Ann Arbor: a Michigan college town with a degree in great food.
Meal after meal in this classic midwestern college town surprised me, rising far above the expected student mainstays of chicken wings, nachos and burgers. Sustainable, seasonal, organic and artisan were seen over and over on irresistible and affordable menus. Who would expect delicate small plates at a wine bar close to campus? Brewpubs with not only incredible beer, but excellent farm-to-table food? And fine Mediterranean fare in a strip mall? In Ann Arbor, there’s all that and more.
Vinology
Vinology is a downtown wine bar where the décor is as stylish as the food. Lighting fixtures at the cozy booths give patrons a little wine lesson that’s pretty and fun. 50 wines are available by the glass and 100 by the bottle from the beautiful bar they refer to as the Wine Library. And if you like a bottle or a glass you have at the restaurant, you can buy a bottle to take home for less than the menu price. Vinology offers a whole lot of artful small plates, cheeses, entrees and desserts – so there’s something for all tastes. My favorite was the delicate chicken wings (an homage to the students, but at an entirely other level) served with strawberry barbecue sauce paired with a glass of pink champagne.
Paisano
Paisano is a bit outside of town with a location off a highway that didn’t look too promising. Once inside the doors near a cozy fireplace with lush cookbooks to page through, I relaxed. What unfolded was a superb meal so delicate and refined, I felt I was dining in the Italian countryside. Chef Isabella Nicoletti is from Trissino, Italy, a small village dating back to the 14th century. Chestnut risotto was just the thing for a snowy Michigan night. Slow-cooked port braised beef cheeks atop sweet potato and ginger puree completed this delectable cold weather comfort food. The Italian wines were unique and uniformly excellent.
The Corner Brewery
Arbor Brewing is a local institution in downtown Ann Arbor and The Corner Brewery is their loftlike new offshoot in nearby Ypsilanti. What fun to order beer with this much flair and such a huge, house-made selection. My favorite was Espresso Love with its coffee finish dissolving into chocolate. Terminator Dopplebock is their spicy and sweet winter beer. No Parking Pilsner and Brasserie Blonde were memorable for their taste and their names. Beer after beer was fine as can be. And owners Renee and Matt Greff have standards that are just as high for their food.
Mediterrano has a thing for fine olive oil. Greek owner John Roumanis has a love of memorable Mediterranean fare, whether it’s from southern France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Turkey or North Africa. In fact, the restaurant’s extra virgin olive oil comes from his hometown in Greece. Also a bit outside of town in an inauspicious location, the food was first class. Roasted dates with chorizo and applewood smoked bacon set the tone for the entrée that everyone couldn’t stop talking about – the restaurant’s award-winning lamb chops with cumin, coriander and preserved lemon.
The Jolly Pumpkin is another brewery that surprises. House-brewed beers like La Roja with its earthly caramel, spice and sour fruit notes and Calabaza Blanca spiced with orange peel and coriander are always available and others like the mellow holiday brew I loved make seasonal guest appearances. There’s a creative menu vegetarians and others will equally embrace. Among the many fine choices are truffled French fries, layered salads and granite baked pizzas with a choice is crusts.
Jeff Daniels hails from nearby Chelsea, Michigan and is the founder and Executive Director of The Purple Rose Theater right in town. This picture-perfect American small town is home to yet another great place to eat: The Common Grill. Surprisingly sophisticated and large, the restaurant was nearly full on at noon on a frozen Wednesday. Although nowhere near the Gulf, it had a Louisiana kind of feel with a whole lot of fish dishes, all superb. Pan Fried Lake Perch with a hazelnut crust was light and delicious. Huge gulf shrimp cocktails, Niman Ranch Steak, fried Oysters and Lobster Macaroni and Cheese were a few of the other temptations. Worth a trip to see a play, see the town and enjoy this excellent restaurant. And who knows? Maybe you’ll see Jeff, too.
