So, my Italian friend Gaetano Cilluffo was in town for about a week, and we went downtown a few times while he was here. Whilst there, we ate at Roma Cafe in the Eastern Market and Angelina's in the Grand Circus District. One is the oldest Italian restaurant in Michigan, the other is very new-school.
When you pull up to Roma Cafe, it's in a terrifying neighborhood. They have a free valet, and an Iron fenced in valet lot, or you can park across the street in the demolished vacant lot, after bumping over the curb. All that seems to be open is this little restaurant, and it's a hell of a destination. Around the corner is the Eastern Market, with some awesome farmers' market fare, as well as one of the best pizza places in the area, but this block is desolate.
When you walk in, the staff is all in tuxedos, and it's VERY old school. Everything is plain, but high class, upscale, but not stuffy. The menu is all of mama's favorites, with spaghetti and meatballs, stuffed peppers, grilled Italian sausage, and Veal parmigiana. Gaetano and I, being the Italians kids we are, ask the waiter what's good, and he says "you're Italian? We'll take care of you. You like veal? We'll put some veal in there!" We had antipasto salad, stuffed peppers, spaghetti and marinara sauce, and chicken Marsala.
The salad was overdressed, but only because they were zealous with the massive amount of amazing salami and ham in the mix. The spaghetti was standard, and ok. The veal stuffed peppers were awesome, but plain. And then the chicken was moist, delicious, and really well done. All of it was our mother's and grandmother's food. Nothing to write home about, but definitely delicious and homely. They charged us $13 for each plate, too, which is incredibly cheap for the massive amount of food we had.
Quality 3/5
Value 5/5
I'd definitely go back, and am already craving the stuffed peppers again.
Angelina's is the new school of Mediterranean cooking. They are a small-plates Italian concept, and they are doing cool things with classic Italian recipes and ingredients at this place. It's very trendy, with big opening windows that open to the view of Comerica Park, the Detroit Opera House and the Grand Circus Park, with the People Mover overhead and an old marquee displaying their name proudly. This building was a theater back in the day, and they play up the space, with a large bar and an open kitchen. Again, this is a fancy restaurant that you can just show up in a t-shirt and jeans and not feel underdressed. It's a little pricier than Roma Cafe, but you're paying for the modernist twist.
Gaetano had his "favorite dish anywhere, ever" again, and we went on his recommendation. This time we took along our other friend CZ, a former housemate, and he and I split most of the dishes we sampled. We got an "Angelina sample plate" of their cold meats, fish, and pickled items in the smaller portion offered. It came arranged on a plate with a lemon arugula salad in the middle, and slices of cheese to pair with it. If I wasn't driving, this would have been ideal with a glass of a dry red wine, but instead the intense flavor of my tea I felt did it justice. It was a great starter.
Charles and I also did a plate of meatballs and a "Californian" pizza. The pizza came with prosciutto, pineapple, and jalapeno peppers, and was awesome for an appetizer price. The meatballs were small, coming in a plate of 4, and were disappointingly dry. It's a shame, because they seemed to use too much in the way of cheese and cinnamon, and it killed the flavor of the veal and pork. The cheese and sauce were awesome though, and we finished them because of the sauce.
Now, Gaetano got the Squid Ink pasta with Scallops. I would have been overall disappointed in this restaurant, serving us some cold items and average pizza, if not for this dish. He let us try a bite of pasta and a bit of one of the 2 jumbo scallops. It's expensive, 27 dollars, but it's WELL worth the price. The pasta is purple/black in the squid ink sauce, and was perfectly al dente. The thing is, the scallops are perfect. Gaetano said when he went the first time, the scallops were equally amazing, and as long as they're doing them consistently, this is my favorite scallop I've ever had, anywhere. Seriously awesome plate.
Quality 4/5
Value 3/5
I'll keep this place in mind next time I'm in Tigertown, but I want to try the other places in the neighborhood. Detroit Brewing Company is right there, and another place called "Small Plates" is also down Broadway. It's a good neighborhood, and I'm always glad to see Detroit come back.
-C
Friday, June 7, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Seoul Garden: An Under-Appreciated Gem
After a 3-week hiatus, I'm back with a new work schedule, plenty of playoff hockey, a couple of trips to Detroit, and a few wonderful culinary experiences. I want to do reviews of these places, after going back for more research:
Detroit Brewing Company (the beer, the food is nothing to phone home over)
B. Nektar Meadery (also just the alcohol, no food service offered)
Motor City Casino's buffet
American Coney Island (and Lafayette)
Fishbonez (downtown, not the suburban locations)
Isalita (kind of hard to not be biased, I used to work for Mani)
But this one is on Seoul Garden, my personal favorite Korean restaurant in town. I go back over and over again, and every time I go, no matter what I order, it's fantastic.
Some menu highlights:
Bibimbop- Simply the best in town.
Je Yook Kimchi Bokum- A pork, tofu, kimchi dish that is very spicy. It's my favorite stir-fry, and their stir fries are great.
