Saffron

When I heard that Minnesota’s own chef Sameh Wadi of Saffron was going to battle it out on Iron Chef, I couldn’t wait for the episode to air. Chef Wadi did an amazing job. The dishes he created made me wish I could reach through the TV to help myself to the feast he set before the judges.

And speaking of which, who were these judges anyways? I completely agree with Andrew Zimmern on this one….Red Lobster? Are you kidding me? Even my own parents who think that Don Pablos is a special occasion restaurant have sworn Red Lobster off because of its low quality. Just because the restaurant is a sponsor of the show doesn’t mean the head chef qualifies as a judge.

What about Ted Allen or Jeffrey Steingarten? Seriously I think Wadi got shortchanged when it came to proper judging. Besides that, these judges would never have picked this newbie chef over Iron Chef legend Morimoto. Ok, thank you for letting me vent! If you missed the episode, you can check it out on UTube.

Since my birthday was coming up, the aforementioned parents and I planned to head to Saffron for a mini birthday celebration. This is definitely a stretch from their standard chain-restaurant ways, but they’re slowly coming along (remember, they gave up Red Lobster!) I know my father has a dormant foodie inside of him who is slowly coming out of hibernation, and although my mom still thinks Houlihans serves the best pot roast sandwich in town, she’s beginning to recognize when the flavors of a dish actually blend and work together.

Upon our arrival, we were warmly greeted by Chef Wadi’s brother who acts as the manager/ host of the restaurant. I was surprised at how full the place was. The last time I was here, it was a Saturday night around 8pm and nearly empty. It seems Wadi’s appearance on Iron Chef has been good for business!

We were quickly seated and greeted by our waiter who walked us through the specials for the evening. I already knew before we arrived that I wanted to order the tasting menu. It seemed like a great value, and I was eager to try as much of Chef Wadi’s cuisine as I could.

After placing our orders, we were brought a basket of fresh, soft bread accompanied by house-made hummus. I love hummus, and this was some of the best I’ve ever had. Smooth, creamy and filled with soft middle-eastern spices. Yum!

My tasting menu began a small salmon filet served with porcini mushroom croquettes. The croquettes in this dish really stole the show. They were crispy on the outside and filled with a rich, creamy mushroom puree. The salmon was good, but nothing special. It tasted like something I could prepare at home myself. If the first course was just a plate of those decadent croquettes, I would have been in heaven!

The main course was beef hangar steak served over a parsnip puree along with brussel sprouts and medjool dates. The dish was then finished with a drizzle of some sort of spiced sauce. I would have loved more of that sauce! It added a nice kick to the dish and was then tempered by the sweetness of the dates.

My meal ended with Chocolate Ganache Cake. It was a small piece of flourless chocolate cake garnished with chocolate phyllo and cherry sorbet. Rich and chocolaty is always the perfect way to end a meal.

Dinner really was delicious, but I just have to say this: there wasn’t enough of it. The portions were smaller than most restaurants, and I am sad to say that I left Saffron ready for a snack. Both my parents and I finished our gourmet meal at home with a nice big bowl of cereal. I’ll be back to Saffron, but now I know to have a nosh before I go.

Additional Details:
1. Website: //www.saffronmpls.com/
2. Parking can be a bear in this part of town. Here are some options:
- There is a lot right next to the restaurant where Saffron will validate your parking (details on their website).
- There is another lot right on First Ave. between Washington and 3rd St. No attendant is on duty, but there is a paybox. Cost is $8.
- There is also metered parking if you can find an open spot.