Restaurant Review: Zamaan Cafe - Ann Arbor

3580 Plymouth Rd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Phone: 734.213.3350
Hours:
Monday - Friday 10am - 10pm
Saturday 11am -10pm
Sunday 11am - 9pm
Price: $$

Hungry the other night, I decided to sift through my pile of coupons and try something new.  I cam across a coupon I had clipped out of a monthly coupon mailer for Zamaan Cafe.  I am in love with Mediterranean food (especially chicken shawarma sandwiches) so I thought I would check to see where this restaurant was.  When I looked at the address on the coupon I discovered it was located only about a mile and a half from where I live.  How did I not know there was a Mediterranean restaurant so close to home.  I immediately called the number on the coupon and ordered my stand by favorite, a chicken shawarma and fattoush salad. 

When ordering I was asked if I wanted the traditional chicken shawarma or the one with feta cheese.  A chicken shawaram with feta was a new concept to me, I have been to a lot of Mediterranean restaurants but I have never seen this on the menu. 

Once home with my take out, I could hardly wait to dig in.  Everything looked and smelled delicious  My first bite was of my fattoush salad.  The dressing was yummy, but overall I thought the salad was a little heavy on the lettuce and a little light on the cucumbers, tomatoes, and other yummy additions.  Overall the salad was average.  Next I bit into my shwarma and OMG feta should be a standard addition.  The sandwich its self was average, like the salad, but the addition of the feta made it AMAZING.  I will for sure be ordering this addition on every chicken shawarma I order from now on. 

Zamaan has a pretty good combo deal, a sandwich with your choice of salad, fries, or rice for $6.99.   Not a bad deal for something much healthier then fast food. The food was good, but pretty average compared to other Mediterranean restaurants in the area. 

Leslie @ Munchin' Michigander

Restaurant Review: Gabriel's - Ypsilanti, MI

2585 E.Michigan 
Avenue     
Ypsilanti, MI 48185 
(1 additional Location)
Phone: 734.483.5846
Hours:
Monday-Sunday: 10am - 9pm

Sunday: 11am - 9pm
Price: $$
 




www.gabrielscheesesteaks.com

Gabriel's Menu

Have you heard the idiom, "don't judge a book by its cover"? Garbriel's is a prime example of why you should not prejudge this restaurant due to the location, menu size, or its exterior appearance. What we found inside this red and yellow dive was a cheese steak hoagie that could turn a Philadelphian into a Michigander!

Gabriel's is small and dingy, but the kind of dingy where you know food must be good as there was a steady flow of customers coming in the door. It could probably seat about 25 people, though many customers opted to take their sandwiches to go. With only four sandwiches to choose from, this may have been the smallest menu I had ever seen. Leslie and I both ordered the cheese steak hoagie with a side of  peppers.

After a short wait, I was unwrapping my cheese steak from unbranded paper that reminded me of something a department store cashier would  use to wrap up something fragile. The bun was lined with American cheese and stuffed with steaming hot paper thin slices of ribeye and sauteed onions. I topped off my hoagie with a tangy-diced hot cherry pepper relish, or in Gabriel's lingo -- a side of peppers. 

It was mouth watering delicious! If I even thought I could squeeze a couple more ounces of food in my stomach, I might have ordered a second. This cheese steak hoagie was far from the ordinary over processed burger and greasy french fry meal. There were no liquid renderings running down my palm. Nor any drips on my shirt leaving behind the evidence of a sinful meal. But it tasted like there should have been! This sandwich is a broke college kids late night dream food. Too bad it's not a little bit closer to Eastern Michigan University's campus. 

Lindsey @ Munchin' Michigander

Product Review: California Pasta Shops Inc. - Fresh Handcut Gourmet Pasta

California Pasta Shops Fresh Handcut Pasta

33905 HARPER
CLINTON ,  MI  49236

Phone: 586.790.7080
Price: $$

In a pasta mood, I decided to try California Pasta Shops fresh Handcut Gourmet Pasta.  I am glad the grocery store had placed a "Made In Michigan" tag on the self to highlight this product, because due to its name I would have never guessed it was made here in Michigan.  A 1 lb. package of this pasta was only $3.19, a good value considering it makes enough pasta for 3-4 meals.

