I'm bringin' foodie back...

As I've stated a few times here on the blog, I have been a bit mum about food lately due to the fact that my IBS issues seemed to have amped up over the past couple of years and I have been working to get them under better control. Plus, those food issues were compounded with my return to teaching after a year off. So not only did I have to be more diligent about my eating, but I had to do so while also navigating my way back into the classroom.

Now that summer vacation is here, I feel like it's time to sample, play, and experiment again.

This post goes to show what one week of freedom can do for a person.

Last weekend my husband and I drove to Traverse City, Michigan for our anniversary. Thanks to people like Mario Batali, this city has been put on the map as a foodie destination. While we were there, we ate at a Batali-recommended restaurant called The Cooks' House, which feels much like the name describes. It is an intimate space that gives you the impression of having dinner at a friends' house rather than a restaurant, with seating for about 25 people. The food is locally-sourced and embraces the seasons, with a blackboard in the dining room displaying the names of the purveyors they patronize.

If I'm being completely honest though, most of the dishes we actually ordered at The Cooks' House did not bowl me over. The salad I ordered tasted like I just walked into the woods and started eating

Dinner at The Cooks' House: They spoiled us with their amuse bouche

plants. There was barely any dressing and there were no complementary flavors to try to balance the bitterness of the wild, foraged greens. The main dishes were all heavy and meat-centric, with no vegetarian option. The one saving grace was the appetizer of pasta carbonara we ordered, which was not only delicious and perfectly seasoned, but we could clearly tell the pasta was house-made.

While I wasn't a fan of most of our meal, what I thought The Cooks' House did amazingly well was the little amuse bouche they bring between courses. Their after dinner amuse bouche was a variety of little nibbles, but the one thing that I went gaga over was the kettle corn with ground fennel. I loved it so much that our waiter graciously brought me over a second helping.

So if I could offer The Cooks' House one suggestion, it would be to put more of the little bites on their menu and don't focus so much on the heavy meat dishes and flavorless salads.



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Upon our return home from our anniversary weekend, my husband and I needed to go grocery shopping, but with barely any food in the house, we decided to eat out for lunch. We drove to downtown Ann Arbor since it's near the Whole Foods where we shop, and we ate a place called the

Pho and ginger tea streetside at Ginger Deli in Ann Arbor

Ginger Deli. This is where I tried pho for the first time, a Vietnamese broth and rice noodle dish. I know, I know. I shouldn't be allowed to call myself a foodie having never tried pho before, but the opportunity just never presented itself.

Having finally tried it, I now understand why it has such a cult-like discipleship. The broth! That magical broth! I don't know how to describe the beautiful balance of sweet and savory in a beef broth, but boy will I be seeking out more opportunities to have pho in the future.


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Last night my husband and I decided to try a new restaurant in Ypsilanti called the Bona Sera Cafe. They used to be an underground supper club and turned into a brick and mortar restaurant. Overall, the experience was really positive. They have a great, funky atmosphere, as evidenced by the Elvis lamp that greets you when you walk in the door. Incidentally, the electricity went out midway through our first course, and despite this huge setback, the kitchen and waitstaff rallied and were still able to provide patrons food service.

While my husband and I weren't in love with our main entrees -- he ordered the crab mac and cheese and I ordered something called the bi bada bing, which is an Italian riff on a traditional Korean dish -- what I absolutely fell head over heels in love with was my salad and dessert.

Bona Sera Cafe: Fun and funky, with good food

I ordered the orange salad which obviously came with orange segments, it also had arugula, shaved onion, and a white balsamic vinaigrette. There's something so poetic about a perfectly executed salad and that's what this was. It was dressed to the point where you could taste the oil and vinegar but the salad wasn't dripping in it. And it was salted! Never underestimate the power of salting a salad. And this tasted like a beautifully delicate, flaky sea salt. This was the salad experience I was missing at The Cooks' House last weekend.

