Clover Eats!
Sharing restaurant experiences through photography!
Autumn traditions: Dexter Cider Mill
A sea of apples
Summer’s fading fast, and it truly feels like fall. Each year since I’ve been in Ann Arbor, I’ve taken a trip to the Dexter Cider Mill sometime in September or October. People travel here in all sorts of methods – driving, biking, or even canoeing. Time has really sped up these last few years, with a year passing before I even realize it. When I try to think back of the last time I went apple-picking with friends, I’m always shocked by the realization that it was a whole year ago. I appreciate these yearly traditions more, now that we are all getting so busy and have to actively make plans. So without further ado, I present a local favorite, the Dexter Cider Mill.
Canoes!
Bikes!
Nicer than your average sushi joint: Yotsuba in Ann Arbor
I had visited Yotsuba a few years ago, but didn’t take photos. All I remembered was that their sashimi slices were extremely generous, more than a centimeter thick, huge hunks of meat that felt more on par with little steaks than the thin strips of fish I’m used to. I thought that we were overdue for another visit!
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CloverSips: Michigan wines at the new VinBar
Black Star Farms Sirius Raspberry Dessert Wine
This year, it feels like the transition from summer to autumn happened almost overnight. One day, I wore sandals and a dress, and the next, took my trusty North Face fleece out of the closet. It’s also the beginning of the application cycle for residency, so it feels like everything is in flux. I was super excited to hear about a new wine bar opening on Liberty, and immediately thought of local blogger The Food and Wine Hedonist, who checked it out on opening night and tweeted about its wide selection. VinBar is a collaboration between three Michigan wineries – Black Star Farms, Good Harbor Vineyards, and L. Mawby Winery. You can have half glasses, full glasses, or bottles of everything from bubblies to dessert wines. I love the feel of the space, wide open, light streaming in and wooden floors with a good number of seats.
CloverShoots: a beautiful dinner at West End Grill
Despite having lived in Ann Arbor for several years now, I never got the chance to visit the West End Grill. We got a lovely seat in the window, and the evening light just made for absolutely beautiful photos.
TUNA POKE – FRESH HAWAIIAN AHI TUNA, DICED & TOSSED WITH TOMATOES, SCALLIONS, & AVOCADO IN A YUZU
VINAIGRETTE; SERVED ON CRISPY WONTONS WITH WASABI AND GINGER
CloverVisits: beer, burgers, and history at Sidetrack in Ypsi
We don’t often get out to Ypsi, but after seeing posts on Sidetrack on MegGoesNomNom not once or twice, but twenty-two times, I decided we had to check it out. It didn’t hurt that they were also named to GQ’s “Twenty Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die” list.
CloverEats: the newly opened Menna’s Joint
Menna’s Joint recently added a new restaurant to their chain, opening up on William St, just off of State St. “Home of the Dub,” they proudly proclaim, ‘dub’ being what their grilled wraps are called. Having a secret love for late-night take-out, we decided to try them out! (more…)
CloverEats: Chela’s in Ann Arbor
Tacos
I first head about Chela’s Restaurant and Taqueria in this article about the Top Five Menus to try during Restaurant Week. However, when I went during the most recent Restaurant Week, I was informed that they weren’t participating this year; we ended up going to Seva that evening because Fred loved their mole enchiladas so much. More recently, they were picked as the second best tacos in all of Michigan, so I had to visit again, this time to actually eat some tacos. (more…)
CloverEats: Real Seafood Company in Ann Arbor
Continuing on our recent spree of Mainstreet Ventures restaurants, we headed to Real Seafood Company, mostly due to Fred’s newly found desire to follow the Mediterranean diet and eat lots of fish. I love restaurants that open out into the sidewalk, but unfortunately, it was too hot to sit anywhere but deep inside the air conditioning.
CloverEats: Jazzy Veggie in Ann Arbor
Chickpea-carrot patty, corn salsa, guacamole, lettuce, red pepper aioli
Ann Arbor surely has a good handful of vegan/vegetarian restaurants. I hear that back in the day, it was difficult for those with dietary restrictions to find restaurants that catered to them, but it seems like now every restaurant offers at least a few options. After dining out with friends with specific diets, however, I realized there’s still a much more limited range of dishes, especially foods that aren’t traditionally veggie-friendly, so it’s nice that we have restaurants like Jazzy Veggie around!
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CloverEats: eat in Ann Arbor
We took a journey down Packard to visit “eat.” I was extremely happy with the how the light just lit up these plants, making the center glass crisp, but fanning out with a lovely bokeh of leaves in the background. I really love my 50mm f/2.5 macro lens, but it’s after shots like this that I really consider saving up for a f/1.2, so that the background can be even more creamy and smooth. It’s funny how the vocabulary of food and photography sometimes overlaps.
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