Frita Batidos - a favorite food destination in Ann Arbor

When beloved chef Eve Aronoff closed the doors of her eponymous restaurant eve in 2011, foodies all over Ann Arbor and the metro Detroit area grieved. But while Aronoff did not replace eve with another fine dining establishment, she did begin a new project in late 2010, opening a casual dining establishment called Frita Batidos.

The food at Frita Batidos is Cuban-inspired, but Aronoff will be the first to tell you that it is not traditional Cuban food. The name Frita Batidos comes from two staples of Cuban street food: A frita, which is a burger traditionally made from chorizo and topped with shoestring french fries and a brioche-type bun, and a batido, which is a tropical milkshake made with fresh fruit and sweetened milk.

My husband and I have eaten at Frita Batidos three times now since its opening in 2010 and each time has been a new, delightful adventure. When you walk in, you a greeted by a sleek, white space. You place your order at a counter and then seat yourself at one of the communal picnic tables or a bar stool against the wall.

While you wait for your order, customers can entertain themselves by playing dominoes left on the picnic tables.

I am highly entertained that my ginger lime juice came in a bag

Once your meal does come, however, it will be a no-brainer to push the dominoes aside in favor of some  mouth-watering Cuban-style street eats.

A beef frita topped with a sunny side up egg and a side of coconut ginger rice

garlic cilantro fries with a snack of black beans, ginger coconut rice, melted muenster, and cilantro lime salsa

If you are a fan of Cuban food like I am and you're in the area, I highly recommend a stop inside for fun, casual meal.