Matt and I decided to go back to Saffron for restaurant week. Last time we were there, I declared it the best meal I’d ever had in Minneapolis, but I wondered if possibly that was affected somewhat by the pre-dinner shower champagne. It’s a good idea to verify those things, after all.
I wasn’t wrong. Saffron is amazing.
I’m lucky enough to live in a city where being vegetarian isn’t that big of a hassle. Especially in Minneapolis proper, it’s pretty easy for me to find not only something meatless, but well-prepared. Years of travel have proven that’s a luxury: it’s not the case in most places beyond the west coast and NYC. Even in cities like Las Vegas, I have to research menus ahead of time to make sure I’m not stuck eating a side salad or french fries while everyone else has steak.
Vegetarian fine dining is something else entirely. At the best restaurants, it’s usually an afterthought. The meals tend to be underseasoned, uninspired, and proteinless. You get the sense that the chef is cursing you every time he has to put down the pork belly or foie gras. The first time I encountered a restaurant where that was obviously not the case was at Fleur de Lys in Vegas. Saffron offers a similar experience.
From the restaurant week menu, I had the beet salad with goat cheese balls rolled in pistachios. I’m kind of obsessed with beets anyway, but it was fantastic. For my entree, I had the winter vegetables. They were piled on a parsnip puree, and drizzled with black truffle oil. Surprise! Apparently I like brussels sprouts now. So good. We even tried the desserts, and the cocktails are well-planned to fit with the middle eastern menu. I mean, they have arak. How awesome is that?
Also, the server remembered us from last time we were there. Their service in general is fantastic.
Next time, we’ll probably even order off the dinner menu!