Clover Eats!
Sharing restaurant experiences through photography!
CloverEats: Ann Arbor’s Blue Tractor!
In my imagination, most tractors are either red or green. I’m not sure why I have that particular picture, but it’s just what I imagine when I close my eyes. Regardless, Fred and I went to “The Blue Tractor” for dinner the other day, and I loved the rustic ambience. Wooden walls, dim lighting, and plenty of photos of the restaurant namesake.
We started off with some delicious sweet tea and a “Port of Refuge” – rum, lime, sprite! There is just something so refreshing about sweet tea, whether after a hot run in the summer or a brisk walk in the snow. Again, Fred’s zerg tshirt makes an appearance.
If I remember correctly, this meal was right after a workout, so we were both craving meat! Fred got a barbeque burger and I got a kalbi plate with sweet potato fries and a kimchi salad. Unfortunately, while tender and warm, my “kalbi” tasted nothing like kalbi, and the “kimchi salad” tasted nothing like kimchi. I guess that’s what I get for ordering Korean food at a restaurant called “The Blue Tractor.”
That’s not to say the food wasn’t good; rather, the meat fell off the bone the way a good slab of baby back ribs should, and there were four different barbeque sauces to choose from! One was sweet, one was sour and spicy, one was mustardy, and one was tomato-y, if my memory serves me correctly. The sweet potato fries were also delicious!
Our dessert, a big bourbon milkshake that, despite our best efforts, we were unable to finish. Check out “The Blue Tractor” on Yelp or their official website! And happy new year!!
Snapshot: dry ice milk shake at Ann Arbor’s Vinology!
I really love the decorations at Vinology, especially this broken tree piece. I like the pieces of wood against a brick background, and I like how it descends over the stairs. If only I could decorate my apartment without worrying about dismantling or damaging the property!
We ordered a carafe of Riesling to share, and it was sweet and delicious! Sorry for the low quality of the photos; they were taken with the iPhone rather than the Rebel XTi. I’m really looking forward to exploring Vinology’s wine list, which was quite extensive!
Last time, we sat next to a party which ordered the cheese tray, and it looked so good we had to try it out! I love varied platters like this, though all the cheeses were a little too salty for my taste.
Dinner itself was savory, as always, but my favorite part was dessert! I ordered the “Castaway,” after reading about it on The Food and Wine Hedonist – basically, it’s frozen coconut dipped in chocolate and nuts, and it comes out looking like a coconut! It gets cracked with a chisel and a mallet right next to your table, which is really fun to watch. We also ordered a “dry ice milkshake,” which is whipped up also right next to your table. Delicious! Check out Vinology on Yelp or its official website!
CloverSips: Ann Arbor’s Vinology!
There are cold nights when studying just feels more unappealing than usual. At times like these, I think a break for a really nice dinner is the perfect thing to pump me back up to hit the books. We ventured forth through the slush to Vinology on Main St., where a packed house greeted us. We were lucky enough to grab the last two seats at the end of the bar, which had a huge stock of wines and cocktails.
For dinner, I got the porcini skirt steak, which came with inside-out mac and cheese (the mushroom looking object), and pickled butternut squash. The flavors and textures were amazingly delicious! Fred got the falafel crusted tuna, which was also great!
This is the amazing dessert we had: ginger-apricot wontons with green tea mousse. It was so flavorful and warm, with cold, ice-creamy mousse, and came paired with a super sweet dessert wine. Vinology is one of my new favorites in Ann Arbor! Check them out on Yelp or official website, and happy holidays from Clover Eats!
Snapshot: Ann Arbor’s Cafe Felix!
Here we are at Cafe Felix with Caroline and Johannes! I’ve wanted to try it for a while now, and so when we saw a Restaurant.com coupon for it, we jumped on the opportunity.
The restaurant was really nice, with little details that made me smile. The bread came with an oil and sweet vinaigrette sauce that spelled out felix! Our citrus drinks (Orangini-tini and Ginger Snap) were both tasty and sweet.
Our calamari and french onion soup appetizers were both warm and tasty, as were all of our main dishes. I’m not sure why Cafe Felix has such a low rating on Yelp, with lots of complaints about the food, because I thought everything tasted fine. Our waiter was also attentive and friendly.
And dessert pictures to top off the post! The chocolate cake was huge, and the creme brulee was delicious. With our Restaurant.com coupon, our meal ended up very reasonably priced. Check out Cafe Felix on Yelp or their official website!
CloverEats: Ann Arbor’s Pacific Rim by Kana
I feel like Pacific Rim is kind of tucked away, off of Main St, down a dimly lit Liberty. After seeing it pop up on Yelp multiple times, but never actually seeing the restaurant, we finally decided to seek it out. I immediately loved the atmosphere – the warm lighting, the wooden decorations, the decorated chopsticks.
There’s a very thorough wine menu, but we opted to try one of the many interesting-sounding cocktails. Pictured above is the Kaffir Lime Lotus with kaffir lime vodka, lychee liquor, and cranberry juice. I love the crispness of lychee, and wish it showed up more in cocktails!
