Katy C.
Yelp
Cafe Mamo is filling a bit of a void for this type of restaurant in the area. The menu is small but nicely curated, with a bit of fish, meat, and veg, as well as a neat and tidy cocktail list. Their focus on wine is a bit over my head, but I'm sure they would be happy to help you select a bottle or glass to accompany your meal. Reservations are highly recommended as this spot is pretty small. Nate and I had just eaten one of the best meals in awhile at Spencer in Ann Arbor, and Cafe Mamo gave me some similar vibes with beautifully plated, delicious and unpretentious food.
Nate and I went for my late birthday dinner and had an enjoyable experience. I loved being able to see into the open kitchen, and the millennium pink shades worked well with the deep jewel blue tones. The bathroom is also beautiful. Seating is cozy and you're pretty close to other diners. I ordered a glass of wine and the glass it came in was smudgy. It was replaced quickly once I pointed it out, no real complaints there.
For food, we chose the rolls and butter, whole trout, and the farmer's cut steak, which was a Denver steak that day. We enjoyed relaxing listening to some classic tunes on vinyl - very cool. The whole trout was delicious and perfectly cooked. The bits of crispy skin were my favorite, and the brown butter was decadent. The addition of seasonal vegetables was a great touch. I did have to wrangle quite a few bones as I ate because I was so excited I think I got overzealous. Just be careful!
The steak was a bit of a disappointment for me. Nate enjoyed it, and it was seasoned well, but there were several chunks that were gristly and inedible. The rolls were fine but nothing super special. I appreciated the flaky sea salt and generous portion of butter.
We were stuffed after dinner but the dessert options were intriguing, so we went with the house made buttermilk ice cream, topped with shaved frozen watermelon. It was refreshing and rich at the same time - definitely glad we tried it.
Our server was kind and on top of service when we visited at the end of August 2021. I would love to go back soon and try their brunch, and they are starting large format dinners on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday!