The Restaurant


Lunch dinner

button

Saffron Cafe, Downtown’s first-ever Moroccan restaurant, opened Monday, March 2, 2009 at 621 Fort Wayne Ave. (in the former Canary Cafe location.) Owner Anas Sentissi brings years of restaurant experience and his family’s secret tiramisu recipe.

“This is a great addition to the Ft. Wayne Avenue and Pennsylvania Street area,” said Terry Sweeney, Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. vice president of real estate development. “Saffron Cafe will provide a new, diverse dining option for Downtown residents, workers and visitors.”

Sentissi has transformed the quaint cafe into an authentic Moroccan experience. The chandeliers, table settings, mirrors and other decor are straight from Morocco. Want more? The menu features delicious Moroccan specialties including traditional tajines (Moroccan stews), kabbabs, gyros, pasta, paella (seafood, vegetables, chicken & saffron rice), desserts and more. Wine is imported from Morocco and fresh seafood is flown in daily. Everything on the menu is homemade from scratch.

Saffron is a spice derived from the dried stigma of the “Crocus Sativus Linneaus” flower and is the world’s most expensive spice by weight. It takes about 225,000 hand-picked stigma to produce one pound of saffron and is native to the Mediterranean. Saffron is used for its bright orange/yellow color, strong and distinctive flavor and aroma and its therapeutic properties. Sentissi imports saffron from Morocco to use in his recipes.

Sentissi is excited to be in Downtown Indianapolis and invites employees, residents and visitors to try something different. “I want to get to know my customers and welcome them to my Moroccan restaurant,” said Sentissi. “Here you are family.”
*Call-ahead ordering for take-out is also available. 317.917.0131
arch
star-article dine-recipe journalarticle indystar inmonthly urbanspoon ethnic bestOfNuvo