Welcome Back Ann Arbor

With countless nights of partying, going out and good times with both new and old friends, it’s time to say goodbye to Welcome Week and hello to yet another fall semester in Ann Arbor.

Julie, Megan, Sam and I decided it would be appropriate to create a new roommate tradition of trying out a new restaurant in Ann Arbor each month. For our inaugural trip, we visited Seva’s, a vegetarian/vegan restaurant located at 314 E. Liberty Street. Although the restaurant does not serve meat, the dishes are bursting with flavor and extremely filling. The expansive menu satisfies all types of eaters, from the pickiest to the most adventurous and with new specials every week, it’s impossible to try all of the incredible dishes this restaurant has to offer.

Here’s how we did our Seva’s trip:

Chargrilled Vegetable and Goat Cheese Salad   

Chargrilled mushrooms, red and yellow peppers, zucchini and red onions and warm sesame-coated goat cheese on organic baby lettuce, topped with roasted pecans.

Spinach Salad

Baby Spinach with fresh avocado, chargrilled tempeh, cucumber, red pepper, red onion, tomato and croutons, with smokey maple dressing.

African Mango Sautee with Tempeh

Tempeh burger and a blend of peas, carrots and carrots sautéed in a sweet and savory mango sauce and served over couscous.

Cost? With most entrees and salads ranging from $9-13, Seva’s is college-budget friendly and a nicer option than delivery or the café’s on State and South U.

Atmosphere? Laid-back, cozy and very earthy. The wait staff is extremely helpful and friendly and willing to accommodate any and all of your diet needs.

Even better: right below Seva’s is the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase, which hosts big names from the Sklar Brothers to Michael Ian Black.

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

http://www.sevarestaurant.com/menus/Main%20Menu%204-22-11.pdf

One-Pan Lo-Mein Noodles

With my return to Ann Arbor rapidly approaching, I decided that it would be most appropriate to provide UMFD readers with a delicious and healthy recipe that will suit any college student’s cooking abilities and budget. I love making this dish because it can be made in many different variations and still turn out tasting incredible. This recipe is fool proof, especially since it enables you to use any proteins, vegetables and pasta that you have lying around.

Here’s what you’ll need:

-3 tbsp. canola oil

-1 lb. chicken or beef, cubed into 1/2” pieces

-3 cups of finely chopped vegetables (I prefer using peppers, broccoli, onions and shredded carrots)

-1 cup pre-cooked lo-mein noodles or spaghetti noodles

-2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

-3 tbsp. Soy Vey ® Hoisin Garlic (any other hoisin, sesame or teriyaki sauce will work)

-1 tbsp. sesame seeds (optional)

Preparation:

Meat:

1.     Heat 2 tbsp. canola oil in a wok or large saucepan. Once oil is hot, add cubed chicken or beef.

2.     When the chicken or beef has almost finished cooking, add 2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce and mix.

3.     Once chicken or beef has cooked through, place in a separate bowl and drain the remaining contents of the pan.

Vegetables:

1.     Heat 1 tbsp. of canola oil in the same pan used to cook the meat. Once oil is hot, add chopped vegetables.

2.     Stir vegetables frequently to ensure even cooking and prevent burning.

Final Step:

3.     Once vegetables are soft, add in pre-cooked noodles and meat.

4.     Add 3 tbsp of Soy Vey ® Hoisin Garlic and stir through the mixture.

5.     Remove from heat and place noodles into bowl.

6.     Top with sesame seeds and enjoy!

Note: You can use any type of meat you would like for this dish, however, I would advise sticking with chicken or beef, or for vegetarians, tofu. Additionally, you can use either fresh or frozen vegetables, however, fresh vegetables will yield a better final product.

More quick, healthy and college-friendly recipes to come soon!