BBQ- In-table iron barbecue, for which you can get a number of different meat and vegetable combinations, ranging in price from decent lunch to extravagant. The "BBQ for 2" special is awesome, and has a little of everything, for about 45 dollars.
Sushi- also pretty good. There are better places in town to get sushi, but their's is excellent and has a good price point. The first time I went, my parents and I got a stir fry, a BBQ, and sushi.
The banchan is awesome, and they refill it freely, and they have awesome and inexpensive dumplings and appetizers. Last time I went, my table got a large soup, and they split it into 3 bowls for no extra charge.
Their beer menu is pretty good, with a few unique Korean and Japanese beers (compared to other restaurants), though it's pretty limited. They also have a decent Soju and Sake selection.
I don't have to say much else about this, except if you want a fun experience, try Seoul Garden. It's the best place to eat in the hotel area (it's on Boardwalk, south of town, near 94 off state street), and I've never been disappointed. It gets overlooked due to its location, but it's worth the drive and the price.
Quality 4.5/5
Value 5/5
-C
Detroit Brewing Company (the beer, the food is nothing to phone home over)
B. Nektar Meadery (also just the alcohol, no food service offered)
Motor City Casino's buffet
American Coney Island (and Lafayette)
Fishbonez (downtown, not the suburban locations)
Isalita (kind of hard to not be biased, I used to work for Mani)
But this one is on Seoul Garden, my personal favorite Korean restaurant in town. I go back over and over again, and every time I go, no matter what I order, it's fantastic.
Some menu highlights:
Bibimbop- Simply the best in town.
Je Yook Kimchi Bokum- A pork, tofu, kimchi dish that is very spicy. It's my favorite stir-fry, and their stir fries are great.
BBQ- In-table iron barbecue, for which you can get a number of different meat and vegetable combinations, ranging in price from decent lunch to extravagant. The "BBQ for 2" special is awesome, and has a little of everything, for about 45 dollars.
Sushi- also pretty good. There are better places in town to get sushi, but their's is excellent and has a good price point. The first time I went, my parents and I got a stir fry, a BBQ, and sushi.
The banchan is awesome, and they refill it freely, and they have awesome and inexpensive dumplings and appetizers. Last time I went, my table got a large soup, and they split it into 3 bowls for no extra charge.
Their beer menu is pretty good, with a few unique Korean and Japanese beers (compared to other restaurants), though it's pretty limited. They also have a decent Soju and Sake selection.
I don't have to say much else about this, except if you want a fun experience, try Seoul Garden. It's the best place to eat in the hotel area (it's on Boardwalk, south of town, near 94 off state street), and I've never been disappointed. It gets overlooked due to its location, but it's worth the drive and the price.
Quality 4.5/5
Value 5/5
-C
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
A U of M Campus Staple: No Thai!
No Thai! is proof that you don't need to have that high paying internship or be deep in government grant money to still enjoy a decent meal in the Ann Arbor area. As their website states, in February 2005 4 friends who craved modern Thai food decided to start a restaurant, and they each brought something different to the table. Chef Noerung "No" Hang was the one to put his face and name on the business, and thus No Thai! was born. There are 4 locations, with 3 in the Ann Arbor area and 1 in East Lansing, and they are very popular among the college crowd.
I remember the first time I had No Thai!, and it was at the (now relocated) South University store, that used to be next to campus sushi staple Sadako. An upperclassman in the Marching Band took the freshmen there, and we were all treated to delicious, under $10 fare. Back then, it was only $8 for any of the noodle or fried rice entrees, and a dollar more for shrimp. They still include tax, and they still have the same menu. There are only 4 noodle dishes, about a dozen stir fry dishes, and 3 fried rice dishes. They also only have 3 appetizers and soft drinks or Thai iced tea. It's simple, you choose a dish, a meat (or tofu), and a spice level. My first time I ordered "Yoga Flame," which is half as hot as their hottest choice "Dim Mak (literally "death's touch," I order it every time I go nowadays, even last night), and the Indian kid we were with said "woah, you ordered spicier food than the Indian! You're crazy!" Thus my reputation as a spice hound was established.
Anyway, while this establishment is doing nothing to revolutionize Thai cuisine, they are solid on the sheer principle of consistency. They have been around 8 years, and in the 5 that I've been frequenting them for quick lunch or simple dinner, their quality has stayed exactly the same. This is for better or worse, though, because if you have their food too often, you will burn out on it. They do quite well, and have a high-rent space in the Landmark apartment building on campus (where rent can run $1000+ per student per month per bedroom in a 4 bedroom unit. I think the government should be required to step in and regulate Ann Arbor's housing, because $4000-$5000 for an apartment in Michigan is insanity on a level that I can't describe.) where they've raised prices to $9 for a noodle dish. They give you a discount if you pay by cash, as does most Asian restaurants aimed at students in this area, and it's still as consistent as ever.
