Frugal Floozie Friday -- Ron's Roadside BBQ

You've probably passed Romanoff's, on Pontiac Trail near North Territorial, dozens of times and presumed that the storefront wasn't open or that it only served catering customers. It's very unassuming.

But you'd be wrong, as I was until just recently. Because there is a small restaurant on that corner which does, indeed, handle catering; but it also offers take-out service, as well as a large table for family-style seating if you want to eat in.

And trust me - whether you take your meal home or eat it there, you definitely want to indulge in some fabulous food at today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature, Ron's Roadside BBQ.

Ron Philipp is the proud chef behind the barbecue joint, and he's also the force behind Romanoff's, which is his family's long-time business. My friends Ruth and Helaine invited me to join them at Ron's for lunch recently, and we had a wonderful meal and lots of fun!

I ordered the Trio on Brio for $9, so that I could try each of the meat varieties offered: brisket, pulled chicken and pulled pork sandwiches on freshly prepared brioche rolls. Truly, I wouldn't be able to pick a favorite; the meats are all unbelievably tender, with a sweet/spicy sauce that is really, really good. These are much larger than the standard slider, and the order could easily be split so that each of three people gets a sandwich. Add one $2 side dish per person - those, too, are very generous - and you've got a complete hearty meal for an even $5 per person.

Pulled pork or chicken sandwiches are $6, and are the size of a Big Mac - readily halved for sharing. Pick a couple of side dishes - everything from cucumber salad (which Ron recommended when I asked which was his favorite) to pasta to macaroni and cheese - and you've got yet another qualifying Frugal Floozie Friday meal, this one perfect for two.

I highly recommend that you eat in when you stop by for your barbecue fix, because then you'll get to hear stories of Ron's travels in France (he earned a certificate at the famous La Varenne cooking school) and working with Ina Garten at The Barefoot Contessa gourmet food emporium. Be sure to ask him about Barbra Streisand and Martha Stewart, too - Ron's got lots of stories to tell, and was a fabulous lunch companion when he joined the three of us at the table.

The barbecue joint smelled just divine when we walked in; not only had Ron been cooking the meats, but he was also preparing a batch of exceptional and authentic jambalaya which he offered generous samples of. The roux is dark and rich, there's a zestiness from cayenne pepper, and it's loaded with goodies like sausage and okra.

So whether you eat in or take your food home, whether you order a full family meal or a $5 Frugal Floozie Friday feature, whether you choose the brisket or the chicken or the pork, just be sure to visit Ron at his barbecue joint. The food is exceptional, and your host is a really great guy!



Ron's Roadside BBQ
5850 Pontiac Trail
Ann Arbor, MI
734-665-4967
Winter hours: Thursday - Sunday, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.


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The DAMES Dinner

I was the entertainment at a fabulous event this past Thursday night - the annual Sisterhood DAMES Dinner at Temple Beth Emeth that was filled with fun and friendship. I hardly think of myself as a "celebrity," though, despite the tremendously flattering billing shown above! I'm just a flaky chick who cooks, bakes, takes pictures of her food, and then blathers about everything she eats.

I just had to show everyone how amazing the meal was! It was prepared by the very talented Burt Steinberg and Ron Philipp, who are not only great cooks but also really good guys. Their contact information is at the bottom of the post; you absolutely want to call them to cater an event for you if you're in the Ann Arbor-ish area. (If you're not in the area, trust that I ate enough the other night for both you and me!)

The hors d'oeuvres table:


A spicy cranberry-mango chutney (front) and Brie en croute topped with cranberries (back):


A zesty cheese fondue with roasted vegetables, plus other dips for the croutons:


My dinner plate, featuring generous portions served by the chefs themselves; they love to interact with guests, so they presented and plated the food while schmoozing. There's Chicken Franchese (lightly breaded and topped with a vibrant sauce of beurre blanc with artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, and Kalamata olives), Asian cole slaw with a lime-cilantro vinaigrette, tortellini in Alfredo sauce, and a crisp-tender vegetable assortment:


No words needed for this photo!


And, finally ....

Guests were asked to bring non-perishables to be donated to The Back Door Food Pantry, which provides food and personal hygiene items to those in need; these items were then going to be placed on the dining tables as centerpieces, in honor of the evening's food-related theme. We'd thought that each of the 80 guests might bring a couple of cans ... instead, they brought entire shopping bags full of goodies - such abundance that most of it couldn't be displayed or else there'd have been no room for dinner plates! I was so touched to see such generosity ... :)


I had a wonderful time at the dinner, making new friends and eating fabulous food! Many, many thanks to the Sisterhood for inviting and welcoming me ... :)

And don't worry - I didn't forget! Here's the contact information for the chefs who prepared the amazing dinner:

Burt Steinberg, Executive Chef
Chef on Demand
burtsteinberg@yahoo.com
We put the "art" in culinary arts!

Ron Philipp, Chef Ron of Romanoff's
248-875-3336
Home style to haute cuisine