Ann Arbor's dining options once again impress. Although, honestly, the writer barely scratches the surface.  Excerpt: "If there’s one restaurant you won’t want to miss, it’s Frita Batidos, a Cuban restaurant in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor. Walk inside and you feel like you’ve been transported to a simple, modern NYC restaurant with spartan white walls and wooden picnic tables as seats. We ordered our fritas (Cuban-style burgers) piled high with avocado, eggs, and french fries (a fritas staple), but for all their mouth-stretching goodness, the real treat was the batidos (shakes). I went a more classic route with chocolate Español, but my sister’s hibiscus shake really stole the show. Add a shot of dark rum to any batido for a buck and you’ll be in hog heaven. Read the rest here.

Cyclists and pedal commuters will have a second parking lot for their self-powered vehicles in Ann Arbor's downtown. Yay! Excerpt: "The getDowntown Program manages the Maynard bike house, which offers downtown employees who sign up, at a cost of $75 per year, guaranteed and reserved bike parking with a secure entrance accessed via keycard. The new bike house will be managed by getDowntown similar to the Maynard bike house with similar fees. The DDA board voted at its last meeting to approve spending up to $60,000 to design, fabricate and install the new bike house using downtown parking revenues." Read the rest here.

H3D has spent much of the last year becoming a global player, selling its camera technology internationally. "We have sold our cameras to close to 20 nuclear power plants around the world," says Zhong He, chairman of H3D. Zhong is also a professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences at the University of Michigan. He has been working on H3D’s camera technology since the late 1990s, spinning out the company four years ago. H3D's Polaris H technology is a hand-held radiation camera that helps nuclear plant operators find potentially dangerous hot spots and leaky fuel rods with more speed and precision. It accomplishes this by laying a gamma-ray map over an image of a room, allowing it to pinpoint radiation sources. H3D's has seen dramatic sales gains without a marketing budget. It also has landed two Department of Defense contracts. All of these wins are coming primarily through word-of-mouth advertising from the company's customers. The increased roster of clients has allowed the company to hire four people (engineers) over the last year, expanding its staff to nine people. It is also looking to hire another engineer if the right candidate comes around. "We are financially quite sound," He says. Source: Zhong He, chairman of H3D Writer: Jon Zemke

Duo Security is making a lot of news this week. There is the new product launch, Duo Platform, that promises to be a more comprehensive online security solution. There are the new jobs created, a couple dozen easy. There are the new satellite offices, both domestic and international.  ?And then there is the money. A lot of money. The downtown Ann Arbor-based tech startup just closed on a Series C worth $30 million. Redpoint Ventures led the round with participation by current investors Benchmark Capital, Google Ventures, Radar Partners, and True Ventures. That's a lot of big names from the Silicon Valley venture capital world. The money will go toward expansion of the company in a number of different ways. First and foremost will be hiring. The company moved into its new, larger home at 123 N. Ashley earlier this year, crossing the 100-person employee mark about the same time. Duo Security currently has 30-some job openings, which can be found here. "We are hiring across the board in every department," says Jon Oberheide, CTO of Duo Security. Most of those jobs are in Ann Arbor. Some are elsewhere around the world. Duo Security has recently opened a California office and is in the process of opening a satellite office in London. That office is expected to play a key role in the company’s international expansion plans. "We are expanding internationally for the first time," Oberheide says. Duo Security has made a name for itself with its two-step verification software. The simple-yet-effective system that confirms the right person is accessing protected information with something as simple as a text message or push alert. The newest version of this is Duo Platform, a two-factor authentication solution that offers additional functionality, while keeping security easy and painless for the end-user. It offers a more comprehensive software platform that helps protect the path of access for everything from individuals to large businesses. Check out a video explaining it here. "We want to build a platform that is easy enough to protect customers regardless of their level of sophistication," Oberheide says. Source: Jon Oberheide, CTO of Duo Security Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Each year the Kennedy Center hands out Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards to teachers who make a difference in the lives of their students. This year 13 were awarded, 3 were awarded to Michigan teachers and 1 was Pioneer High School teacher Jim Robert. Excerpt: "Be the change you want to see in the world!" I entered the teaching profession to inspire my students accordingly. What I didn't anticipate was how being in the presence of adolescents would thoroughly change me. For 27 years they have been teaching me to listen and inside that listening I have learned to teach." Check out the list here.

We've been following U-M's solar car team for a few years now, with races in far-flung regions like Australia. In two weeks y'all can get a gander at the award-winning team as they compete against 130 other vehicles in the Shell Eco-marathon, which is being held for the first time in Detroit April 9-12. Excerpt: The U-M Supermileage Team will compete in the Shell Eco-marathon, held for the first time in Detroit at the Cobo Center April 9-12. The contest, which started as a wager between two engineers in 1939, has since gone global, attracting engineering students from around the world who aim to design, build and drive the world's most energy-efficient vehicle. Read the rest here.

A new steakhouse in downtown Ann Arbor will bring 70-90 jobs to the area in addition to top flight filets and porterhouses. Ruth's Chris Steak House is scheduled to open in late spring in the location at 314 S. Fourth Ave., which was Dream Nite Club before a $2.2 million renovation added a second story and additional square footage. Construction is ongoing and on schedule, with mostly just fine-tuning remaining to take place between now and the opening, says Rohit Mehra, the location's general manager. "It is one of the top fine dining restaurants in the world, with the emphasis on quality ingredients," he says. "We're bringing our passion, our dedication, and our cuisine to Ann Arbor." Mehra explains that the location started hiring in November and has already brought on a bit more than half of the 70-90 employees needed in both the front and back of the house. Plus, they're looking to bring on the services of local vendors -- Zingerman's is on board to provide the restaurant’s bread, for example -- which will trickle down for an additional economic boost. "When I bring 20 vendors to my restaurant, they need to hire more people," he says. "It's a chain that keeps the ball rolling." He plans on getting the restaurant involved with local charities and nonprofits, as well. "The most exciting part about coming to Ann Arbor, is being part of the local community," he says. The chain, known for its steaks and seafood, has about 150 locations worldwide. Source: Rohit Mehra, Ruth's Chris Steak House Writer: Kristin Lukowski