The appetizers are nothing to phone home over, but are decent if you want to make a big meal out of it with your friends, and the service is fast and extremely friendly. If you're looking to be adventurous and you've never had Thai before, try No Thai, as it really is "baby's first non-Chinese Asian restaurant," but if you want authentic, high brow Thai, try someplace else, like Tuptim or Lotus Thai (which, after I go back with a few friends will be a full review on itself).
Quality: 3.5/5
Value: 4/5
Caveat: With consistency this is a 4, but the only reason I give it 3.5 is because of how boring the menu is. Seriously, two of the noodle dishes are Pad Thai, but one has curry in it. If you put your name on a business, be a little more adventurous and put a couple of variants in there!
-C
No Thai!
1300 S University AND
226 N 4th Ave AND
1745 Plymouth Road
Ann Arbor, MI
I remember the first time I had No Thai!, and it was at the (now relocated) South University store, that used to be next to campus sushi staple Sadako. An upperclassman in the Marching Band took the freshmen there, and we were all treated to delicious, under $10 fare. Back then, it was only $8 for any of the noodle or fried rice entrees, and a dollar more for shrimp. They still include tax, and they still have the same menu. There are only 4 noodle dishes, about a dozen stir fry dishes, and 3 fried rice dishes. They also only have 3 appetizers and soft drinks or Thai iced tea. It's simple, you choose a dish, a meat (or tofu), and a spice level. My first time I ordered "Yoga Flame," which is half as hot as their hottest choice "Dim Mak (literally "death's touch," I order it every time I go nowadays, even last night), and the Indian kid we were with said "woah, you ordered spicier food than the Indian! You're crazy!" Thus my reputation as a spice hound was established.
Anyway, while this establishment is doing nothing to revolutionize Thai cuisine, they are solid on the sheer principle of consistency. They have been around 8 years, and in the 5 that I've been frequenting them for quick lunch or simple dinner, their quality has stayed exactly the same. This is for better or worse, though, because if you have their food too often, you will burn out on it. They do quite well, and have a high-rent space in the Landmark apartment building on campus (where rent can run $1000+ per student per month per bedroom in a 4 bedroom unit. I think the government should be required to step in and regulate Ann Arbor's housing, because $4000-$5000 for an apartment in Michigan is insanity on a level that I can't describe.) where they've raised prices to $9 for a noodle dish. They give you a discount if you pay by cash, as does most Asian restaurants aimed at students in this area, and it's still as consistent as ever.
The appetizers are nothing to phone home over, but are decent if you want to make a big meal out of it with your friends, and the service is fast and extremely friendly. If you're looking to be adventurous and you've never had Thai before, try No Thai, as it really is "baby's first non-Chinese Asian restaurant," but if you want authentic, high brow Thai, try someplace else, like Tuptim or Lotus Thai (which, after I go back with a few friends will be a full review on itself).
Quality: 3.5/5
Value: 4/5
Caveat: With consistency this is a 4, but the only reason I give it 3.5 is because of how boring the menu is. Seriously, two of the noodle dishes are Pad Thai, but one has curry in it. If you put your name on a business, be a little more adventurous and put a couple of variants in there!
-C
No Thai!
1300 S University AND
226 N 4th Ave AND
1745 Plymouth Road
Ann Arbor, MI
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Fast Food Masterpieces: The Cheesecake on a Stick
Yes, you read that right.
White Castle has a cheesecake on a stick dessert item for less than $1.50. It's small, more of a sweet snack/afterthought, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in taste. Served frozen (mine was at least, but that might be the 4:30am crew's fault, not in the design), it's like a Popsicle mixed with a rich classic dessert. This abomination of all that is holy is even dipped in chocolate. Seriously, if that doesn't make you want to at least curiously try it, I can't push any harder.
I had to try to find this for months, even though it was being advertised all winter, their WAREHOUSE ran out of them and wouldn't ship them to the Ann Arbor location! Maybe anticipation built this up for me, but it's WELL above the McDonald's apple pie or the BK brownie bits.
A- for lack of size.
-C
White Castle has a cheesecake on a stick dessert item for less than $1.50. It's small, more of a sweet snack/afterthought, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in taste. Served frozen (mine was at least, but that might be the 4:30am crew's fault, not in the design), it's like a Popsicle mixed with a rich classic dessert. This abomination of all that is holy is even dipped in chocolate. Seriously, if that doesn't make you want to at least curiously try it, I can't push any harder.
I had to try to find this for months, even though it was being advertised all winter, their WAREHOUSE ran out of them and wouldn't ship them to the Ann Arbor location! Maybe anticipation built this up for me, but it's WELL above the McDonald's apple pie or the BK brownie bits.
A- for lack of size.
-C
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
A Constant Disappointment: Asia City Buffet
I've noticed that I've only gotten my inspiration so far from places that have blown my mind with high quality and high caliber food in their genre. To redeem myself, I have to write about a place that I'm constantly disappointed with.
