Earthen Jar and Seva Restaurant

by Ryan M. Place

Some meat-crazed Americans might associate vegetarianism and veganism with flavorless, meager meals—although this doesn’t have to be the case with the delicious veggie fare that places like Earthen Jar and Seva Restaurant in Ann Arbor have to offer. However, you don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy these dishes, as they are bound to satisfy the palates of carnivores and non-carnivores alike.

Everything is homemade at Earthen Jar, located on Fifth Ave. in downtown Ann Arbor and run by Pushpinder Sethi, his wife (Gurcharan), and their son (Sim) and his two sisters. The establishment, which opened in 1997 in a retrofitted house, hails from the Punjab in Northern India and features a vegan buffet at $5.99 per pound in an intimate and relaxing atmosphere that includes Bob Marley music and a fun crowd.

“We provide 45 homemade vegetarian dishes, 80% of which are vegan and are gluten free,” Pushpinder Sethi says. “Such a vast assortment of options allows our customers to choose flavors and spices to build a unique and delightful meal.”

At Earthen Jar, patrons walk in the door, grab a plate and go down the buffet line, where helpful placards list how spicy each item is. At the end, each plate is weighed on a scale. “Gurcharan and, my son, Sim’s hobby is to cook and mine is to eat,” Sethi says—and he has no shortage of options here. Earthen Jar’s most popular items are Sabzi Tori vegetarian squash, Korma Sabzi broccoli in a creamy mushroom sauce, Sag Dal yellow lentils with spinach, Matter Paneer homemade Indian cheese with green peas, Banana Pudding and, my personal favorite, Baingan Bhujia spicy hot eggplant with tomato and curry along with some excellent Nan bread (0.75), a cup of Masala chai ($2.75) and a Magic Bar ($2.50) for desert. Overall, Earthen Jar scores high on mood, atmosphere, affordability, politeness and community spirit.

“Washtenaw County is a very caring and loving community that has supported us through good times and bad, and we love living and working here,” says Sethi.

“There are a lot of foodies in Washtenaw County. Most of the people here are open-minded, curious and willing to try new things, and I love it,” says Jeff Jackson, who owns Seva Restaurant, another delicious vegetarian restaurant located right around the corner from Earthen Jar. Opened in 1973 by Jackson and his wife, Maren, Seva Restaurant offers an all vegetarian menu with many gluten-free options and all food made in-house.

“We’re almost completely organic. I would say about 98% of our entire menu is organic,” says Jackson.

Seva Restaurant’s spacious wood-paneled interior and cool, green-resin floor, along with other touches, give the restaurant character and make it unique. During my visit, I sat in a cushioned wood pew drinking a Cherry Lime Rickey and eating Yam Fries and Enchiladas Calabaza. Seva Restaurant’s delicious Cherry Lime Rickey ($7.25) uses Michigan tart cherries, while the Yam fries ($5.75) are a basket of sweet potato fries with great dipping sauce, and the Enchiladas Calabaza ($12.95) is a tortilla filled with butternut squash, cream cheese, green onions, chiles, cumin and “a hint of cinnamon topped with spicy tomato sauce and cheese,” Jackson says as he smiles.

At Seva, breakfast is served all day, brunch is served on the weekends, and lunch specials run Monday through Friday from 11 a.m.—3 p.m. ($7.95 for a half sandwich and cup of soup or side salad).

Earthen Jar is located at 311 South Fifth Ave in Ann Arbor and is open from 11 a.m.—8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call: 734-327-9464.

Seva Restaurant is located at 314 East Liberty Street in Ann Arbor and is open from 11 a.m.—9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.—10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call: 734-662-1111.