Juicy Kitchen, a healthy foods catering and delivery business, has moved from a back room into a new storefront café on Ann Arbor's west side. Since
Juicy Kitchen opened its café at 1506 N. Maple Road in mid-January, "We have had an overwhelmingly positive response, from the neighborhood especially." says owner Susan Todoroff.
"I worked from this hole-in-the-wall kitchen with no windows – all of a sudden I have big picture windows, sunlight, and people," Todoroff adds.
Juicy Kitchen now fills the space formerly occupied by the Maple Gardens Chinese restaurant. All traces of the former tenant have vanished. Todoroff and her husband spent a few months on renovations. They installed wainscoting made from northern Michigan white pine and stained it peacock blue. The walls are painted a pumpkin orange, there's a new counter with galvanized steel coating, and school house-style lighting. Todoroff's husband built the dining tables. The cafe has seating for 16 people on Victorian church pews and auction-find chairs.
Breakfast and lunch are served daily. After 2 p.m., customers may stop in and pick up prepared meals to go. Todoroff is continuing the catering and delivery operation as well. Baked goods are mostly vegan and emphasis whole grains and less sugar. High-quality foods, such as locally raised, hormone-free chicken and eggs, come out of the kitchen. Calder Dairy supplies the milk, and Mighty Good coffee is poured.
Todoroff has seven employees, three of whom are full-time. Chef Dan Vernia is formerly of the Ravens Club.
"There's nothing else like us in Ann Arbor, but especially on the west side," says Todoroff. "They don't have a place where they can sit down and have a really good healthy breakfast and a really good cup of coffee."
Source: Susan Todoroff, owner, Juicy Kitchen
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar
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