I'm not a food snob, I eat things that are recommended to me from all sorts of places, regardless if they're a take-out window in a dirty strip mall or a high-cuisine seated restaurant. Asia City is a kitchy nightmare from a more racist era in dining. When you walk in the front, you walk by a large fountain and a series of fish tanks, all filthy. When the close-minded diner thinks "EW, CHINESE!" they are probably thinking of a place like this. The whole restaurant smells greasy, and there's way too many tables spread across four dining rooms and a gaudy bar. It's split in half, with the buffet in the middle, and an area for "a la carte" dining, though I've never sat over there.
I've been there about half a dozen times, and it's been going downhill. They had decent sushi and about half of their hot line was edible when I went there my first time, but since then I haven't been able to trust the sushi, and I only ever fill up on wonton soup dumplings and fried noodles. Everything tastes like the rest of the stuff they serve, like they never clean their woks or mix all of their proteins, which is scary for a place that serves lots of seafood alongside chicken and tripe. I haven't been sick from them before, but every time I go back (out of habit, because I happen to love cheap chinese buffet, which this place falls short on too), I feel like I'm playing foodborne illness Russian roulette.
Notable dishes here include their Wonton Soup (impossible to mess up), boiled and chilled tripe (edible), and their extensive dessert selection, with everything from the standard cakes and buffet trays of crap to fresh asian fruits. Almost everything else is horrific, especially their sushi. It's $13.99 for dinner, which is insulting considering Hibachi Grill and Supreme Buffet (which closed even though it was extremely busy) was $11.79, and almost everything on their menu was edible and delicious. It's a shame that Asia City is all the east Ann Arbor crowd has for buffet that I know of right now, because even by college student, "I'll eat anything" standards, it's inedible.
Quality 1/5
Value 2/5
Avoid it unless you really want to fill up on soup at lunchtime.
-C
I'm not a food snob, I eat things that are recommended to me from all sorts of places, regardless if they're a take-out window in a dirty strip mall or a high-cuisine seated restaurant. Asia City is a kitchy nightmare from a more racist era in dining. When you walk in the front, you walk by a large fountain and a series of fish tanks, all filthy. When the close-minded diner thinks "EW, CHINESE!" they are probably thinking of a place like this. The whole restaurant smells greasy, and there's way too many tables spread across four dining rooms and a gaudy bar. It's split in half, with the buffet in the middle, and an area for "a la carte" dining, though I've never sat over there.
I've been there about half a dozen times, and it's been going downhill. They had decent sushi and about half of their hot line was edible when I went there my first time, but since then I haven't been able to trust the sushi, and I only ever fill up on wonton soup dumplings and fried noodles. Everything tastes like the rest of the stuff they serve, like they never clean their woks or mix all of their proteins, which is scary for a place that serves lots of seafood alongside chicken and tripe. I haven't been sick from them before, but every time I go back (out of habit, because I happen to love cheap chinese buffet, which this place falls short on too), I feel like I'm playing foodborne illness Russian roulette.
Notable dishes here include their Wonton Soup (impossible to mess up), boiled and chilled tripe (edible), and their extensive dessert selection, with everything from the standard cakes and buffet trays of crap to fresh asian fruits. Almost everything else is horrific, especially their sushi. It's $13.99 for dinner, which is insulting considering Hibachi Grill and Supreme Buffet (which closed even though it was extremely busy) was $11.79, and almost everything on their menu was edible and delicious. It's a shame that Asia City is all the east Ann Arbor crowd has for buffet that I know of right now, because even by college student, "I'll eat anything" standards, it's inedible.
Quality 1/5
Value 2/5
Avoid it unless you really want to fill up on soup at lunchtime.
-C
Monday, April 29, 2013
Curry on at Cardamom
Ok, so I saw the awning change on the old Famous Hamburgers spot in the Courtyard Shopping Center on Plymouth road, and thought "oh great, another restaurant doomed to failure, I can't wait to be constantly disappointed by it or think it's just meh (like Saica and Lucky Kitchen, the latter of which I order often because of price/consistancy)." Then I saw it was called Cardamom: Fresh Indian. Great, another mediocre-to-good Indian restaurant in an area where it's doomed to fail. It hadn't opened yet, and on Sunday, my fellow diner and I decided to check it out.
I was feeling Chinese, but something classier than take-out. He was like "let's get Indian at this new place, come on dude..." I was kicking and screaming against it all the way to the door, and I was the one driving. We get out and walk in the door to happen upon the most fragrant scent I've ever experienced at a restaurant. Gone are the white and red booths and extremely bright diner lights, and in with a new sleek upholstery on the booths and real, honest to Hoyle tables and chairs. The lighting was on a dimmer switch, and this place felt like they kicked up the class. I felt underdressed in my hockey jersey and jeans, but would go back in such attire because of how open the servers made me feel.