Orders come with a crisp house salad, with pine nuts and a soy vinaigrette dressing. Fred got the lemongrass chicken; I really liked the grilled patterning on the vegetables. I got the amazing big eye tuna dish, which presented essentially as a deconstructed sushi roll: tuna, avocado, and rice triangles, all on a bed of wasabi-miso-ginger sauce. It was delicious!
For dessert, we split the chocolate-passionfruit mousse. An usual combination, but I thought the two flavors went together surprisingly well! The meal was a little expensive, but our waiter was super friendly and the food was amazing; it’s an excellent place for a date. Check out Pacific Rim on Yelp or their official website!
CloverEats: fluffy ricotta pancakes at Chicago’s Stax
Flowers at our table!
We stayed with Shravan over break, and got the chance to check out some more Chicago restaurants! Stax was bright and warm, and cute flowers greeted us at our table as we ran in from the slushy rain.
Ricotta strawberry pancakes!
I got ricotta strawberry pancakes, and though you couldn’t taste the ricotta, it definitely lent itself to a fluffier texture than normal pancakes. The preserves were sweet, and the syrup was hot. Yum.
Chicken sandwich and fries!
Shravan’s chicken sandwich came with a cute side of fries, complete with deep frier container!
Eggs benedict and parmesan potatoes!
Fred’s eggs and potatoes looked good to me, but apparently, they still weren’t as good as Aut Bar’s.
Check them out on Yelp or their official website!
CloverShops: Ann Arbor’s :babo: a market by sava!
Fred and I were on the way to Kerrytown when we passed by Babo, now open! We’ve always loved Sava’s (see here, here, and here), and so of course we stopped in to check out downtown Ann Arbor’s newest addition at the Sterling 411 Lofts.
Upon first glance, Babo is welcoming in a rustic way, with everything from a Christmas tree to the Spice Box, a collection of small drawers featured alphabetized spice pouches. There’s so much texture in the decorations – one wall holds clippings from books, wooden crates display bread, and evergreen streamers hang from the ceilings. I was really glad I brought my DSLR!
The merchandise itself was also colorful, with small, unusual items like blueberry cheese drizzle, drinkable yogurt, and tons of other eclectic finds; it almost had the feel of an indoors farmer’s market. Though technically a shop, Babo also offers a variety of deli-like offerings, which looked so delicious that we had to try some!
Fred and I got some of everything: salmon en croute, polenta cakes, eggplant parmesan, salad caprese, and a pomegranate-molasses butter cake! For less than $10 each, we left satiated and excited for future visits. I don’t think there’s an official website yet, but in the meantime, you can check out Babo on Facebook!
CloverEats: truffle pizza at Ann Arbor’s Mani Osteria!
Mani Osteria & Bar.
The week before Fall Ball, Fred took me out on a surprise dinner at Mani Osteria & Bar. (Can you tell how behind I am in posting?) We had passed it many times on our way to Main St., never doing more than just glancing into the windows where patrons sat perched on high stools.
Hustle and bustle.
Two large fires burned at one end of the restaurant; the smell of pizza dough and different cheeses and cooking was everywhere.
A bellini to share!
Even though it was dinnertime, we opted for a bubbly bellini. The ‘bread’ was an interesting, cracker-thin variety, and the water came out in a bottle with a little cap (I think Frita Batido’s has the same ones). I loved the decorations and this cute setup!
Truffle and egg pizza!
Lasagna!
Since there were two pizza ovens burning away, we opted for a Tartufo pizza, with taleggio, truffle, and egg. It came out smoking hot, propped on an empty can. There is also a ‘market pizza,’ made with fresh ingredients from the farmer’s market! The lasanga we got was also delicious, flavorful and warming.
Three cannoli!
For dessert, we shared three cannoli – pistachio, lemon-ricotta, and chocolate. I’m glad I brought out my Canon Rebel XTi for this dinner: Mani Osteria had delicious, heart-warming food and a wonderful atmosphere (and of course we ended up going to Fall Ball together!). Check them out on Yelp or their official website!
CloverEats: breakfast at Ann Arbor’s Angelo’s
So busy!
Angelo’s is pretty much right down the street from the med school, so it can get pretty busy at lunchtime. Luckily, Fred and I were able to snag a booth!
Eggs benedict!
I think Aut Bar has really spoiled us when it comes to eggs benedict. After their amazing rendition, complete with parmesan potatoes, all other versions taste bland. Nevertheless, Angelo’s take on the classic was hot and filling. (My favorite part of this photo is Fred’s zerg shirt.)
Chocolate chip waffles!
My chocolate chip waffles came out quickly, and were topped with fluffy whipped cream. Once again, I’ve been spoiled by Walker Brothers, but these certainly were tasty!
I think Angelo’s location is what it’s got going best for it. They also have fast service. Check them out on Yelp or their official website!
CloverEats: brunch at Ann Arbor’s Cafe Zola!
Outside Cafe Zola.
Cafe Zola was one of the first restaurants I ate at in Ann Arbor. After just moving in (always an exhausting affair), we went for a well-deserved brunch.
Omelette and potatoes!
Savory crepe!
I’m not sure if I was just especially hungry from the moving, but I thought the savory crepe I got was one of the most flavorful and delicious things I’ve ever eaten. The omelette had amazing texture and the potatoes were soft and hearty.
Bread and butter!
Check them out on Yelp or their official website!
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