Picture
While watching football on a typical Saturday or Sunday afternoon, you’ll see a multitude of commercials for nationally-recognized brands of beer. But, did you know that some of the best beer in the country is brewed right in your backyard? Michigan has quietly built a reputation as a great beer state, with the fifth most breweries, microbreweries, and brewpubs per capita in the nation. Anyone who has enjoyed Bell’s Oberon on a warm summer evening can attest to the delicious brews Michigan can create. As the leaves fall, taps across Ann Arbor fill with specialty fall beers. On a crisp, cool Friday night, I decided to venture out with a friend of mine to see what sorts of October beers the local breweries were serving.

We ended up at the Jolly Pumpkin on Main Street, known for its diverse menu offerings and for producing a variety of interesting beer. It’s a bit expensive (have your parents take you there) and wait times can be a bit lengthy on a weekend night, but once you get in the door, you’re in for a unique beer-drinking experience. When my friend and I were seated, we asked our waitress about the October beers Jolly Pumpkin offered and she gave us two options. One, La Parcela, she described as a sour pumpkin ale, which was available on draft. The other, Fuego del Otoño, had only been served for a short while and was available in a 750 mL bottle. My friend and I decided to try both and split them between the two of us.

When the beers arrived, I decided to try La Parcela first. It was an amber ale, and I was a little taken aback upon tasting it. As our waitress described, it was sour at the first sip, and it tasted strongly of fruit. My friend compared it to the taste of wine. I thought it finished well, with a slightly sweet and wheaty aftertaste. Though it was atypical compared to the beer I normally drink, I thought it was rather enjoyable. I decided to give the Fuego del Otoño a try next, and was a bit disappointed with the results. It was a fresh, light beer, but I didn’t think it had a particularly unique taste that would set it apart from beers from other seasons. I wondered whether my analysis was hindered by the fact that it was in a bottle (rather than on tap) and that I had eaten something before trying it, which could have interfered with my ability to taste the subtleties of it. Nevertheless, I wasn’t impressed with it on that particular evening and let my friend drink most of it. But, I can’t claim to be a beer connoisseur, so I’d recommend you try it and taste for yourself.

So, before the weather gets chilly and midterms take over your life, I encourage you to enjoy the last days of Autumn in The Jolly Pumpkin, or perhaps Blue Tractor, Grizzly Peak, Ann Arbor Brewing Company, and beyond. It’s a special time of year for those who love beer. 
Add Comment
 
 
At long last the picture's from our Roos Roast excursion are up for your viewing pleasure. Roo's is a local coffee company that specializes in excellent coffee. 

Trip couldn't have been better. Organized by our Ann Arbor Flavor editor, Zak King, several of us headed out one cold morning to indulge in my personal drug of choice: coffee. As if sampling countless blends wasn't enough of a treat, John, the head of this brilliant roasting operation, made us quiche. Yes a quiche, muffins, cookies and...salmon? were all present. If you'd like to here more about our coffee filled morning, check out Zak's article describing his coffee high and hangover!
Add Comment
 
 
Picture
Palio by Sarah H 
In my opinion, Palio had one of the best dinner deals for restaurant week. They offered soup/salad, choice between two pasta dishes, and a mini dessert trio for $12.50. I had the soup, minestrone, followed by a pesto pasta with grilled chicken, followed by a trio of canoli, tiramisu, and a brownie. While the soup was a bit over-salted, the large portion of pesto pasta was creamy and satisfying, and the canoli and tiramisu were delicious. Service was very attentive, making for a delightful restaurant week dinner. 

Grange by Zak K
My episode of restaurant week began at the North American International Auto Show. I skipped a few classes last Thursday (all of them) to relive what used to be an annual tradition:  scrutinizing every car at the auto show with my dad. Unfortunately, about halfway through our visit, Cobo Hall erupted into flames. We made it out in the knick of time, and I thank the restaurant deities that we got out early or my dad and I would still be sitting in Detroit traffic with tens of thousands of car nuts in their cars. Thankfully we made it to the Grange unscathed and on time.

