Sicilian Rice is a local specialty said to have originated in Saga City. Thin-sliced meat is stir-fried with onion in a sweet-savory sauce and served over warm rice, arranged colorfully with raw vegetables such as lettuce, tomato, and cucumber, then finished with a drizzle of mayonnaise. It is said to have first appeared around 1975 as a staff meal at a coffee shop in central Saga City. Several theories surround the origin of its name, including one that the red of the tomato, the white of the egg, and the green of the vegetables evoke the Italian flag, and another linking it to Sicily, the island setting of the film 'The Godfather.' The ingredients and seasoning vary widely from shop to shop, and the dish is loved as a highly flexible local specialty, with some upscale restaurants even offering versions made with Saga beef steak. Because there is no fixed recipe or trademark, the Saga City Tourism Association's website and other sources note that 'the very fact that its origin remains unclear is part of its charm.'
Origin
It is said to have first been created around 1975 as a staff meal at a coffee shop in a shopping district in central Saga City. The then-novel combination of warm rice topped with stir-fried meat, raw vegetables, and mayonnaise proved popular and is said to have spread to nearby restaurants.
History
Several theories surround the dish's origin, including one that it was devised as a staff meal by someone working at a restaurant. The origin of its name is also not clearly known, and multiple theories coexist to this day even as the dish has firmly established itself as a signature local specialty of Saga City. In recent years it has been promoted as a flagship item by the tourism association and is served at a wide range of restaurants throughout the city.
Features
The basic form places four elements on a single flat plate: warm rice, raw vegetables, sweet-savory stir-fried meat, and mayonnaise. The meat is typically thin-sliced beef stir-fried with onion in a sweet-savory sauce, though some shops use pork or chicken, and lettuce, tomato, and cucumber are the vegetables most commonly used. Because there is no fixed definition, each shop's seasoning and presentation reflects its own individuality.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
Because there is no fixed recipe and each shop can arrange it freely, a wide range of establishments in Saga City -- coffee shops, restaurants, and hotels -- serve their own original versions of Sicilian Rice. Shops that use roast beef or insist on locally grown rice and vegetables have each turned it into a signature menu item that expresses their own character.
Famous Shops
浪漫座
佐賀県佐賀市柳町2-9
A long-established coffee shop serving Sicilian Rice made with roast beef
Cafe TRES
佐賀県佐賀市城内1-15-23
Popular for its Sicilian Rice made with Saga-grown rice and seasonal vegetables
FAQ
Q. What is the origin of the name 'Sicilian Rice'?
A. No single explanation is established, and several theories are passed down: one holds that the red of the tomato, the white of the egg, and the green of the vegetables evoke the Italian flag, combined with a reference to Sicily, the setting of the film 'The Godfather'; another suggests the name references a Mediterranean place, chosen to rival neighboring Nagasaki's 'Turkish Rice.'