The Crazy Wisdom Community Journal • May through August 2022 • Page 51
If you are in the mood for a fun night out with innovative takes on traditional dishes, Of Rice and Men should be at the top of your list. Sea Bass, Korean Short Ribs, and Peking Duck. So you can really see the spectrum of dishes from across Asia and how they’ve been elevated. And there are a number of vegetarian and pescatarian dishes for more diverse palates. There is a decent list of tiki style cocktails, wine, beer, and sake to go with your meal as well as tea and coffee for non-drinkers. I was pleased to see the classic Singapore Sling cocktail listed on the menu. (Of Rice and Men’s Singapore Sling is made from gin, lime, house grenadine, and pineapple foam.) If you are in the mood for a fun night out with innovative takes on traditional dishes, Of Rice and Men should be at the top of your list. Of Rice and Men is located at 312 South Main Street in Ann Arbor. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday. For more information call (734) 222-0202. Or visit ofriceandmen.com.
Being largely based around meat and vegetables, the menu at Smokehouse 52 BBQ is probably the most gluten-free friendly I have seen in a very long time. was crunchy and sweet, but not sugary—and not too peppery either. I washed all this down with a draft root beer, which was quite sweet, but it also had a pronounced root beer flavor.
Smokehouse 52 BBQ As soon as I stepped through the door of Smokehouse 52 BBQ in historic downtown Chelsea, I knew I was in for a treat. The air is filled with the mouthwatering aroma of smoked meats. The walls are rendered rustic with brick and wood, and I suspect the ceiling is the original vintage tin. While my husband and I did order a full dinner, I personally was truly there for one thing: brisket. Many people I know picture pork when they think of barbecue. But I can’t eat pork, and barbecued chicken often leaves much to be desired, so I rely on tender, smoky, delicious beef brisket. With or without barbecue sauce, I don’t care. But Smokehouse 52 BBQ does offer five choices of house-made sauces: AllAmerican, Root Beer, Kiss & Vinegar, and mustard-based Smokehouse Gold. If you want a kick, there is the 52 Alarm sauce, for which they smoke their own jalapenos. And, of course, you can add as much of the signature 52 Rub as you want. Being largely based around meat and vegetables, the menu is probably the most gluten-free friendly I have seen in a very long time. All of the sides are gluten free minus the mac and cheese and, sadly, cornbread. The cornbread is, of course, Jiffy brand, so I can’t really fault them too much for not being gluten free. How could they not represent their home town? (The Chelsea Milling Company that makes Jiffy mix is located only a ten minute walk from Smokehouse 52 BBQ.) After trying the Smoked Chicken Corn Chowder, which was so rich and creamy that I savored every spoonful, I gleefully dug into my plate of brisket, sweet potato fries, and coleslaw. In my opinion, it was everything barbecue should be. The brisket was tender and packed with flavor. The sweet potato fries were crispy. And the coleslaw
My husband couldn’t resist ordering the Pig Mac, their “saucy slow smoked pulled pork or brisket smothered with [their] Signature Mac & Cheese, topped with bacon and served on Texas toast.” He chose the true Pig Mac with pulled pork and also had a draft root beer to drink. Speaking of. You’re probably wondering how that root beer barbecue sauce is. It was actually pretty good! My husband and I both liked it, though I mostly stuck to the AllAmerican. At first it just tastes like a sweet barbecue sauce, but then comes a wave of flavor that is distinctly root beer. What is life without adventure? If you have a hankering for some good barbecue or just want to try something new, stop by Smokehouse 52 BBQ. It’s a real delight. Smokehouse 52 BBQ has two locations, 125 South Main Street in Chelsea and 105 West Michigan Avenue in Saline. They are open Sunday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. For more information call (734) 562 - 2565 (Chelsea) or (734) 316 7913 (Saline). Or visit sh52bbq.com.