I was wearing jeans, and to my surprise and relief our waitress was as well—I hate being underdressed at these Main Street restaurants. We opted for the 25-a-head dinner, starting with fresh greens and goat cheese or a potato and onion soup. These starters fit Grange nicely. They were both simple to the point of quintessence and they highlighted the fresh ingredients that are so carefully chosen at Grange. However, if you are not accustomed to eating raw greens with only the slightest dressing, you would be wise to stray toward the more complex dishes.
Add Comment
 
 
Picture
Here at Wolverine Cuizine we enjoy a good deal more than a good meal. During last week’s Restaurant Week many of us found both, so read on for the best and the worst of Ann Arbor Restaurant Week 2010. 

Café Felix by Rachel L 
Restaurant Week was held January 17th-22nd this year in Ann Arbor and it continues to be one of the best deals around. Three course lunches were only $12 a person and three course dinners were only $25 a person at some of the best restaurants in Ann Arbor. These prices made a meal at these restaurants affordable for even students to go without their parents. However, Restaurant Week was also characterized by long waits everywhere. On Saturday night, a few friends and I headed down to eat at Seva’s, the local vegetarian restaurant on Liberty. But our call-ahead seating still left us with a 45 minute wait. So we decided to head down to Main Street. Knowing that it was Restaurant Week, one of my friends made a few calls to discover that most places were booked solid. Grizzly Peak had a 2 hour wait! Dejected, we started heading back to William Street. Then, somebody pointed out Café Felix, where there seemed to be no wait. We walked in and were seated immediately. Additionally, for some reason, whenever I’ve been to Café Felix, I’ve never had to wait. There never seems to be a crowd, even though the restaurant’s food rivals many other well-known restaurants and they offer a large drink menu with inventive martinis. As we were seated Saturday night, we were wary that the Restaurant Week deal at Café Felix would not compare to others because it was just so empty. However, our meal turned out to be great. Most of us ordered off the Restaurant Week menu. We received fantastic house salads with goat cheese and an entrée of either Chicken Boulouris, Rigatoni with veal and pork hand-rolled meatballs or Chicken and Prosciutto Fettucini. We tried each one and they were all very well done. For dessert, we each had a Nutella crepe with ice cream as part of the deal. Café Felix presented us with a very good meal with no wait. The emptiness of the restaurant may have implied that many people, like us, simply resort to Café Felix when everywhere else is full. Rather than choosing it as a second choice, I think next time it would be worth a first choice. And as Restaurant Week is officially over, that next time will definitely be with my parents because my paltry budget can only handle Ann Arbor’s yearly special deal.  

Vinology by Nick D
Restaurant week is awesome. $12 lunches are a steal in a town trending towards San Francisco pricing. In order to take advantage of this situation, I visited Vinology, a classy bar and grill on Main St., to sample their fare. 
Add Comment
 
 
Picture
Close your eyes for a moment and imagine that you finally landed those Motley Crüe tickets, the ones that had you checking Ticketmaster every day for a month. You and your two best Crüe-heads have dished out a small fortune for the hardest rocking night in music, and just three hours and a quick ride in the back of a pickup sit between you and Dr. Feelgood. Your carefully selected crüe arrive at your house as planned, and the three of you exchange feverish glances as they walk through the door. You ask them to follow you to the kitchen because you have prepared something special to celebrate. Rocky is drooling on his mesh tanktop and the American Flag on Cherryl's t-shirt has flames on it. "You two are going to love this." Rocky grunts. You pass by the refrigerator and, opening a glass door, you present your friends with two pristine bottles of 2005 Clos Des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape. "The 2008 Wine of the Year," you exclaim, but Cherryl sneers. "I'm partial to the Le Vieux Donjon," she says, and the three of you laugh knowingly.

Now, don't laugh. If the wine lovers at Rock n' Roll wine have their way, wine won't sound quite so ridiculous in my little narrative. Rock and Roll Wine is a company that hosts events around the country where they combine amplified music with a wine tasting. Their "high energy events" seek to "revolutionize the way people approach, perceive, and enjoy wine." Wolverine Cuizine attended one of those very events at Goodnight Gracie here in Ann Arbor, so read on for our thoughts on this "revolution."
Add Comment
 
 
Picture
For my birthday, my entire family usually comes up to Ann Arbor and we go to a nice restaurant. In recent years, it’s been the Gandy Dancer or the Chop House. This year, when my mother called and asked me where I wanted to go, I suggested the West End Grill or Pacific Rim, slightly different than the usual Main Street  ventures but still great quality. However, I failed to tell her that the weekend of my birthday was the Purdue game and Parent’s Weekend. So when she tried to make a reservation, she was denied at both places. She then tried another eight restaurants and all were booked solid during dinner hours. She was finally able to get us a table at Weber’s, a steakhouse just outside downtown Ann Arbor. The only thing I knew about Weber’s was their ridiculous billboard “Meat with Friends.” Naturally, I was a bit disappointed and wasn’t expecting much from the dinner.  I was very wrong though as Weber’s turned out to be a total winning experience.
1 Comment
 
