The Crazy Wisdom Community Journal • January through April 2022 • Page 56
Great Tastes in
Local Food By Crysta Coburn Photos by Susan Ayer
The Ebenezer I watched in fascination as the bartender held what looked to me like a hot glue gun above the martini glass. A bubble filled with gray smoke formed at the gun’s tip and grew to nearly the size of a baseball. The bubble joined with the pink liquid in the glass, forming a dome over the top. “This one’s yours,” said the barman as he carefully slid the martini my way. After marveling at the smoke held within the bubble, I slowly reached out my hand and tapped the bubble’s surface with my forefinger. It popped, and the trapped smoke swirled and dispersed into the air. Now that’s a cocktail! The Ebenezer is a cocktail lounge with a distinct speakeasy vibe located in downtown Plymouth. The entrance is not obvious, unless you know where to look. The address is on Fleet Street, which runs behind Main Street and serves as the backdoor to many of the businesses located on Main and Penniman. You will find the door to the Ebenezer nestled in the corner where Fleet Street makes a sharp turn to the northwest.
Now that’s a cocktail!
You enter into a dark hallway painted completely black and illuminated only by bare red light bulbs that lead you to the next door, also painted black, with an eye-shaped window. You have arrived. Have a seat at the bar, where you can watch the cocktail magic happen, or grab a table, perhaps the one with the leather sofas on either side, or a wingback chair. The Ebenezer is all about having a low-key, cozy place to grab a drink and share some delicious small plate dishes with your friends or significant other. (If I were still in that scene, I would absolutely take a date here.) Not having a reservation, my husband and I took a pair of seats at the bar where we bantered a bit with the bartenders and a few fellow patrons. The smoky cocktail that I ordered was called the Rose Martini. It tasted like raspberry limeade. I never tired of watching a few other Rose Martinis being made and recommended it to curious patrons who asked what I was drinking.
The small plates menu is extensive, with some usual favorites like spinach artichoke dip, wings, charcuterie board, and sliders. But there are also Ahi Tuna Crisps (crispy wonton skins topped with thinly sliced ahi tuna, jalapeno, avocado, and their signature soy sauce), shrimp and crab ceviche (served with crostini), truffle mac and cheese bites, and more. I tried the ceviche, finding it fresh and delicious, while my husband ordered the parmesan truffle french fries. The fries came with a little cup of ketchup and another cup of garlic aioli, which tasted divine. In addition to the signature cocktails (including some tantalizing dessert cocktails), there is a good wine selection and mocktails for those who do not drink alcohol. If you would like a table, or are a large group, I strongly suggest making a reservation. You are bound to have a great time! The Ebenezer is located at 305 Fleet Street in Plymouth. They are open Tuesday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., and closed on Sunday and Monday. For more information, visit theebenezerplymouth.com, email info@theebenezerplymouth.com, or call (734) 404-5552.
The Boro Northeast of Ann Arbor proper is the mostly rural community of Dixboro. Most of us are probably familiar with the Dixboro General Store or the Humane Society of Huron Valley, both prominent features of the region. But there is something new to check out in Dixboro, the Boro. The Boro is a restaurant venture with two components. The Boro to Go is an all-day take-out cafe with coffee, tea, and other hot beverage options; morning pastries as well as light lunch and dinner options; woodfired pizzas; desserts; and beverages-to-go (both alcoholic and non). The Boro Dining Room and Bar is their dine-in experience open for dinner that serves plates to share, such as giardiniera, oysters, focaccia, and prawns; entrees that include spaghetti, lobster, scallops, pork loin, duck, steaks, and hamburgers; woodfired pizzas; accompaniments like potato puffs and green beans with prosciutto vinaigrette; and a selection of cocktails, wine, and beer. The very modern corrugated steel building incorporates a 140-year-old barn with the original stone fireplace. The outdoor deck offers beautiful views and the peaceful sounds of nature. Fleming Creek flows through the property, and the Boro’s website promises that “if you come early for breakfast, you will be serenaded by the roosters from the yard next door.” Unfortunately, I am not an early riser, so there were no roosters for me. Because our lives have been busy lately, my husband and I decided to try the Boro To Go one day when we knew we would arrive home late and have no energy to cook dinner. Ordering through the website is easy, and when you click on a Lunch & Dinner or Pizza item, a list of allergens is included alongside Modifications and Special Instructions. You mark the boxes next to your dietary needs. Because I ordered the Italian Meat and Cheese Sandwich and marked the box next to Wheat Allergy, the people preparing our dinner forewent the usual baguette and put the fixings on a bed of lettuce, which was so delicious that I think they need to add an Italian Meat and Cheese Salad to the menu. My husband thoroughly enjoyed his woodfired pineapple pizza with san marzano tomatoes, capocollo, smoked ham, and cheddar with a side of chili oil. The Wisco-Pops that we ordered for beverages left something to be desired. I should have gone with my instinct and ordered a Pumpkin Spice Latte with housemade syrup, but I didn’t want the coffee to disrupt my sleep.
