To escape the fast-paced campus life, veer a few blocks south for a traditional bistro style dining experience in the Zola Bistro. Drop-hanging spotlights, industrial design-influenced bar shelves and a gold, textured wall glow invitingly — a sleek finish to a classic dining experience.
The menu, too, takes the French bistro concept — a local eatery with simple, wholesome meals — and modernizes it, citing culinary inspiration from all over the world.
“When you come to our restaurant you see things from all over, not just one country,” owner Alan Zakalik said.
Zakalik comes from Poland, bringing a Northern European influence to the menu. His wife and restaurant co-owner Hediye Batu’s Turkish background adds Mediterranean flavor.
“It may be from the Far East, or Italian, or Spanish, and we try to make sure that it blends together well on the menu,” he said.
While its older sister Café Zola, located in the downtown area, has earned recognition for its eclectic menu and décor, Zola Bistro differs in its homier, more approachable feel. The regular menu features reoccurring nightly specials — braised short ribs, paella or a Greek seafood stew. Both the Café and the Bistro will be participating in Restaurant Week with a special multi-course dinner menu.
Expect Zola Bistro’s Restaurant Week selection to be a variety sampler representing everything the restaurant does. Their Restaurant Week dinner menu offers an incredibly wide variety of choices. For starters, one can select from mussels, quinoa cakes, lamb kofte meatballs, crab cake, fried chickpeas and more, all cooked in sauces influenced from different parts of the world. Some of the highlights for the main course include Moroccan salmon, flatiron steak with chimichurri sauce, farfalle kale and good old-fashioned spaghetti topped with Zola’s famous meatballs.
“I like to think of it as a world feast — you can really try many different things,” Zakalik said.
Zola Bistro also offers a special lunch menu for Restaurant Week, featuring their farmhouse omelette, lamb kofte, chicken salad sandwich, wild rice and French lentil burger, among other options.
Zakalik and Batu said the Ann Arbor community is integral to their experience as restaurateurs.
“To own a restaurant in Ann Arbor has become part of the fabric of my life,” Zakalik said. “It’s not just a … business; we’re involved in different aspects of the town itself.”
In addition to being involved with local farmers and food producers, Zola Bistro partners with the food bank Food Gatherers. During Restaurant Week, proceeds from the Kenrick’s crepe will be donated to the charity.
Zakalik said he enjoys connecting with the local community through the restaurant, reminiscing about students that have worked at Zola and then come back to visit after they’ve jumpstarted their careers.
He’s especially excited for how Restaurant Week can introduce new diners to the passion he has for Ann Arbor’s culinary community.
“Restaurant Week, at night, brings a lot more young people to this side of town, so I think it’s a good thing to expose to students of the university,” he said.
If you brave the cold this upcoming week (and you should), Zola Bistro and Café Zola will welcome you with open arms and a full plate. Bon appetit!