Clover Eats!
Sharing restaurant experiences through photography!
Snapshot! The Last Lecture at Chicago’s The Cubby Bear.
The line to get in.
Imagine the hectic week before college graduation: you have been slaving away for four years, whiplashed back and forth by the whims of professors, studying nonstop if not for class than for some test or another. Finally, you’re about to graduate. Here’s a shot of the line outside the Wrigleyville bar, The Cubby Bear, for Northwestern’s Last Lecture series.
Packed inside as well.
I think we were more hungry than anything else, so we grabbed a few snacks while listening to the legendary Professor talk to us about growing up and becoming great. Then we left and went to watch “Tree of Life,” but that’s a story for another day.
CloverEats: online sushi IRL at Ann Arbor’s Sushi.com!
When Fred suggested that we go eat at Sushi.com, I thought he was joking. But no, nestled right next to Panera is the cutely named little sushi joint!
Ramune!
We went for lunch, and there was a nice special with miso soup and ginger salad. I also got a Ramune, which is always fun to open!
Crunch roll and kabocha roll!
The Crunch roll was super delicious! It has soybean paper, yellowtail, red snapper, cucumber, tempura crunchy flakes, and sweet and spicy sauces!
Korean Chirashi!
I got a chef’s choice assortment of sashimi (it’s hidden under the salad in this photo). It was a nice mix of fishes, and I love the sweet/spicy Korean hot sauce it comes with!
Sushi dot com is nice for a lunch break, but I think it’s kind of expensive for the quality of fish. Oh Evanston, how I miss the Blu Lounge and Kansaku… Anyway, check them out on Yelp!
Snapshot: Ann Arbor’s Palio
After wandering up and down Main Street, trying to find a place to eat in the jam-packed mess that always pops up after a football game, Fred and I bumped into Palio. A small, homey Italian restaurant at the tail end of Main St., Palio’s open doors were warm and inviting.
We got a cute little wine flight that came in a wooden tray. To be honest, all of them tasted very similar to each other. I think I’m still too naive of a wine-drinker to appreciate the different subtleties in similar red wines. Perhaps someday I’ll be able to close my eyes, take a sip, and identify the type, vintage, and all that. But for now, I think I’ll stick to cocktails.
The pasta itself was warm and cheesy! There’s always something so filling about warm tomato sauce and freshly grated parmesan. Yum! Check them out on Yelp or their official website!
Snapshot: bulgogi+hoagie = “boagie” at Ann Arbor’s Kosmo
Hidden behind Sweetwater and Sparrow Market in Kerrytown, we found Kosmo, a cute little Korean greasy spoon. The menu was colorful, and the decor was cool and metallic.
The “twigim” – a collection of deep fried tempura veggies served like cheese fries. Supposedly, this is one of the things that put Kosmo on the map!
My “boagie” – bulgogi on a hoagie/philly cheesesteak! Korean fushion is adorbs.
Bibimbop at Kosmo – choose four vegetables to go into a bowl of rice!
The quality isn’t amazing, but for a cute little diner at the back of Kerrytown, Kosmo sure is tasty! Check them out on Yelp or the next time you’re studying in Kerrytown!
CloverFeasts: injera and veggies at Ann Arbor’s The Blue Nile!
The entrance!
There is something so unique and delicious about Ethiopian cuisine, and Ann Arbor’s The Blue Nile is fulfilling both in terms of food and experience! We were able to sit outside, and started the evening off with cocktails!
Gin and tonic!
My favorite part of the vegetables and meat platter we got, and about Ethiopian cuisine in general, is injera! This delicious sour, spongy bread has great texture and flavor, and is also so fun! I love scooping up pieces of meat or cabbage with it, and also eating the stew-seeped lining after!
So delicious!
Sooo much food!
There also happened to be a really good dessert menu, so we ended the night with my favorite chocolate mousse!
Mousse!
The Blue Nile is delicious and so much fun. It can be a little pricey, but there are often coupons to be found online; we got a really great deal on the all-you-can-eat feast, so keep a look out! Check them out on Yelp or their official website!
CloverSavors: super garlicky sandwiches at Ann Arbor’s La Marsa
Now open!
A new addition to State St, La Marsa is two skips and a hop away from Phi Rho, and is a lot less shady to get to at night when we’re craving chicken shawarma wraps!
Garlic and bread!
There is an amazing garlic sauce with puffy bread served in lieu of traditional bread+butter, and IT. IS. AMAZING. I’m pretty sure this is the same garlic sauce that goes into the sandwiches themselves, lending them their signature savoriness.