Summit Welcomes "Pizza Vita" with Open Arms and an Eager Appetite

Watch out Summit pizza lovers, there’s a new pizza place in town boasting it’s own twist on everyone’s favorite Italian classic. Located at 7 Union Place in Summit, NJ, Pizza Vita offers a variety of antipasti, pizzas, salads and pastas inspired by the traditional pizzerias of Naples, Italy. Owners Rocco and Adele DiBiase opened the restaurant’s doors on July 18, 2011 and since then, it has proved to be a roaring success. Driven by our eagerness to eat at the newest local cuisines, my dad, brother and I decided to check out what it is that makes this place so popular.

Here’s how we did it:

Starters:

Mozzarella en Carozza (translation: Olive oil poached mozzarella). Breaded, lightly fried and topped with a fresh, sweet tomato sauce, this appetizer is on the top of the menu for a reason. It is the perfect balance of sauce and lightly fried-cheesy goodness that is a necessity to have on your table prior to ordering any other item on the menu. Take it from someone who is normally not a cheese lover, these are a must-have item.

Meatballs: I’m normally hesitant about ordering meatballs because they tend to have a lot of filler and only a little bit of meat. However, these baseball sized-meatballs, which are impeccably seasoned and incredibly moist, have far exceeded any previous expectations I may have possessed. Served with an absolutely delicious and flavorful homemade sauce, this appetizer will make any meat lover a very happy diner.

Pizza:

Before getting into the pizzas that we ordered, I must mention what it is that sets Pizza Vita’s pizzas apart from all the others. Pizza Vita strictly uses ingredients in accordance with the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association (VPN), which was established to protect and promote authentic Napoletana pizza. Consequently, as a member of the VPN, Pizza Vita only serves D.O.C. pizza, which means that their pizza is made with only soft grain flour, water, all natural fresh yeast, sea salt, San Marzano tomato and Mozzarella di Bufala or Fior di latte Mozzarella.

So what does this all mean? It means that Pizza Vita uses only the freshest and finest ingredients (with many imported right from Italy) in order to serve up their original homemade pie! Once prepped, the pizza is cooked in a 100% wood fired oven for just 90 seconds due to its constant 900-degree temperature.

Margheritta D.O.C.: A classic margherita pizza with a chewy, lightly burned crust that is absolutely to die for. Though simple, this pizza will win over any classic pizza lover.

Padrino: Crushed tomato, hot soppresata (Italian cured dry salami), olives and provolone. A different take on the traditional meat-lovers pizza, however, it is equally satisfying and delicious. You may want to ask for extra bread to dip in the oil that drips off the pizza because I can guarantee you will want to savor every last bite.

Desserts:

All of the desserts are prepared by owner and chef Adele DiBiase, whose pastry background provided a delectable ending to this already incredible meal.

Doughnuts filled with melted chocolate, served with homemade caramel sauce: These doughnuts were light and fluffy, dusted with sugar and served hot. The melted chocolate inside is what made these doughnuts extra special and irresistible.

Despite sampling the restaurant’s many options, we barely made a dent in the menu, and left wanting to come back for more. So head on over soon to Pizza Vita and check it out for yourself! I promise you won’t regret it.

If you want to see their menu and other information before heading over, visit:

 www.pizzavitanj.com

The Jefferson Diner

Location: 5 Bowling Green Pkwy #12 (Off Route 15) in Lake Hopatcong, NJ

The first time I passed a sign for the Jefferson Diner that boasted “#1 Diner in Morris County”, I was not sold on its claims.  However, months later as I salivated over the Moussaka being prepared on an episode of Food Network’s Diners, Drive-In’s and Dives, I abandoned all doubt and made it my mission to visit. Three years later, I continue to make it a routine stop on my way home from days on Lake Hopatcong.

I’ve anticipated blogging about this place since I kicked off the Jersey Diner Series and hope that this review will be able to capture what it is that makes the Jefferson Diner so irresistible.

With a large appetite and eagerness to eat some good food, we took on the Jefferson Diner’s huge menu in search of finding what it is that makes this a Top 5 Diner in NJ.

Here’s how we did it:

Soups, Soups, Soups!