But let's not forget dessert. I ordered the lime tres leches cake. I am someone who will order anything on a menu if it has lime or lemon in it. I am not usually a fan of rich, heavy chocolate desserts. But I will order something light and citrusy. And the tres leches cake was everything I love in a dessert: light, citrusy, and slightly sinful. You know a tres leches cake is good when the "leche" seeps out the bottom.

Since the Bona Sera Cafe has such a fun, funky vibe and chefs who are passionate about food, I look forward to trying it again to see what their menu is like in the fall/winter. I think if they tweak a few things, they will be a hot spot in the Ann Arbor area.

Coqueta San Francisco & Bottega Napa Valley

My husband and I just returned from a trip to Northern California with some friends of ours and experienced two amazing meals while we were there, both at restaurants owned by Michael Chiarello.

Coqueta is a Spanish tapas restaurant located in San Francisco and Bottega is an upscale Italian eatery in Napa Valley.

While both meals were memorable, the service and food at Bottega were nothing short of amazing; it is a whole dining experience, not just a place for great food. The waitstaff are some of the most knowledgeable and attentive I have ever experienced. And the food? Indescribable. The ricotta

Enjoying our meal at Bottega. You MUST order the ricotta gnocchi!

gnocchi are little pillows of heaven, just as my friend described and has been talking about for the past three years since her first visit to Bottega. She worried that as much as she and her husband have been talking this place up for the past three years that it wouldn't live up to their near mythic descriptions. Turns out it was BETTER than they had described.

Our waiter at Bottega, Scotty, was one of the best waiters I have ever had at a restaurant. He didn't just wait on us, but entertained and educated us at the same time. It felt like we were having dinner with a really great friend who loved food rather than someone waiting on us at a restaurant. I even learned something new from him that night: if you're baking with chocolate and you can smell it, you've already lost a majority of the flavor since it is such a volatile ingredient. Which is why, when you order the chocolate lava cake at Bottega, it comes out to you wrapped in parchment paper, and the server makes a show of unwrapping it and wafting the chocolate scent right to your nose. It is quite a sight to behold.



I don't, however, want to leave out Coqueta from this conversation, which was also an unforgettable dining experience. One of the friends we were traveling with has two severe food allergies that make it almost impossible to eat out. However, the chef, manager, and waitstaff at

Tapas at Coqueta

Coqueta were extremely attentive and vigilant about making sure she would be safe eating there -- even providing her with a personalized menu that the chef went over and crossed out items that would not be safe for her to eat. I could go over every single thing we ordered and tell you how absolutely amazing they all were, but this would be really long blog post. Rather that describe every dish, I'll just say that if you're in Northern California and you're looking for a memorable dining experience, you can't go wrong with either one of these two options. Not only will the food impress and wow you, but you will be well taken care of. The staff at both of these restaurants are passionate about food and want to share that passion with their customers. You get the sense that the people working for Michael Chiarello are not working on fall-back careers. Food IS their career and that is refreshing to see.

Slurping Turtle Ann Arbor

Last night my husband and I drove to downtown Ann Arbor, as we often do on Friday nights, and decided to give a brand new restaurant a try. And when I say brand new, I mean brand new. It only just opened on April 21st in what used to be the Borders flagship store. The restaurant is called Slurping Turtle, a unique, memorable name for a unique, memorable restaurant.

Chef and owner Takashi Yagihashi who has competed on shows like Iron Chef America and Top Chef, opened the original Slurping Turtle in Chicago but decided to expand his concept to Michigan. The menu consists of Asian tapas, ramen, and sushi. Just like the communal tables at Slurping Turtle, the menu is designed to be shared, as evidenced by their gigantic bowls of ramen that easily serve two. My husband and I decided to order a few tapas and then shared a bowl of ramen and I was more than satisfied with the amount of food we had. Of course, that might also have something to do with the fact that we ordered THREE desserts as well. But with a dessert menu like this, it was really hard to choose just one:

Well, I'm not so sure about the Iron Chef Egg Shooter, but everything else sounds delicious. ;) 

All of the dishes we ordered at Slurping Turtle are ones that I will crave until the next time we eat there. The pork belly bao were soft and pillowy and had just the right amount of sweet and sour. The homemade ramen noodles were perfectly al-dente. And then there was the desserts. We ordered the macarons, black sesame ice cream, and the green tea cream puffs. All three of them were delicious, but my favorite were the green tea cream puffs. More than anything else, those cream puffs are what I will be craving until  our next visit.

