a 2F The Michigan Daily SICEvery year Michigan Daily readers vote on their favorite things about Ann Arbor. From the best barber shop to best pizza place, students decide the top places in the city. Below you'll find a glimpse of what our staffers think about some of last year's winners. Espresso Royale Cafe Six Espresso Royale Cafes. Two Amer's Mediterranean Delis. Two Sweetwater cafes. Rendezvous. Ambrosia. Ten Starbucks. As a col- lege student in Ann Arbor, you're never far from a coffee shop. Ann Arbor seems to breed cof- fee houses. Patrons can frequent the mainstream Starbucks or the indie Ambrosia or they can settle for a compromise - a coffee shop that doesn't make them feel like part of the establishment but that also doesn't make them feel overdressed wearing khakis and a polo. Espresso Royale is a happy medi- um between the coffee shops Ann Arbor has to offer. Without being a suffocating chain or pretenses of beinga cultural hub, ERC has a wel- coming atmosphere. Unlike a few campus coffee shops, the clientele isn't homog- Best coffee shop enous - you're almost as likely to see your professor there as you are to see your classmate. It's found in two campus loca- tions: State Street near Nickel's Arcade and South University Ave- nue near the entrance to the Diag. There are also two on Main Street and three others on the outskirts of town. While six locations might seem like a lot, when you consider that there are nearly twice as many Starbucks in town, it seems like a rarity. In each location, tables near the large front windows provide the perfect opportunity for people- watching while slowly sipping a cup of the house blend. Or if work needs to be done, patrons can go downstairs where it's quiet at the South University location or toward the back at the State Street location, where the rows of outlets are a wel- come relief from the ruthless search for a table where you can plug in your laptop. Also, the campus spots offer free wireless Internet, a big selling point over say, Starbucks, where access to the web via T-Mobile costs $9.99 for a day. Espresso Royale first opened on the West Coast in 1987 and soon spread to college towns in seven different states. The cafe on State Street was the first Espresso Royale to open in Ann Arbor. In 2004, the second ERC near campus opened on South University. The South University cafe, while slightly smaller, still presents the same friendly ambience for cus- tomers, as well as the same product selection. If you're lookingfor a meal that's heartier than just pastries and Coffee beans are displayed on the counter of the Espresso Royale Cafe on State Street. coffee, the parfait at ERC is better During finals week, it's important chain with heart. than it is anywhere else on campus. to have a relaxed atmosphere that's EMILYBARTON College students are often so not as suffocating as the Grad or the busy with school that they have Ugli but where you can stillget work This article originally little time to think of anything else. done. And while it's a chain, it's a ran on April 11, 2007. Red Hot Lovers Best hotdog and Best fries =ANN ARBOR China Gate What draws folks to Red Hot Lovers on East University Ave- nue is the hot dogs. Plain and the simple, the joint has the best dogs in town, proudly claiming a Chicago tradition of excellence. You don't need any more hot dog description than that. What you do need to know is that there are two other important reasons why Lovers is as good as it is: the burg- ers and the music. They cook their burgers over an open flame grill, validating their "charburger" namesake. The buns are key. Lovers uses fluffy white and wheat buns and toasts them to perfection. Throw in a side of fries and all that's missing from your perfect summer meal is a pint. The music argument is two- fold. The first part is the selection. Never have I walked into Lovers without great music (classic rock) in the background. The Who, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles - you name it. The place is greasy with barely any sunlight. Couple that with the iconic Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz festival posters on the walls and what you have is a greasy-spoon atmosphere at its best. Looking up from your meal (if you can manage) nets an eye- ful: Ray Charles, Charles Mingus - these guys actually played in Ann Arbor. Only Lovers is dedi- cated to preserving such a hal- lowed piece of local memory. Ever peeked behind the coun- ter? Facing the kitchen above the register are dozens and dozens of tabloid cutouts ranging from alien Elvis baby clones to the world's largest mushroom. On the soda fountain facing the restaurant are several Far Side comics. Red Hot Lovers boasts a down-home, earthy, greasy atmosphere in per- Best Chinese food There was amanwhose patient gaze used to preside over all who stroll along the student shops and bars of South University. Garbed in chef's white, he used to stare out from a fading plac- ard with the sort of solemnity that would inspire trust even in casual passerby. Chef Jan's noble visage has since inexplicably dis- appeared from the front