 
Picture
Anne Heche after a trip to one of our MANY Starbucks
As many of you may know, the state of Michigan offers financial incentives for studios to come film in the state. Because of this, a number of celebrities have been spotted in Ann Arbor lately, leaving foodies everywhere wondering, "Where are they eating?!" Well here's the word on the street regarding recent celebrity outings:

October 2009: Anne Heche and Ed Helms dined at Grange Kitchen and Bar. Heche and Helms are currently filming "Cedar Rapids", a film about an insurance agent (Helms) trying to save the jobs of his colleagues by attending an industry convention.

October 2009: David Schwimmer spotted at the bar at Cafe Zola. Schwimmer is directing the movie "Trust", which recently began filming in Plymouth and Ann Arbor.
2 Comments
 
 
Picture
Established in 1995, Grizzly Peak has become a local favorite in Ann Arbor. Its convenient location right off of Main Street allows it to be a favorite for locals and students alike. Whether you are there for their Cheddar Ale soup or one of their nine locally brewed beers, Grizzly Peak provides their award winning dining. As they are the top-producing brew pub in Michigan, Grizzly Peak takes pride in their locally brewed beers. They distributed over 1600 barrels in Michigan last year alone!

Additionally, they are known for several award winning beers including their Bear Paw Porter which won a silver medal in the World Beer Cup in 2006. Favorite beers among customers include the Steel Head Red and the Grizzly Peak Pale Ale. Grizzly Peak also is host to many special events throughout the year. For example, they host a Brewer’s Night every Tuesday where patrons can come in a tour the brewery. However, two of the biggest events are their Oktoberfest event and Polar Beer Day. Oktoberfest this year was held September 19th as they shut down the entire street right outside the restaurant and helped raise money for UM’s Comprehensive Cancer Center. Polar Beer Day is normally held in mid-February where customers can get 25cent beers as long as they sit outside.
Add Comment
 
 
Picture
One very memorable Thanksgiving of mine involved an alternative to the classic roasted turkey. My grandfather, an adventurous and unconventional man, decided to purchase not only a single turkey but a bird comprised of a plethora of poultry. Turducken, the term for this excess of fowl, has recently become an interesting and tasty substitute for the typical Thanksgiving turkey dish. Made up of a de-boned chicken stuffed inside a de-boned duck, which is then inserted into a turkey, turducken could be considered a monstrosity! In addition, turducken can be cooked with unique variations of stuffing that include variations of sausage or the traditional stuffing depending on one’s preference and taste. According to National Geographic, “Hebert’s Specialty Meats” in Maurice, Louisiana has been named the birthplace where the concept of turducken originated.  The dish, introduced to American palates in 1985, has taken on great popularity in the past 25 years and has even inspired people outside of the U.S. to sample this delight.
Add Comment
 
 
Picture
Our fair city has recently had its share of celebrity visitors. In the last few weeks, I’ve heard whisperings of Clive Owen, David Schwimmer, and Ann Heche visiting some of our local establishments. But, an unlikely celebrity received perhaps the most enthusiastic reception of all when he made an appearance at Borders on Monday night. I am, of course, referring to Duff Goldman, the cake artist made famous by his wildly successful reality show, “Ace of Cakes.”

For those of you who have never heard of Duff (shame on you!), he is known for his innovative and creative approach to cake decorating. From a young age, he had an atypical interest in art, preferring graffiti and welding to traditional styles of creation. He bounced around lower-level cooking jobs, graduating from the University of Maryland before attending Corcoran College of Art and the Culinary Institute of America. He opened Charm City Cakes in Baltimore 2000. Thanks to his rebellious attitude towards cake decorating, he got invited to participate in Food Network Challenges, finally landing his own program, Ace of Cakes, in 2006. With the success of the show, Duff and his brother, Willie, decided to write a book that would offer an unprecedented peek inside Charm City Cakes and the production of “Ace of Cakes.” This book, Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes, brought Duff and his brother to Ann Arbor.
Add Comment