavor and is perfect for any kind of sushi-lover.


If you want to check out the menu before heading over, click here. 

Miki: 106 S. 1st Street, Ann Arbor, MI

Not Your Average College Late Night

About a year ago I first visited Frita Batido’s and was instantly wowed by their amazing flavors and college-friendly prices. Although this Cuban-inspired restaurant is not located nearby other late-night hangouts on South U or State Street, this should not stop you from heading over to satisfy your need for some late-night munchies.

On top of the savory Fritas (Cuban for “burger”) and sweet churros, Frita Batidos has a new addition that makes this even more appealing to college students – an exciting and varied drink menu.  The drink menu is sure to quench any late-night thirsts. Customers can choose between locally brewed beers, wine, Mojitos and make-your-own style Mix and Match Tumblers. If you’re in the mood for a sweeter drink – ask for a Batido (Cuban for “milkshake) with a splash of rum

On Monday-Friday if you head in between 4-6pm, or the last hour of service nightly, each item on the drink menu is only $3.50 (a steal for the already very reasonably priced drinks).Of course, there’s no better way to complement your drinks than with the other latest addition to the menu – the Chicken Frita. Although my personal favorite is the Fish Frita, the Chicken Frita is a close competitor. Simple yet packed with tons of flavor, this burger will definitely be a great addition to the other inexpensive burgers and sandwiches that fill the menu.

Here’s a glance at the treats Frita Batido’s has to offer:

Ready to late night with a big group of friends? Chef and owner Eve Aronoff recently debuted the “LOVE FEST”. If you bring 20+ people to Frita Batidos any night after 10pm and your group will be greeted with lots of complimentary food and treats to supplement your meal!! You can reserve your LOVEFEST by emailing frita@fritabatidos.com

Prices? All drinks, burgers and side are well under $10.

Atmosphere? Hip, young, inviting and great for large groups.

Best dish? Close call – my favorite will always be the Fish frita with Cilantro Lime Salsa, however if you’re a meat lover, I’d highly advise the Pulled Pork Sandwich.

Location: 117 W. Washington St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104

If you want to check out the menu before heading over:

Drink Menu: http://fritabatidos.com/drinks.pdf

Food Menu: http://fritabatidos.com/menu.pdf

THANK YOU FRITAS FOR THE LOVEFEST!! 

For a snowy Ann Arbor day…

Since starting University Meets Food Diversity about a year ago, I’ve come to realize what it is that truly makes Ann Arbor a foodie’s paradise. From upscale Asian Fusion to inexpensive Jamaican jerk, quick order omelets to cozy comfort vegan food – Ann Arbor covers all territories, leaving no cuisine without representation.

Last Saturday, Sarah and I made yet another adventure to a restaurant that offered us some exotic cuisine. I had been to two other Korean restaurants around Ann Arbor, but Maru – located at 414 E. William St - was by far the most authentic and the most flavorful option of them all. Although Maru doesn’t look that impressive, it’s the perfect fit for any college town – especially in the restaurant haven that is Ann Arbor. Inexpensive, quick and filling Maru is certainly worth the trip.

Before getting into the two dishes we ordered, I have to mention that their sides are unbelievable and could be eaten on their own with a side of rice. The sides are served to you immediately after ordering your meal and they are happy to replenish any of them once you’ve finished (trust me – you’ll be wanting seconds of all of them).

The sides ranged from fresh kimchi (a spicy fermented cabbage dish) to marinated bean sprouts, potatoes and cucumbers. My personal favorite was the marinated seaweed, though all of them were incredible.

Now onto the main course…

Typically, I would not consider soup filling enough to be a main course but at Sarah’s suggestion I steered away from the entrees and chose from one of the dozen options of soup Maru had to offer.

Sun du bu jjigae. Hot & spicy silky tofu and seafood pot.

Duk Gook with mandu. Rice cake soup with meat dumpling.

Although many of the flavors in the dish were somewhat foreign to me, I’d be quick to go back again and try another soup especially as the weather gets colder.

Cost? Most soups and entrees are around $8-9, and this includes unlimited sides.

Atmosphere? Don’t expect too much of a cozy atmosphere…or the fastest service, but the food makes both worthwhile.

Best dish? Of the two we had it was too difficult to decide – the rice cake soup had a simpler flavor, but the rice cakes were an interesting additional. Not at all like the American version of a rice cake, these rice cakes were dense and flavorful. The seafood soup is a great call for seafood lovers, but I’m still eager to try the other soups the next time I go back.

