In a city like Ann Arbor, with restaurants to satisfy any palate, it is easy to fall into the pattern of frequenting a few favorites while ignoring the rest.  Willing to move from your culinary comfort zone?  This week, June 20-25, the Main Street Area Association is holding its semi-annual restaurant week, enticing you to sample international cuisine from 33 local restaurants.  For a flat rate of $25 for dinner and $12 for lunch, you can literally eat your way around the world this week.  The flat rate excludes beverages, tax, and tip, of course; you can order off the menus at any restaurant as well.  Some places are offering 2 for 1 deals.
 
Hard to decide where to start?  The 33 participating restaurants include all of the 2010 Taste of Ann Arbor Award winners, so you might want to start by sampling these winners:
 
 

BEST OF SHOW: The Black Pearl for their incredible fish tacos…

BEST ENTRÉE: Once again, The Black Pearl for the fish tacos…

BEST APPETIZER: Real Seafood Company for their shrimp and scallop skewer lightly dressed with pineapple and apricot salsa…

BEST DESSERT: Conor O’Neill’s Traditional Irish Pub for their homemade rich and delicious bread pudding…

WEMU TASTER’S CHOICE: Cafe Felix for their melt-in-your mouth mini crab cakes…

 If you’re in the mood for a burger, you can enjoy a good one at the Blue Tractor, but remember, Restaurant Week is about diversity.  You can enjoy a stay-cation and feel like you have traveled the world. 

 
 
Do you want to move to a city where there is always a lot happening?  Martin Bouma – your Ann Arbor neighborhood expert – can meet virtually all of your Ann Arbor real estate needs.  Located just a couple blocks from where Restaurant Week is happening, the Bouma Group can answer any questions you have about real estate in Ann Arbor and show you the finest in downtown – or suburban – living.  Whether you’re buying or selling a home, Interested in Washtenaw County, Saline, or a specific Ann Arbor neighborhood,  call the Bouma Group today!  And don’t forget to check out our Condo Hotline – we’ve got a handle on the Ann Arbor condominium market.
  • The Earle – award-winning French and Italian country cuisine.
  • Mahek Indian Cuisine – well seasoned vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian delights.  Want to compare this food to other Indian restaurants?  Try Shalimar, specializing in North Indian, Tandoori, and Mughlai dishes, or Mercy’s, which offers Burmese fare.
  • Melange – Eurasian eclectic cuisine served in a casually sophisticated atmosphere that makes it one of the Top Bars in the country in 2008, according to the Editors of Nightclub & Bar Magazine.
  • The Prickly Pear – southwest and Mexican delights, including their sought-after scallops and buffalo enchiladas.  Bandito’s California Style and Sabor Latino offer popular Mexican cuisine too.
  • Café Habana – award-winning Cuban food.  No joke, this restaurant has been winning awards and winning customers since it opened in 2007.
  • The Chop House – if elegant American cuisine is what you seek, the Chop House excels.
  • Logan – also features New American cuisine influenced by French. Latin American, European, and Asian cultures and exquisitely executed by Chef Thad Gillies.  One of my favorites, Logan has a SoHo feel to it.
  • Looking for a new hangout?  The Arbor Brewing Company or Vinology welcome you with locally brewed beer or a wide selection of wine – and invite you to come back frequently.

 The choices abound, with Greek, Italian, Ethiopian, Japanese, Thai, and more rounding out the June 2010 Restaurant Week list.  There are many more great restaurants in the city, such as another favorite of mine, the elegant and sophisticated West End Grill, but Restaurant Week will introduce you to a few of them – and perhaps re-introduce you to exciting downtown Ann Arbor.

 

Do you want to move to a city where there is always a lot happening?  Martin Bouma – your Ann Arbor neighborhood expert – can meet virtually all of your Ann Arbor real estate needs.  Located just a couple blocks from where Restaurant Week is happening, the Bouma Group can answer any questions you have about real estate in Ann Arbor and show you the finest in downtown – or suburban – living.  Whether you’re buying or selling a home, Interested in Washtenaw County, Saline, or a specific Ann Arbor neighborhood,  call the Bouma Group today!  And don’t forget to check out our Condo Hotline – we’ve got a handle on the Ann Arbor condominium market.