saffron – Hillary Weller

Travel Eats documents my food adventures outside of Chicago.

Turkey and artichoke grilled cheese, Marigold Kitchen

Before heading full-speed into Restaurant Week, I wanted to share a few more photos from my vacation earlier this month. From a sandwich that stole my heart when we stopped for lunch in Madison (see above), to more of my favorite bites and sips from Saffron in downtown Minneapolis (see also: this tagine); and from a hearty Northwoods breakfast to convenience-store-assembled dessert by the fire, there was a little bit of everything. Definitely a cold but successful getaway!

Saffron Rose cocktail, Saffron — Saffron Rose cocktail – gin, saffron, orange blossom water, and sparkling rosé

Turk hummus with caramelized paprika butter and za'atar, Saffron — Turk hummus with caramelized paprika butter and za’atar, Saffron

"Chocolate four ways" – low-brow dessert at its finest — “Chocolate four ways” in the condo – pop-tarts, puppy chow, cookie, and hot chocolate, a.k.a low-brow dessert at its finest

Breakfast, The 502 at Chase on the Lake — Northwoods breakfast with cheese sauce on top of scrambled eggs on top of hashbrowns, The 502 at Chase on the Lake

What have you eaten during recent travels?

This week’s Best Bite: Moroccan duck kefta tagine, Saffron

Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: During a wintry mini-vacation in Minnesota this past weekend, our dinner at Saffron in downtown Minneapolis emerged as the clear dining highlight. In each shareable dish, we could detect a wealth of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences, down to details such as caramelized paprika butter or feta fondue. But the most impressive was this tagine, a North African stew with layers of bold flavors that had slowly melded together in the dish’s eponymous cooking vessel. The blurriness in the photo is from the steam that came off as the server removed the conical lid; we then broke and stirred in the egg yolks to make the sauce even silkier. The duck meatballs (kefta) were moist and well-seasoned, chickpeas added contrast, and the whole thing was both comforting and exotic. I’ll share more about my Minnesota adventures in an upcoming post!

The details: Saffron Restaurant & Lounge, 123 N 3rd St., Minneapolis, MN.