Coming soon: 'International fusion' restaurant in former Ann Arbor Chi-Chi's on South State
The former Chi-Chi's Restaurant in Pittsfield Township will soon become Passport Restaurant and Lounge.
Paula Gardner | AnnArbor.com
“Coming soon” reads the banner stretched across the sign of the long-closed restaurant on South State, raising questions about what’s coming next.
The answer: Passport Restaurant and Lounge.
The partners behind the new concept say they're close to setting an opening date.
An early look at the menu shows that the concept will be built around dishes that they call “international fusion,” including sushi, food influenced by Korean, Italian, Chinese and Spanish cuisines, a full bar and a cosmopolitan atmosphere.
The building - located at 3776 S. State in Pittsfield Township - most recently housed the Cherry Blossom Restaurant, but before that was a long-time Chi-Chi’s until that chain closed in 2004.
The owners of the Novi-based Cherry Blossom bought the restaurant in May 2005 for $1.4 million and opened their second Japanese-themed restaurant there. After the restaurant closed, it was sold to A&Z Investments of Ann Arbor, registered to Androulla and Zakhour Youssef.
Zakhour Youssef told AnnArbor.com in fall 2009 that the 10,300-square-foot space would become an upscale and elegant restaurant with room for 270 customers.
Androulla Youssef said last week said Suzanne Wu will be the managing partner of Passport, referring questions to her. She and C.J. Johnson, operations director, are finalizing details for the restaurant.
The Passport team has been onsite daily for at least the last week as they work toward an opening date. Hiring has been under way, and the work continues on interior finishes.
Wu said she hopes to roll out details of the restaurant - including description of the menu - when she can announce a firm opening date.
The building, sitting on 4 acres, is about ¼-mile south of the I-94 intersection. It’s south of a shared drive with a recently updated McDonald’s Restaurant, and it’s also about ¼ mile from the location of the new Costco proposed for Pittsfield Township near State and Ellsworth.
Paula Gardner is Business News Director of AnnArbor.com. Contact her at 734-623-2586 or by email. Sign up for the weekly Business Review newsletter, distributed every Thursday, here.
Comments
rois savvides
Sun, Aug 29, 2010 : 6:56 p.m.
I tried it last night. The food was excellent! The ambience is warm and inviting and the owners are great people. I would drive once a week, half an hour to go eat there.
krc
Thu, Aug 26, 2010 : 11:31 a.m.
Yeah, boom! La Pinata!
David Briegel
Thu, Aug 26, 2010 : 9:39 a.m.
The only "bailouts" go to the most needy among us. You know, the multi-millionaires and billionaires. Can we cut their taxes even more?
bunnyabbot
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 10:52 p.m.
@treetown, I think on more than one occasion chi-chis had a pretty visable/well known (and was forcibly closed at least once by the health department) La Cucaracha problemo.
bunnyabbot
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 10:48 p.m.
ah the wiffletree, we ate there a few times a month, one morning I woke up and said to my dad, can we go to the wiffle, we drove down there and ended up sitting in the parking lot across the street watching the fireman hosing the smoldering ashes, I cried. la pinata :) we ate there every thursday :) I always got a virgin strawberry daquiri and felt so grown up. The warm chips, the homemade quacamole, dark and dated decor, who cares, Knights is my favorite restaurant and I love the "dated" feel of it, never had a messed up order, bad service or an "off" meal there. and I remember Drakes, sitting at the counter and eating a grilled cheese and donut. Terriyaki Tyme has good lunch food as far as asian fusion. They're at detroit and 5th. I probably get take out 3 days a week for lunch.
jgold47
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 9:48 p.m.
Well best of luck to them. the building is way too big. Trick will be if they can keep costs down until the rest of state st. redevelops. I have seen site plans for the old Gallaghers and the NW corner, and with Costco, and some action in the old K-Mart, this could turn into a great piece of real estate. And all the old townies, enough with memory lane. Bring back silvermans and bill knapps and mt jacks and the mandrin and enough already. What is it with Old Ann Arbor people and all the nostalgia.
stunhsif
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 9:47 p.m.
So many of you love these restaurants that went out of business, way back when. Too bad Obama was not president back then to inject some "stimulus" money into them so you could still be eating there. But alas,some poor smuck at the Whiffletree and Frey's Cafe could not call up your president and get a bail out? Oh my, it wasn't your money that went "poof", it was some poor smucks in the private sector!
