Saffron Restaurant & Lounge

09/22/08

How are you feeling, Warf? NOT GOOD, sir!

by SubliminalVocoder

Sure, everything was gourmet, except for the food. But for those of you without with a very discriminating pallet, you may well not notice how the giant beans Tapas?esque teaser/appetizer is WAY over spiced with dill, and that the Greek Extra Virgin olive oil used was ? on the way to being ran(id (you know, when what should have been a peppery banana/green lawn bouquet is just slightly banana like, with a sort of weak oleic ran(id flavor on top). I'm going to be candid. For Minnesota, I suppose the food was OK (that is not to say there aren't a few fine gems in Minnesota,, there are.) But if Saffron was, for instance, in Big Apple, it would be out of business in short order. Why do I say this? The food is only so so. For instance, many of the menu items mention truffle (that initially scared me, and guess what,, my fears were well founded.) STAY AWAY from Saffron if the thought of heavy drizzle of Trader Joe?s black truffle oil makes you queasy. Things like this may well go unnoticed to most, and those who pretend to have godly taste, but if you have a very discriminating pallet, and the flavor and quality of the food are the primary reasons you are going here, do yourself a favor and spend ? the money at India Palace in Woodbury, Pun(h Neapolitan Pizza (4 locations now), or Sea Salt. And if you need to spend a lot of money to impress someone (and have a meal you will never forget), go to Savory?s in Stillwater. I just named the four best restaurants in twin cities region. Oh, and one other ? the McDonalds in Bloomington (next to Groth music, it?s the regional training MCK?Dees). So much money and research has gone into the McDonalds recipes, that when the food is served correctly (fresh & hot), it truly can be a gourmet experience. Sorry Saffron, it just didn?t work. I suppose as long as you remain only in Minneapolis, you will survive. *Hint, (=c. Sorry, they detected the words as offensive.

• Pros: Eclectic, Eastern
• Cons: Amateurishly executed, except for the meat kabbs

07/05/08

Best Food Ever

by JinMN

This is the first restaurant that impressed us so much that we feel compelled to write a review.

Mediterranean / Middle eastern restaurants are quite sparse in the Twin Cities, compared to say Montreal (home for one of us). So far the two best options were Babani's and Caspian. The menu at Saffron is very different, though, offering contemporary re-interpretations of some middle eastern dishes and staying away from those that would not distinguish it from other restaurants. There are several very interesting and tasty non-alcoholic drinks.

The quality of the ingredients is very high and fresh spices are said to be ground every week. Preparation is first class, and presentation is beautiful. The servers are pleasant, helpful and know every detail of the dishes. The ambience of the dining area is warm, clean and contemporary. All of this combined into an unexpectedly enjoyable experience.

The most tasty items for the evening have to be the Kofta meatballs and the goat cheese majdool date tart accompanying the duck breast.

I noticed some reviewers complaining about parking. While we found on-street parking, there is also a garage accross the street on 2nd Ave, so this should not be a concern.

• Pros: Excellent food, very reasonable prices (particularly for the small plates)
• Cons: Location

06/22/08

Excellent, excellent food and service. One of the best in the area.

by dstucke

We have dined at Saffron a number of times starting shortly after they opened. Saed is the consumate "front man", warm and engaging, making everyone feel welcome in true Middle Eastern style. As other reviews attest, the food is excellent and true to it's origins. My wife and I lived in the Middle East for nine years and have to say this is, without question, the best Middle Eastern food we have found. We have taken out-of-town guests and have recommended Saffron to many. My only hope is that continue to remain in the area!

• Pros: Great food, excellent service, great value.
• Cons: None