Left to right: Slurping Turtle, green tea cream puff, roasted chicken shoyu ramen, my husband slurping said ramen, black sesame ice cream, macarons (kafir lime, sesame chocolate, and raspberry-wasabi), and bao (shrimp, chicken, and pork belly)

Slurping Turtle isn't quite up to full speed yet: they currently only have a dinner service and they have yet to procure their liquor license, but even operating at less than 100%, the food and service were wonderful. I would go back in a heartbeat, and most likely will over and over again. If  they continue with their wonderful food and great service, most likely Slurping Turtle will be added to my list of favorite restaurants in Ann Arbor.

Dinner at my favorite restaurant is all I need to cheer me up

Ever since the start of Spring Forward my body has not been able to catch up. I don't think there's been a day that's gone by that I haven't felt completely exhausted. Heavy eyelids on my way to and from work everyday is a tad bit worrisome. And since Friday night is always date night with my husband, I felt the need to try to shake my feelings of exhaustion and drive to downtown Ann Arbor for dinner. Usually when my husband and I are tried after a long week we like to stay as far away from Ann Arbor as possible because we don't want to have to find a parking garage, fight for parking and then have to walk to dinner. Lazy I know. But it's the truth.

But since yesterday's weather was sunny and in the 40s, we decided that the walking to dinner might do us some good. Plus I wanted to try a restaurant that recently opened by the same owners as my favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor, MANI Osteria and Bar, which I have written about before. MANI's owners' new venture is a Mexican restaurant called Isalita. But when we arrived at Isalita a little before 6 PM, the place already had a 40 minute wait. We were willing to wait the 40 minutes because I really wanted to try this place, but just for the heck of it, we went next door to MANI to see if they had immediate seating, and lo and behold, they did. We decided that we'd try Isalita another night when we could get there a little earlier for immediate seating and go with a tried and true pick instead.

It was just what I needed. Just as we did last time, we were seated at the chef's bar where we were treated to an hour-long performance of garnishing, pizza making, and previews of every dish that was dashed out of the kitchen prior to being delivered to hungry, eager diners.

Every dish that we ordered last night was perfection, just as it was the last time we ate there, starting with our drinks. I of course, ordered what I always do: sangria, a consoling drink for me since MANI's sangria is almost identical to the sangria at my favorite restaurant in Royal Oak that recently closed, aptly named Sangria. My husband ordered a strawberry mint lemonade that had just the right amount of pucker and sweetness with just a hint of mint. If I hadn't been so enamored with my own drink, I probably would have ordered one for myself too.

Cheers! Sangria and strawberry mint lemonade

We ordered two small plates for our appetizer: warm, crunchy and gooey arancini, AKA, risotto balls, which were delicious, but the real star of their small plates menu is the crispy pork belly, which is so good it will make your eyes roll into the back of your head and you may even experience a When Harry Met Sally moment if you know what I mean. ;)

arancini

Crispy pork belly with apricot marmalade

The last time we ate at MANI I ordered one of their amazing wood fired pizzas, so this time I decided to try some of their house-made pasta and went with the papparadelle bolognese. It was, once again, perfection. It was perfectly al dente, had just the right amount of sauce, and was served in a reasonable portion: just enough to satisfy you without making you feel like a glutton.

papparadelle bolognese

So I guess the lesson here is, if ever I need cheering up, a trip to my favorite Ann Arbor restaurant is in order. Despite coming home and going to bed early last night (I shouldn't have gone for that second glass of sangria), I woke up this morning in a great mood and ready to conquer the world. Well, not so much the world as that giant mountain of papers I have to grade. 

In memory of tapas, sangria, and traditions with friends

Last night was supposed to be the evening of the week I was looking forward to most. My husband and I were getting together with friends at our favorite restaurant, a Spanish tapas place in Royal Oak called Sangria. But as we were walking toward the restaurant from the parking garage, our friend Joe texted my husband with two words: IT'S CLOSED!

