Local Eats: Ann Arbor’s Earthen Jar pivots from buffet style to Thali feast on a plate
Updated Jan 30, 2021;
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ANN ARBOR – Like many local restaurants, Ann Arbor’s Earthen Jar has undergone some major changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nestled in a converted home at Fifth Avenue and Liberty Street, the all-vegetarian Indian restaurant has served up dishes buffet-style since 1997. Sim Sethi, whose family owns the restaurant, said the pandemic required the business to be quick on its feet, swapping the buffet for take-home dishes called Thali - an Indian meal traditionally served on metal plates.
The feast-style meal, named after the platter on which it is served, incorporates many of the dishes Earthen Jar served in its by-the-pound buffet. Customers can order channah masala, mattar paneer or a mound of basmati rice for $3 per serving. The mix-and-match format allows customers some of the freedom of the buffet style while keeping things safe and efficient f