WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI — Sam Hill is a new Ann Arbor-area restaurant looking to serve comfort food alongside some friendly competitions.
Sam Hill recently opened in Scio Township in the former space that once housed The Standard Bistro & Larder.
Along with its food, the new restaurant plans to be a spot for outdoor activities and lawn games like cornhole and bocce ball. General Manager Nick Dean said that will open “with a bang” in spring 2024.
Read more: What in the ‘Sam Hill’ is that? New restaurant set to open near Ann Arbor
Besides outdoor activities on its six-acre location, the new restaurant is all about bringing a menu chock full of food options.
Dean describes Sam Hill’s food as “regional American comfort food with a twist,” with certain dishes like tomato pies being a “smash hit.”
The tomato pies are made with gruyere, white cheddar and mozzarella cheese with basil and salt-cured Roma tomatoes baked into a puff pastry.
Another popular item on the menu is The Juicy Lucy, a burger made with prime ground beef stuffed with American cheese and topped with more cheese, bacon and dill pickles on a brioche bun.
The boudin balls, made with fried dirty rice stuffed with boudin blanc sausage and sauces served over remoulade, is also a customer favorite, Dean said.
Sam Hill Chef Armando Lopez mentioned he also adds some flair to the menu by incorporating elements of his Mexican heritage when he can.
One dish that showcases this is a mole braised short rib, which is the chef’s family recipe. The short rib is braised for six hours in a black mole sauce and served with goat cheese grits and roasted carrots.
“That’s a blend of Southern cuisine and of course you got the mole in there and everything marries together so nicely,” Dean said. “That’s a pure fusion dish that ends up tasting like something that feels like you’ve had before.”
So far, Sam Hill’s experience in Ann Arbor has been “incredible,” Dean said, adding the restaurant feels a responsibility to meet the high expectations set by prior businesses in the space.
“I really feel like the custodian of everybody’s hopes for what this space could be and that’s such a fantastic place to be in,” he said.
Sam Hill, 5827 Jackson Road, is currently open from 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday and 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Brunch is available 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Find the new restaurant online, on social media or by phone at 734-369-8202.
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