Angelo’s Restaurant was the first place that we ate in Ann Arbor in 1977, when I first moved to Ann Arbor. Amazingly it has changed very little since then. At the time, my first wife, Kathy and I lived lived on Island Drive, a short walk to the Medical School for her and the Anatomy Department for me. Interestingly, right past Angelo’s.
How many restaurants are still in business from the 1970s? That is a good question. The long gone Maude’s was always a favorite, as was Szechuan East, on Plymouth road (also gone).
Another that still exists is The Gandy Dancer, where we would often go on Friday afternoons for “Happy Hour,” when the beer was cheap (by the pitcher), and the sunflower seeds and smelt were included if you bought drinks, like the cheap beer. We would turn that into dinner.
After 43 years in a small city like Ann Arbor turns into a blur of memories. What memories are from the 1970s, 80s, 90s, and this century. The pandemic of 2020-21 has made things even more difficult as many businesses have closed. As we drove home from Angelo’s we passed The Broken Egg, a place that we often ate during “Art Fair” as well as on Sunday at least once a month. We noticed that it was closed when we went to “Art Fair” this past July and also appeared closed this morning. Another place that is apparently gone.
Fortunately, The Village Kitchen, Amadeus, Palio’s, The Northside and El Harissa are all still thriving. We no longer get pizza from Faz, since I always make pizza dough (as well as bread and pasta).
The question is what will the future hold. More tomorrow…
Michael's Place 