We were only a block away when we got the text so I was really hoping he just meant it was closed for the day, not closed forever. But alas, as we arrived at the restaurant, we noticed as we looked through the windows that it was completely dark, lonely, empty and the door handles were zip-tied shut with a bundle of newspaper flyers.

To say I was devastated might sound melodramatic, but I really and truly was. It felt like the sad end of an era but without the closure. Sangria was more than a restaurant to me. It was that little nudge on the shoulder for the need to catch up with friends, even despite our busy schedules. It meant conviviality washed down in multiple glasses of a magical fruity wine concoction, and on Thursday night Flamenco nights, the liquid courage was a reminder for the need to live and try new things as the performers always tried to pull us up on stage, and succeeded on 3-4 occasions.

FLAMENCO

Finagled into flamenco

I don't know what will we do or where we will go to try to replicate that feeling of tradition and conviviality, but in the mean time, I just need some time to mourn and reminisce...

Ah memories...

All the tapas we will miss...

RIP Sangria :(

Our day trip to Cleveland wouldn't be complete without dinner at a Michael Symon restaurant

It's no secret that I adore Michael Symon. That smile. That laugh. That adorably round head.

So when I told my husband I wanted to drive to Cleveland for the day to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I had an ulterior motive: it was also to eat at yet another one of my favorite Iron Chef's restaurants. I have eaten at his Detroit restaurant, Roast, on three different occasions, and each time it was a revelation. I don't just adore Michael Symon the person, I adore his food.

So after spending the afternoon at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, we then proceeded to drive a few miles south to the adorably quaint Tremont neighborhood to have dinner at Lolita. Can I just say how much I was smitten with this neighborhood? The houses were old but well cared for, and small mom and pop run businesses dotted the blocks among the modest, character-filled homes.

When we arrived at Lolita there was already a line out the door of people waiting to get in. Thank goodness we had reservations! But would you expect anything different from a Michael Symon restaurant on a Saturday evening?

You can tell I'm very excited.

Once inside, the space had an industrial yet homey feel. The bar looked into the open kitchen where the chefs, instead of wearing pretentious chef whites, don a much more practical, yet blue collar ensemble of a navy shirt with a baseball cap. Pretty much the exact thing Symon wore when competing in Next Iron Chef, though Symon doesn't need a baseball cap, what with him having no hair and all :)

Inside Lolita

I started my evening with the Lolita bellini which is described as something totally different on the website cocktail menu so I'm trying to remember all that was in it: Champagne, Belgian lambic, lemon, and something else - something with violet in the name... hmmm... well, anyway, whatever it was, it was delicious. Tart and bitter and sweet all at the same time. I had two of them. :)

My husband inside Lolita. I caught him mid-chew.

For an appetizer we decided to try something safe and something daring (I wanted to try two daring dishes, but The Hubs wouldn't go for it). For the safe dish, we ordered braised meatballs. For the daring dish I really wanted to try the roasted bone marrow, but my husband wasn't having any of that, so we decided to go for the crispy pig tails and ears instead. 

The braised meatballs were nothing to write home about. They were good, but not memorable; a dish that I'm sure was put on the menu to appease picky eaters. But can I just say that the crispy pig tails and ears were out of this world? It was the perfect example of what Symon talks about all the time when he refers the need for balance in a dish: a balance of flavors, tastes, and textures. In this dish, the richness of the fennel-onion agrodolce (sweet and sour glaze) was cut into by the tangy pickled chiles, and then of course you have the crisp texture of the pig tails and ears.

For the main dish I ordered the Buccatini which had pulled pork, pancetta, egg yolk and pecorino cheese. 

 Luscious is probably the best word to describe this pasta. I can still remember the tastes and textures of it in my mouth. 

 I also ordered a side of polenta to go with my pasta because I have had the polenta at Roast and it is rich and creamy and wonderfully decadent. The polenta at Lolita, while included the same ingredients, was not as enjoyable as the polenta at Roast. Lolita's version was much more cream-of-wheat-like. It felt like I was eating cereal instead of polenta. The flavor was good, it just didn't feel like a dinner dish to me.