We ask for a table for 2, at 8:00 on a Sunday night. We waited 15 minutes for a table, and every single seat in this 20 table restaurant was filled. There were 4-5 parties behind us, pushing out the door. The striking part of our experience was then the menu. For such a small place, they had an extensive classic and original Indian menu. We each got a unique curry, and got it spicy, and witnessed what the tables next to us (almost in our laps... it is a little cramped in there. They have a patio, but it was raining that day pretty hard) had taken to them. I also ordered an unsweetened iced tea.
The tea took a half an hour to get to me, but trust me when I say the wait is worth it. They use Sri Lanken black tea for their iced tea, and it was better than most hot tea I've had in this town. My friend tried it, and we both agreed it was hands-down the best iced tea we've had in Ann Arbor. About a half an hour later and observations of the other tables' food being brought one at a time, and we had our food.
I am harsh about service, and service is one of my main criteria when I'm dining at a restaurant I've never eaten at before. That being said, when I say that the service time was forgiven, I do not say that lightly. I worked through the Mani soft open, and the ONLY leeway I give to a restaurant on service times from the kitchen is when a place is just opening for their first couple weeks. We counted (because the kitchen is open like a burger place/diner) the tickets, and there were 9 ahead of us. Our waiter informed us later in the meal that it was their third day open.
We ordered two curries to share, and the Chicken Momos. They were out of the Momos because they only prepped for 3 restaurant turnovers. We were apparently part of a harsh fourth turn, which is INSANE considering the location and size of this place, as well as the lack of advertising. The curries we ordered were the Lamb Saag and the Karahi Goat. They were served with basmati rice, and bread portions are an extra charge. The Lamb Saag was made with fresh spinich and tomatoes, curry spices, and a touch of yogurt (which added to the flavor but didn't ruin the texture like most yogurt in curry does). The Karahi Goat was described as the "dish that made my father-in-law love goat." It was unique for sure for someone who had never had goat, and it was made with cardamom, curry spices, fresh tomatoes, onions, mint, cloves and ginger.
We waited almost an hour total for our food, and upon seeing other dishes like the Tikka Masala and a rice dish native to Andhra Pradesh called Biryani, as well as tasting our food, we decided that not only was the wait worth it, but it changed our perspective on Indian food. Once before I've had food that has ruined all other food of the same type for me, and that's the Calimari at Mani, and there's even a secret pizza named after me. This curry was so delightfully spicy and perfectly cooked that it blew away everything I've had in Ann Arbor before. The spice was outstanding on how hot it was without making you lurch for the water. The vegetables and meat, goat and lamb, were fresher than anything that I've had almost anywhere in the state of Michigan. I felt insulted by every other Indian restaurant that served me "Indian food" before coming to Cardamom. Every bite was a treat, and we almost licked the serving plates clean.
Then the waiter came by and dropped the check. They don't serve alcohol (yet? maybe ever, knowing how hard it is to get a license in this town), and he struck my iced tea off the bill because of how long it took to get us our food. It was $15/person plus tip, a steal for food of this quality. I can not recommend this restaurant enough. I believe that the quote was "if all the other Indian restaurants in this town were to disappear tomorrow, nothing of value would have been lost." And I like Raja Rani and Shalimar. Then, upon researching the owner, he used to be the chef at Shalimar, named Binod Dhakal.
This is where I say drop everything. Go, go now. It's on north campus and sucks to get to if you don't have a car, but it's worth the trip. I told my friend "I'm glad you twisted my arm into coming here." Support them, because a long non-student season is coming up for the next four months, and they're in their infancy. The menu is extensive, and I'll be back to sample everything on it because my new apartment is walking distance from it. I don't say that lightly, but this place was great.
Quality: 6/5
Value: 6/5
Seriously, it's that good, and it will change you on Indian food, even if you don't care for it as a genre.
-C
Cardamom: Fresh Indian
1739 Plymouth Road
Courtyard Shops
Ann Arbor, MI
I was feeling Chinese, but something classier than take-out. He was like "let's get Indian at this new place, come on dude..." I was kicking and screaming against it all the way to the door, and I was the one driving. We get out and walk in the door to happen upon the most fragrant scent I've ever experienced at a restaurant. Gone are the white and red booths and extremely bright diner lights, and in with a new sleek upholstery on the booths and real, honest to Hoyle tables and chairs. The lighting was on a dimmer switch, and this place felt like they kicked up the class. I felt underdressed in my hockey jersey and jeans, but would go back in such attire because of how open the servers made me feel.
We ask for a table for 2, at 8:00 on a Sunday night. We waited 15 minutes for a table, and every single seat in this 20 table restaurant was filled. There were 4-5 parties behind us, pushing out the door. The striking part of our experience was then the menu. For such a small place, they had an extensive classic and original Indian menu. We each got a unique curry, and got it spicy, and witnessed what the tables next to us (almost in our laps... it is a little cramped in there. They have a patio, but it was raining that day pretty hard) had taken to them. I also ordered an unsweetened iced tea.
