Detroit | A flower in a desert of food

Detroit | A Hidden Gem in the “Food Desert” Spent the weekend on a little getaway—first, I went to Ann Arbor for a friend’s graduation, then popped over to Detroit for a morning hangout with pals. Took a tip from Xiaohongshu foodies and tried this cozy Thai family restaurant—and it did NOT disappoint! 🎏 The exterior looks totally unassuming, but the interior decor is so warm and welcoming—such a nice surprise! 🍍 𝗦𝗣𝟮 𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗲 (with shrimp & chicken) One of their signatures! The portion is huge—perfect for sharing. The rice grains are separated and coated in curry, with bursts of flavor from pineapple chunks, cashews, and carrots. The chicken is tender, the shrimp is fresh—seriously delicious! And it looks amazing in photos, too 📸. 🍗 𝗔𝟲 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 Tried a bite, and they’re super crispy—paired with sweet chili sauce, it’s totally appetizing! Not too heavy, just the right snack to start with 🌶️. 🫓 𝗔𝟭𝟬 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 My friend called these “Thai chive pockets,” but they actually taste more like Korean seafood pancakes. They’re probably made with sweet potato starch—plain on their own, but dipping them in the sauce (tastes like fish sauce!) adds a savory kick. A little chewy, but still fun to share. 🍛 𝗖𝟭 𝗥𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗼𝗳𝘂 HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEIR CURRY! 🚨 This red curry is so fragrant—total rice-lover’s dream. The tofu is fried first, so it soaks up all that creamy, coconutty curry sauce perfectly. One bite, and I was hooked—could’ve eaten a whole bowl of rice with just this. 🍮 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘁 𝗣𝘂𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 Blows Chicago’s famous “J” coconut pudding out of the water! It’s warm, with a layer of lotus seed paste under the coconut cream, plus two blueberries to cut through the richness—no cloying sweetness at all. The perfect ending to the meal 🥥. 🍵 𝗜𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗮 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗮 Heads up, everyone ⚠️—this is NOT matcha! As a die-hard matcha fan, I was low-key sad to be tricked. It’s actually Thai iced green tea—super sweet. If you want real matcha, skip this. Before coming, I spent ages researching good eats in Detroit, and this Thai spot popped up everywhere—and now I see why it’s so loved. If you’re in Detroit and stuck on what to eat, this cozy little spot is a no-brainer! 📍 Saab Sis Thai (Parking ramp across the street) 515 S Lafayette Ave #514, Royal Oak, MI 48067 #RestaurantRecommendation #HiddenGemRestaurant #VibeRestaurant #GlobalFoodieSquad #USA #Detroit #UniversityOfMichiganAnnArbor #Michigan #AnnArbor #DetroitLife #ThaiFood #MichiganEats #FoodInspo #AmateurFoodCriticContest #DeliciousInFoodDesert