My husband ordered the hanger steak with a Gorgonzola fondue, pickled onions, arugula and tomatoes which he enjoyed despite not being a fan of Gorgonzola cheese.

For dessert we shared the chocolate pot de creme with whipped cream and a salted caramel sauce on top. 

 

It was good, but I thought there was a bit too much salt on the top.  I'm one who usually enjoys a sprinkling of salt over top of a dessert, but this time it was a tad too much.

Overall, Lolita was an enjoyable meal, and if it was the only Michael Symon restaurant I had ever visited, I'm sure it would be one of my favorite restaurant meals, but having eaten at Roast, I'm content knowing that my favorite Michael Symon restaurant resides in my own hometown. 

Ending our enjoyable evening in Celeveland

Still, whether you find yourself in Cleveland or Detroit, I highly recommend making a pilgrimage to one of Michael Symon's eateries:

Cleveland:

Lola

Lolita

BSpot

Detroit:

Roast

Logan: An American Restaurant with a contemporary vibe

On June 7th my husband and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary by having dinner at the restaurant Logan in downtown Ann Arbor. This was our first time dining at Logan but it certainly will not be our last.

From the moment you enter the bright, contemporary dining space, you are greeted by friendly and accommodating service staff.

The food is equally as contemporary and innovative as the surroundings. Before placing our order, we were given an amuse bouche, compliments of the chef, of a cucumber salad with a light vinaigrette. The cucumber had been shaved to look like short spaghetti noodles, and it was one of the most bright, refreshing salads I've ever eaten: this coming from someone who hates cucumbers. But something the chef at Logan, Thad Gilies, must really understand is that texture can make or break a dish. In this small little bite (that I didn't bother to take a picture of because I assumed I wouldn't like it), I found myself wanting to lick the last little bit of cucumber and vinegar left in the dish.

For an appetizer, my husband and I shared a pasta dish of wild boar bolognese. I've never had wild boar before, but the way it was described on the menu left me intrigued, and hungry:

Texas wild boar braised in red wine and aromatics, tossed with our handmade pappardelle pasta and garnished with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Not only was the wild boar delicious  - it put me in mind of a milder form or short ribs - but I love that it was the perfect amount of food to whet your appetite for the main entree. So often restaurants give you such large appetizer portions that you're full by the time you get to the main meal.

For the main entree I ordered the Tuscan pork tenderloin served with potato pave.

And my husband got the Greek leg of lamb served with ponzu roasted cauliflower and celery root puree.

Honestly, everything we ordered at Logan was absolutely delicious, but I have to say that the care and creativity with which they treat the vegetables is top notch. Once again, with my husband's entree, I found myself devouring a vegetable (cauliflower) that I normally hate, so much so that I think I ate more of it than he did. It definitely inspired me to go home and roast my own cauliflower (which I did, and though not as good as what we had at Logan, it certainly gave me pause to keep it in mind for future dinners at home).

Since it was our anniversary, we decided to go all out and order dessert as well. What we ordered was not only delicious, but almost too pretty to eat:

Hazelnut explosion: sponge cake, hazelnut ice cream, chocolate sauce

Overall, Logan was a memorable dining experience and one to keep in mind for special occasions in the future. If you find yourself in Ann Arbor for a special occasion or just some money in your pocket to burn, give this place a try.

Chicago is a feast for the eyes and the stomach

Prior to my trip last week, I had never been to Chicago before. I know what you're thinking. How can someone who lives only 4 hours away and loves to travel, never visited Chicago before? The truth is, I don't have an excuse. But my attendance at the NCTE conference last week ended my lifelong Chicago drought.

Besides all of the amazing authors and teachers I met at NCTE, I also took some time to experience the beauty and culinary delights of this great American city.