The tea took a half an hour to get to me, but trust me when I say the wait is worth it. They use Sri Lanken black tea for their iced tea, and it was better than most hot tea I've had in this town. My friend tried it, and we both agreed it was hands-down the best iced tea we've had in Ann Arbor. About a half an hour later and observations of the other tables' food being brought one at a time, and we had our food.
I am harsh about service, and service is one of my main criteria when I'm dining at a restaurant I've never eaten at before. That being said, when I say that the service time was forgiven, I do not say that lightly. I worked through the Mani soft open, and the ONLY leeway I give to a restaurant on service times from the kitchen is when a place is just opening for their first couple weeks. We counted (because the kitchen is open like a burger place/diner) the tickets, and there were 9 ahead of us. Our waiter informed us later in the meal that it was their third day open.
We ordered two curries to share, and the Chicken Momos. They were out of the Momos because they only prepped for 3 restaurant turnovers. We were apparently part of a harsh fourth turn, which is INSANE considering the location and size of this place, as well as the lack of advertising. The curries we ordered were the Lamb Saag and the Karahi Goat. They were served with basmati rice, and bread portions are an extra charge. The Lamb Saag was made with fresh spinich and tomatoes, curry spices, and a touch of yogurt (which added to the flavor but didn't ruin the texture like most yogurt in curry does). The Karahi Goat was described as the "dish that made my father-in-law love goat." It was unique for sure for someone who had never had goat, and it was made with cardamom, curry spices, fresh tomatoes, onions, mint, cloves and ginger.
We waited almost an hour total for our food, and upon seeing other dishes like the Tikka Masala and a rice dish native to Andhra Pradesh called Biryani, as well as tasting our food, we decided that not only was the wait worth it, but it changed our perspective on Indian food. Once before I've had food that has ruined all other food of the same type for me, and that's the Calimari at Mani, and there's even a secret pizza named after me. This curry was so delightfully spicy and perfectly cooked that it blew away everything I've had in Ann Arbor before. The spice was outstanding on how hot it was without making you lurch for the water. The vegetables and meat, goat and lamb, were fresher than anything that I've had almost anywhere in the state of Michigan. I felt insulted by every other Indian restaurant that served me "Indian food" before coming to Cardamom. Every bite was a treat, and we almost licked the serving plates clean.
Then the waiter came by and dropped the check. They don't serve alcohol (yet? maybe ever, knowing how hard it is to get a license in this town), and he struck my iced tea off the bill because of how long it took to get us our food. It was $15/person plus tip, a steal for food of this quality. I can not recommend this restaurant enough. I believe that the quote was "if all the other Indian restaurants in this town were to disappear tomorrow, nothing of value would have been lost." And I like Raja Rani and Shalimar. Then, upon researching the owner, he used to be the chef at Shalimar, named Binod Dhakal.
This is where I say drop everything. Go, go now. It's on north campus and sucks to get to if you don't have a car, but it's worth the trip. I told my friend "I'm glad you twisted my arm into coming here." Support them, because a long non-student season is coming up for the next four months, and they're in their infancy. The menu is extensive, and I'll be back to sample everything on it because my new apartment is walking distance from it. I don't say that lightly, but this place was great.
Quality: 6/5
Value: 6/5
Seriously, it's that good, and it will change you on Indian food, even if you don't care for it as a genre.
-C
Cardamom: Fresh Indian
1739 Plymouth Road
Courtyard Shops
Ann Arbor, MI
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Taco Time at Tmaz
So, there was an experience I had recently that led to me creating this blog. I was reading the Hedonist's review of the various taco places in Ann Arbor, and he made mention of the most authentic tacos in the area being at a place called Tmaz. There really wasn't much about it, because he's a burrito guy and they don't serve burritos. I went one night, like at 9 o'clock, and all I have to say is this:
Go now. If you even remotely like tacos, get in your car, or catch a bus and go now. (Well not now, they close at midnight. Go tomorrow morning.)
At $1.70 a taco for most meats, $2.00 for tacos with rice and exotic meats, and $2.50 for fish tacos, they are an AMAZING deal. Now if you're the Taco Bell, ground beef and lettuce, cheese, and tomato taco fan, and are judging the price on that, don't. $1.70 gets you a Lingua taco here. That's roasted beef tongue, which tastes like an intense pulled brisket flavor with the consistency of pulled pork. In the same tier, they have carnitas, beef (think steak), pulled pork, and a variety of others which we didn't order. We got their combo deal for 15 tacos and a free 2-liter, which happened to be pineapple Jaritos soda. We got 10 different types of taco, and every single one was great.
3 asides:
1) Everything is covered in cilantro. Some people can't stand it, so be wary of cilantro if you don't like it.
2) The Pork Rinds were way too rich and the consistency was off. Two bites and I was ready to leave the rest of it.
3) The restaurant is like 4 booths and a counter. It's very fast food, but don't judge it by that. It's not the type of place for sit-down atmosphere with drink service and brews, but they do to-go if you really want to drink Tecate with your tacos.
