Saffy’s
Middle Eastern restaurant · East Hollywood ·
Wood-fired kitchen with hummus, skewers, salads, and cocktails
Wood-fired kitchen with hummus, skewers, salads, and cocktails
"At this East Hollywood restaurant helmed by Ori Menashe and opened in 2022, where the dishes are described as reminiscent of Middle-Eastern home-style cooking, the Peruvian scallop crudo hits its Platonic form: buttery bivalves served four to a plate in shells that recall Botticelli’s Venus, bathed in a piquant citrus amba broth of lime, orange, sometimes Meyer lemon, preserved lemons that thicken it, and mango juice. The citrus slaps first, the amba’s spice lands as a slow burn; unripe green mangos are salted, fermented for a week, then pureed with cumin, turmeric, coriander, and preserved lemon, with a hint of sugar depending on the end product. Each scallop is dotted with a house chile oil blending Turkish peppers (Aleppo, Urfa, chile de arbol) and finished with fresh herbs and toasted, ground cracked bulgur for a crunchy salt texture, with the occasional touch of fish sauce to amplify the ocean even more. It goes down in one slurp — forget utensils; I dare you not to lick the inside of the shell — and I’ve ordered it on every subsequent visit, sometimes two rounds, because these down-the-hatch flavor bombs leave me wanting more. On an average week Menashe spins out about 300 plates, and he calls it a simple but super bright first bite that opens you up." - Sheila Yasmin Marikar
"At Saffy’s, a glamorous kebab house inEast Hollywoodfrom the can't-miss team behindBavelandBestia, there are shawarma sandwiches, tagine platters, and life-changing hummus, all served in a bright space you’ll want to hang out in all night. Walk-ins are encouraged and servers treat you like an old friend. The simple, high-quality kebabs are the best things on the menu, and skipping them would be as wise as going to the beach without sunscreen. Come here to slide tender beef cuts off of a three-foot skewer with a handful of fluffy laffa bread while sipping a rose vesper martini and admiring the fashion-world-adjacent crowd." - Team Infatuation
"Saffy’s, a glamorous kebab house on Fountain Ave., is the newest restaurant from the Bavel team. Though there’s plenty of shared DNA with its pita-pushing predecessor—life-changing hummus, a bright and airy space you can hang out in all-night—this is hardly some carbon copy. Saffy’s feels like the younger, more carefree sibling who’s rebelled against LA hot spot tropes: walk-ins are encouraged and accommodated, servers treat you like an old friend, and most dishes cost less than $25. Saffy’s serves food worthy of a special occasion with the nonchalance of a neighborhood place where you can drop in unannounced. Be sure to get the red snapper tagine and any meat that comes on a stick." - brant cox, cathy park
"Saffy’s is a glamorous and bustling kebab house in East Hollywood where snagging a prime-time reservation can be a challenge. But if you find yourself at the U-shaped bar (or anywhere else in the restaurant), be sure to order a cocktail alongside your life-affirming shawarma and hummus. Saffy’s doesn’t specialize in a particular spirit but instead makes elaborate drinks that match the flashy, well-dressed crowd. The Vesper is particularly tasty, with gin, vodka, and hints of rose, lemon, and raspberry served in a slim Nick & Nora glass. It’s the perfect drink to have in hand as you scan the room (and look good while doing it.)" - sylvio martins, brant cox, garrett snyder
"Crackling flames, heat radiating from the coals, the constant kneading and stretching of dough— the visceral nature of Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis’s latest restaurant is impossible to ignore. Clearly, as snagging a reservation at this hot spot isn't an easy feat.Lamb and pork kebabs cooked on long metal skewers are the main event, but grilled lobster marinated in green harissa is a luxurious feast that would dazzle in fine dining temples. Turmeric mussels are a delight, as is the golden-brown falafel with creamy tahini. Bread is a constant source of pleasure, from the delicate challah to the soft laffa, but dessert is far from an afterthought. Avocado honey butter soft serve ice cream with a tableside pour of sherry is a real treat." - Michelin Inspector