New owners at Sabor Latino

And a busy new Wendy's on Zeeb

by Tony McReynolds & Sally Mitani

posted 10/25/2009

Marco Wong Baez; his wife, Jen; and business partner Khai Lee bought Sabor Latino from longtime owner Roberto Candelaria in July. They're keeping most of Candelaria's Mexican items, but adding more dishes from Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, and Peru. Baez, who used to own a restaurant in his native Juanajugo, Mexico, relies heavily on dishes he used to make alongside his mother and his grandmother. He's had additional training all over Ann Arbor, cooking at Melange, Vinology, Cafe Habana, Blue Tractor, and BTB Cantina.

Baez is quick to assure fans that their menu favorites remain, made from the same recipes and by the same kitchen staff. But he's added more vegetarian options, a couple of vegan dishes, more seafood, and soups. He's also added a weekend brunch menu and late-night hours Thursday through Sunday.

Sabor Latino, 211 North Main Street, 214-7775, Mon.-Wed. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Thurs.-Fri. 11 a.m.-3:30 a.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-3:30 a.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-3 a.m. www.annarborsabor.com

It was a bit of a head-scratcher when the Wendy's franchise knocked down its own building on Jackson Road and Zeeb and built another nearly identical one next door. The CVS being built at the old Wendy's address is scheduled to open by Thanksgiving, says John Kerr, the general manager of the Wendy's. He explains that the franchise owners (Jackson-based Stanton and Associates, which owns about sixty-five Wendy's franchises in Michigan) decided to take down the building because "it was thirty years old, a lot of the parts for the refrigeration were getting tough to get, and the appliances were inefficient." In other words, the new building didn't cost much more than a massive remodel, and CVS wanted the corner. In case anyone doubts it was worth it, Kerr says the Zeeb Wendy's has the highest sales volume in the state.

Wendy's, 73 S. Zeeb. 665-6702. Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-midnight, Sun. 10:30-midnight. www.wendys.com   

[Originally published in October, 2009.]