Vellum

Had a great meal at Vellum recently as well as some amazing cocktails. What really set our dining experience apart was the service we received from Ryan S. He was hands down the best server we have ever had in any dining experience.
He was warm, hospitable and made perfect recommendations for food and drinks.

Great food, drinks, service and atmosphere! Located in the heart of Ann Arbor, this resturant as a great beer selection not to mention very extensive wine list. The pecan crusted chicken with mashed potatoes was delicious. I sat at the copper top bar and had a glass of Duckhorn Cab served by a very attentive bartender. I noticed several tables of parents taking their university kids out to a nice meal as well as several business types finishing off the day with dinner and a cocktail. I’ll definitely be going back.

My husband and I have been here twice. The first time we had mediocre service but the food was pretty good so we came back. The second time was a Friday night. Although we understand it can be busy, he waited close to an hour to get a drink at a table. The bartender and our server repeatedly ignored the fact he hadn’t gotten it yet. And when we finally got it at the end of the meal, they didn’t take it off the tab. Never waited that long for a drink in my life.
The food was good the second time as well, but with the service I don’t know that we will be back.

The bright red restaurant-​front was noticeable even a block away, sitting between another restaurant and a gift store. The restaurant featured high, tin ceilings, industrial fixtures, and dark wood tables paired with comfortable banquette seating. I especially liked the vintage typewriters that dotted the restaurant. Much more noticeable was the spectacular hospitality offered. The server was knowledgeable about the food preparation — I asked multiple questions — and incredibly attentive.
I started the meal with the Artichoke and Spinach Dip which featured large chunks of artichokes. The dip itself did not have a thick consistency but when paired with the restaurant-​made black-​pepper and Parmesan crisps, was good.
Much better was the fork-​tender and flavorful short ribs. The short ribs were prepared in a red wine reduction and the dish was served with green beans and crispy fingerling potatoes. I very much liked the marinated tomatoes included with this dish.
The portion of both dishes was so large that there was no room for dessert — a rarity for me, especially when pie is on the menu.
As I mentioned earlier, service was fantastic.

The cocktails here are amazing and alone they’re worth five stars easily. Try the «Mr Four-​Oh-​Four» it was amazing!
The food is good too, just no where near as much as the drinks. We started with the spinach artichoke dip which was good, but there wasn’t anything special about it. The cracker chips served with it had a bit of an odd texture but similarly tasted ok.
For our mains we had the fish and chips and the chicken roulade. My roulade was delicious; the chicken was tender and juicy, while the outside was crisped up nicely. The fingerling potatoes were also tasty and not greasy either. The only negative aspect about the dish was the sauce, it had a very odd taste and texture.
The fish and chips were good too. The chips are thick cut which I like and the tomato jam and herb aioli are well seasoned and complement the other components nicely. I just feel like for the price of the dish you don’t really get very much fish.
The service here was excellent. The waitress came back to check on us a few times and was very helpful with recommendations.

Had 7:00 reservations and were given the choice of dining inside or out, which I appreciated (we chose outside, but it’s gorgeous inside, too). We were greeted, given water… and then it seemed like we were forgotten. Got our wine order taken, wine was delivered… and then again, it was as if we disappeared. At 7:45 finally we asked to place our orders. Kale salads arrived quickly enough, but we were only brought forks, not knives (have you tried to eat kale without cutting it up?). Main courses were good, really fresh and light. We passed on dessert, since it was now 9:00, and asked for our checks. Friends had warned me that the portions were small and the prices were high, but I felt like the portions and prices were right in line for my expectations and what I’m comfortable spending. I’d go back.

Little confusion with appetizers, but the error was still good. Pecan chicken is
very tasty, crab cakes were piping hot and was good, ribs were awesome.
Definitely, place to go again if I’m in that area.
No 5 star just because of that error, but
service was spot on.

