When completed, the Dixboro project will be more than just a restaurant. Upon completion, the project will be located on nearly 7 acres of woodland in Dixboro, a village on the outskirts of Ann Arbor. It will include three restaurants instead of one. The complete site restoration plan includes picnic areas, recreational areas and children’s play facilities. 

At the same time, The Dixboro Project is creating momentum through carefully crafted dishes-one restaurant at a time.

The food supply of The Dixboro Project continues to rise in terms of service levels and prices. The first is the debut of the project's all-day takeaway cafe The Boro To Go, which opened this spring. Customers are welcome to order from the casual restaurant’s takeaway menu, including a series of seasonal lattes and morning pastries from its bakery, starting at 7 am on any day of the week. Non-traditional ingredients are added to breakfast staples. For example, breakfast sandwiches put fresh spicy arugula shortbread on crispy baguettes, while yogurt parfaits mix thick Greek yogurt with smoked maple syrup. 

For lunch or dinner at The Boro To Go, diners can choose to enjoy their meals at home or overlook Fleming Creek from the outdoor seating area of ​​the project. They can choose between light salads and cooked food or whole pizzas baked in a wood-burning oven. Simple The ingredients are covered with burnt air bubbles on a thin, chewy crust. Vegetarian guests can choose a classic Margarita pizza with fresh mozzarella cheese and sparkling tomatoes; a garlic pie studded with tender garlic cloves and salty Castelvetrano olives; or a smoky Gouda hot pot Variety of mushrooms. Those who prefer meat ingredients can choose too much pork. There is a mixture of pepperoni, ham, salami and capocolo prosciutto, paired with juicy pineapple chunks to form a sweet and salty mixture.

There are desserts, but the take-away cocktail is a treat worth mentioning. Produced in cooperation with the local distilled whiskey brand Glyph, each glass bottle can supply up to four bottles, and is mixed with fruit juice, bitters, light syrup and vanilla. Mezcal Paloma is a popular favorite. The star Gem & Bolt mezcal adds bright pomegranate, cranberry and lime juice and agave nectar to bring a smoky and citrus flavor.

The next development of The Dixboro Project is The Boro Dining Room and Bar. The modern casual restaurant The Boro To Go, opened late this summer, is located in the hotel’s historic 19th-century refurbished barn. At the entrance, guests are greeted by a spacious original granite bar, where bartenders serve craft cocktails, American beers, and bottled or glass wines. The vaulted ceiling is lined with exposed wooden beams, forming graphic lines that hover over the diners. They scooped a pool of sweet and spicy pears and jalapeno vinegar wooden spoons onto plump oysters and shared them on a round bed of roasted radishes. Of charred prawns.

Very similar to the restaurant atmosphere, The Boro's cuisine is refined and relaxed. Although the decoration is minimal, it fully demonstrates the architectural beauty of the space. The couple leading the kitchen use their years of high-end dining experience to provide elaborate menus. The project’s chef and partner Louis Maldonado and the pastry and bakery project leader Annemarie Maldonado used skills learned in some of the country’s most acclaimed restaurants. 

Louis is a culinary prodigy. He received his first Michelin star at the Cortez restaurant in San Francisco at the age of 26. He has a star-studded resume and has held positions at Aziza, Mourad and The French Laundry. Clever presentation, balanced texture and rich flavors seem to be one of the chef's greatest strengths. The half-moon-shaped tomato salad seems to be filled with a bright smile. Mix various tomatoes-some burnt, some frothy, some raw-on a bed of creamy yogurt and garnish with basil. Roasted peppercorns add a crunchy feel, without the usual taste of raw peppercorns, and bring nutty elements.

Roasted bone-in pork loin is a typical example of the atmosphere of Dixboro. In terms of taste, the pork is reminiscent of a tender sirloin from a family barbecue. The tenderloin is sweetened with a small amount of St. Louis style barbecue glaze. However, in terms of display and equipment, this dish deserves the status of a white tablecloth. I encourage my dinner partners to dip the four pieces of butter parsnips on my plate. These were probably used to brush the pork slices, but they were wiped off piece by piece with the side of my fork. A roll of ham-wrapped chives adds another element to the crispy creamy compilation. 

Savoury side dishes, such as silky cipollini onions with masala dressing, smoked foie gras and mustard seeds, provide rich snacks, while soft potato puffs are a substitute for standard French fries.

As an alumnus of Mourad and The French Laundry, Annemarie brought a high-end perspective to the restaurant's pastry plan after working for a period of time at the global chain of bakery Tartine Bakery. She deconstructed the classic Paris Brest, sandwiched the puff pastry with caramelized banana mousse, and decorated the dish with sticky caramel, ham and banana slices, chopped hazelnuts and pralines. Creme brulee, like caramel pudding, is covered with layers of grated truffles and placed in a bowl of clear pear soup. 

The Dixboro Project restaurant boom is still ongoing. When the fine dining restaurant opens-to be precise, the glass doors on the edge of The Boro restaurant-Maldonados will introduce diners to the highest level of dining in the restaurant complex. Dixboro House is located at the end of a well-ventilated barn. White sheets will be spread on the table for private dinners, overlooking the dense woods. 

At the same time, Maldonados and The Dixboro project owner and beloved Ann Arbor restaurant owner Sava Farah is hosting an ongoing opening dinner series that includes a sumptuous five-course menu including the finest meats And a series of desserts.

At The Dixboro Project, it's easy to appreciate all the features of existing restaurants-but even more exciting is to look forward to everything that is coming.

As an accomplished restaurant owner, Savafala has long been committed to providing excellent cooking in Ann Arbor. Through the Dixboro project, Farah looked beyond food and joined the effort to revitalize adjacent cities and their natural species. Farah’s new hotel business, The Pulpo Group-runs Farah’s existing restaurant business, Sava's, Aventura, and most recently the Dixboro Project-has worked with the Huron River Basin Commission to develop a plan to restore and protect the complex natural elements surrounding the restaurant of.

The plan is intended to be implemented in phases over the next five years, including the maintenance of parts of the Fleming River by removing invasive plants, planting native vegetation on woodlands and watersides, and implementing rain gardens in accordance with responsible rainwater runoff practices. The commitment to sustainability and nature conservation is an extension of Farah’s work to restore the century-old barn where the project is located, continuing its tradition of being a trusted restaurant in the neighborhood of Dixboro-the site was once the home of The Lord Fox, Roger Monk's and The Farm Cupboard is a well-loved restaurant in Dixboro Village.  

Dixboro Project, 5400 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor; 734-669-3310; theborotogo.com

This story was published in the November 2021 issue of "Detroit Hour" magazine. Read more stories in our digital edition.