MARU – 414 E. WILLIAM STREET ANN ARBOR, MI 

A Mediterranean Surprise

Looking for somewhere fresh, fast and unbelievably delicious? Located at 307 S. Fifth Ave, Jerusalem Garden satisfies all of the above while keeping your wallet happy. Although Sarah, Julie, Sam and I went out last Saturday night looking to explore a new restaurant on Main Street, we were overwhelmed by the crowds and decided to venture further away, still in search of a good place to eat.  Don’t be thrown off by Jerusalem Garden’s small appearance, the inside atmosphere is lively and the food – when you finally choose from the restaurant’s incredible menu – is bursting with flavor.

Together we covered most of the menu – from hummus to falafel sandwiches and left both satisfied and eager to come back again soon.

Here’s how we did it:

Chicken Sharwma Plate with Baba Ghanoug and Mjaddara with Caramelized Onions.  Broiled marinated chicken breast topped with yogurt garlic sauce, served with fattoush vegetables.

Falafel with Hummus and Tabbouli Sandwich. 

Chicken with Fattoush and Shwarma Sauce. Diced vegetables, lemon, salt, vinegar and olive oil

served with broiled chicken breast and pita chips. 

Fattoush. Parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, red pepper, red onion, carrot, lemon, salt, vinegar, olive oil and sumac served with choice of fried OR toasted pita.

Hummus and Tabbouli Sandwich. 

Baba Ghanoug. Roasted eggplant, tahini, tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, salt. Served with sliced pita bread. 

Hint about the menu:

If you’re feeling a smaller, lighter meal you can choose between the variety of meat and vegetarian sandwiches Jerusalem Garden has to offer. However, if you want a true taste of all that Jerusalem Garden has to offer I highly advise going for the three piece meal. Choices range from falafel, shwarma and kabob plates as starters and are accompanied by two of their incredible sides and salads (try out the fattoush and the hummus).

Atmosphere? Laid-back, cozy and comfortable.  Service was great and our food came quickly – however, expect a wait to be seated, especially on weekends.

Cost? Small sides (which aren’t really that small) start at $3.50, and the most expensive item on the menu – the shish kabob plate, is $11 but big enough to take home for leftovers.

Best dish? Way too difficult to decide, you have to go to check it out for yourself.

If you want to check out the menu for yourself before heading over:

http://www.jerusalemgarden.net/jg_menu.pdf

The Never Ending Breakfast Adventures

Just when it seemed like I had exhausted all of Ann Arbor’s breakfast places, there was one more left that needed exploring (I know that once this article is published, I’ll somehow manage to come across another). The perfect fit for a snowy Ann Arbor morning, Northside Grill provided Jessie, Julie, Jordan, Sam and I with an amazing breakfast before heading off to a Michigan basketball game.

Here’s our take on a Northside Grill breakfast:

Vegetarian. Egg white omelet with onions, green peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and mozzarella-cheddar cheese mix (the hash browns were key, but ask for them well-done)

Our food was great, however, I found that our omelets weren’t anything out of the ordinary and that we didn’t give Northside Grill the justice it deserves. I definitely want to go back soon and try the skillets (a mish-mosh of hash browns, veggies, meats and eggs) or the breakfast sandwiches.

Cost? Although omelets and skillets were on the more expensive side ($9-10), the portions were very generous.

Atmosphere? A cozy breakfast and lunch eatery that is reminiscent of a place you would find in a small New England town.  

Northside Grill is located at 1015 Broadway St in Ann Arbor, MI.

If you want to check out their full menu before heading over:

http://web.me.com/northsidegrill/NORTHSIDEGRILL/Breakfast_Menu_and_More.html

A Vegetarian's Delight

The amount of great restaurants Ann Arbor has that are exclusively vegetarian and vegan never ceases to amaze me. Looking for an inexpensive meal on Main Street before going to the Graham Colton concert last Friday, Julie, Sarah and I checked out the Jazzy Veggie.

Located at 108 S. Main Street in Ann Arbor, the Jazzy Veggie offers a casual, relatively inexpensive menu that will please any vegetarian or vegan. The menu had an abundance of sandwiches, pizzas, salads and entrees to choose from, making our decision on what to eat that much more difficult.

So here’s how we did Jazzy Veggie:

Sweet Potato Quinoa Burger (JV Signature Dish). Roasted sweet potatoes, seasoned red quinoa, fresh herbs, roasted garlic, greens, red onions, red curry dressing on a bun.

Muffaletta. Marinated and grilled veggie patty, tomatoes, roasted peppers, sliced marinated tofu, garlic olive oil paste, red pepper aioli on grilled artisan bread.

Cost? Most dishes average around $8.

Atmosphere? Don’t be thrown off by the restaurants’ appearance – even though it looks like a converted Quizno’s, the food experience is something out of the ordinary and the service is extremely personal.

Best dish? Between the two options we chose, the Sweet Potato Quinoa Burger was definitely the better choice. The combination of seasonings, quinoa and sweet potato rounded out by the red curry dressing made this unique burger a delicious choice.  