Oh, Vellum. You had so much promise, yet time and time again you’ve failed me.
I have tried their happy hour a couple times (it’s one of the few on Saturdays), but I’m finally done hoping things will improve. The cocktails and beer are okay, the oysters are lackluster, and the only consistently delicious option is the brussels sprouts dish.
We even tried dinner once, on our anniversary. The meal was even worse than the happy hour. The food was not memorable and the service was not great. (I remember waiting forever to get my water refilled during dinner; contrast that with the happy hour service, which is generally good.)
Vellum, I’ve given you too many chances. I’m done.

I’m sad to agree with some of the other Unilocalers on this one– Vellum’s food is nothing special, and too pricey for what you get! I came here with some girlfriends for a nice restaurant week dinner and had a nice time, but I was not in love with the food by any means.
I chose the kale salad, the mushroom tart and the black garlic gnocchi and some drink that I forget the name of (Mr. Four-​by-​Four maybe?). I’ll start with the good– I liked the mushroom tart and the drink. The mushroom tart was actually more like a piece of phyllo dough covered in mushrooms, but the dish was very hearty and buttery tasting, nom. The drink, albeit teeny tiny and expensive, was strong and not too sweet.
The bad– the kale salad and the gnocchi… the kale salad was quite literally just kale leaves with a light, almost flavorless dressing and nothing else. I guess it felt healthy but it was boring and could have used a few more ingredients. The gnocchi reminded me of this dish I eat whenever I go to SE asia, fried turnip cake. It was fried and chewy and tasted fine, but it was really nothing like good gnocchi I’ve had before. It was served with a poached egg, some hoisin-​like sauce, sugar peas and mushrooms. I wish I’d picked something else! Also, each course of my meal was lukewarm by the time it was served to me– a big pet peeve of mine.
Vellum does have a nice ambiance and some nice food, but I would expect to be disappointed by this one.

Dining here was ok. Very friendly staff and service though he was a little forgetful at times. It wasn’t too crowded for 715pm on a Sunday with it being the start of restaurant week. My hubs hated the tiny tables. Leaves no room for people with long legs or surface area for the large plates they give you. There was a tv in the bar area, which I was grateful to catch the last few mins of the futbol game.
Had a hard time deciding. I went with restaurant week menu and hubs had a burger. I couldn’t bring myself to order a drink. Everything was gin or some unrecognizable liqueur name. I would have loved to try something but at $ 12 per cocktail, I wasn’t feeling like being a big spender on a tryout. I was a little surprised they didn’t offer a signature drink special to go with restaurant week menu.
Bottom line is– we won’t be back. The menu lacked enough description for us to make good choices. Cheeseburger is a cheeseburger, but gnocchi at Vellum is like fried pillows of mashed potatoes. I would not have picked greasy brussel sprouts, and fried gnocchi if I would have known. Too heavy. Hubs Mac n cheese was excellent. All the food was served piping hot and in good order.
For us and for the price point, it really fell short.

Vellum is a great addition to the Main Street food scene in Ann Arbor. Well priced, great vibe, high quality and inventive food — awesome.
We ordered two bottles of wine, a rosé to start and a chardonnay. Both bottles were appropriately priced. The cheese plate was one of the coolest cheese plates I’ve ever seen. A spongy herb bread with morsels of various cheeses.
We all passed around our meals — not heaping plates of food but a more refined sense of dining. Everything was awesome /​surprisingly great seafood!
Definitely give yourself some time when you go to Vellum. It’s about the experience, not turning as many tables as possible each night. Great modern but comfortable décor, amazing location on Main Street, pretty great owner (what up Peter!)
Consider Vellum for a nice date night, a place to explain why you’re getting a C in orgo to your parents, or a graduation dinner. A grade A option for fine dining in Ann Arbor
Oh, and GO BLUE!

