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New York Restaurants 2008

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Safran

88 7th Ave
New York, NY 10011
Phone: (646) 461-3388
Safran
Price:
$$$
Cross Street:
Between 15th Street and 16th Street
Directions:
A, C, E; L at 14th St
Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11:30am-11:30pm, Fri, Sat 11:30am-12am

Message from Safran

Safran

Contemporary Vietnamese Cuisine In A Gorgeous Bi-Level Space

  • Parties Up To 130 w/ VIP Room
  • Wine List, Speciality Cocktail
  • Lunch Specials Daily

Safran welcomes you to try a Vietnamese cuisine like no other. A style one could perhaps call Viet-chic, Safran serves contemporary, Vietnamese cooking evolved to include influences and elite techniques from around the world.

Executive Chef Laura Lam (formally of the Rainbow Room and Monsoon Restaurant) was raised in Vietnam, but through her education and travels, has developed a cooking style like New York has never before seen. Her dishes are prepared using an array of spices, fresh herbs and seasonal fruits.

The drink menu is filled with house-concocted specialty drinks made from fresh herbs like ginger, lavender and mint and exotic fruit mixed with premium spirits (flavored vodka, sugarcane rum etc.) and carefully chosen accents such as Perrier Jouet.

The modern, upscale setting of Safran reflects the restaurant's unique qualities and is ideal for groups & intimate evenings.

Paid advertisement by Safran.

Editorial Review for Safran – by Justin Hartung

The Scene
Paralleling its border-crossing menu, Safran's main dining room puts a Chelsea polish on Asian restaurant basics. Pale green and beige stripes line the walls, with bright splashes of orange provided by high-backed chairs. A steel bead curtain extends past the staircase to the downstairs, where a tiny pond is cut into a raised wood floor. Throughout, golden statues peer from wall nooks at the crowd.

The Food
Though the menu's billed as French-Vietnamese, a few creative side-trips occur. A tasty dim sum sampler includes an abalone dumpling, while sushi-style chunks of tuna in seviche get a tangy jalapeno dressing. Entrees follow more familiar Indochinese routes, with varied success: Tender cubes of beef anchor bo loc lac, but duck breast confit, priced on the French side, is sinewy and paired awkwardly with honey-glazed foie gras. A nut-shaped pistachio and almond dessert syncs perfectly with the decor.

Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.

Insider Tips

Know Before You Go

Credit card and delivery minimum are both $15.

Save Money

Many lunch specials cost less than $10 and include salad and a spring or summer roll.

User Reviews for Safran

Citysearch (16), MenuPages (2 ), All (18)

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/10/2008 Posted by mohctep

We went in based on a hunch . It was completely empty on Saturday while other restaurants in the area were full. I cannot explain this phenomenon, but we took a risk and came out very satisfied. Reasonably priced and very good food. Deserts are ok . But my bamboo soup was great ,as well as teriyaki beef cubes. This is a solid place with good food at reasonable price. No name Cab that they sell by the glass is a decent variety as well. I would definitely come back there.

Pros: Food , no crowds. No turists, no loud music

Cons: I cannot think of any

3 Star Rating: Average

04/16/2008 Posted by LFleur

To start with I have to say, the food here is amazing, i've never had a dish i didn't love (to both look at AND taste), and the prices are fairly reasonable for what you get, especially if you're with friends. however, what we REALLY came here for were the drinks, made by one of the best bartenders in the city; we couldn't get enough! But when my friends and I went by last week we learned, much to our dismay, that he's no longer working there! i just hope he's still bartending in the area, i need my dirty martini fix!

Pros: great food

Cons: no more drinks : (

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Editor's Review

Sleek Chelsea eatery uses Indochina as home base, with forays into South America and beyond.  See the full editorial review.

Insider Tips

Know Before You Go

Credit card and delivery minimum are both $15.

More Insider Tips

Restaurant Information

Parking

  • Street

Hours

  • Mon-Thu, Sun 11:30am-11:30pm
  • Fri, Sat 11:30am-12am

Dress Code

  • Casual

Payment Types

  • Discover
  • Visa
  • American Express
  • MasterCard

Cuisines

  • Vietnamese

Meal Price

  • $$$

Amenities

  • Carry Out
  • Lunch Spot
  • Open 7 Days
  • Group Dining
  • Business Dining

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