If you want to check out their menu before heading over:

http://www.jazzyveggie.com/images/Window_Menu.pdf

Continuing the Breakfast Adventures...

With an eight-day break between exams, I figured there was no better way to enjoy the downtime than by exploring more of Ann Arbor’s restaurants. Looking for a way to unwind from a morning exam and catch up on the semester, Lisa and I decided to check out The Broken Egg.

The Broken Egg is located 221 N. Main Street and has successfully been added to the list of “must-go” breakfast places in Ann Arbor after today’s dining experience. After eating at both Afternoon Delight and Angelo’s, I have come to realize that each of Ann Arbor’s breakfast places distinguishes themselves by the way they prepare their omelettes. As someone who is a personal fan of having their omelette add-in’s cooked into the eggs instead of separately, I was extremely happy with the way my eggs turned out and can safely say that there are enough omelette options to please any meat-eater or veggie lover.

Here’s what Lisa and I ordered:

We both went for the Greek Fetish Omelette: A jumbo four egg omelet sauteed with fresh baby spinach, feta cheese, red onions, green and red peppers, mushrooms and calamata olives. Served with hash brown potatoes and toast or english muffin.

And of course had to split the Banana Walnut Cakes: Three fluffy buttermilk pancakes filled with sliced bananas and walnuts, topped with a splash of whipped cream and served with warm maple syrup.

So how does The Broken Egg rank against the others?

Cost? Fairly reasonable, for a coffee and omelette with some substitutions the bill came out to $12. Pancakes, waffles and French toast range from $5.50-$8 and omelettes are $8.25

Atmosphere? Simple, cozy with a mom and pop feeling. Definitely a good place to go if you’re looking for a casual breakfast that’s away from the chaos of State Street.

Best dish? The Greek omelette was the better of the two dishes, though after going to all the different breakfast restaurants I would still say that Angelo’s omelettes are the best I’ve had yet. A great balance of toppings and egg, the omelettes are definitely the dish to get when eating there.

If you want to check out the menu before heading over yourself:

http://www.allmenus.com/mi/ann-arbor/274897-broken-egg/menu/

Asian Cuisine With a Flair

Sorority parent’s weekend means one thing: time to explore the best of Ann Arbor’s restaurants. Although I had been to Pacific Rim once before, my previous meal was so great that I knew it was worth sacrificing trying a new place. This article may be a month or two overdue, but my dining experience was too great to forego the opportunity to write about it.  

Located at 114 W. Liberty Street, Pacific Rim offers an exotic, yet appealing menu that combines Asian and American flavors. My favorite part about dining at Pacific Rim is the depth of knowledge the servers have about all the food. Nothing frustrates me more than asking a waiter for their opinion on a dish I’m interested in ordering, only to receive a very unhelpful “it’s good…from what I understand” response. Not only will the waiters provide you with their opinion on the dish, they will tell you how each component of the dish is prepared, where the ingredients are from and what drink is best to pair with the meal.

The only downside of eating there? There are too many great options to choose between. The first time I ate at Pacific Rim, I ordered the Japanese-Style Sablefish and while the dish was impeccably prepared, I knew that I needed to further explore the menu.

So here’s how we did Pacific Rim:

Appetizers:

Again, sadly no pictures were taken of the appetizers but of all that we ordered, I’d suggest getting the Pork Confit Mu Shu Tacos. The Mu Shu pancakes were thicker than what would usually be served at a regular Chinese restaurant, but they nicely complimented the very flavorful pork confit.

Entrées:

Seared Big Eye Tuna

Beautiful big eye tuna lightly seared, served with a ginger-miso sauce, wasabi oil, julienned jicama salad and crispy sushi rice.

 

Black Sesame-Crusted Rack of Lamb

Natural-fed Hannewald Farm rack of lamb with a spicy Thai peanut sauce, bok choy and a taro-polenta cake.

Korean Marinated Ribeye

Thin Slices of grilled certified angus ribeye, with sesame crispy rice, sautéed julienned vegetables, jicama kim chi, quail egg and a Korean chili sauce.

Best dish? Not being partial to my dish….but I’d have to say it takes the cake in both presentation and taste. If you’re a fish lover and want to know what tuna tastes like when it’s prepared correctly, I’d highly advise ordering the Seared Big Eye Tuna. The sauces were an excellent addition to the dish and were great with both the fish and side of crispy sushi rice.

Atmosphere? Dimly lit, relaxing and modern. Pacific Rim is a great place to go to with family or on a date – there’s also a full service bar. Large groups beware, the restaurant seems to have limited room to accommodate to groups of over 8.

Cost? Definitely not an everyday place, but great for a special occasion. Most appetizers are around $9 and entrées average $26-29.

If you want to check out the menu for yourself before heading over:

http://pacificrimbykana.com/menu/dinner-menu/