I followed the instructions on the packing, placing the pasta in boiling water for 3-4 minutes.  As son as the pasta was drained I immediately grabbed a noodle for my first taste test.  I was surprised, the pasta tasted perfectly al dente.  My only complaint is that some of the pasta failed to separate, causing a few dense clumps of pasta. Overall this pasta was just average, tasting better then boxed noodles, but not good as some other fresh pastas I have had.  

Leslie @ Munchin' Michigander. 

Product Review: Cardillo Pizza Sauce Seasoning - Spicy Mix

Carrillo Pizza Sauce Seasoning

Cardillo Seasonings
16751 Curtis
Roseville, MI 48066
Phone: 248.333.2425
Price: $





www.CardilloPizzaSpice.com

Browsing the aisles at Hillar's Market, I stumbled upon little packets of pizza sauce seasoning hanging on a chip clip in the pasta sauce section of the grocery store.  These intrigued me.  I immediately grabbed a packet and flipped it over to see what else was needed to make it.  All that was needed in addition to the seasoning packet was a 15oz can of tomato sauce and two tablespoons of olive oil.  I always have olive oil on hand, so at $1.69 for the seasoning pack and $0.99 for the tomato sauce, I tossed the little packet in my cart. 

This sauce was extremely easy to make, I grabbed a bowl and dumped in the tomato sauce, seasoning, and olive oil.  Whallah after a quick stir and about 30 seconds I had pizza sauce.  It smelled amazing, but it was time for the taste test.  I grabbed a spoon, stuck it in the sauce.  I was a little overwhelmed at first, this sauce packs a punch.  When they say "spicy mix' they are not kidding around.  The sauce has a really good flavor and I like spicy food, but this was a bit to spicy for me. 

Prepared Sauce

Overall I really like the concept of this sauce as tomato sauce is usually a staple item in most homes.  The seasoning packets are cheap enough and shelf stable, making them another easy item to keep on hand.  I often find myself craving pizza and having everything to create something resembling one, minus the sauce, so problem solved.  The flavor of this sauce is really delicious and I can't wait to try their "less spicy" verities.   

Below is a video from the Cardillo Pizza Sauce website, showing you just how easy it is to make their sauce.


Leslie @ Munchin' Michigander

Product Review: Towne Club Soda - Vanilla Cream

Towne Club Soda

6400 E 8 Mile Rd
Detroit, MI 48234
Price:$

Towne Club is a Michigan brand of soda pop.  It is produced and sold primarily in the Detroit, Michigan region.  Towne Club first started selling soda in the mid-1960s in its own retail outlets called "Pop Centers"  The concept was simple, 24 bottles of mix 'n match flavors were sold in wooden grates.  The prices were low, making it an affordable alternative to big brand soda companies.  In the mid- to late-1980s the company fell on hard times, closing its retail outlets.  Today Towne Club soda is still produced and sold in the Detroit area in both glass and plastic bottles.

 

While shopping at Hillar's Market in Ann Arbor, I was lucky enough to stumble upon this soda on sale for $0.88 in the beverage cooler.  Being a sucker for vanilla flavored soda I couldn't resist the chance to sample it.  I had never heard of this soda company so I wasn't sure what to expect.  The anticipation was killing me so I didn't waste time cracking open the cold glass bottle as soon as I got home.  YUM!!! was my  first reaction.  This was probably the best vanilla soda I have ever had.  I was born and raised in the Detroit are, so how did I not know something so delicious existed here?  The soda has an excellent flavor and will be making the top of my list for treats.  The only reason I am not giving this soda a full 5 stars is that it is just a tad to sweet for regular drinking.  Overall this is an amazing soda and I can't wait to try the other flavors.  

