Miami Curated Logo

Saffron Supper Club

Miami Supper clubs
The garden at Mina’s Mediterraneo

 

Lifestyle experiences in travel, food, drinking – you name it, are a major trend. Dining experiences have been around for around five years, some “underground”, such as Cobaya where the venue is a surprise, others that revolve around visiting “name” chefs, and still others with a theme like “Diner en Blanc” where guests dress in white, the décor is white, and you bring a picnic. The latest one on the scene in the category of Miami supper clubs is the Saffron Supper Club with several novel twists – it explores the food and culture of Persia and the Middle East and there’s a cultural component such as poetry, music, performance or storytelling. There are two dinners coming up in April, so you can give the club a try soon.

 

The Club is spearheaded by super foodies Sara Liss, prominent food writer, and Maude Eaton, who is Chef instructor and culinary director for Williams-Sonoma Palm Beach among other solid credentials. The food is always delicious as frequent diners tell it (I just went to my first and give it high marks). Plus, it’s a really fun thing to do, not just for the food, but also, for the varied crowd one can meet (good idea for singles). And there’s no need to pay a membership fee – pay as you go as the saying goes.

I went to the dinner at Mina’s Mediterraneo ,749 N.E. 79th St. (T.786.391.0300)  which I had been to before, and really liked for its not-the-usual Middle Eastern cuisine. It features family recipes from the Egyptian born Mina as well as other cuisines of the Med, and everything tastes fresh and homemade. But let’s return to the Saffron Supper Club and how it works. Guests enjoy a set menu which also includes one special cocktail and wine. We started with kibby and  crispy warm Spanakopita, phyllo pastry stuffed spinach and cheese, that had me wanting seconds. First of three courses was a selection of homemade pita chips and dips (loved the molasses and tahini), all good, together with Persian country salad – a refreshing combo that’s like a super food – a medley of parsley, radish, mint, cucumber, carrots, tomatoes, and red cabbage, all studded with pomegranates.

A standout of the evening was the Molokhia soup which was said to be the preferred soup of the pharaohs and an aphrodisiac. Made of jute leaf and laced with lots of garlic, it’s also said to have special health properties besides being unlike anything else I”ve ever eaten ( wish they’d have it on the regular menu —too labor intensive said Mina).  It was served with roast chicken made with chicken fat and cilantro, and Persian rice with a crisp golden crust. As if that wasn’t enough, we then had a zucchini béchamel, a delicious riff on traditional eggplant moussaka. Another winner. Dessert was konefa, shredded phylo with custard and rose water that’s a traditional sweet and comfort food served on the first day of Ramadan.

Seating was in the restaurant’s garden, now expanded to include an open air section with twinkling lights, umbrellas, wooden tables and bar – a welcome addition.

Next dinners are April 9, 6:30pm, $75pp – An homage to “Nowruz” or Persian New Year at Byblos and April 27, 7pm – PAMM collaboration dinner with Verde Restaurant and Diego Oka of La Mar in honor of the Toba Khedori Opening exhibit. Typically there are one or two a month.

The dinners range from $65-$75 per person with or without gratuity, depending on the restaurant.  For more information visit their Facebook page.

Karen Escalera

Karen Escalera

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Karen Escalera at work
KAREN @ WORK
SIGN UP FOR MIAMI CURATED NOTIFICATIONS

Stay up to date on quality Miami food, fashion, culture & travel.

Get notified when MiamiCurated posts a new article and invitations to exclusive reader events.

FEATURED POSTS
RECENT POSTS

Discover more from MiamiCurated

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Miami Curated
Stay up to date on Miami food, fashion, culture & travel.
Get notified when MiamiCurated posts a new article and invitations to exclusive reader events.