David Briegel
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 9:10 p.m.
I love Mexican Village right next to the Ambassador Bridge. Safe, convenient, affordable and fun! Go to the corner bakery before you depart. I like to go mid afternoon for late lunch/early dinner. Frey's cafe was on W Washington where Cracked Crab used to be and Cafe Zola's is now. I was very young! It became Flick's and that is where I watched the Tigers win the last game in '68! We drank some beer that day!! The Whiffletree was wonderful. I had Thanksgiving dinner one night when Sooby roasted a lamb and it was the most simple and wonderful meal. Rice Pilaf, mixed veg, tossed salad, rolls and desserts! Good friends and wine! The food was free!! A very happy Thanksgiving!!
a2ta
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 8:31 p.m.
Where was Frey's cafe? Gotta love the old foodie memories of Ann Arbor past. I have fond memories of those great Whiffletree Fries, and the fantastic seafood chowder there, too. La Pinata was a true neighborhood gathering spot, but the food was not authentic Mexican. You have to brave the trip to Detroit's Mexicantown for that! It is safe, cheap and entertaining. You all should give it a try.That would be a great addition in the State Street vacant spot. Some REAL, AUTHENTIC Mexican food. Drooling already for a fried taco and some real tamales! $5 a dozen, folks!
David Briegel
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 7 p.m.
There was nothing good about Chi-Chi's. La Fiesta Mexicana, the parent of Taqueria La Fiesta, is the real deal. Sherry, La Pinata!!! Imagine, non-smoking! This new place will struggle with all the road and Costco consruction. Costco probably won't open for 2 years. I really miss the Whiffletree and the Oyster Bar and Spaghetti Machine even more! And Frey's cafe with my Dad and Grandpa on payday. Burger on pumpernickle with grilled onions!! Yeah!
Ann English
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 6:57 p.m.
I would have expected the Youssefs (Arabic for Josephs) to offer Middle Eastern food, but perhaps Mexican, Italian, and Far Eastern restaurant dishes are in higher demand than Middle Eastern dishes are around here.
Urban Sombrero
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 4:58 p.m.
International fusion? Interesting. I'm looking forward to trying it. It's nice to see the building occupied again, but I agree with the poster above that it desperately needs a paint job, or a total re-do on the outside. It's pretty sad looking.
elahaie
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 12:20 p.m.
I second that emotion - BRING BACK LA PINATA!!! Miss the place something awful. It was routine to stop there following UM football games for a belly full of mexican food and margaritas! Ah yes, the good ol' days. Their makeover to The Watercress(?) restaurant was a strange business move. Chi Chi's on the other hand never did much for me. Just another chain as far as i'm concerned.
ShadowManager
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 12:11 p.m.
Not one of the better spots in Ann Arbor for a restaurant...maybe in the 90's when Avis Farms was booming, but those days are long gone. Is it just me...or do these "Asian Fusion" places seem to not do so well? The one on Washtenaw ave, called, imagine that, "Asian Fusion", just closed after a very poor run.
cubicle
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 10:35 a.m.
The entrances to all of the businesses along the west side of State Street are extremely awkward, not to mention dangerous if you're traveling northbound. Maybe if things were positioned better and there wasn't a giant "why the hell is this necessary?" parking lot in front of the furniture store, that area might get more customer traffic.
treetowncartel
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 10:34 a.m.
Those of you with fond memoroes of Chi-Chi's might change your tune if you ever stepped foot in their kitchen. If you want good Mexican fare try Taqueira La Fiesta. It is located at the SE corner of Packard And Carpenter. They have wonderful tamales.
just a voice
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 10:28 a.m.
in the townie game of 'how long will it last', at this point not too sure this place will make it. They don't seem to have a direction and they just have to pray they make it on hotel traffic, hope they find a way to brand themselves and get some draw or we're looking at under 12 months the last place started off without a alcohol, doomed to fialure from day one
Anne Brandon
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 10:16 a.m.
The chef for this new restaurant catered a shower i held for my sister,and has prepared food for many events i have attended over the years.His food is fantastic! I am so looking forward to being able to visit a local restaurant,and enjoy his food more often!So exciting!
