Hut-K Chaats

Hut-K Chaats
http://www.hut-k.com
3022 Packard Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48018
QISA(4, 4, 3.5, 3), $5-7, Vegetarian (Vegan-friendly)

When a restaurant appeals to my inner food science geek, my inner nutritionist, my adventurer, my India-phile, my gourmet, and my underdog all at once, it has no choice but to become an instant favorite. Hut-K Chaats is clearly a labor of love, and you desperately want to see it succeed.

Hut-K Chaats was started in 2011 by Mahaveer Swaroop Bhojani, a PhD and former research investigator in the department of radiation oncology, dentistry, and anesthesiology at the University of Michigan Medical School. Bhojani believes strongly in the link between food quality, nutrition, and disease, and he put his money where his mouth is (so to speak) by starting a restaurant that marries flavor and pleasure with nutrition and health. Hut-K means “different” or “not mainstream” and Chaats are Indian street foods known for blending multiple flavors in a single bite.

Although much of Dr. Bhojani’s philosophy can be found on the restaurant Website, the proprietor is more than happy to talk your ear off about the nutritional impact of sprouted grains, the fresh ingredients in his creations, and the flavors of Indian street food that are foreign to most Western palates.

In fact, what appealed to me the most was the explosion of new, exotic, and sometimes incongruous flavors. I know my way around mainstream Indian cuisine better than most Midwesterners, but I found myself in uncharted territory. My standard curries, masalas, panirs, and dosas were replaced by chaats, puris, whole grain rotis, and flatbread wraps. I was off the map and loving it.

I ordered the Shanu Chaat after Dr. Bhojani explained to me how the dish beat out five other signature food cart dishes at a cooking contest sponsored by French cookware manufacturer Le Creuset. I mean, how could I not try the dish that triumphed over the vegan stew from The Lunch Room and the truffled macaroni and cheese from Humble Hogs? This generously portioned meal contained spiced crushed chickpeas rolled in colocasia leaves, baked multigrain papdi, potatoes, peas, chickpeas, and a Hut-K special sauce that was a mix of sweet, sour, and savory. The dish itself was beautifully rendered in colorful concentric circles on the plate, creating a feast for all five senses.

The Shanu Chaat wiped me out, but I was so curious about the Back 2 Roots flatbread, that I ordered a portion to go. Later that night, holed up by myself in my hotel room, I discovered a new blend of flavor and texture. The Back 2 Roots is less a traditional Indian flatbread and more a bland chewy grain patty. However, complemented with red chutney sauce (almonds, walnuts, red pepper, carrots) and green chutney sauce (peanuts, coconut, mint, and cilantro), the mix of nine ancient whole grains and seeds plus four “newer” grains becomes a very satisfying meal.

To be sure, like any restaurant that publishes its philosophy on its Website, Hut-K Chaats suffers from a certain amount of pretention. The restaurant is not about the food, it's about YOUR health, OUR environment, MY culture (emphasis mine). Bhojani even coins the word nutrilicious, which sounds like the pet project of a Madison Avenue intern. However, you forgive all that because the food is great and the proprietors are committed to your wellbeing. If my mother ever made Aanokhi Pani Puri, I'm sure it would have tasted just like this.

The Lunch Room

The Lunch Room
http://thelunchrooma2.tumblr.com/
407 N. 5th Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
QISA (4, 3.5, 3.5, 3), $7-10, Vegan

The Lunch Room in Ann Arbor is a small, intimate vegan eatery with a rapid turnover vibe befitting its college appeal. The food is well prepared and tasty, which is a good thing because obviously very little time was wasted on décor. In fact, other than the big jars of spices behind the lunch counter itself, the only decorations that I could see were cheap, store-bought Halloween cut outs on the windows and a decorative border around the ceiling made of blue-tipped metal quills. I am not sure what the decorators were going for, but it looked like they had sewn together the pelts of many paint-dipped porcupines.

