Among my best experiences dining in Michigan was my initial trip to Sullaf, the venerable carryout Iraqi spot on Seven Mile Road just east of Woodward in Detroit’s old Chaldeantown neighborhood.
I entered, looked a bit confused because there was no menu, and a gruff chef curtly asked me what I wanted.” “Is there a menu?” I responded.
“I got lamb and I got chicken,” the chef said, offering no other hint as to preparations as flames leapt off the sizzling grill behind him. I ordered both, and the massive lamb shank he handed me is etched in my memory one of the most transcendent plates I’ve ever had.
The lamb quzi at Saj Areef, a new Iraqi restaurant in Sterling Heights, generated flashbacks to that visit and plate. The lamb’s tender meat practically falls off a huge bone, and the dish hit like few can. Quzi is a traditional Middle Eastern plate though it may slightly vary by region, and for some reason Iraqi folks seem to do it best.
Though there are subtle hints of what I’m guessing is cardamom or clove, the preparation and high quality meat did the heavy lifting. Owner Steven Arbo touted Areef’s meats, which come from Barry and Sons and other reputable halal butchers. The quzi bites are further enhanced with the addition of jasmine rice prepared three different ways, the best of which came coated with super fragrant curry and studded with raisins. Add the pickled cabbage rendered electric yellow from turmeric to each forkful and feel your brain unleash endorphins.
Saj Alreef, which translates roughly into “country bread,” opened in October in Sterling Heights, a center for metro Detroit’s huge Chaldean population. Metro Detroiters are more used to Lebanese food but the recipes and palates aren’t that far apart.
Perhaps even better than the quzi are the kebabs, which are cooked over a charcoal grill that leaves the edges with perfect char and imparts a lovely smokiness. One Iraqi kebab came with minced lamb and beef, and another with ground chicken. Both burst with flavor from what tastes like some combination of parsley, garlic, onion, sumac, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, and more. The hunks of piquant chicken and lamb tikka kebabs stood out, the former with a nearly candied texture from the smoke.
Saj is a type of Iraqi bread that could somewhat be likened to a tortilla in form and function, and Saj Alreef offers a list of standard Middle Eastern sandwiches wrapped with them. The chicken shawarma comes with pickles, but the beef, fragrant from perhaps cardamom or cinnamon, was the better of the two.
We also got a platter with salads and Saj Alreef’s excellent creamy, rich hummus. Nearly everything on it is some combination of bright, fresh, lemony, acidic, punchy, slightly sweet, and balanced. A salad of charred bits of eggplant that imparted a slightly smoky element with bell peppers and red onion stood out, as did the tangy tabbouleh. It also comes with a creamy cucumber salad and a beet salad. The meals arrive with soups, and though I’m not usually a fan of lentil, this nutty version is the best I’ve ever had.
The vibe, like the food, is bright and upbeat, and the walls are adorned with Middle Eastern infinity patterns. Saj Alreef packs it in on weekends.
This is owner Steven Arbo’s first restaurant, though his family owns several in Iraq, and he says the kitchen is full of experienced cooks. So far, they seem to be picking up where Sullaf left off. Praise for that.
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