Saj Cafe of Dearborn Heights offers a variety of healthy and
tasteful entrees freshly prepared using saj bread, which is thinner than pita
bread. Saj is an authentic grill top used to bake saj bread. Co-owner Hussein
Siblini said the “old fashion grill” can be found in Lebanon and its
neighboring countries.

Saj opened as Sajouna in early May of this year before it
changed to its current name for easier pronunciation. Hussein and his older
brother Ahmad are the owners. Both are also part-owners with their eldest
brother and founder Mohamad of Dearborn’s notable Yasmeen Bakery. Yasmeen was
established in 1986 and employs 50 associates, another 25 at its warehouse and
an additional 24 have been hired at Saj.

Yasmeen has grown rapidly over the years. Today Kroger and
Walmart stores in Michigan carry Yasmeen bread, along with other businesses in
Indiana, Illinois and restaurants across Metro Detroit.  According to Hussein, over 5,000 bags
of pita bread, 10 loaves each, are packaged and sold every day in their
Dearborn-based bakery.

He eventually hopes to expand the company to other states,
and says Saj is a step towards making that happen. Saj is managed by Hussein’s
two nephews and is located at the intersection of Beech Daly and Ford Road’s
southwest corner in Dearborn Heights.

While Saj offers Mediterranean cuisine, its menu also
includes options that Yasmeen’s doesn’t, such as saj bread and a variety of
subs or crepes.

Saj mainly serves Middle Eastern cuisine, but the inside
isn’t Arabic themed.  The setting
is simple, making it more adaptable. “We don’t want to repeat something we
already have. We want to be creative and present something different. We wanted
to make it appealing to everyone,” Hussein said.

Saj Cafe of Dearborn Heights offers a variety of healthy and tasteful entrees freshly prepared using saj bread, which is thinner than pita bread. Saj is an authentic grill top used to bake the distinctive bread and can be found in Lebanon and its neighboring countries. Saj also carries a variety of desserts, hot dishes, cold entrees, pita wraps, mini pies, breakfast and breads with zaatar and cheese toppings among other items.

Saj is run by individuals who hold advanced college degrees.
Hussein holds a master’s degree in engineering from Wayne State University. His
nephews both have degrees in engineering, one is a mechanical engineer and the
other is an electrical engineer.  

“My whole family, they’re all educated, but everybody
ended up doing this. They all got degrees. It’s like something runs in the
blood I guess. I have brothers who have degrees, but they ended up working at
the other place, or opening their own businesses,” Hussein said. 

In Lebanon, his father Ali was known as a distinguished
baker. Hussein, his siblings and their children followed in Ali’s path.  Hussein still remembers he and his
siblings helping their father bake on the weekends and after school.

Although other small businesses in Dearborn offer saj bread,
Hussein insists it isn’t the same as Saj’s. “We’re doing it on a big
scale. A lot of them do small scale stuff.  But we’re also presenting it in a fresh and modern way,
because the way we’re doing it, it’s very upscale, so that’s one of the
features that’s going to distinguish us from the rest,” he said. 

Saj bread is also freshly made from 80% whole wheat with no
shortening. The classic baking process combined with Saj’s shortening-free
recipe makes for both healthy and delicious sandwiches of many kinds.

The cafe also carries a variety of desserts, hot dishes,
cold entrees, pita wraps, mini pies, grape leaves, fried kibbie, breakfast
items, and breads with Zaatar and cheese toppings among other items.  

Hussein and Ahmad say it takes more than a family trait to
be successful. Their educational background accompanied by decades of combined
experience in the bakery and restaurant business make them humble and eager to
serve with the highest standards of excellence.

To view Saj’s menu visit www.sajounacafe.com or call
313.277.8877.  Hours of operation
are Mon-Thurs 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fri-Sat 5:30-midnight, and Sunday 5:30 a.m.
– 10 p.m. Saj is located at 25857 Ford Rd. in Dearborn Heights, MI, 48127.