We went to Vellum as a celebratory dinner. The four of us arrived early on a Wednesday and were seated promptly. Since my first visit when Vellum first opened, it looked like they’d redecorated a bit. The decorations are a little silly and forced, but also sweet – type writers!
Ultimately, I ended up feeling that Vellum found their niche. They have creative, surprising food, and the flavors are very layered. This was hinted at during our original visit, but they were still working out the kinks so the portion sizes had been VERY off. This time, though, they had that all smoothed out and the meal was reliably great.
For the starter we shared the spinach and artichoke dip. The dip was so… deep. It’s hard to explain. Very rich, very buttery/​smooth, and stunningly full of flavor. Each spread of the dip on a crispy was just lovely. I could have eaten that dip all day.
For dinner I had the cheeseburger with fries. The fries came as 9 thick-​cut fries stacked in a pile. Each was delicious and while they were few in number, it ended up being a good portion size. The burger, meanwhile, was flavorful and rich. The meat was cooked perfectly.
For dessert, we all shared two dishes – the cherry tart with pistachio ice cream and the chocolate and caramel in several forms. Like the stack of fries, the presentation was surprising to the point of strangeness, but the actual food was DELICIOUS. The pistachio ice cream was unlike anything I’d ever had – warm, somehow, and impossibly packed with flavor. Beyond rich! I’m desperate to know how they actually made it.
I had tea to drink. It was apple pie and popcorn flavored. Very strange. I’m not sure I would order it again, but was glad to have tried it. I also got a sip of two cocktails and they seemed well done.
So the food was all wonderful. There are still some weird quirks about the experience, though. Why must the water jugs be comically tall vases? Why must they pour the soup in front of you like a show? But these things were just quirks in an incredible meal this round. Something to entertain, if nothing else.
I would VERY happily go back to Vellum, and would happily recommend it to friends!
The only reasons I hesitate to give a full five stars are (a) forced quirkiness, and (b) price. They take themselves very seriously.

The food was original and just purely delightful. The restaurant itself is so beautiful that it seems a challenge for the food to live up to the elegant surroundings. Although the staff was genuinely friendly and enjoyable, I’m giving a 5 star score based on food alone, since I came in very early and service wasn’t in full swing yet.
Honestly, I was surprised at the excellent balance of bold flavors in the food. Everything was tasty and lovely to look at. Yet, there was nothing on the plate without a purpose. There were foams on the dessert, and an amuse bouche, but none of the odd extravagant bits you sometimes find at fancy restaurants.
The plating was thoughtfully composed to be «fancy» looking, but portions seemed much larger than they appeared. Things looked delicate on the plate and still felt rustic to eat.
The fries, for example, fit in a little square on the plate but they were cut and stacked like thick cabin logs. They had a crisp outside layer, with soft potato inside. Whether you are a crunchy little fry person, or a long chewy fry person, you will want to experience these unusual fries.
I also had a tartare with thicker bits of meat that made the texture amazing, and it had so much truffle flavor that it was extremely intense.. . and I usually don’t like truffle oil much, but I am now a fan of it, as long as it comes with Vellum’s mustard. Love it.
My favorite thing was the Buttermilk Panna Cotta. It seemed thick on the spoon, but melted in my mouth. It has candied bacon on it, and that’s not even the best part!
I was able to taste the sea bass, beef tartare, shrimp with grits, the Vellum Burger, Madeline & Tea, and the buttermilk panna cotta. Each had an unexpected element to it, and was delicious. Everything I tasted I’d love to try again, and I’m excited to think what I might discover next time.

A welcome new entrant to the Ann Arbor dining scene. To be fair to the new spot, I’ve eaten here about 7 or 8 times before passing judgement, and I’m glad that I waited as they’ve ironed out the requisite kinks to any start up restaurant.
To start, the drinks are fabulously crafted by well-​trained bartenders and a recent discovery has been the fantastic happy hour: $ 5 cocktails and wine glass pours along with oysters on the half shell ($ 2) and brandade fritters ($ 1.50 for two). Delicious every time!
On a recent visit during restaurant week, I was pleasantly surprised: service was impeccable, the food delicious, and we had a wonderful meal, in spite of the crowds. The negroni bianco was beautiful.
Just this past week, fresh off a flight from Paris, my dining partner and I headed to Vellum for happy hour and dinner. Of course, the drinks and snacks were stellar, and then we ordered the burger. It might go down as the BEST gourmet burger I’ve ever had, in any region of the world. The meat was thick, juicy, and tender and wonderfully seasoned. The bun itself was almost like brioche, the smoky bacon jam introduced a sweet note, the pickled daikon radish a tart addition and the egg cream sealed the deal. The fries are extraordinary – and pair perfectly with ketchup. Imagine that! Pair that with a bottle of Loire Valley red and you have an elegant dinner for two for under $ 60. Top that off with a glass of Armagnac and I all but forgot about the jet lag – thank you Peter!

