Aiko Street Food returns to metro Detroit for a two-month Utica residency

Aiko Street Food is heading south for the fall.

Chef Ryan Mateling is bringing his northern Michigan food truck back to metro Detroit for a two-month residency at Host in downtown Utica, where he’ll serve a Japanese-inspired menu from Oct. 6 through Nov. 28.

The residency brings Mateling back to the area where he spent part of his career before returning to northern Michigan. His Detroit years included stops at the now-closed Antietam, where he worked with French cuisine, and Voyager in Ferndale. He later developed Aiko through pop-ups before turning it into a food truck now based at the M-88 Food Court in his hometown of Bellaire.

Aiko takes its name from Mateling’s Japanese American grandmother, whose family was incarcerated during World War II before moving from the West Coast to the Midwest. Mateling says the concept draws on that history, mixing Japanese cooking techniques with influences from the Midwest and elsewhere.

At Host, that will translate into an izakaya-style dinner menu designed for sharing over cocktails, sake, and beer.

Among the dishes planned are seared oxtail terrine with chimichurri; shrimp-and-pork and beef bulgogi gyoza; ebi shinjo, or shrimp fritters; vegetarian and gluten-free okonomiyaki; and whole crispy Japanese-style wings.

Larger dishes will include Mateling’s take on yakisoba with a coconut sauce and tonkatsu ramen, along with Japanese-inspired salads and desserts. The menu will also include a number of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options.

After the first week, Mateling plans to add regular and vegan omakase tasting menus. Tuesdays will also feature a robatayaki night from 5-8 p.m., with grilled skewers starting at $8.

The setup fits neatly with Host’s unusual restaurant model. The Utica spot regularly hands over its dinner kitchen to visiting chefs for limited residencies, giving them an established dining room and customer base to test menus and concepts. Host currently lists Aiko as its next resident chef beginning Oct. 6.

Aiko Street Food will serve dinner from 5-10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Host, 7759 Auburn Rd., Utica. The residency runs through Saturday, Nov. 28.