Towne Club Soda

16 fl oz. glass bottle - $0.99

Grape - Orange - Tropical Fruit Punch - Peach - Strawberry

Leslie @ Munchin' Michigander

 

Restaurant Review: Brown's Root Beer & Sandwich Shop - South Lyon, MI

399 South Lafayette Street
South Lyon, MI 48178-1407
Phone: (248) 437-6376
Hours: Call
Price: $$





www.brownsrootbeer.com
Brown's Menu

Bown's Root Beer & Sandwich Shop has been on my restaurants to try list for about 3 years now. From a quick glance it appears to be a small eat in diner with an exterior ambiance of an A&W drive-in. Catering to the hungry the menu features coney dogs, burgers, chili cheese fries, and an array of sandwich creations. I decided to try their coney dog as was voted the best coney in 2010 by the local new paper. The chili had great flavor, with just a touch of heat. As for the rest of the food, it was run of the mill. My husband had a burger and he complained that it was very dry. Ewww....nothing worse than a dry burger!

Coke with Cherry Syrup, Coney, and Onion Rings

However, if your sweet tooth needs to be satisfied then you're in luck! Brown's fountain drink menu is top notch featuring root beer (they make their own), Vernors, and Coca-cola that can be flavor enhanced with cherry, vanilla or chocolate syrup. Looking for something a little more creamy? How about a root beer float, black cow, or the Michigan favorite, a Boston cooler? I went with a Michigan made product, a Saunders hot fudge cream puff. It was delish! Nothing beats Saunders hot fudge on top of a cream puff shell that is filled with vanilla ice cream.

Saunder Hot Fudge Cream Puff

If you want to try Brown's Root Beer & Sandwich Shop my advice is to call first for the hours. They do not appear to have set hours of business, and were closing for the day at 3pm on a Saturday. 

Lindsey @ Munchin' Michigander

Restaurant Review: Mister Spots - Ann Arbor, MI

808 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Phone: 734.747.7768
Hours:
Mon-Thu 10:30 AM to Midnight
Fri-Sat 10:30 AM to 1:00 AM
Sunday Noon to Midnight
Price: $$




www.umgoblue.com
Mister Spots Menu

I ventured to Mister Spots in a quest to try what they claim to be "Ann Arbor's best buffalo wings".  Any one who knows me well knows I have issues with meat served on the bone, I just can't eat it.  With that being said I decided to take one of my friends who is a known wing connoisseur to give me his expert opinion on Mister Spots wings.  Mister Spots is a small restaurant which caters more to delivery and carry out customers.  While you can eat in the restaurant, there are only a few tables and booths.  The decor is pretty dated, and the building as a whole is pretty run down.  Since Mister Spots lacks the relaxing atmosphere that my friend and I were looking for, we opted to place our order to go.  We placed our order for a half dozen Buffalo Style Spot Wings with original hot sauce and a side of blue cheese and headed home.  On the drive the aroma coming the wings was amazing.  The smell alone was making me consider trying one, but my whole meat on bone phobia kept me from actually doing it.

1/2 Dozen Buffalo Style Spot Wings $ 4.45

Once we got home I barely had time to to snap a picture before my friend started tearing into the wings.  His reaction after the first bit was that the wings were pretty good and worth recommending.  His opinion quickly began to change after this first bite.  He thought wing sauce was pretty good but the heat was a little stronger then the average wing sauce.  This normally isn't a problem with a side of blue cheese to cool them down.    This is where his opinion started turning south.  The blue cheese served to us with the wings had a foul taste and was pretty much not edible.  Thankfully I had a bottle of ranch in my fridge to quickly remedy this problem.  As he continued to work his way through the styrofoam container of wings the heat from the sauce was starting to get to him.  He mentioned that the sauce had a great flavor but thought the heat might be a little much for the average person.  Upon finishing I had asked him what his overall rating was and if he would choose Mister Spots again for wings.  He said they were not so bad that he wouldn't eat them again, but they were not his first choice for wings.  They tasted a bit overcooked, and the chewy and slightly to crispy breading made them a little difficult to chew through.  Assuming they were overcooked his overall rating was that Mister Spots wings are good, but nothing special.  

Leslie @ Munchin' Michigander