Maddie LaKind
There is something innately special about Zingerman’s Roadhouse. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe it’s the bright hues of orange and yellow dominating the three-room, sprawling restaurant; or the captivating posters giving detailed background stories of local farmers and purveyors of the restaurant; or the cases upon cases of salt and pepper shakers; or the ever-so-kind staff that always makes you feel like their only customer. It’s hard to say, but all I know is that this place holds a unique, z-shaped spot in my heart.
Specializing in classic all-American eats with a heavy focus on quality, chef Alex Young has created an empire of meaty, cheesy, veggie, sweet, and indulgent goodness that both Ann Arborites and out-of-towners can’t seem to get enough of—hence the 1-2 hour waits on the weekends. While I have had epic eating experiences with such specialties as the dangerously gooey Mac-N-Cheese, smoky slab of ribs, platters of oysters, mussels, and grilled fish, and heaping baskets of thick-cut sweet potato fries, the butterscotch pudding is the one dish that has stuck with me ever since my first spoonful.
This pudding has been a staple of the Roadhouse menu for quite some time, but a recent recipe revamp by Chef Sarah Mays has elevated it from just your average bowl of pudding to a heavenly confectionary creation. I guess you could say she has a sixth pudding sense of sorts, knowing the exact proportion of ingredients and the proper whisking techniques necessary to achieve the ideal pudding consistency and classical sweet flavor. Despite standing in the presence of monstrous and intriguing post-dinner options like the donut sundae or Mississippi mud pie, the butterscotch pudding may come off as a modest contender at best. Take my advice though on this one and absolutely do not—I repeat do not—knock it before you try it!
Although I have experienced a long string of childhood pudding consumption vis-à-vis classic Jell-O Pudding cups, this dessert had never possessed much of a presence on my foodie radar. I guess that’s just because I hadn’t experienced pudding done right, or rather, pudding made the old-fashioned way with just a few star elements. Mays combines lots of butter, thick, local heavy cream, and Muscovado sugar—a course, molasses-y brown sugar—and works her dessert magic until it reaches that “just right” middle ground between not-to-thick and not-to-thin. The real hallmark of the dish, in my opinion, comes from a pinch of fleur de sel, a flaky, slightly saltier French version of American table salt, right on top of the finished pudding.
Modestly presented in a small cylindrical glass not much larger than a standard shot, this beauty of a pudding has nearly every sensual element working in its favor. A deep chestnut color and light sheen. A flawless, velvety texture. A toasty, caramel scent. And, an absolutely addicting sweet-salty flavor. The light sprinkling of fleur de sel, which may seem out of place in such a sugary dish, actually helps balance out the intensity of the butterscotch, while also adding a crunchy contrast to the silky pudding. The combination is nothing short of pure pudding bliss.
There is one important thing to note about this item: its presence on the dessert menu fluctuates week by week. This means taking a chance and relying on a bit of fate and pure hope. I urge you not to become distraught if you happen to see it left off of the menu; simply view it as an excellent excuse to come back again. Either way, the Roadhouse is nothing short of an experience to remember and will you leave you filled with that warm, fuzzy feeling of spending time with family and friends and savoring some damn good, down-home American comfort food.
Zingerman’s Roadhouse 2501 Jackson Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48103
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