The newest addition to E. Liberty? Burgers.

Rip Van Winkle I ain’t- but returning to Ann Arbor after two months in New York has produced its fair share of culture shock.   Namely, in the form the city’s new food establishments along East Liberty Street: @Burger, Lab, Tomukun Noodle Bar,  and This & That.

Of interest here is one of those additions in particular: @Burger, which has already received considerable press.  I’ve eaten at @Burger twice, and while I certainly would not compare it to this heralded burger joint, I doff my cap to it with some respect.  The menu is not a one-note ditty: burgers include the BBQ Bacon Velveeta, Big Hawaiian, and Trash Can (you can only imagine what that encompasses).  My first visit saw me order the Savory Garlic Mushroom and Swiss, a non-misleading title as the burger, in fact, was savory- especially when complemented by an @Burger chocolate shake.  My second trip returned less favorable results: the signature “@burger” swam in a rich sea of mayonnaise and relish; overall, a messy affair (not that its actual taste proved unsatisfactory).  And priced in the $7-$10 neighborhood, these bunned beauties are a cheap and quick boost to this previously burger-less block (save for Bar Louie).

But I’m no foodie, so I won’t waste precious text digesting – er, analyzing – the gastronomical goodness of @Burger’s products.  But, I am a betting man, and I’d like to sit and think on this new establishment’s long-term prospects for survival.  Why?  Because @Burger seems caught in a nebulous search for its identity.  Its decor – a pastiche of flat pastels, industrial-looking overhangs, and IKEA-esque, understated chair/table combos reaches for the younger crowd, but lacks that extra hook – like red relish on an @Burger – to fully reel them in.  I would plot its most immediate competition as South U.’s Charley’s, whose burger menu might not be as expansive as its E. Liberty counterpart, but features the atmosphere (i.e. college-y) that makes it an Ann Arbor go-to.

Factor in, too, aforementioned newbies Lab and Tomukun Noodle Bar.  I’ve yet to eat at Tomukun, but would pick Lab with its bevy of hot and cold drink options, paired with its hyper-minimalist accents, to quickly emerge as an Ann Arbor darling.

Their added traffic and this year’s opening of North Quad will see a rich litter of hungry, potentially burger-hunting students flood East Liberty Street.  And, not to ever denigrate “@” to “dive” status, but what sounds like the ideal late-night snack?  A burger, brah. As long as there are students with empty stomachs and full wallets (or semi-full: remember, it’s cheap!), the “@” symbol will glow gloriously over this cozy collegiate hamlet.