Upon arrival in Chicago, my husband and I took the obligatory architecture cruise along the Chicago River. Even though we froze our butts off, it was a beautiful sunny day and we learned a lot about, not just the architectural history of the city, but the history in general. I highly recommend this be your first activity if you've never been to Chicago before. You learn a lot and you also get a general lay of the land as well.

Two of our memorable dining experiences in Chicago were lunch at Rick Bayless's casual dining restaurant, Xoco, and dinner at Sable Kitchen and Bar.

Every time I watch Rick Bayless cook or I hear his food described on TV, my mouth immediately begins watering. I knew that my first trip to Chicago had to involve eating at one of his restaurants. We decided to go with his lunch-counter/street food-style joint called Xoco and we were not disappointed. It was by far the best Mexican food I've ever had.

Rick Bayless does not serve what Americans consider typical Mexican fare. You will not find tacos, burritos, fajitas or the like anywhere on his menus. Rick has dedicated his career to introducing Americans to the variety and unique flavors of Mexican cuisine.

 The specialties of Xoco are tortas (Mexican subs), caldos, (meal-in-a-bowl soups), churros (fried dough with cinnamon and sugar) and hot chocolate.

To whet our appetites, we ordered the chips and salsa that included a bright salsa verde, and a smoky, piquant 3-chile salsa.

Even my husband, who generally does not like salsa, continuously dipped his chips in one of the two bowls before inhaling them.

My main lunch order was the torta ahogada which was topped with pork carnitas, black beans, pickled onions, and swam in a spicy tomato broth.

Mouths have memories just as much as minds do, and my mouth remembers every bite of this delicious torta. I already know that our next visit to Chicago will include a trip to Xoco just to eat this sandwich. I honestly don't even remember what my husband ordered because I was just so enamored with this dish.

Even though we were full from our satisfying tortas, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to try the churros and hot chocolate.

What is incredibly unique about the hot chocolate at Xoco is that it is literally bean-to-cup. You can watch them grinding the cocoa beans to create this thick and luscious drink. It's like drinking a slightly thinned-out, melted candy bar.

As you can see, despite our fullness, we didn't let much of this amazing dessert go to waste.

The second memorable meal in Chicago was at a restaurant that has recently been put on the map due to the fact that its executive chef, Heather Terhune, is on Top Chef this season. Sable Kitchen & Bar has forged its niche in the Chicago culinary scene with what they are dubbing New American cuisine (think comfort food with a twist).

The vibe at Sable is very hip, yet casual at the same time. Food is served as small dishes designed for sharing. They keep the menu at the table because the idea is to order as you go along.

We started with a flatbread of potatoes, mushrooms, and taleggio cheese, which was, believe it or not, a lovely light starter to some of the epic dishes to come later in our meal.

The next dish was a trio of short rib sliders with a root beer glaze and crispy onions.

While we were feasting on the sliders, we thought the perfect accompaniment would be the duck fat steak fries topped with cave-aged cheddar and fleur de sel

But the epic finale of our meal was... wait for it... BACON JAM...topped with brie and served with toasted baguette

 It has been thoroughly documented here on this blog (and on Facebook and Twitter... and in my classroom...) that I have a rather zealous obsession with bacon. I am always looking for new ways to use the meat candy in my home cooking, so I will order almost anything in a restaurant that features bacon as the star ingredient. I mean, if I'm willing to put bacon in ice cream, I think it's pretty clear that I go big or go home, and bacon jam is going big, let me tell you. From the intense smoky and sweet scent, to the rich, luscious mouth-feel, this is one of the few bacon dishes that I can truly call sensual. I think I went into a bit of ecstasy upon that first bite.

But if bacon jam was the ecstasy part, there was bound to be an agony. Unfortunately for me, that was my nonexistent night of sleep immediately following this gluttonous meal. It was my own fault. I ate too much. But the food was just so delicious, I couldn't stop. And to put in perspective how amazing this meal was, I am always one to ban any and all food that has caused me to be sick from ever entering my stomach again. Even after my sleepless night as punishment for my gluttony, I would go back to Sable and eat that bacon jam again in a heartbeat.