My favorite tacos in town are still Isalita, with their homemade taco wrappers and the insane level of food they're pulling off there, but Tmaz is half the price and double the volume. For authenticity and a great experience, go to Tmaz and pick up a few tacos the next time you crave taco bell. You won't be let down, and it will probably be less expensive than taco bell.
Quality 5/5
Value 5/5
-C
Go now. If you even remotely like tacos, get in your car, or catch a bus and go now. (Well not now, they close at midnight. Go tomorrow morning.)
At $1.70 a taco for most meats, $2.00 for tacos with rice and exotic meats, and $2.50 for fish tacos, they are an AMAZING deal. Now if you're the Taco Bell, ground beef and lettuce, cheese, and tomato taco fan, and are judging the price on that, don't. $1.70 gets you a Lingua taco here. That's roasted beef tongue, which tastes like an intense pulled brisket flavor with the consistency of pulled pork. In the same tier, they have carnitas, beef (think steak), pulled pork, and a variety of others which we didn't order. We got their combo deal for 15 tacos and a free 2-liter, which happened to be pineapple Jaritos soda. We got 10 different types of taco, and every single one was great.
3 asides:
1) Everything is covered in cilantro. Some people can't stand it, so be wary of cilantro if you don't like it.
2) The Pork Rinds were way too rich and the consistency was off. Two bites and I was ready to leave the rest of it.
3) The restaurant is like 4 booths and a counter. It's very fast food, but don't judge it by that. It's not the type of place for sit-down atmosphere with drink service and brews, but they do to-go if you really want to drink Tecate with your tacos.
My favorite tacos in town are still Isalita, with their homemade taco wrappers and the insane level of food they're pulling off there, but Tmaz is half the price and double the volume. For authenticity and a great experience, go to Tmaz and pick up a few tacos the next time you crave taco bell. You won't be let down, and it will probably be less expensive than taco bell.
Quality 5/5
Value 5/5
-C
Monday, April 22, 2013
C Dreams of Sushi: Miki
So, lots of people ask me what my favorite type of cuisine is, and I usually stick to the stereotypes. I'm a stocky Italian boy, and I like Italian boy food. Pasta, pizza, and classical French fare littered my childhood, and I like to think that I'm pretty well-versed in my Mediterranean foods. I cook a mean pasta, and have made everything from spaghetti and meatballs with homemade pasta down to Kraft mac and cheese. That being said, when I go out to restaurants I tend to hold these foods to the closest scrutiny; one step off from Mama, and I'm not enjoying myself. So that's why my favorite food to get out is non-Chinese eastern cuisine. I like everything from Korean to Vietnamese, Middle Eastern to Indian, but I especially love the simplicity and clean flavor of Japanese Sushi. I grew up in Traverse City. Until I moved to Ann Arbor, I had little to no access to good sushi (with one exception, which I'll have to justify with a full piece), and I was overwhelmed when I came down here to Ann Arbor. However it disappointed me when nothing really blew me away like my experiences out in Florida and Denver.
Enter Miki.
I'd known about this place for a few years, and from what I'd heard, they were expensive and trendy, not quite what I look for in a sushi place, but recently my brother was in town and we were feeling sushi lunch. This place is serious. My brother has lived in Chicago for almost as long as I've been alive, and worked for Lettuce Entertain You as a manager of multiple restaurants for a number of years before saying "screw it" and opening his own Jimmy Johns-killer on the DePaul campus. He has a sommelier license and he has eaten at some of the best sushi restaurants in the midwest (go figure, the taste runs in the family). He and I sought it out in Florida and had the best sushi either of us had experienced then, and here we were, walking into a place that looked on the outside like a trendy restaurant.
The striking style is impressive, over an immaculate sushi bar and intensely clean feel. This is a very important criteria for me when I'm ordering raw food, and it showed that the chefs care about what they put out and what image they project to the customer. I had their "Chef Special," a $17 lunch plate featuring whatever they want to give away at the time, and my brother had a $16 sushi plate. Both came with soup and salad. To note, their Miso isn't overpowering, and actually had a flavor to it, while the salad is about the same as any other salad at any sushi restaurant, with that orange vinaigrette that seems to be a staple at every Japanese-American restaurant.
My brother and I knew immediately that the value was impressive. He had 7 pieces of fish, all large, and all of impressive freshness. My dish came with a squid ink rice dish, a hand roll with salmon, three types of sashimi (largest I've ever had), and chirashi tuna. Every bite was better than the last, and the service was awesome, letting us stay past their lunch shut-down. Our server told us apparently it was within the last year that the management changed, and I say it changed for the better.
I was scared going back with a friend about a month later, because sometimes you have a good experience and talk something up and it sucks. I was pleased to see that not only did it not suck, it was a ton better than the last time I went. This friend of mine went back three times that week, taking other friends there. If that doesn't say something about a restaurant's quality, I don't know what does.