I feel like in order for a restaurant to be successful along Main Street Ann Arbor, you really need to knock our socks off because there are so many appealing options. And I really hope the majority of Vellum’s patrons have a better experience than I did. We went there for restaurant week and I understand most places are packed during that time with people like me who are trying new places. Vellum wasn’t packed so I figured we’d hit it on a good night.
We were seated right away which was a good sign, but then we waited, and waited, and waited. About 30 minutes later we were randomly brought an appetizer the chef had created. It was fine, but it was tiny. About 15 minutes later we were brought bread and given the chance to order. Then we waited, and waited and waited some more. About an hour later, we were brought our dinners. We’d already gone through 3 baskets of bread, and about 5 rounds of those little appetizers.
Now, I will say that the burgers were quite juicy and tasty. Or at least it looked that way on my husbands plate. My fish was an enormous plate that looked awesome in presentation, but had about 4 bites of fish on it. My sister had the chicken, which ended up being very pink and chewy. She did not finish it. When we inquired about the chicken, we were told it’s pink because that’s how it’s prepared, but not to worry, the meat is done. That made us feel a bit better but still. I don’t claim to be the all knowing in food preparation, but I do know that eating pink chicken makes one nervous, and nobody wants to be nervous in what they eat.
The atmosphere in Vellum is quite cool and modern, and I’ve heard they can make a mean cocktail so I’m not opposed to going there for a drink. However, sitting there hungry for almost 2 hours plus needing a manager’s explanation on the food prep turned us off on any future dining experience.

Went to Vellum for restaurant week… I go there little late, walked in and told them I had reservation and they looked at the computer and the hostess lead the way to the table… all the way to the back, up the stairs and then all the way to the front of the building… that was the longest walk to a table at any restaurant.
Friends were already there, so they knew what they wanted to eat… I quickly looked at the menu and had general idea… a friend wanted to order a bottle of wine… reviewed the wine list… and when the water came back, we placed the wine order… 30 minutes later, the waiter came back to let us know that the wine we wanted was not available… really, it took 30 minutes to know that a bottle of wine wasn’t available? Then we selected a different wine… he didn’t come back for another 15 minutes and we haven’t even ordered our dinner…
So once the wine issue was settled… the waiter took our order. I went with Raviolo, Half of Chicken and for dessert I went with panna cotta.
Raviolo — the mystery dish in my opinion… this dish was like someone with identify crisis… so many things happening on this dish, but there is no flavor… when I lifted the top pasta blanket… the egg was looking at me… i wasn’t sure how I should eat this… the pasta was very el dante — more on the undercooked side… yeah, I’m thankful they don’t have this on their regular menu.
Half of Chicken — well… they brought me the pan-​fried walleye dish… even though I ordered the chicken… the waiter realized he made a mistake and took the dish back and said he’ll get the chicken up to me quickly. As I waited… I looked at my friends dishes — they all ordered the fish… yeah… I was thankful that I went with chicken… because there was noway I was going to get full off that 3 pieces of fish! Within few minutes, they brought my chicken… the chicken was the best I had… it was very juicy and moist… I would spend the $ 19 on just this dish and order it next time I visit.
Panna Cotta — the best dessert… loved the bacon on top.
i ended up giving two stars because…
1. Service — it’d be nice if one existed… the waiter was not around and came only when food was delivered… not sure if he was busy, but better service would have been good.
2. This was my first dinner where I spent 2 hours from start to finish… go there at 7:15pm and didn’t leave until 9:20pm.

