For a typical girls night out in Ann Arbor, we find ourselves all-too-often wreaking havoc on our typical bars: Skeeps on Tuesdays, Ricks on Thursdays, and Charley’s or Brown Jug on the weekend. Unbeknownst to so many U of M students, there is a world that exists outside of the campus bars, with deals and deliciousness galore. Her Campus representatives ventured downtown – outside of typical collegiette territory – to uncover the real scoop about Ann Arbor bars.
Jenn Dweck and Lauren Gardner, two LS&A seniors, spent their Tuesday night chowing down during Isalita’s happy hour. At Isalita, the specials run from 4:30pm to 6:30pm and include $3 bottles of Mexican beer, $4 house margs and sangrias, and $5 frozen margs. For two cocktails each and an appetizer (hello, homemade Guacamole!), our HC reps only spent $10/person–fitting right into a collegiette’s budget.
Cocktails
Tepito Flor de Cana Rum, Grapefruit Marmalade and Passion Fruit
This drink was both sweet and savory, with a slight spice from the passion fruit juice. The rum wasn’t too overpowering, making this a good choice for someone who’s not looking to taste too much booze.
Strawberry Mojito Bacardi Superior, Lime, Mint, Soda and fresh Strawberries
With a minty-fresh aftertaste, Isalita’s speciality mojito is the perfect option for a warm summer afternoon in Ann Arbor. The addition of the seasonal fruit made this drink difficult to drink out of a straw, but the fresh strawberries were the ultimate favor-booster. When paired with some of Isalita’s spicy dishes, like the Chicken Tinga Tacos, the strawberry mojito balances out the heat with a bold punch of sweet-mint flavor.
Frozen Blood Orange Margarita Silver Tequila, Blood Orange, Fresh Lime blended with ice
As one of Isalita’s newest additions to the Margarita menu, this drink could be considered the equivalent of a classy 7-11 slurpee for collegiettes. The margarita maintained the distinct lime-flavor from a classic margarita, with the texture and added taste similar to a strawberry daiquiri. The frozen blood orange margarita packed a strong flavor with a wonderful frozen consistency.
White Sangria White Wine, Limoncello, Basil
We have a winner! After a unanimous vote, the white sangria was voted Lauren and Jenn’s favorite drink of the night. Isalita’s twist on sangria will give your usual Dom’s drink a run for it’s money. Served with sliced strawberries, adding a fruity-twist to the already flavorful drink. The sangria can be ordered two ways: by the glass, or, even better, by the pitcher to share with your girlfriends. The pitcher option makes it the ultimate collegiette drink-of-choice; however, be warned. Jenn and Lauren agreed that this drink could easily be sipped on all night through a straw, but the vodka-based Limoncello give it a potentially dangerous alcohol content. Before you know it, you’ll have housed the pitcher by yourself and left all of your girlfriends thirsty.
Classico Margarita El Jimador Tequila, Fresh Lime Juice, Triple Sec, served in a salt-rimmed glass
We obviously had some seriously high expectations for Isalita’s classic margarita. Much to our satisfaction, were pleased to taste a margarita that did not taste like tequila through a straw. There was a sweet lime aftertaste that pleasantly complimented the salted rim of the glass. If you’re looking to stick with tequilla from Isalita to Skeeps, this classic marg is a perfect choice that packs a punch without being overpowerful.
Polanco Vodka, St. Germain, Chipotle, Raspberry, served in a chamoy rimmed glass
Served in a martini glass, the Polanco is reminiscent of Sex and the City’s classic Cosmopolitan. The Polanco is an excellent choice for collegiettes who prefer to stick with a vodka-based cocktail. The glass is rimmed with chamoy, which pairs with the chipotle-flavoring to add an unexpected smokiness. Don’t be alarmed – the smokey flavor from the rim brings out the raspberry flavor in the cocktail for a drink that’s both daring and delicious.
Appitizers
Pico De Gallo Tomato, Onion, Jalapeno and Cilantro, served with homemade tortilla chips
Isalita’s pico de gallo is a fresh, spicy appetizer that would pair great with the strawberry mojito or tepito. We experienced a very spicy version of the salsa, but don’t fret! Since each batch is made-to-order, feel free to ask your waiter or waitress to hold the jalapeno.
Chicken Tinga Tacos Chicken, Chipotle, Lettuce, Radish
On Taco Tuesday, when all of Isalita’s tacos are $2, it seemed obvious to add these to our repertoire. The tacos are filled with shredded chicken and topped with radish slices and cotija cheese, which acts as a nice complement to the chipotle spice. These tacos were great paired with the frozen blood orange margarita or strawberry mojito, both of which also help counteract the tacos’ heat.
Traditional Guacamole Avocado, Tomato, Jalapeno, Red Onion, Cilantro, Lime, Cotija Cheese, served with homemade tortilla chips
This Mexican staple is a classic choice that will appease anyone’s palette. The traditional guacamole is flavored with a hint of spice from the jalapeno and a lime twist. As a collegiette who fears for her life when it comes to spicy food, Jenn could actually tolerate the jalapeno heat. So, don’t worry – it’s nothing that you can’t handle. In addition, the tortilla chips are thick and crunchy and have a warm, fresh taste, straight from the oven.
Chicken Gorditas Chipotle Chicken, Poblano Avocado Sauce, Cotija
If you’re looking for a bite of fluffy, fried heaven stuffed with shredded chicken, then this appetizer is for you. The pastry is comparable to an upscale Chipotle burrito; each order comes with 4 bites, perfect to share with two or three girlfriends. These are filled with the same chicken as the chicken tinga tacos, so if you are looking to try a few different options, we would suggest pairing the gorditas with either the traditional guac or pico de gallo.
Staff
Bobby Friendly and Welcoming Marketing Manager
Bobby was our favorite part of our Isalita experience. Thanks to Bobby and the amazing Isalita staff, HC UMich was able to take some of Isalita’s specialty drinks and classic appetizers for a test drive. Stepping outside of our comfort zone of South University was scary at first, but opened a wide range of possibilities. We now know the opportunities available in the outside world. Who knows, you might see us hitting up Main Street sometime soon–but either way, we will most definitely be returning to Isalita for happy hour, taking a few of our roommates or sorority sisters along with!