Dine like a local in Michigan’s foodie haven
Craft beer, pizza, sandwiches are three very good reasons for short detour from Detroit
You’ve probably heard of the Wolverines, the University of Michigan’s college football team that plays at the jaw-dropping Michigan Stadium, nicknamed “The Big House.” But did you know that Ann Arbor, Mich., is also quickly becoming a food and cocktail mecca? A short 45-minute drive from Detroit, this college town offers undiscovered foodie haunts, many within walking distance of its quaint downtown. The Brinery Fermentation is undoubtedly having a moment in the culinary world and David Klingenberger, owner and chief fermentation officer at the Brinery, offers a wealth of fermented products from kimchi, tempeh and pickles to Sriracha and hot sauce.
It all began in 2010 when he turned a bumper crop of cabbage from local farmer Richard Andres of Tantré Farm in Chelsea, Mich., into sauerkraut. “Fermentation is one of the most ancient and delicious ways to preserve food. I’m a caveman fermenter; I like to ferment vegetables in a very simple form,” explains Klingenberger of his products, which are available at farmer’s markets, grocery stores and online. thebrinery.com Aventura It’s a busy Friday night, and bartenders are furiously shaking craft cocktails, while guests dine in one of Ann Arbor’s oldest buildings. Opened in 2013 by local restaurateur Sava Lelcaj, Aventura boasts a Spanish menu with dishes such as rich lamb meatballs with manchego, fragrant and colourful seafood paella, and cochinillo: whole roasted suckling pig served with a trio of sauces. The Spanish flair extends to the wine and cocktail list (think sherry and cava) with gin-and-tonics made tableside: a nod to the theatrical way they are served in Spain. Don’t leave without ordering a bowl of warm churros (doughnuts), sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and dipped in salted caramel. aventuraannarbor.com Chelsea Alehouse Brewery and Ugly Dog Distillery Just 20 minutes from Ann Arbor in the small town of Chelsea, a craft- spirit revolution is taking place.
Chelsea Alehouse Brewery, the brainchild of Chris Martinson, is one of the 180 microbreweries in Michigan, making everything from American ales to dark, stovepipe stout. Another local success is Ugly Dog Distillery, which hand-makes smallbatch vodka, rum and gin.
“Our hobby became our passion,” says director of operations Dewey Winkle, who has co-owned the dis- tillery with Jon Dyer since 2009. chelseaalehouse.com, uglydogvodka.com Slurping Winter in Michigan is harsh, so a bowl of warm noodle soup is always welcome. At Slurping Turtle, under the guidance of James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef and owner Takashi Yaghashi, Japanese comfort food is elevated far beyond the ramen of university dorms. Noodles are handmade to form the basis of the Tonkotsu: a combination of pork broth, braised pork belly, bok choy and chili oil. Chicken is fried in duck fat, and taro tacos envelop truffle soy-dressed hamachi fish, both dangerously addictive. Sit at one of the restaurant’s communal tables, and don’t be afraid to slurp your noodles; it’s a sign of enjoyment. slurpingturtle.com/annarbor Bigalora “We wanted to tackle pizza like no one else was doing, hence we have a biga, a living mother dough that took two years to get right,” says general manager Brandon Snider of Bigalora, the casual dining concept from Luciano Del Signore that specializes in wood-fired pizza.
“It’s a little more than just (thin crust). It’s a delicate pizza that sits lighter on your stomach,” he says, while slicing freshly cured prosciutto. With pizza toppings such as fingerling potato and gorgonzola and dishes such as wood-fired heirloom carrots drizzled with balsamic vinegar and crumbled goat cheese — as well as 48 craft beers on tap — it’s a great weeknight destination. bigalora.com/ann-arbor Zingerman’s Deli An Ann Arbor institution since 1982, Zingerman’s Deli was started as a grocery store by Paul Saginaw and Ari Weinzweig. The first offshoot, Zingerman’s Bakehouse, was built in 1992. A creamery, farm, coffee house and even seminars soon followed.
The deli is still at the heart of the city’s downtown, housed in a red brick building. Inside, shelves and display cases are lined with local and imported cheese, cured meats, bagels and bread. The standouts, however, are the deli sandwiches such as the Zing Rueben, the Special (coldsmoked salmon and cream cheese), and Gemini Rocks the House (with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and Italian pesto). Just don’t ask for Mr. or Ms. Zingerman: it’s a completely made-up name. zingermansdeli.com