Absolutely fantastic experience.
Our meal started with bread from Zingerman’s and outstanding butter that they churn in house every morning. The poached (sous-​vide) egg with celery root pure and dates was delicious, and different than anything I have ever tried. The beef tartare was served with a variety of fresh mushrooms and was definitely worth getting.
The corn bread side comes in a personal cast iron dish and is made with duck fat and jalapeño. It had a fantastic texture and tasted as good as it looked.
I had the pork shoulder & belly and was not disappointed. The shoulder was pressed and had a fantastic crust, and the belly melted in my mouth. The poached pears were incredible, and the smooth potatoes were the best I have ever had.
The burger with it’s egg custard and bacon jam had my friends raving.
The service was simply incredible. Our server Robyn was very friendly and took the time to explain dishes before we ordered, and talked us through each plate as they were delivered. The food was delicious but she helped to make the entire experience so much more than just a meal.

This is a nice place for spendy ass cocktails and apps. The drinks here are the best part of the experience. Hand crafted and flavorful. Spendy but really worth it. You taste the care.
To dine here is not the best experience. It’s not comfortable, seating is just odd. Its definitely designed for style, cool factor and not for patrons ease or space. I’m a fat middle aged person though with a handicapped hubby, not a skinny ass hipster so take it with a grain of salt. I’m just saying if you are looking for a broad range of clientele you might want to actually think about any issues that might crop up. Oh and take the necessary time to either train servers or hire experienced ones. They make a huge difference to a fine dining experience.
The food here is on the paltry size servings wise, which I expect in fine dining. I mind this less when I feel like its top notch quality, rich and satisfying so that the portion seems more. When one bite gives such a explosion of happiness. This food did not have the necessary wow to fill you with less, if you know what I mean. It lacked depth and that dazzle factor. I’m definitely more critical when I am spending more so while this food was honestly pretty good it was just not commensurate with the wallet hit. I don’t mind paying for truly special food, even tiny special food, this just was not that special. I’m not even inclined to go into detail because there was absolutely nothing to gush about.
Maybe its me but I am increasingly frustrated overall with the Ann Arbor trend of style over substance. I want food that sings and I don’t care about the rest of the bells and whistles, it seems like the opposite is true with some of the high end places here. Just disappointed.

Came here for a drink on my birthday and I was really impressed. The space is modern and sleek and has a great view of Main Street. The staff was attentive and friendly and the drinks were killer. I had the Los Roques which was a mix of Flor de Cana extra dry rum, Fernet Branca, blackberry syrup and mint. I’m not the biggest fan of Fernet but I dig everything else in there so I gave it a shot and it was fantastic. The Fernet was just the right amount, not terribly overpowering, the fruit gave it the right amount of sweetness and the mint added a refreshing zing. I’d definitely get it again.
Since they heard it was my birthday the staff was REALLY nice and sent over a dessert. The Madeline & tea– Earl Gray foam, sea salt, honey and some gelato/​ice cream and a few other delicious things. It was really unique, had amazing textures going on, and overall very tasty. I have to admit it wasn’t the most amazing looking plating (the foam covers up all the other lovely pieces below) but they did fancy it up with some «Happy Birthday!» writing around the plate. Don’t judge it by how it looks, just taste and enjoy!
I haven’t had a full meal here yet but if my first round of drinks and dessert was any indication, I think I’m going to like it there!

OK, this place could probably get three (or maybe even four) stars. But, it gets two from me. The reason is simple — it’s trying WAY too hard. I mean WAY too hard. It has in mind a really fancy restaurant, with engaged foodie-​junkie servers. Instead, what you get is pretty good new American fare, with service and décor that is a caricature of a high-​end restaurant.
The server we had continuously interrupted conversation, made jokes when he should not have, talked too much about our food, and was (despite being so chatty) not all that knowledgeable and helpful about the food. The whole meal, I just wanted to say, «whoa buddy, calm down».
The food was pretty good and is probably best described as «fussed-​up Midwestern». The wine menu is pretty good. If I ever go back and the place is a little more down-​to-​earth and self-​aware, I’ll revisit the review. The food, after all, was fine.