While no matzo ball will ever compare to my grandmother’s, the light, fluffy and flavorful matzo balls were a close competitor and served with homemade chicken broth. I may be requesting some for Passover in Ann Arbor next year…

Burgers and fries:

Before getting into the burgers, I have to point out that when you come to Jefferson Diner, you MUST order the sweet potato fries. Fresh sliced and lightly fried, I advise ordering an extra plate to share for the table. To go alongside our fries, we tried out two very different, yet equally delicious burgers.

The Parmigiana burger, a char-grilled (and very fresh) burger on a bun with melted mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce, with an option of onion rings on the side.

The Curly Joe “Hammy” burger, a char-grilled burger on a bun topped with grilled ham and melted swiss cheese.

Both burgers were excellent, however, being both picky and a purist when it comes to burgers, I’d go for the Cool Hand “Duke” Burger, a hand rolled seasoned and pressed fresh black Angus sirloin, served on a toasted bun with melted American cheese.

Sandwiches:

Simplicity at it’s finest, the pastrami sandwich is stacked with thin sliced, smoky and peppery pastrami atop quality rye bread. A classic and no-fail diner selection.

Greek Dish:

Since watching it’s preparation on Food Network, I’ve been eager to try the Moussaka and thought that it’d be a perfect pick for the Jersey Diner Series. Stuffed and piled high with pan fried eggplant, zucchini, potatoes (all hand sliced) and chopped meat with a light cream farina layer on top, this entrée stole the meal. The sweetness of the light and creamy layer balances the robust flavors of the meat and vegetables. It is served with a Greek salad and pita and large enough to feed two people. ***HIGHLY RECOMMEND***

Although I strayed slightly away from my original meal guidelines of burgers, pancakes, omelets and a Greek entrée, it was all with good intention. Jefferson Diner’s quick service, welcoming wait staff, and palate-pleasing meals are what consecutively makes this diner one of the top rated in the state.

So head on over soon, I promise you won’t regret it.

If you want to check out their menus and other information before heading over, visit:  http://www.jeffersondiner.com/Home-page.html

On An Island Down South...

Although I created the ‘Jersey Diner Series’ with the intention of exclusively visiting New Jersey’s finest, I couldn’t help but to write about an amazing diner experience I had this past weekend while on vacation.

Harold’s Diner, located on Route 278 in Hilton Head Island, SC, proudly flaunts their motto “Eat here, or we both will starve” and is a place coveted by locals and lucky tourists alike. Take a seat at the counter with caution…you’re likely to be criticized and ridiculed for your inability to order properly off of the “fill-out-your-own-card” style menu. But not to worry, there is not a single thing on the menu that is not worth trying.

The experience was definitely something different. Dining with my grandparents, dad and brother at a loud, hearty place was different than any of the gourmet meals we had throughout the trip. But, being the chatty and curious bunch that we are, we attempted to make friends with the tough-to-please owner while laughing over the many funny and crude bumper stickers that lined the walls (my favorites being “raising children is like nailing Jello to a tree”)

Of all the breakfast foods ordered, the hash browns stole the show. Soft and warm chunks of perfectly seasoned and griddled potatoes rounded out our plates of omelets, fried eggs and bacon. Usually, I rate the quality of my eggs and potatoes on a ketchup scale (the less ketchup used, the better the food) and I can safely say, this was a no ketchup meal. The omelets were fluffy, yet had the just-right ratio of egg to vegetable, and all of the breakfast meats were juicy and given a fresh crisp on the griddle.

The only downside? There were so many places on the island to try and so little time, that we were unable to make a trip back for lunch. However, since we dined just as the menu was switching from breakfast to lunch, I was able to check out what others were ordering. The burgers (in particular the famous H burger), the cheesesteak and onions rings all looked mouth-watering good. If I hadn’t been so full, I might have gone in for a second round.

Regrettably, I forgot to bring my camera along for the trip so all the pictures shown have been taken from online. Maybe this will give me a reason to road trip back down to Harold’s sometime soon… any takers?