Paula Gardner
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 9:57 a.m.
Here's the latest on the old Bagel Factory site (another food landmark for me: my first order of papaya juice!) http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/601-forest-developer-finalizing-last-steps-before-construction-permits-can-be-filed/
John Hritz
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 9:47 a.m.
The mystery for me is how the South U Bagel Factory location has remained vacant so long. The opposite side of the street has seen some growth over the years. There was a little news on this corner last year. http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/601-forest-development-plans-change/
justwondering
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 9:30 a.m.
I moved here right after the Whiffletree burned down (it did burn down, didn't it?). I think there's just a vacant lot there now. What type of food did they serve and what were they best known for? I really enjoyed Robby's at the Ice House, across the intersection, but they never changed their menu and I got tired of it. I guess everyone else did, too. La Pinata was awesome and it is missed. However, I feel that Bandito's (on Fourth?) does a pretty darn good job and is quite a suitable substitute for La Pinata. Their chicken quesadilla is every bit as good as La Pinata's.
nowayjose
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 8:49 a.m.
I look forward to watching it close down a month after opening.
engGEEK1988
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 8:43 a.m.
The aroma is such a big part of the restaurant environment and influence on customers' choices. I think the proposed food varieties might be a bit odd.
Vivienne Armentrout
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 8:29 a.m.
I'm trying to imagine a mishmash of the cuisines listed and it doesn't sound very convincing. Yet it occurs to me that if the emphasis is on small plates and tapa-dim sum-sushi service with a wide variety of choices, it might take off. La Pinata was a favorite of ours too, though not really very authentically Mexican. It had some New Mexico trademarks like the stacked enchiladas. Tamales were hand-made with lots of vegetables included. Margaritas were heavy on Rose's Lime Juice and the hardest part was running the gauntlet through the smoking section.
David Rhoads
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 8:27 a.m.
I have known Zakhour and Androulla for the last 12 years. They have a lot of experience in the restaurant business and I am sure they have put a lot of thought into this new venture. I wish them all the best and perhaps their next new restaurant will be a re-incarnation of La Pinata.
stunhsif
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 8 a.m.
Hopefully they are going to spruce up the exterior as well, it is looking old and dilapidated. LaPinata was the best, real Mexican food, so good you didn't care how dark and drab the place was.
Paula Gardner
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 7:58 a.m.
Actually, I've been thinking a lot about "a few years out" for this area, not this restaurant - based on the impact of Costco and how it has the potential to change local traffic patterns (like reinvigorating the 'core' of Ann Arbor instead of westside development). Yet the orientation of the store, as proposed, seems like it could have its greatest effect on Airport Boulevard, since that appears to be the effective "entrance" for customers coming from I'94.... that's where they'll find parking and the gas station. This restaurant building, thanks to access from State and its back drive, which connects to Airport, right about where the gas station would be, seems to be positioned pretty well. On a lighter note.... I've also been smiling over the fond memories of Chi-Chi's illustrated in this morning's comments! I'm not from a foodie family - when I was about 14 and had my first taco salad there, I thought it was the best, most unusual food i'd ever had! Later on, I felt similarly about the raspberry margaritas. Eventually I did manage to find "real" Mexican food... and love it.
CountyKate
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 7:52 a.m.
This is an interesting idea. Is it possible I could enjoy sushi while my son, who isn't fond of sushi, could have Italian? That would be great! I look forward to the opening.
A2Realilty
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 7:49 a.m.
Hmmm... I wish the owners well and hope that they are successful. From the sounds of this though, it makes me wonder if Paula can tell us what's also "on deck" for a few years out.
Brad
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 7:43 a.m.
La Pinata! One of the greatest restaurant losses in AA History, right up there with Whiffletree.
C6
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 7:20 a.m.
Yeah, I miss Chi Chi's and La Pinata too...
A2D2
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 7:19 a.m.
Finally! A decent sit-down restaurant in Ann Arbor!. Seriously, it'll be nice to have the building occupied. It was starting to have that "permanently vacant" feel to it.
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 7:19 a.m.
"food influenced by Korean, Italian, Chinese and Spanish cuisines," I don't pretend to know the restaurant business but I wonder if trying to be too many things is a good idea?
boom
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 7:10 a.m.
Bring back Chi Chi's or.......La Pinata!