Saga — Restaurant in Fort Smith

Saga has been a pretty pleasant experience overall the few times that I’ve dined here now! Here’s my take on it from various angles:

The dining area is still a bit small and relatively blah… almost like it was back when Paizi’s used to own the building. But that being said…

The waitresses have been VERY attentive and friendly, and we’ve also always gotten our food quite quickly, all things considered! Very happy with that kind of service! And speaking of the food…

My wife was pretty pleased with her ramen (granted, she’d never had Tokyo-style ramen before; just the vastly inferior instant stuff). In terms of flavor and quality, their sushi is a BIG step above the sushi we’ve gotten at places like Ninja Express (though similar in price)… and seemingly every bit as good as the sushi at places like Harps or Fuji these days (even though the sushi is cheaper at Saga on average). Overall, it is very good, and is definitely a great value! 🙂

All that being said… the Chicken Katsu was a bit of a miss from an authenticity standpoint, coming from a guy who spent three years living in Japan. The cutlet itself, as well as the rice and accompanied pickled vegetables, were all pretty authentic and even quite good (especially for such a fair price!)… but it was the sauce that missed the mark entirely. It’s was just Sweet Thai Chili Sauce (or some Southeast Asian equivalent), and was nothing at all like the actual Tonkatsu sauce that’s used in Japan (which is a less sweet, more savory, blend of soy sauce and fruits, and not spicy at all). But for those who don’t care about authenticity, it was still a pretty decent dish, and also a really good value for the money.

Another hidden gem that I’ve tried was the Bulgogi! The meat was so flavorful and tender, and the portion was VERY generous for the price! I didn’t leave hungry at all that day! If you’re in the mood for some delicious, pretty authentic, Korean beef and rice, definitely give the Bulgogi a try!

Overall, Saga has been a very pleasant surprise - especially with its extensive and exotic menu! We will definitely be back to...

Fort Smith, grab your gear for another food adventure.

I went into this place with one singular thought; "Fort Smith doesn't need another sushi place." I am very glad I was wrong. With a plethora of not only sushi items, but hibachi dishes, Raman bowls, and a twist of Indonesian flavor to boot, this blew my expectations clear out of the water.

First off, seating was slightly limited, but the place is small by design as it took over the old Gyro place across from the mall and next to Game Exchange.

Second, pricing is very competitive. I was amazed at how much I was paying for certain items that were more at other places I've tried. Was refreshing to see that I can eat a modest amount of food for a great price.

Third, the overall quality of food. Sadly, my only regret was not having a stomach big enough to try what I wanted. Sushi, hibachi, ramen, cuts of raw fish, appetizers oh my! Even the take home menu we received has just the sushi options on the front page!! (Three-ish pages respectively) I really was just not prepared to be overwhelmed by choices. In a good way!

Lastly, I would like to thank the Owner for telling me his story of how this place came about and his hopes for this place. Must be doing something right if the staff decided to make and name a roll after him. The staff was happy, awesome, and pretty attentive to help me decide what I want to eat.

I will be...

Havent even tried the food yet. It was really hot today, and my sister and I had walked very far unexpectedly with my toddler. We decided to stop at saga to cool off and get some food to go. There was a fan pointing at the table and as soon as we sat down the staff turned it away from us. We got some waters and teas, and we ordered something to go. After we were brought the food the waitress said she’d get us our drinks to go, so we waited for a bit. Maybe 5-10 minutes later she only brought one drink and apologized for forgetting, and my sister went up to pay. The redheaded girl asked if we were the to go order, my sister said yes, and the girl rolled her eyes and said FINALLY. Like???? We wouldve been out of there sooner if we were brought our drinks. God forbid we stop and get something to drink on the edge of a heatstroke. We wouldve ordered more but we were all feeling sick. Terrible attitude from that redhead and the other girl seemed to be doing everything else. There was maybe one or two other seated tables in the restaurant so its not like they were...