Based on my single visit, the restaurant primarily draws a young female crowd, most of them pulled straight out of the 60s through a rip in the space time continuum. The party of four next to me comprised three attractive young ladies in native garb, and a mother who looked like she was actively accepting their lifestyles. The “earthiest” of this group, a pretty blonde woman in macramé and earth tones, was apparently eschewing the regressive confines of the spoken word and was communicating in a limited set of signs that seemed to indicate “love,” “look at that,” and “cell phone.”

But then there is the food. I really enjoyed the food. I ordered a tofu banh mi sandwich with a side of chili. The banh mi was a thick slab of tofu marinated and baked to a perfect texture and flavor, covered with carrots and cilantro, and served on hearty, chewy artisan bread. The chili was thick and busy with a moderate amount of heat. Loaded with kidney beans and lentils and complemented with tomato and onion, the chili had a wonderful “meaty” quality without the cheat of processed meat analogs.

When I go back, and I undoubtedly will, I will have to try the Tuck and Roll Burrito with cumin black beans, corn, cumin-lime rice, avocado, cashew sour cream, and fresh pico de gallo. Or perhaps I will come for the Sunday brunch and try the biscuit “sausage” and gravy or maybe the breakfast burrito with housemade seitan chorizo. Or maybe I’ll ask about the Flying Spaghetti Monster sushi roll mentioned on their Twitter feed. After all, what’s vegan food without a political statement?

However, I will have to time my next visit so that it does not follow a business meeting. I definitely need to lose the tie and suit if I want to blend in with the locals. I could be wrong, but I think the pretty blonde hippie was signing to her friends, “Check out Gordon Gecko.”

Jazzy Veggie

Jazzy Veggie
http://www.jazzyveggie.com/
108 S.Main St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104
QISA (3.5,4,3,3), $9-13, Vegan

If Ann Arbor were a person, she would undoubtedly be that girl you wish you could have dated back in high school if only you had the nerve to ask her out. Ann was pretty, funny, quirky, whip-smart, sarcastic, gregarious, earthy, and cooler than you could ever hope to be. She rarely wore make-up or fancy clothes, and she was never part of the popular crowd. Yet somehow she always shined and was always surrounded by friends. She was always just arms reach out of your league but you were happy to spend time in her presence and were thrilled that she knew your name. Ann Arbor was just that cool.

As a college town, Ann Arbor stands out among other college towns. It is more active than Bloomington, IN, more laid back than Boulder, CO, and less sunburnt that Austin, TX. Ann Arbor is a mid to small size town of 116,000, yet it has all the cultural trappings you would expect, including science museums (e.g. The Hands On Museum, specialty food shops (e.g. Cherry Republic), and specialty book stores (e.g. Aunt Agatha’s). It hosts the University of Michigan, which I believe is considered a religion unto itself complete with deities, holidays, and sacrificial rites. Furthermore, it has two vegan restaurants and at least three ovo-lacto vegetarian restaurants.

Perhaps it is due to my romantic infatuation with the city, that I expected so much from Jazzy Veggie. I certainly respect and appreciate the restaurant’s premise: vegan comfort food. And to be absolutely fair, Jazzy Veggie is a very good restaurant that I will undoubtedly visit again. It just isn’t a “fantastic” restaurant.

I opted for the Wolverine sandwich, which contained veggie beef in Mexican marinade, sautéed onions, peppers, guacamole, lettuce, and chipotle aioli on a whole grain bun. The sandwich came with soup or a house salad; I went with the split pea soup. I added a side of coconut curry vegetables, not because I truly needed more food, but because I was curious how they turned steamed vegetables into comfort food.

The Wolverine was less exotic than it sounded, falling into the Boca burger classification of meat analogs. It was pretty good, but in the end, it was basically a Boca burger with fixings and a chipotle special sauce. The split pea soup was tasty and well spiced without being too salty, but it was not out of the ordinary. The vegetable side comprised broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot, steamed till just fork tender, and served in a mild curry sauce. I appreciated that they did not overcook the vegetables, a common mistake in most restaurants, but frankly I would have liked them cooked just a tad more and served with a spicier or more flavorful sauce.

