SAFFRON KITCHEN, RESTAURANT & BAR — Restaurant in Oakland

Omg. Omg. Omg. YUM.

Saffron Kitchen will be on a regular rotation for me going forward. I've only had Afghani food once or twice, but this is another level.

The menu has plenty of options but they all fit onto one page; I am not a fan of menus that go on for 3-4 pages. Also, there are many beverage choices, and their cocktails are pretty good.

The steamed dumplings - the Mantu - was heavenly. I am a discerning Chinese dumpling eater, and I was over the moon with every bite of this dish. I had to refrain from licking the plate.

Of course, we had to have lamb, and we struggled to decide because there were so many options. We landed on the lamb kabob; my friend and I kept cutting the lamb into smaller and smaller pieces so we could have more and more bites to savor.

Then we had a veggie sampler because we couldn't decide which veggie we wanted. We got to taste the eggplant, the spinach, and the butternut squash. Everything was great, but the butternut squash shined.

The restaurant has so many beautiful spaces to dine. First, a fancy parklet and patio area set a level below the street for those who want to dine outside in the fresh air. Inside, there is a main dining section that is cozy and comfortable, with a decent bar. There also is a pretty stunning private dining room.

The service was the highlight. Our server was extremely attentive, and other wait staff checked in on us. If you're not familiar with Afghan food, the staff will be more than delighted to explain it to you. You'll be missing out if you don't try it!

Finally, the prices are incredibly reasonable for what they offer you. What a welcome addition to...

I absolutely adore Saffron Kitchen! This is my favorite little place! Everything from the food to the service to the ambience is superb. You can’t go wrong with anything that you try on their menu. The flavors are so fragrant and pronounced. Amazing spices and herbs with the most authentic taste. Every dish is amazing and always made with love.

My current favorite is the filet mignon kabobs. If you like juicy, tender meat with immense flavors, this is IT! But I’ll be honest; any of their kabobs will knock your socks off. All of their appetizers are scrumptious too. I love the potato pakora, mantus, bolani, samosas, and their housemade Middle Eastern Naan and Chutneys. The chutneys are packed full of flavor, and the green chutney is an addiction that just waiting to happen. Whatever you do, make sure that you put that on everything that you can! It is so delicious.

Not to be forgotten are their fantastic cocktail. I’ve had every one of their cocktail list thus far, and all are uniquely enjoyable. My go-to is the “Paradiso” but I always like to switch up the rotation and try something different. They have the best happy hour in town and an even better dinner dining experience. Portions are large and filling always.

The service is just impeccable! Every time that I step foot in the door, I am greeted with warm smiles and treated like family. I’m a regular here, but the awesome service is inclusive of all. Akbar, Abdul, and his team are exceptional. I’m so grateful to have this neighborhood gem nearby. If you’re thinking of giving them a try, don’t even think about it; just DO IT like Nike. I promise that you won’t be...

Overall Saffron is nice - good food, relatively well priced to the area (except for the greek salad), nice friendly waitress. they treated us well for our bday celebration giving us FIRNI which is a MUST try.

The food: 4 stars - good homemade style that was all well executed with standouts being their yogurt sauce & chutneys that sprinkles a little bit of magic flavor on everything, firni dessert, butternut squash, and appetizers generally.

Their dumpling appetizer stands out as different though the eggplant pakora was more deep fried goodness most would enjoy. The vegetarian plate was good but the marinated butternut squash was the star there. simple, but flavorful and sweet. The best was by far the firni dessert though. That was a party in your mouth. I'm not a big flan or rice pudding texture type of gal, but that was amazing. It had tons of saffron, cardamom, and rose water + nuts & coconuts for additional texture inside. Would go back just for that.

-1 star and almost -2 stars for the offensiveness of their greek salad. $18 for a plat of romaine lettuce, what looked like packaged sprinkled feta cheese, and a few pieces of tomatoes and olives.

Service: 4 stars, waitress was nice and attentive and recommended good dishes. Good but not the wow service i've experienced rarely at some places.

Atmosphere: interesting contrast of a bar but with white tablecloth and slightly below street level of college avenue. patio is nice on a sunny day because there's shade but warmth, but some street noise.

Verdict: would i go back? probably. would it be top of mind? not...