Although SAIA is by no means cheap, a party of two could dine for less than $60 with a hearty sushi roll and three small plates. I'd recommend the previously exalted tamari scallops ($14), paired with the fire dragon roll ($18) — packed with shrimp tempura, avocado, and snow crab, then topped with spicy tuna and masago. SAIA's version of a ceviche is found in the tangy fish — a medley of tuna, hamachi, and salmon tossed in ginger, orange, and lime and assembled into a tower of mixed greens ($10). Don't miss the lime- and salt-crusted scallops, which are succulent and sweetened with honey miso sauce on Japanese sweet potato ($14).
It was difficult to find a creation that didn't work at SAIA. The Wagyu beef ($29), topped with a shiitake-shimiji mushroom mixture, was mildly unsatisfying because the meat was a bit chewy. Presented atop a simple charred pepper, the beef is pricey — $6 a mouthful. And the hamachi dish ($12) proved unimaginative compared to other dishes; slivers of sashimi were topped with a single slice of raw jalapeño in a chintzy portion of orange-ponzu sauce.
Candace West
Tamari scallops: Rich, premium, soy-moistened scallops and crabmeat wrapped in tuna.
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SAIA, 1999 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-564-1000, or
click here.
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You could joyously end your meal with the tropical roll ($18) — seared juicy scallop, mushroom, shiso, and cucumber, topped with salmon and paper-thin mango. But then you would have to pass on decadent desserts like the banana tempura (crispy fried banana slices beside a bowl of coconut ice cream), creamy crème brûlée (which veers from the traditional with hints of lemongrass and mango), or the green tea ice cream with raspberry sauce and fresh berries.
The masses haven't found this place yet, but if the quality and service keeps up, it won't be long until they're coming in droves. As you sip on an after-dinner cordial served over a slow-melting rounded ice sphere, you'll forget what the place was once before. Holiday Inn, what?