The only big fault was on the drink menu. The cocktails suck. Like mislabeled, cheap liquor suck. But sushi for me is a hot sake/cold sake/Japanese beer food, which they have in droves.
So, if you're looking for a trendy-looking place to woo your lovely lady on an anniversary or just have some extra cash to throw around, this place seriously rocks.
4.5/5 Quality
5/5 Value
-C
*Editor's Note: This restaurant review I've had in my yelp box for awhile, laying unpublished. This is about as high as I'm going for the sake of price range in this review series. The only places more expensive off the top of my head in this town are The Chop House and The Gandy Dancer, and I won't say never, but it's not likely, outside of restaurant week.
Enter Miki.
I'd known about this place for a few years, and from what I'd heard, they were expensive and trendy, not quite what I look for in a sushi place, but recently my brother was in town and we were feeling sushi lunch. This place is serious. My brother has lived in Chicago for almost as long as I've been alive, and worked for Lettuce Entertain You as a manager of multiple restaurants for a number of years before saying "screw it" and opening his own Jimmy Johns-killer on the DePaul campus. He has a sommelier license and he has eaten at some of the best sushi restaurants in the midwest (go figure, the taste runs in the family). He and I sought it out in Florida and had the best sushi either of us had experienced then, and here we were, walking into a place that looked on the outside like a trendy restaurant.
The striking style is impressive, over an immaculate sushi bar and intensely clean feel. This is a very important criteria for me when I'm ordering raw food, and it showed that the chefs care about what they put out and what image they project to the customer. I had their "Chef Special," a $17 lunch plate featuring whatever they want to give away at the time, and my brother had a $16 sushi plate. Both came with soup and salad. To note, their Miso isn't overpowering, and actually had a flavor to it, while the salad is about the same as any other salad at any sushi restaurant, with that orange vinaigrette that seems to be a staple at every Japanese-American restaurant.
My brother and I knew immediately that the value was impressive. He had 7 pieces of fish, all large, and all of impressive freshness. My dish came with a squid ink rice dish, a hand roll with salmon, three types of sashimi (largest I've ever had), and chirashi tuna. Every bite was better than the last, and the service was awesome, letting us stay past their lunch shut-down. Our server told us apparently it was within the last year that the management changed, and I say it changed for the better.
I was scared going back with a friend about a month later, because sometimes you have a good experience and talk something up and it sucks. I was pleased to see that not only did it not suck, it was a ton better than the last time I went. This friend of mine went back three times that week, taking other friends there. If that doesn't say something about a restaurant's quality, I don't know what does.
The only big fault was on the drink menu. The cocktails suck. Like mislabeled, cheap liquor suck. But sushi for me is a hot sake/cold sake/Japanese beer food, which they have in droves.
So, if you're looking for a trendy-looking place to woo your lovely lady on an anniversary or just have some extra cash to throw around, this place seriously rocks.
4.5/5 Quality
5/5 Value
-C
*Editor's Note: This restaurant review I've had in my yelp box for awhile, laying unpublished. This is about as high as I'm going for the sake of price range in this review series. The only places more expensive off the top of my head in this town are The Chop House and The Gandy Dancer, and I won't say never, but it's not likely, outside of restaurant week.
Welcome to the Accessible Gourmet
The idea to create this food review blog came to me one Sunday night in Ann Arbor, Michigan. For readers not privy to the area, Ann Arbor is a bit of an anomaly of the mid-west. Located in close proximity to the Detroit Metro Area and housing a major university, this town is a hipster take on a city. Crawl into any alley-way or back door entrance to almost any building downtown and you find yourself among thrift shops and funky college bars and restaurants. Then, if you have access to the rest of the town, there is a bit of everything from breweries and Korean BBQ to taco stands and Coney islands in the many corners waiting for you to explore.
Ann Arbor isn't the only place I wish to shed a culinary light on. I'm starting here because of proximity and my unique take on food. The Food and Wine Hedonist (http://foodandwinehedonist.com/, check him out because he has great things to say about food as well) is the closest to a real freelance food critic this town has, and he caters to the older, career driven crowd. I know my target audience is the Gourmet on a budget, the college student who is sick of ramen from a microwave on a Thursday night, the grad student who is awake at 3:30 in the morning after working all night at the Law Library. I wish to document the strange experiences I've had at classic establishments like the Fleetwood, as well as locate the best of each cuisine in the area. I regularly visit Detroit and the outlying areas, and love to travel as well, so this will be an outlet for those experiences as well.
I'm aiming to put out content 2-3 times per week, with a regular piece about a non-Ann Arbor establishment coming once every 1-2 weeks. This project is more for me to put together a portfolio of my experiences to share with the world then truly being judgmental. If I can quantify the value or quality of an experience, I will try to, and every review will have a recommendation of what to try or avoid. I'm doing this for you, and I look forward to embarking on this quest for great food.
-C
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