The Cobra: beet, carrot, orange, radish and apple.
La Marsa also offers a variety of juices and smoothies, made from fresh fruit!
Chicken Shawarma!
Here is my delicious sandwich. It’s smaller than the ones at Jerusalem Garden, but also cheaper (less than $5). La Marsa is a great stop for lunch or a late-night snack, and you can order out for a quick meal to go! Check it out on YELP or its Official website!
CloverEats: Karahi paneer at Ann Arbor’s Shalimar
On one of the last warm and sunny days in Ann Arbor, Fred and I walked down Main St in search of sustenance. We ended up at Shalimar, after standing at the edge of the street deciding between it, The Melting Pot, and Jolly Pumpkin.
Kabuli naan: rose and nuts!
We started off the meal with Kabuli naan, chai, and of course, Mango Lassi! I’m still not sure how I feel about sweet naans; I think I prefer garlic or paneer-filled savory versions, but it’s always exciting to try new types!
I love sitting outside!
Karahi paneer!
Potato and chicken curry.
Both of our dishes, karahi paneer and potato and chicken curry, were flavorful and filling. I think I enjoyed sitting outside in the sunlight the most, scooping up warm curry in fluffy/buttery naan, watching the sun slowly set, savoring the last of fall yet looking forward to the winter snow.
Sugar crumbs on the table.
Check our Shalimar’s Official website and Yelp!
CloverSnacks: froyo+mochi at Ann Arbor’s Lab Cafe
Hip!
My favorite feature of Ann Arbor is how late everything is open. For a late-night study break, Lab Cafe is right down the street from Phi Rho, and UAAMSA members get a 10% discount! I really like all the strange modern/progressive videos they have projected onto the wall behind the counter. One time, it was the original “Tron”! Another time, metal car-creatures dissolved into droplets that became whale-like animals that then became wolves running through a forest, with plants growing everywhere they stepped…
There's always something interesting playing at Lab Cafe.
Lab Cafe is mostly known for their coffee, but we always go for their frozen yogurt! The yogurt is self-serve, with a variety of flavors cycling through the machines. They range from normal ones like vanilla to really interesting ones like chile-chocolate and pumpkin! The absolute best flavor is almond. I was devastated when they rotated it out.
Rainbow mochi! Omnomnom.
I don’t think anything can fully recapture that fateful summer in Evanston when I discovered Red Mango…for several weeks, I went there every single day after lunch for a cup of delicious original frozen yogurt; it was the perfect balance between sweet and tart, between rich and light. But for Ann Arbor, Lab Cafe is hip, cool, and convenient! Check them out on Yelp or at their official website!
CloverEats: delicious parmesan potatoes at Ann Arbor’s Aut Bar
/aut/
Fred and I discovered Aut Bar completely by chance: we were on our way to Cafe Zola when we saw a huge line outside of this weekend-only brunch restaurant. It’s across the street from the Kerrytown Farmer’s Market, but despite being slightly out of the way, was totally packed!
Outdoor seating!
It took us about half an hour to get seats, which wasn’t too surprising given our timing (late Sunday morning) and the beautiful weather. We got cocktails to help pass the time, and looked at all the delicious food everyone else was eating outside.
Mimosa and Pomegranate Lava Lamp!
By the time we got in, we already decided on getting Eggs Benedict and French Toast. They were both AMAZING. The Eggs Benedict came with little spiced parmesan potatoes, which had such a rich, cheesy flavor that complemented the eggs perfectly. The hollandaise sauce was creamy, warm, and so rich. Fred calls Aut Bar his favorite brunch restaurant in Ann Arbor, and I have to say that their food is certainly delicious!
Eggs benedict and amazing parmesan potatoes!
You can even order just a side of parmesan potatoes! They are amazing!
French toast, the breakfast-dessert.
Fred keeps telling people to go to Aut Bar, and after this amazing experience, I have to agree. Check them out on Yelp or their official website!
Snapshot: Happy Hour at Ann Arbor’s Sava’s!
- Spiced rum and the Pool Boy!
To celebrate the first snow of the season, Fred and I stopped by Sava’s for happy hour drinks. The Pool Boy is described as “appleton’s rum, bacardi, apricot brandy, amaretto, fresh pineapple juice, house-made sour mix, dash of nutmeg.” It was refreshing and sweet!
Sitting upstairs!
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