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.

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.

I feel compelled to write to you about a meal that I experienced (and I use this term intentionally) at Saffron in downtown Minneapolis last week, because the flavors from that exquisite meal are still lingering in my mouth. The chef, as I learned, from meeting the owner Saed (an affable and astute business man), is all of 24 years old. I am and was simply stunned. His instinct for fine cuisine is exceptional. I say this having grown up with good food and around good cooks.
My companion and I shared the lamb shoulder with lamb bacon, harissa and chickpeas and the Barramundi fish in browned butter with orzo and tomato comfit. (I felt I should know the precise dishes, so I called the restaurant for details.) We shared, because both dishes were so well prepared that neither of us wanted to miss out. The entrees were so fantastic that the meze and dessert went into oblivion memory wise, so unfortunately, I cannot comment on them. I just know that the appetizer, dessert and wine were in perfect harmony with the main courses, in both weight and flavor. The server we had was great?noninvasive but always ready to assist or to give informed advice.
I care passionately about good food and good service. I worked in the fine dining business for years; I can honestly say that the meal I had at Saffron was a perfect dining experience.

Sincerely,



Zi Ata

All I can say is you must try the Beef Carpaccio, Leek and feta tart, Duck entree and the Escargot pasta.
We tried almost all the apps since they were small, everthing was seasoned to perfection. The service was informative ,which is great because everything was so unusually spiced. I can honestly say that this was the best meal I have had in years!!! I highly recommend this spot!

This place should be packed it's so good! The staff is so nice. The owner takes pride in his place and you can see it! He came over and thanked us and was very personable. BUT the food speaks for itself. We had several Mezza plates (small plates) and chose to do the chef's selection which was awesome. The feta is so fresh as well as the homemade sausages etc. I had the lamb which melted in your mouth the flavors were awesome. My boyfriend had the salmon and it was insanely good!
The bar is very big so go and get a drink, have some Mezza, and well you must have the lamb or salmon!