I realize that I have only scratched the surface of their menu. I definitely want to go back and try out their Grains & Greens (e.g., Inca Queen: red quinoa pilaf with black beans, fire roasted poblano, tomato, corn, served with sautéed balsamic greens and vegetables), pizzas (e.g., Sweet Sicilian: smoked apple sage veggie sausage, caramelized red onions, mushrooms, basil, tomato sauce, vegan mozzarella), and other sandwiches (e.g., Spicy Sensation: chipotle veggie sausage, onions, and peppers in black seasoning). Perhaps with increased exposure, I will discover that I underrated the restaurant based on one mediocre experience.

On the other hand, perhaps I will discover that they are exactly what they advertise to be: vegan comfort food. Comfort food is never meant to be overly exotic or fancy. Comfort food is meant to be good, solid food that makes you happy and wanting to come back for more.

Kind of like this city.

Café Zola

Café Zola
 www.cafezola.com

112 West Washington Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

QISA (4433), $10-15, Vegetarian-Friendly

It should come as no surprise that I love small, liberal college towns. I spent one quarter of my life as a student in Bloomington, Indiana, and Boulder, Colorado, and I now like to visit college towns as an adult to explore the culinary counter culture. I travel to Ann Arbor periodically for my work, and I suspect that the town will give me ample opportunity to patronize the vegan and vegetarian cuisine, alternating smoothies with microbrews, pasta dishes with quinoa salads, spicy bean burgers with barbecued seitan, French fries with…well, more French fries.

However, despite the many, many restaurants to explore, I suspect that I will be coming back to Café Zola very soon.

Café Zola, named after the French writer Emile Zola, focuses on French cuisine, with a smattering of Italian, Mediterranean, and Turkish thrown in for good measure. This independently owned and operated restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner entrees including salads, crepês, omelettes, Belgian waffles, and sandwiches. Even if one excludes all the meat dishes, one can put together an impressive menu of choices.

On a recommendation from my dining partner, I ordered the Salad Zola, which comprised fresh goat cheese, lightly breaded and baked until soft and creamy, served on a bed of greens with a Turkish vinaigrette that tasted like a combination of sesame oil and balsamic vinegar. One could order the salad with chicken; I obviously opted for the vegetarian version. And when I say goat cheese, I am talking about a 2-3 inch flat circle of soft, warm, breaded goat cheese. If you do not like goat cheese, this will not impress you. If you do…oh, my.

The meal comes with Zingerman’s Bakehouse bread and herb butter. For those of you who have not experienced Zingerman’s bread of the month club (yes, I am serious), we are talking top shelf carbs here. It took me every ounce of will power not to steal my companion’s bread after finishing my own. Since my dining companion was also my boss, I suppose this was prudent.

I completed my meal with a glass of ice tea, the flavor of which changes daily. The tea of the day was lemon basil, which was wonderfully light and refreshing.

The modern art paintings on the walls give the place a sophisticated flair, but the rustic wooden tables keep the place grounded. The service was competently unremarkable, which was not a bad thing in itself. I was there for the food, not a show.

As I said, I plan to come back. The salad was nice, but there is so much more to try. I might go mushroom crazy with the Crepe Champignon (stuffed with sautéed mushrooms, onions, porcini mushroom sauce, and crème fraiche), or the Portabella Panino (whole portabella cap grilled with roasted garlic and oven-melted Havarti cheese). Or perhaps I’ll satisfy my sweet tooth with the Crepe Normandie (sautéed apples, walnuts, and cranberries with honey and crème), the Crepe Nutella Banana, or the Black Forest Belgian Waffle (with imported brandied cherries, Ghiradelli chocolate sauce, powered sugar, and crème Chantilly).

Hell, I can have a bean burger any old day.