Mighty Good Coffee Roasting Company - Ann Arbor, Michigan

I enjoyed my first cup of Mighty Good Coffee (decaf) at Red Hawk Bar & Grill.  Immediately after the first sip I was pleasantly surprised by its depth of flavor and elegance.  It was delicious! I knew then I had to try their other blends.  You can purchase Mighty Good Coffee blends at their cafe, Sparrow Market and Babo in A2, click here (for the list of retailers that also carry their products).

I highly encourage you to visit their cafe.  I love the ambience and large work area for reading, studying, or just for enjoying coffee.     
      
Located:
217 N. Main Street, A2, MI 48104
734.222.4514
Hours:
Monday-Saturday: 7am-6pm
Sunday: 8am-5pm
(check their website for seasonal hours)       

Quality & Variety: 93
Quality of Service: 94
Value: 94
Atmosphere: 94
Overall: 93 (Very Good)

Pinkberry - Ann Arbor, Michigan

If you are craving something cold, refreshing and delicious, Pinkberry is a must!  Our first experience was delightful. Several years ago, we were visiting my wife's sister in NYC and she took us to Koreatown for frozen yogurt.  Since then I've been waiting for Pinkberry to open up a store in Michigan.  They are a Los Angeles-based company and had opened their first store in 2005.  The only Michigan location is at Briarwood Mall in Ann Arbor.

Pinkberry's original flavor is my favorite.  It reminds me of the yogurt drink,Yakult, that my grandparents would always buy for me during our visit to Taiwan.  The yogurt choices at Briarwood are original, mango, coconut, pomegranate, chocolate, and peanut butter.  There are 30 different toppings to choose from including fresh fruit (strawberry, mango, pineapple), dry (toasted almonds, cheesecake bites, granola), and liquid (honey, chocolate & caramel sauce).  You can also enjoy Pinkberry as a smoothie, a shake or fresh fruit parfait!  If you end up enjoying Pinkberry as much as we do - get the loyalty card and earn rewards.      

Pinkberry (Briarwood Mall)
100 Briarwood Circle, Ann Arbor, MI 48108
734.222.4700
Hours:
Monday-Saturday: 10am-9pm
Sunday: 11am-6pm
Pinkberry A2 Facebook Link

Quality of Food: 94
Quality of Service: 83
Value: 93
Atmosphere: 86
Overall Score: 89 (Very Good)

Pinkberry at Briarwood Mall, A2

Isalita - Ann Arbor, Michigan

I fell in love with authentic mexican cuisine on a mission trip in Mexico during my senior year of high school.  At every meal, I enjoyed the most amazing refried beans, corn tortillas, plantains, and dishes with tomatillo & mole sauces.  Ever since that moment I've been in a love affair with this beautiful culture and cuisine.     

Now my love affair has a name, Isalita. She brings back all the good memories and creates new ones too.  I love the idea of serving in the form of Tapas.  This creates a fun and interactive experience.  Last night I enjoyed the company of three close friends from college (Liz, Onkyong, & Ben).  The food was just as wonderful as our conversation.  We had Truffle Guacamole, Spicy Tuna Ceviche, Al Pastor, Baja Fish, Lengua, Carnitas, Elotes, and Pollo Feliz.  I won't say too much about how incredible that meal was, you'll just have to find out for yourself.  Join them for Hora Feliz (Happy Hour) Tuesday-Friday, 4-6pm at the bar and bring some friends!                    

Located:
341 E. Liberty St. Ste 2, Downtown A2
(Next to Mani Osteria & Bar, same owner)
Hours:
Closed Mondays
Tuesday-Thursday 4pm to 10 pm
Friday-Saturday 4pm to 11pm
Sunday 4pm to 9pm
Isalita Facebook Link

Quality of Food: 97
Quality of Service: 97
Value: 100
Atmosphere: 98
Overall: 98 (Excellent - A Must Try!)

I love the cozy ambience. 

Ginger in the Rye - Craft Beer, very smooth with ginger nuances - fantastic!

Carnitas Taco: pork, pickled onions, cilantro, salsa verde

Al Pastor Taco: guajillo glazed pork belly & pickled pineapple

Spicy Tuna Ceviche: green mango, toasted coconut, pickled onions, chile serrano, lime

Pollo Feliz: fried chicken, morita BBQ, slaw

Elotes: grilled corn, chipotle mayo, queso fresco, chile pequin, lime

Baja Fish Taco: chipotle remoulade, avocado, pickled red cabbage

Salmon Ceviche Taco: avocado, melon, adobo, lime

Lengua: Tongue, Pickled Onions, avocado, cilantro

Goat Tacos

Tres Leches: Coconut, Mango, Kiwi

A Post Card with your bill - Loved this idea!

Enchilada ROJA : chicken, coconut, poblano

Militello's Bakery - Shelby Twp, Michigan

We (or more accurately) my wife discovered Militello's Bakery when she was planning our wedding.  The knot suggested several bakeries in the metro Detroit area, but none of them ended up as her final pick.  We sat down on a Saturday with Gasper Militello, the owner, and had a sampling of his specialty - European Tortes.  To be honest, until that day occurred I had no idea that cake could be so delicious.  It was light and airy and had such an elegance to it.  It was beautiful.  We chose the pineapple mandarin orange torte and it was amazing!  It has become a tradition to celebrate our anniversary with a Militello Torte every year.

Militello's is a family owned business and has been making amazing European Tortes and other pastries for three generations -25 years.  They offer 19 different Torte flavors.  Aside from our wedding cake favorite, we have also enjoyed tiramisu, kaluha, and the strawberry torte.  Make sure you call ahead to schedule an appointment for free cake sampling and enjoy your time with Gasper (I loved his enthusiasm)! They make tortes for any occasion and from the picture below, you can see that we were NOT disappointed. =)

Militello's Bakery
52950 Vandyke Rd. Shelby Twp, MI 48316
586.254.9700
torte@comcast.net
Hours:
Closed Sundays
Monday - Friday: 6am to 6pm
Saturday: 7am to 5pm

Quality & Variety: 98
Quality of Service: 93
Value: 100
Atmosphere: 90
Overall: 95 (Excellent - A Must Try)

Our Wedding Cake by Militello's Bakery (Taylor Grey Photography)

We always get our wedding favorite: Pineapple Mandarin Orange Torte!