Some places are old favorites for good reason. Take a trip to Saica and you will see why that is.
The Japanese and Korean fusion restaurant is a cute and laid back little place in the Courtyard of single story shops off Plymouth Road. You’ll know it by its three orange awnings hanging across from Cardamom.
Inside is a comfortable setting of sturdy chairs, tasteful decoration and music played just loud enough to be pleasant and not loud enough to be intrusive. But it is the food that is obviously the best part.
Even if you don’t typically gravitate towards sushi, you might find yourself loving the sizable selection at Saica. The Snow Leopard roll is a little bit spicy and savory. Whereas, the Geisha roll has a nice little citrus flavor, which feels fresh and not as heavy as the snow leopard
The udon curry is another perfect option. Like any Japanese curry, it is decidedly more savory and earthy than curries from southern Asia. But the udon noodles are appropriately chewy, without giving your jaw a workout, and the potatoes are cooked perfectly without falling apart the second you look at it. Both are a solid combination, big enough for two meals, formings a cohesive whole without overdoing the spice.
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The seaweed salad is also pleasantly spicy, but the freshness of the greenness of the seaweed itself, and its pitch perfect dressing is what makes it such a solid starter. It is actually a shame that they only offer this as an appetizer—there would be at least one person in Ann Arbor who would order it as a full meal if they chose to offer a larger portion.
The gyoza is your best bet for an appetizer actually. This pan-fried dumpling affair is pleasantly chewy with an unspecified stuffing of veggies and meat. The sweet and spicy sauce that they serve alongside this dish is what makes it perfect.
Ann Arbor is a relatively car-light city by American standards. In that situation, people from the south side of town often rarely go to the north side and need a really, really good reason to go there. If that is you, then trust us—the food at Saica is your really, really good reason.
Drew Saunders is a freelance business and environmental journalist who grew up just outside of Ann Arbor. He covers local business developments, embraces his foodie side with reviews restaurants, obsesses over Michigan's environmental state, loves movies, and feels spoiled by the music he gets to review for Ann Arbor!
