Ann Arbor’s Mani Osteria & Bar to get new Mexican eatery neighbor

It is con mucho gusto that Adam Baru, owner of the hip Mani Osteria & Bar, will be extending his culinary reach to south-of-the-border cuisine with the impending opening of his new Mexican restaurant next door to Mani, at the intersection of E. Liberty and S. Division streets. The yet-to-be-named eatery, with a planned early fall debut, will share a wall and an interior connection with Mani, Baru says. Later this month, he will travel with his chef, Brendan McCall, to Mexico City on a food and cultural tool to derive inspiration for the menu and décor. Baru anticipates the menu will be a modern mix of traditional Mexican cuisine and antojitos (street food). The 2,600-square-foot restaurant will have 75-80 seats. "The space is currently unoccupied and has been for a period of time, so it's really just a ceiling, a floor, and a door, so we'll be doing a full renovation to the space," says Baru. "The design really will be very much in the spirit of what we've done at Mani." The restaurants will share the same architect, design team, and contractor. "We've had a really wonderful year at Mani. Being right next door, I think it [will create] some nice synergies between the two restaurants." Source: Adam Baru, owner, Mani Osteria & Bar Writer: Tanya Muzumdar