Saffron Restaurant & LoungeExcellent, Excellent, Excellent!!!Another fabulous experience at Saffron! My wife & I are repeat customers. We are never dissatisfied. We recommend Saffron to all of our friends. Thank you!5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMalways exciting choicesgreat options for three sharing food and conversation
wanted a cuisine driven option to entertain family we had never met from the UK (hence unsure of food preferences)
the wide range of flavors and complexity offered us to pick and choose; and to show our guest Minneapolis has world class dining!
large tagines are great to share after several smaller courses before. noisy and fun on a saturday, but an "early" crowd, so it was
mellow later in the evening. very open to bringing wines from our cellar. looking forward to returning again soon5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Place to eatWe love to try different items. The drinks were amazing. We tried the lamb meatballs and Lamb brains both had great taste. Go outside your food box and different items. You will enjoy it.
Note they only serve the right side of the brain. It will make you smarter5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMUnexpectedly delicious!When I first looked at the menu it looked really "out there" for me, and I thought I wouldn't like anything. I was with 3 other people, and they did the ordering for the table, and I can honestly say everything was just DELICIOUS! Surprising, different flavors, presented in a gorgeous way. Service was impeccable -- truly a fun evening!!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent service and foodThe food here was very nice, but what it made it stand out was the service. Servers were obviously well trained, everything was in sync, and everyone very knowledgeable. The sommelier was also acting as host (or vice versa) and was very excited to tell us about the wine list. We shared several small plates and a tagine and we enjoyed everything. The fried cauliflower and the lamb tagine stood out, and the salad was very fresh and flavorful. I was disappointed the deserts weren't more interesting. I'm not a dessert fan, but was hoping for something different. All the desserts on the menu were standards. Overall, an excellent experience.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAn eye-opener!I have been to Saffron twice now, and have left glowing both times. The food is faithful to the chef's Palestinian roots, and the offerings are not the standard fare you find in most middle eastern restaurants in the U.S. I have never had anything there that was less than eye-opening, perfectly executed and (it seems) made with love. The service has always been top-notch and the servers seem genuinely happy to be there. I can hardly wait to return4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways love the food and serviceAlways love the food and service at Saffron! Great meal :)4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful options for sharingWonderful options for sharing & exploring different dishes.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was my second visit toThis was my second visit to Saffron. I live out of town and visited while in Minneapolis for a business meeting a year ago and enjoyed it so much that I wanted to return when we were in town again. There were four of us and we opted to order several "small plates" and one tangine dish. It was all excellent! I would definitely return when in Minneapolis again.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMMonday night was my firstMonday night was my first time at Saffron. I always wanted to go there and finally got the opportunity to go there with company (my parents). Due to the snow storm, the restaurant was not packed at all when my folks and I arrived. The staff was very helpful and pleasant to deal with, especially our server who helped us with the menu. My parents and I started out with a stout and a couple of glasses of wine along with an order of hummus and giant beans. And of all each had a tangine of some sort. Everything was delicious. I definitely want to return to try the octopus and lambs brain.4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMFive starIt was a wonderful meal with excellent service. Tables not too close together.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMI was attending a conferenceI was attending a conference in Minneapolis and Saffron was recommended to me by a friend who lives in Minneapolis area. I went with a group of clients (a coupla foodies, several vegetarians and one very picky eater) and it was one of the best dinners all had ever had. Food was all delicious, varied and interesting, wine was wonderful and the service lovely. We ended up staying for about 3 hours since we were having such a good time! I raved about it so much the next day that the folks we were going out with the next day insisted we go back! So, we went a second night (and this group was all very serious foodies from DC) and same exceptional results. Thank you for a delightful experience, twice!4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMSevilla in MinneapolisCraving broiled octopus, a Tagine or Turkish Ris De Veau and you are stuck in Minneapolis? All is not lost, tucked just moments from the city center is Saffron. From the moment you walk inside you know you are in for a treat. The comforting smells of ancient spices fill the air and you are just moments from an encyclopedia of Spanish, Turkish, Palestinian and North African delicacies you seldom find in an American bistro. Nothing about this restaurant is tempered by American tastes, it's superbly authentic and true to form. My enthusiastic and well-versed host Christopher not only knew his menu and was thoroughly knowledgeable of all the cuisine's in the region. A perfectly superb dinner in a delightfully peaceful surrounding!4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, good choices forGreat food, good choices for either entrees or sharing small plates. Our server was very attentive and helpful and honest in recommending options from the menu. Looking forward to the next time we dine at Saffron!4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMOur waiter, Evan was veryOur waiter, Evan was very knowledgable about the menu. Great service and food. The Turk hummus was delicious. My husband's sea bass was cooked to perfection, one of the best he has had. The eggplant lovash with the chicken dish had wonderful flavor. Could've made a meal with just that. Don't miss the salted caramel dessert, so creamy and flavorful. Definitely would recommend!!!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThe breakdownAbsolutely stellar food though, portion size for appetizers was a bit scant. We had the figs and foie and octopus to start. Wish that there had been a few more figs but the flavors and presentation were spot on. The octopus is an absolute must have; perfectly cooked and beautifully seasoned with a firm yet sumptuous texture. My date had the seafood tangine and could not stop raving about the amount of flavor. I went with the braised veal breast and practically licked the plate clean. Even the fingerling potatoes with carmelizex paprika butter were uniquely delicious. Paired everything with a bottle of the Syrocco- good acid, approachable nose, plays well with their spicier fare.
Overall, service was fantastic. More privacy desired.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistently Good.Every time we visit Saffron, we never leave disappointed.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMStarting at the bar, I appreciatedStarting at the bar, I appreciated the very different and inventive cocktail list. Our server moved to our table with us and recommended some excellent dishes to share along with wine pairings that worked well. Great aromas and flavors throughout the evening. All at prices that don't "break the bank"! Highly recommended!3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMEnjoyed the food and service,Enjoyed the food and service, but was disappointed they didn't do anything special for birthdays. Went there to celebrate my boyfriends 30th bday, even put that in the notes, but didn't do anything special because of it. Food was amazing and enjoyed the decor.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMWe have been to Saffron aWe have been to Saffron a number of times and each time leave after having a very enjoyable mean. Food and service are great and food is creative.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding food and service.Outstanding food and service. They were willing and able to accomodate my food allergies.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat restaurant, food isgreat restaurant, food is exquisite, delicious, unusual combinations(maybe not for middle eastern food). There were 4 of us and everyone was very happy with their food. The waiter was very helpful, and showed just the right amount of attentiveness. We can't wait to go back.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMAnother Excellent DinnerWe had a thoroughly enjoyable evening at Saffron. The cocktails we enjoyed at the bar were both delicious - we especially recommend the Vieux Carre. Our meal was delicious. The gnocchi is always a highlight and something we almost always order, but the lamb tagine was also wonderful. Service is always very good as well.2/25/2013 12:00:00 AMTagine cooking makes memoruesTagine cooking! Delicate plump mussels, lucious monk fish - tomatoes nestling white beans a red wine from Lebanon - purple potatoes fried cauliflower wish the evening never ended1/23/2013 12:00:00 AM