window of the China Gate Restaurant, but his legend lingers on. If Chef Jan does remain some- thing of a minor Ann Arbor celebrity of only because of the store's display, it's certainly not for his modesty - China Gate's window and menu both proudly list his slew of culinary com- petition victories (2001, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1983) as well as his former wins as a Michi- gan Daily favorite (1998-2001, 2006) and many stop before the restaurant's bright facade of red, white and blue to puzzle over the possibility that a decorated chef may have actually set up shop on this student strip. The accom- plished chef himself, however, is decidedly elusive. Jan's longtime absence from the restaurant leaves him as a sort of emblem- atic figurehead, a status which only adds further to his mythic allure. Whether or not Chef Jan himself really is slinging the beef with broccoli back there in China Gate's kitchen, the restau- rant remains Ann Arbor's favor- ste ani Uni mil tun off: nes froi as i dov nie of c Un Str thi con des destination for Chinese food, undeniable step up from East iversity's Lucky Kitchen, and es above the Union's unfor- ate Magic Wok. China Gate ers a full array of classic Chi- :e dishes, reasonably priced m seven to 12 dollars, as well what must be the fastest sit- wn service in town. Conve- ntly situated near the heart ampus on the corner of South iversity Avenue and Church eet, China Gate's place on s year's list of local favorites itinues a long streak of well- erved popularity. KRISTIN MACDONALD This article originally ran on Aprill1t 2007. 4 4 A meal at Red Hot Lovers is greasy, but would you have it any other way? feet step with its food selection. It's all there in one package. Not too had a deal. ANDR EWKLEIN This article originally ran on April1t 2007 CampusC Tan "The BEST tanning salon on Campus" 611 Church Street Zingerman's Best deli When I decided to come to the University, my" father imparted some words of wisdom. "Since you'll be living in Ann Arbor, you've got to eat at Zinger- man's," he said. "It's a famous deli. Everybody's eaten there." From that moment on, the exhor- tation "you've got to eat at Zinger- man's" has become a refrain that haunted me. Because I hadn't eaten at Zingerman's well into my first year at school, I felt like I couldn't call myself a true Ann Arborite. I was just another ignorant fresh- man; I clearly didn't know anything about the best of Ann Arbor. After the barrage of superlatives from Zingerman's enthusiasts, I began to envision the deli as a culi- nary kingdom. I saw bright lights illuminating display cases packed with every type of meat and cheese imaginable. I saw the walls adorned with a dazzling array of oils, spices and vinegars. I saw a majestic cel- ebration of food. Surprisingly, when I finally vis- ited, my mental image turned out t be quite accurate. Located on Detroit Street in Ker- rytown, Zingerman's Delicatessen is a food connoisseur's heaven. Its menu is bothimpressive and over- 4 Zingerman's eployee Paul Kiry works behind the cheese counter. whelming. The deli offers more the move, sweepingt than 60 different sandwiches, along that. The patronsv with salads, soups and much more. about as they tried t{ In a world overrun by food chains they wanted. A bottl like Subway and McDonalds, Zing- lemon oil or one of m erman's is refreshing in its dedi- Greece? Pumpernic cation to the art of preparing and Jewish rye bread? Ti serving food. What distinguishes feels like a real deli. Zingerman's is the high quality of Tom Mooradian, a ingredients and its emphasis on said it's the air of gei customer service, said Bill Dever, dedication that bring an assistant manager at the deli. erman's. Doug Nahabetian, a supervisor at "It seems so authe Zingerman's Next Door, a cafe that "This is real. This i serves desserts and coffee, also said meant to be served." great customer service is an impor- He paused for a mm tant goal for Zingerman's. "Now, I'm going "Every time you're here, we want sandwich," he said,a to make it an experience for you," way to the door. he said. "I'd like to think we're When I got my RE changing the world one mocha, one fully unwrapped it,: sandwich at a time." didn't destroy the wo When I finally visited Zinger- art. man's a few weeks ago, I could I took my first bit sense this dedication to both cious. food and service. After ordering a BR numberl8, the Georgia Reuben, I - observed the vibrant surroundings. This. The employees were always on rano this or slicing were scuttling o decide what e of agrumato oleon oil from kel bread or his, I thought, Saline native, nuine culinary s him to Zing- entic," he said. s the way it's oment. to go eat my already on his euben, I care- making sure I ork of culinary e. It was deli- IAN TENGEL article originally nApril 11, 2007. 4 Voted Ann Arbor's Number 1 1 SHOP, DONATE or BOTH - You'll Help The Salvation Army in 'Doing the Most Good' Donation Center: 9-9 Monday - Saturday, & 11-5 Sundays Tax receipt available at time of donation drop-off. To schedule for furniture pick-up, call toll-free: (866) GIVE-TOO [448-3866]