Has this ever happened to anyone else? You had a meal so amazing that you couldn't stop eating, and then paid for it later? Or should I just change the word "Foodie" in the title of my blog to "Glutton"?

 

Food other than turkey that will make you feel thankful: MANI Osteria & Bar in Ann Arbor

Nowhere in southeastern Michigan is there a better place to try new restaurants than Ann Arbor. For those of you  reading my blog who aren't from the Midwest, you might not already know that Ann Arbor is a college town - The University of Michigan proudly resides here - and its penchant for variety and sophistication is fairly well known in food circles. Since my husband and I live only about ten miles from A2, we frequently find ourselves wandering downtown Ann Arbor, looking for a new restaurant to try.

Last night, we found ourselves wandering into MANI Osteria & Bar. It was one of those moments where you have to be grateful that there is such a thing as serendipity. I had read some things about MANI on UrbanSpoon, but we did not seek it out last night. It just kind of fell in our lap.

When we walked in the door and arrived at the hostess station, we were offered a seat at the chef's bar where we could watch the food being prepared as we ate. For a foodie such as myself, this was like watching dinner theater - but WAY more entertaining. I was so impressed with the ballet of food preparation and organization going on the kitchen that I daydreamed of one day being able to cook without making my kitchen a disaster area as these professionals so beautifully displayed.

Look at all the beautifully organized mise en place

My husband enjoying the show

The pizza dough was being stretched out and put in the wood-burning oven right in front of me.

After perusing the petite menu, we ordered two antipasti: aranchini (risotto croquettes) and crispy pork belly smothered in apricot marmelata. To tell you the crispy pork belly was a religious experience would only be a slightly a hyperbolic statement. It was like eating superbacon. (If you read my blog regularly, you already know my close relationship with bacon.) It took the very best part of bacon: the salty, crispy goodness, and elevated it to a new level with the meaty chew of a steak. I wish I had taken a picture of this dish before I gobbled it down. But I ate it too fast before I even thought that I should've had my iPhone handy.

For dinner I ordered arugula and prosciutto pizza with scamorza, olive oil, and sea salt. While the pizza was not nearly as luscious as the crispy pork belly, I was especially smitten with how they served it. Instead of buying fancy, elevated pizza plates like most red-checkered table pizzerias, MANI decided to take reduce, REUSE, recycle to a whole new level and serve their pizzas atop giant empty cans of tomatoes.

 Not only does this show patrons their commitment to reducing wastefulness, but it also gives customers yet another glimpse into the ingredients they use in their dishes. With more people these days demanding to know where their food comes from, this is really a simple, yet ingenious move on their part.

As I sat there savoring every bite of my meal and sipping on a glass of perfectly spiced sangria, I  couldn't help but stop and think how I really want for nothing in my life. I have a wonderful husband, a job I love, and a roof over my head. What more could anyone ask for? And the fact that a meal at a trendy downtown Ann Arbor restaurant could make me contemplate all the things I'm thankful for, just shows you how darn good their food really is.

It's not Thanksgiving dinner, but I sure feel thankful right now.

Sophistication just oozes out of the walls of this restaurant, and yet there is still a casualness about it that prevents it from being pretentious. The simple, sleek decor, along with the giant windows that display the bustling downtown Ann Arbor scene make the space feel urban and trendy.

Urban and trendy, however, can be two words that spell disaster for a restaurant if the food is not up to snuff. Since MANI only recently opened in May of 2011, it remains to be seen whether this restaurant will be a long-standing Ann Arbor institution, but given their manageable and delectable menu along with chefs and an owner who show a commitment to simple Italian food with quality ingredients, it is my hope that this place stays around for a very long time.

I don't often fill out comment cards at restaurants, but this meal compelled me to do so. While the food at MANI is on the pricey side so it's not a restaurant we would visit regularly, I can assure you that we will be returning - hopefully for years to come.

It was so good I had to excessively use exclamation points!

If you ever find yourself wandering downtown Ann Arbor, you can take the serendipity route like we did, or you can seek out this eatery with attentive service and gratitude-inducing food.

MANI Osteria & Bar
341 E. Liberty St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 769-6700